#shorts #tedx #ted #democracy #dissent #politics

Yun Lahye talks about how the idea of “refugee” goes beyond war and politics to the universal human experiences of displacement and feeling out of place. She questions stereotypes and uncovers the real stories behind the label through her own identity struggles and firsthand interactions with refugees. Yun encourages audiences to reconsider their attitudes, recognizing that in a world full of uncertainty, the refugee experience may one day belong to all of us. Lahye Yun is a student at Korea International School Jeju who has spent most of her life navigating between multiple cultures, languages, and identities. Her experience living “in-between” different worlds sparked a deep connection with refugees and a personal understanding of what displacement truly feels like. In her TEDx talk, she shares how this sense of cultural in-betweenness led her to work closely with refugees in Korea, challenging harmful misconceptions and advocating for empathy-based integration. Lahye hopes to inspire others to see refugees not as issues to be solved, but as individuals with dreams, dignity, and a reflection of ourselves. In a world where displacement is becoming increasingly common, her talk calls for a redefinition of belonging and a more human-centered approach to the refugee crisis. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Kang Chaeri (Iris) reflects on the Jeju 4.3 Incident, exploring how the stories of regular people change a tragic massacre into a narrative of love, memory, and reconciliation. Using personal experience, historical examples, and survivor testimony, she shows how remembering and forgiving can heal shared trauma. In the end, Kang calls on audiences to share these stories, honoring the past with empathy, reflection, and action. Chaeri (Iris) is a junior at Korea International School Jeju. Moving to Jeju five years ago, Chaeri discovered the island's grand yet overlooked tragedy—Jeju 4.3—and began exploring the human intricacies within the lives of the Jeju people. Interviews and archival collections allowed her to engage more personally with the lingering pains of the community, yet the relatively low awareness of Jeju 4.3 raised a question that she has been grappling with: What place does this enduring silence and lack of action hold in the identity of the Jeju people? In her TEDx talk, Chaeri explores the unique reconciliation process of Jeju 4.3 and reflects on what it can teach us about memory, justice, and healing in our own communities and lives. With deep gratitude for those who have worked tirelessly to uncover the truth, she hopes her perspective will help bring Jeju 4.3 into global consciousness as a vital chapter of collective human history. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Yang Yian (Ian) examines how South Korea’s obsession with appearance drives harmful behaviors, such as plastic surgery at a young age and extreme dieting. Yang shows how even simple compliments support unrealistic beauty standards and hurt self-esteem. She urges a change in mindset, promoting the importance of identity, health, and character over appearance. Growing up in a world of perfect celebrities and unrealistic beauty standards, Ian Yang believed that “pretty” was the highest compliment we could receive—until seeing for herself how destructive the obsession with beauty can be. In this Talk, she draws from cultural insights and lived experience as a teenager in South Korea to unpack three widespread myths about beauty. By questioning the daily comments we give and receive, Ian invites us to rethink how we assign value, striving for an inclusive yet diverse society. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Zhao Derong explores how stuttering influenced his view of communication, identity, and resilience. Through honest personal stories, he shows how societal pressures in competitive settings can heighten insecurities and silence people, questioning the idea that speed and fluency define success. Ultimately, Zhao emphasizes the importance of acceptance, effort, and kindness, encouraging audiences to view communication as a deeply human act rather than a pursuit of perfection. Derong Zhao is a talented musician, athlete, and student at Korea International School Jeju. Derong is motivated through seeing those afraid of raising their voices in front of a group of audience. His aspiration lies great within his heart, having the desire to encourage those to overcome their fears of speaking up in front of others. Through his talk, Derong describes his personal experience with stuttering, and how he eventually overcame this speech impediment. While not all people experienced speech disorders within their lives, hypercompetition could be one alluring factor that might attract partial audience as the trend of such phenomena is not only prevalent in Asia but also beyond. