Tiger Times Volume 48 Issue 7

Tiger Times VO L U M E 4 8

F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 7

Women’s marches worldwide Citizens around the globe join hands to fight for equality

Photos by Diana Nakyoung Lee

ISSUE 7

SEOUL

Editorial

Stranger than fiction

By Jaeha Kim and Ariel Lee Co-Editors-in-Chief

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hether you are liberal, conservative, libertarian, or anything in between, over the past several months parodies have helped to highlight the absurdities of the modern political scene in Korea and the US alike. After turning on the news to find the new outrage of the day, it only seems fair that the public be rewarded with comedians dressed up in a white shirt and sunglasses or dolled-up in an orange spray tan and crazy hair-do. But all laughs and jokes aside, do such attempts help our political scene move forward?

Some may lament the encroachment of entertainment into politics and vice versa. Especially in this era of "fake news" and "alternative facts," should we not focus on purifying politics, and distancing ourselves from any form that may taint the truth of journalism and of news? Humor, after all, is rooted in bias; people laugh at different things based on what they believe in and what they are against. Each Saturday Night Live skit, though it attempts to be balanced to a degree, caters to the more liberal political perspective. No matter how hard you may laugh at Kate McKinnon’s unapproachable Hillary, the show makes you laugh harder at Alec Baldwin’s blundering, pouting Trump. While SNL may portray a Sean Spicer with anger issues and speech problems, conservative YouTube channels show clips of the press secretary with the general consensus being that a liberal reporter was “owned” or “put down.”

In such a case, people see the same facts but really do see alternative truths, influenced by their own biases. Does humor not add to the bias that divides the liberal and the conservative, the wall impeding understanding and communication between the radically right and radically left?

Especially with regard to the US, President Trump has sown a dangerous idea in the heads of millions of Americans—the media is liberal, the media is biased, the media cannot be trusted.

Granted, a lot of the media is left-leaning (it’s hard for an inclusive industry to stay rooted in uber-rightist values). News agencies have been quite careless about properly fact-checking their sources and the politicians in general. However, the media and the press are two completely different things; one aims to entertain, while the other aims to inform and investigate. This fact, though, is often lost in the loudness of the media, parodies included. In fact, parodies attempting to bridge the gap between the left-leaning and right-leaning and to ease the discussion on politics via humor may backfire when those that go too far are used as testament to the "inherent bias" the "media/ press" has against Trump.

So the simplest answer to, “Do parodies work?” as usual comes down to three words: yes, but no.

Parodies still help bring political discourse into daily dialogue. In parody, much of the long winded speeches of politicians are diluted into simple punch-lines that people can understand and care about. Highlighting the ridiculous and the impossible, parodies help people better analyze what exactly is going on. Still, they have to be done properly: with enough understanding behind an issue and a balanced enough tone that it doesn't simply become fake news or propaganda.

At the end of the day, it’s not enough to have a laugh and move on. Shedding light on relevant political issues, parodies should be used as a tool to responsibly criticize the sometimes corrupt, slightly laughable state of politics around the world, and to ultimately generate change.

Let yourself be heard. If you have any responses to articles published in the Tiger Times or original contributions, please send them to tigertimes@gmail.com.

2 VIEWPOINT

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Steps Toward a Transparent Future

ollowing the footsteps of Soonsil Choi and President Geunhye Park, Samsung CEO Jaeyong Lee was indicted for corruption and embezzlement on Feb. 28 after a rigorous 90-day trial process. According to TIME magazine, Samsung was implicated for having bribed Choi in order to secure a key vote in the National Pension Service, which approved a merger between two Samsung affiliates yielding Lee $758 million in profits.

As despicable as such deception may seem, this situation is not an exception in the wider context of the Korean chaebol culture, which describes corporations that are passed down in a powerful family for several generations. In fact, according to the New York Times, at least six of the top 10 chaebol corporations in Korea are run by men once convicted of financial crimes. Together, these companies yield revenues that exceed 80 percent of Korea’s GDP, no doubt exerting a strong influence on the Korean government as well.

To be clear, it is crucial to note that cooperation between conglomerates and the government once allowed for economic miracles, especially during the age of Korean industrialization.

Without President Chunghee Park’s support of rising chaebol groups, they may not have become the powerful

global competitors we see today. The Miracle of the Han, the period of rapid economic growth following the Korean War, to be sure, exponentially boosted Korea’s economy from rags to riches.

Yet the cooperation between chaebols and the government that once led Korea to success is now yielding unintended consequences.

First of all, collusion between the government and corporations jeopardizes the growth potential of Korea’s economy. In fact, “Corruption and Productivity Growth in OECD Countries,” published by the Institute of Fiscal Studies, suggests that higher levels of corruption in developed countries will lower not only economic productivity, but also rates of growth.

