Gallery: The Plot to Free North Korea With Smuggled Episodes of 'Friends'

  • Image may contain Human Person Electronics Computer Keyboard Computer Keyboard Computer Hardware and Hardware
    Joe Pugliese
    01

    north-korea-lead

    Former North Korean official Kim Heung-kwang used to search homes for illegal media; now he smuggles it into the country on flash drives.
  • Image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel Overcoat Coat Suit and Wall
    Joe Pugliese
    02

    ff-northkorea8-g

    Using walkie-talkies, laser pointers, and bribes, smuggler Jung Kwang-il arranges nighttime handoffs of USB drives with North Koreans along the border with China.
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Path Walkway Coat Overcoat Human Person Banister and Handrail
    Joe Pugliese
    03

    ff-northkorea7-g

    Jung: “For every USB drive I send across, there are perhaps 100 North Koreans who begin to question why they live this way. Why they’ve been put in a jar.”
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Helmet Face and Hardhat
    Joe Pugliese
    04

    ff-northkorea3-g

    For more than 60 years, the two Koreas have been in a military standoff, with soldiers posted on both sides of the border.
  • Image may contain Furniture Bench Vehicle Transportation and Boat
    Joe Pugliese
    05

    ff-northkorea4-g

    With heavy fortifications along the DMZ, some data activists launch balloons that float over the border and release USB sticks, money, and pamphlets.
  • Image may contain Helmet Clothing Apparel Human and Person
    Joe Pugliese
    06

    ff-northkorea-g

    A scene along the Freedom Highway, an eight-lane South Korea road that leads to the DMZ.
  • Image may contain Human Person Footwear Clothing Apparel Shoe Pants Coat Sunglasses Accessories and Accessory
    Joe Pugliese
    07

    ff-northkorea11-g

    A tourist poses with a guard in the joint Security Area of the DMZ in Panmunjom.
Read More
‘Darth Vader’ Wants You to Know He Definitely Supports Flock Surveillance
Anthony Ralphs was frustrated by the San Diego City Council's support for Flock. He decided it would take something more than reasoned argument to get their attention.
Vittoria Elliott
The Best Early Labor Day Kitchen Deals for Busy Fall Days
With school and sports starting again, these discounts on Instant Pots, cookware, and coffee gear arrive right on time.
Kat Merck
Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold Is Better, but Not the Best
A polished update to Google’s foldable brings real improvements, but the price bump and rampant competition make it a tough sell.
Simon Hill
The US Just Recorded Its First 2 Measles Deaths This Year
The fatalities come amid declining vaccination rates and calls from President Donald Trump to split up the MMR vaccine.
Emily Mullin
The Supreme Court’s Mail-In Ballot Ruling Is a Step Toward Chaos in the Midterms
The Supreme Court has removed one roadblock from the Trump administration’s attempts to impose severe restrictions on voting.
David Gilbert
Apple Refreshes the Mac Mini and Mac Studio, Both With New AI-Ready Chips
Apple’s Mac Mini and Mac Studio have been tough to buy for months, but updated versions have arrived. Both include new chips optimized for AI, with the M6 Mac Mini getting a $200 price bump.
Luke Larsen
I Tested the Best Kitchen Composters and Food Recyclers—and Yes, Some of Them Stink
After years of smells, strange noises, and “tea,” these are the composters and food recyclers I’d actually recommend.
Kat Merck
The Best Car Phone Mounts Are Magnetic. Change My Mind
The best car phone holders keep your phone firmly in place while never getting in your line of sight. I took a dozen on road trips this summer to find the best.
Matthew Korfhage
The County Prosecutors Who Became ICE Informants
Illinois prosecutors shared defendants’ personal data with federal immigration agents without criminal warrants, public disclosure, or legislative oversight.
Aura Bogado
This Projector Is a Hole-in-One as a Golf Simulator, but Subpar for Anything Else
The Optoma GT2400HDR laser projector is great for setting up a driving range in your living room, but mediocre video quality makes it less appealing for home entertainment.
John Brandon
Border Wall Construction Threatens 6,000 Years of History on Private Lands
Archeologists are confronting an “unfathomable” loss as border wall construction is set to cut across ranches that are home to unique historical sites, many of which haven’t been fully studied.
Gabrielle Saulsbery
It Should Be Harder to Apply for a Job. No, Really
Thanks to a dwindling supply of open roles, “one-click” applications, and the rise of artificial intelligence, it’s easier than ever to apply for a job. We’re all paying the price.
Kate Taylor