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Lim Hyunbin (Elin) shares her experience growing up with her father, who became paraplegic after a life-changing accident. She reveals the daily barriers that people with disabilities encounter, showing how inaccessible infrastructure and unconscious bias limit true inclusion. As a solution, Lim stresses the importance of love and dignity, urging audiences to see individuals with disabilities simply as people. Hyunbin (Elin) Lim is a freshman at Korea International School Jeju (KISJ). She pursues her interest in sociology, focusing on themes such as leadership, personal growth, and social equality. Hyunbin actively engages in various leadership roles, seeking to enhance communication and foster an understanding of the world's diversity. In her TEDx talk, she discusses the often-overlooked perspectives of individuals with disabilities. Drawing from her personal experiences, Hyunbin addresses the facilities available to people with disabilities and explores their societal treatment. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Weather is serious business. 74% of aviation delays are weather-related. US energy companies lose $150 billion a year to weather outages. 40% of global crop yield is affected by weather variability. Yet 90% of the world's surface has no weather observation infrastructure, leaving 5 billion people without reliable forecast data. The AI models now transforming weather prediction have a critical weakness: they train on simulated data rather than real atmospheric measurements. That means they are as good as the data they are trained on. New satellite technology in low Earth orbit could build a continuous three-dimensional picture of the global atmosphere and offer AI models live data for the first time. Learn how the future of global forecasts might be fast enough to detect a developing thunderstorm or a forming wildfire and report within minutes. Cole Swain is SVP of Strategic Partnerships at Tomorrow.io, a Boston-based weather intelligence company that has built and launched a constellation of microwave sounder satellites in low Earth orbit, providing the first near-real-time, high-resolution atmospheric profile of the global atmosphere from space. He has spent more than a decade working across climate technology, product development, and business strategy, and has led go-to-market and partnership efforts with organizations including Delta, JetBlue, the US Air Force, and National Grid. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

We focus a lot on the efficiency of vehicles, but not on the roads they drive on. We may be rolling over the biggest energy-saving opportunity in transportation. MIT research shows that how roads are designed and maintained has a far larger impact on emissions than the materials used to build them. A 20% improvement in road smoothness could eliminate millions of tons of transportation emissions. Making U.S. roads 20% more reflective would be equivalent to taking millions of vehicles off the road. A growing field of research aims at applying materials science to infrastructure as a practical and scalable climate tool. Hessam AzariJafari is a Research Scientist at the MIT CEE (Civil and Environmental Engineering) and Executive Director of MIT ec³ Hub, a multidisciplinary team advancing cutting-edge sustainable material research. The group focuses on industrial ecology and construction innovations, working to implement multifunctional cement-based materials through life cycle assessment, technoeconomic analysis, and material flow analysis. AzariJafari is part of team demonstrating the exciting potential of multifunctional cement-based materials with properties that go beyond structural load bearing, such as storing energy or self-heating. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What if the very system designed to protect our health was also threatening it? In this deeply personal talk, an anesthesiologist invites us into the hidden world of hospitals - not just where lives are saved, but where unseen environmental costs quietly accumulate. Through compelling stories from both the operating room and the forest trail, she reveals a side of healthcare few have ever considered. This talk challenges us to rethink what it truly means to “do no harm.” It is a wake-up call for anyone who cares about human health and the planet we depend on. Anna Kšírová is a physician highlighting the links between climate change and health and healthcare. She graduated from the 2nd Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague, after graduation she completed a several-month internship at the paediatric HIV clinic in Pretoria, South Africa, and currently works at the anaesthesiology and resuscitation department of Jablonec nad Nisou Hospital. She is a co-founding member of the Doctors for Future Czech Republic initiative and is currently also a city councillor for the Green Party in Liberec. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this talk, Shasha shares how she prepares for traveling around the world with her family. She offers simple tips you can keep in mind next time you are planning your trip. Shasha Lee was born in Korea and lived in China for 5 years. She is right now in the 5th grade and loves traveling. Her favorite subjects are art and sports. In her free time, Shasha enjoys reading and playing board games. She is also proud of herself for joining TEDx. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx