A North Korean tale of Friendship | Alessandro Ford | TEDxUHasselt 

i hope he's carefull with the contents in his book by not revealing sensitive details that could possibly destroy the life of his ex north korean friends or get them in trouble

Is it really safe for his friends to reveal their personal talks like that? Either he knows that it is all right, or he doesn't care about his friends at all.

For all those complaining, I am sure that someone who lived in North Korea for a bit is aware enough of the danger to either write or post the video under a pseudonym and not give anything too identifying away

NK is a one big psychological research material

Your jokes could literally lead to your the death of your friend and his family, dude

He is very clever, but I really hope that what he did in North Korea didn't get Rhee killed :((((

the long audience shots was throwing me off

Why you guys salty this was a brilliant talk.

yes, quite a story, he is going to write his book and enjoy the fruits of celebrity while his friend may end up in a prison camp. North Korean intelligence surely keep an eye on all the videos tourists upload to youtube and other sites.

He's cute and smart and open minded

thank you for spoiling agents of shield

As interesting as it is, he does tell his story with a very unpleasant feeling of superiority

What he said about the North Korea is exactly like China in the 1960s when Mao was in power. Humans think and behave the same given the same condition/environment.

Although I liked the presentation, I couldn't shake the awkward feeling that he is telling a nice story about his pet...

Kim Jun Un, Kim Jun Deux, Kim Jun Trois

This man is a great story-teller who kept my attention from the beginning to the end.

I find myself, at this moment, clapping alone in an empty house and reflecting on my own circumstances which people around me see little hardship in and even I see as something that these other people could breeze by easily but to me feels like the weight of the world and my entire life. :|

I hope this (& his book) didn't get his "friend" killed...

The moment he said that they have no internet, my wifi turned off... fascinating talk

What an insensitive speaker and with complete disregard to the repercussions this information might cause for those involved.

A tale of friendship which will probably get your friend killed in North Korea. It seems like a possibility with North Korea. So I hope this video does not reach North Korean IT department.

How was Agents of Shield downloaded in North Korea? Isn't the internet not open, let alone to torrenting?

He obviously got his 'friend' killed.

And now his friend is going to a work camp THANKS to your brilliant story and your 15 mins of fame.

Did he take his visit as a joke or what? Sounds like he was pestering his so called "friend" into difficult situation that could have gotten him punished or worse, killed. Public executions are still commonplace in North Korea, Alessandro should know that, even if they would never perform one in front of him.

BRILLIANT! Thank you for sharing, you are greatly commendable and inspiring!

This was bloody amazing... such formidable questioning..

Check this guy’s resume. He now works for the NK government abroad.

Thank you Alessandro Ford Good luck 🍀

An interesting speech with an excellent insight. I am quite worried for his friend in North Korea. Most of the documentaries or speeches that I have watched were by refugees who are safe in South Korea or other parts of the world. His friend still stays in North Korea and the repercussions of this speech and the book that will be released can be fatal for his friend.

Does anyone happen to know the name of the book he mentions where he talks about his trip to North Korea?

Fantastic, well done. Great talk!

was interesting, but I also thought that he was a bit full of himself.

I Like This Guy... He's Brave With Hidden Humor On Realities Of That Country!!!!

He's great orator. I want that confidence.

great talk man i loved it the meaning the interesting things behind the talk the Agents of shields story

Wonderful talk!

Loved this!!

I can’t be the only one thinking “God he’s cute”, right?

He seems enjoying the fame and popularity he gets, but forgets about the risk of his friend's life and safety.. Maybe I haven't been there or experience my self but I often watch many interviews of North Koreans defectors who escaped and they said that NK government had many spies especially in china n south korea, even many of those defectors were caught by the spies and had been returned into North Korea n got the punishment from the government. Yup, this video is good n he tries to convey some information about NK but how about his fren there? How about his fren as the source of info who still lives there?? I mean seriously dude, he even showed his friend's photo, his face, n mention his name... And I just think this is kind of scary and risky things for his fren.. I think that's okay for him to convey some info but.... he probably should not show his fren's face and mention his fren's name for his fren's safety.

Little did Alessandro knew that his friend would eventually become the next Great Leader of North Korea.

How audacious.... if these stories were true, he wouldn't be standing there. He would be rotting in a cell together with his 'friend', if lucky. This kind of storytelling is good for a saccharine Hollywood film or an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians. I don't believe in one word he said, and if any of it miraculously happens to be true, this kid must be lacking any sense of responsibility for his actions. Putting someone's life in danger to bloat his own ego.....

The masterpiece!

Thanks heaps.

4th season of Agents of Shield was soooo good.

Well, you and your friend obviously don't know that "private property" isn't the same as personal property. In communism you still have YOUR house, with your belonging which YOU USE - personal property. Private property is property which is bought to make profits like empty houses, unused land, bonds etc. which the communists see as theft. Their logic is that if you don't use something, it's not YOURS and taking it (regardless that you pay with money) and claiming it's yours is theft, because you take something from the evironment (and deny it from the rest) without it being democratically distributed to you.

what challenges did this dude have? im honestly confused?

You just got your ''friend'' in serious trouble.

Very balanced view.

awesome talk

Amazing

very compelling orator. He said he was writing a book. Did he bother? I can't find it

excellent talk

powerful story and makes you really think "what if I was there? Could I live like that?" 😣I know I would not like it at all and would feel like I'm in a prison .I'm so sorry his friend chose to live that way and hasn't talked to him in a year or so ...😔I would be so hurt and would always wonder if they ever think of me and if they were alright ?

Brilliant

Is this what ted talks have come down to ? Someone tell him to blog or some shit.

I like this guy

i said this in another comment, but how do we know that his friends that were chosen to interact with him aren’t working for the government?

Fascinating

I hope his friend is ok, but I'd have talked cautiously. He should know how it works there

This is a great ted talk. It really had me thinking, and counting my blessings

Very interesting speech.

intelligent boy with great eyebrows how do I get one of him

thanks for sharing, great job.

He's way too cute!!!

4:50 that guy falling asleep tho

He looks like 40% Shawn Mendes

Is Rhee safe and alive??

great talk dear but u put your frnds life in risk by mentioning his name

This is a disturbing talk. He made me care about Ri and condemned him and his family with the same breath. Ri doesn't even have to make a choice about his future at this point.

Eye opening talk! I'm afraid Alessandro's level of English was lost on the flemish crowd. Lackluster crowd overal, who didn't understand his witty british style humour.

@ 3:36 I swear to god I would've ended up killed or in jail if I were there. I would've sat there and told everything without even caring 🤦🏻‍♀️

18:43

So did he use a vpn to download an American film or what

someone is having a beautiful dream i guess 8:37

Tell Otto , you know the young man who was tortured to death in North Korea for taking a poster of dictator 🚀 Rocket man .. how can anyone travel to North Korea then brag about it .. I bet the Koreans who escaped from that country would disagree with you.

I thought North Korea wasn't allowed to have any people from outside the country in? at least not as students. How did he get this opportunity? To come and go.

"here is a picture of us" -doesnt show pictures of them

13:24 that ladies side eye xD

the guy at 4.53 is falling asleep HAHA

why is his right ear so red though

Everyone knows Rhee got executed

8:36 dude sleeping in the background

So young, so confident, so sad that he publicises the words of his friend although in his friend's favour, it could all be for publicity.

How in the world did he download the TV show????? They have no internet!

there's so many things I'm confused about, which I'm almost certainly sure has everything to do about a social class that shouldn't even exist there. there's supposedly no alcohol consumption in NK, which we should know the 'great leaders' do partake. I recall one video where someone said he had bought alcohol for his dad and it was expensive... so anyone cab buy alcohol in NK? athis guy says he got drunk there. Is alcohol consumption just not really regulated or can just possibly more privileged people get it? what about that Internet connection? I recall another Ted talk say how north Koreans didn't even know the Internet existed, and she was referring to college students going into computers. Another Ted talk tells me she would Ilegally watch Chinese TV under her blankets at home. Only for this Ted talk to tell me he can just download agents of s.h.e.i.l.d without anyone caring? it should be obvious but I'm going to ask anyways, are things such as alcohol and unrestricted WiFi more unregulated for certain groups or what? because I always thought it was strict as hell about those things.

Downloading foreign things in North Korea is banned what the heck

I hope your talk didn't kill your friend! How could you hide his identity tho' and still profit from your story.

He might be able to

Super amazing talk & experience 👏

@10.08 in capitalist countries we start to eat, sleep and breath "money". In communism man exploits man and in capitalism its just the other way round.

You did not bow statue and complain about something North Korea. You are lucky to back United Kingdom which hometown Let me see the American guy was rude in North Korea airport.Unfortunately he did not back to his country was big issue in the word. What ever they want they did such as napping japan women and had a baby with Kim president then now his son become reader North Korea President. just moment..., Where is the original his son? He died recently in airport. He was study in Europe long time... Let me have a question, WHY HE KILLED HIS FAMILLY ? I think he want take his position as long as he die, his age young to take this position may other person take it. Do you know the feeling about king It is like never give up and deeply continue sequence. I hope that everyone get free and piece of them and everyone can study out of country to develop there courier not only few special people and offend mind to communicate with south Korea AND other country. Don't behind security things. Is that make a sense ?

Why does he look like Jess from Gilmore Girls?

Absolute fail. This is sort of travel story telling got his friend killed for admitting to watching a banned TV show.

I dont understend. You cant just go to north korea and come back? Or live there and go to another country? Or thats not right?

Just replace Great Leader by God

How to fix north korea: show them Agents of Shield

i like ted but this guy annoys me....

Is there possibility you're putting on risk your friend, because of your statements now a days?

I'm so over this kind of ridiculous self propaganda.