Of course, Lee is not the first to have been convicted of bribery, as his father, the founder of Samsung, was also convicted of bribery and tax evasion, twice, only to be pardoned by President Myungbak Lee. The government should eradicate such recurring instances of corruption by holding accountable chaebols found guilty for their white-collar crimes.

Most importantly, if we want to reform this system once and for all, we must act now. Once corruption has taken root in a system, it does not take long for it to be cemented as the

norm, especially if it is enforced by the people in power. Choi’s extortion from the company CommTogether exemplifies this struggle. According to the Chungang Daily, Choi threatened the CEO that she would “bury [him] and eliminate [his] company through tax audits” unless he cooperated with her investment plans. In short, corruption should not be taken lightly because it can permeate through the economy silently and fatally. Simply advocating for change will not be enough—Korea must act at this opportune moment.

Luckily, Choi has, in a way, delivered to the public to a new historic milestone. In the wake of her scandal, our nation is stirring: our people have been aroused with the hope that there is change on the horizon. According to the New York Times, Lee’s arrest is a clear deviation from has been the norm for a decade—a series of presidents who began their terms vowing to address corruption, then failed to deliver on those promises. Such deviation can be considered as the government’s first step to building a more transparent future for the good of the nation, and not solely the few chaebols dealing in the shadows.

By Alice Lee Junior, Staff Writer

Preserve the ‘Fourth Estate,’ Mr. Trump

At the heart of a government by, for, and of the people lies the freedom of speech and the right of every citizen to voice his or her opinion. This ideal, in turn, is epitomized by the industry we call the press. For long, the press has maintained a unique position in the modern democracy; as the sort of "Fourth Estate," journalists have unofficially yet surely held a niche in the political scene as those who hold our politicians and our lawmakers accountable.

Throughout history, politicians have come to interact and deal with the press in different ways: some effectively used it for their own purposes, some were mercilessly gutted by its criticism, and most have simply tolerated it -- taking questions where needed but mostly defending against it. And then there is President Trump.

To say that President Trump and the press have not been on good terms since the beginning would be an understatement. With US Counsellor to the President Kellyanne Conway's use of the term "alternative facts" during an interview on January 22, the relationship between the press and the White House seemed more troubled than ever.

When the press refutes these claims of alternative facts, then the press is looking at the actions of the administration from a standpoint of morality.

The Trump administration sees that the media would turn a so-what issue into a veritable crisis of confidence discredits the media and adds to its crisis of credibility, which is at least as great as its own.

The concern of what the press should do is to set their red lines, issues fundamental to the profession such as the rules journalists will put up to

cover the president and the material they are willing to publish about him.

The press should expand their scope, of which they cover, to specifically the individual actors that comprise of the administration. After all, the individuals make decisions that eventually become the decisions of the administration and impact sectors such as the environment, education, world peace, and economy.

Furthermore, in the status quo, the main source of information used to be the administration—after all, it should be natural for the government to be trustworthy. That is now no longer the case. Currently, existing fact-checkers dedicated to keeping track of politics in real time aren’t in the mainstream.

To negate the lies with truth, a combination of fact-checkers and the press should be formed. By taking advantage of the power to inform the public and

the web accessibility of the fact-checkers to directly address the lies of the administration, the press can keep citizens informed and keep the administration accountable.

The urgency of the press to fulfill their traditional role has varied from administration to administration. In the present predicament, however, the checks and balance system is unable to function properly due to the executive and legislative branches allowing free rein of each other. This breakdown leaves the press as a vital component able to objectively appraise the administration's performance. For the ones refusing to be held accountable, the press needs to aggressively work to keep the responsibility of the administration in public view.

By Michelle Cho Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times February 2017

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The inevitable fallacy of collaborative work

Viewpoint Feature:

Do group projects foster social working skills or antagonize students?

By Soomin Chun Junior, Staff Writer Teachers have long hailed group projects as the holy grail of the classroom learning experience. Group work was exalted starting in the 20th century with Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, who claimed “what a child can do today in cooperation, tomorrow he will be able to do on his own.” Since then, there have been countless other studies that have praised group work, which has now been solidified in The Classroom Commandments—the guidelines many teachers abide by in their classrooms. With almost every class ranging from AP Physics II to Newspaper incorporating at least some sort of collaborative work or discussion, it is evident that collaboration has become prevalent culture in the SIS classroom.

But since real life is subject to continuous examination and changes, The Classroom Commandments can and should be reviewed as well. According to an article in a journal published by the American Federation of Teachers, although much research exists supporting the benefits of collaborative work in the classroom, several procedural flaws undermine the widely accepted evidence. Several researchers took extremely small sample sizes in their experiments, with one paper including only 30 students—such tiny samples cannot possibly represent the whole. Even more glaring is the issue of how one would measure the success of group work—quantitatively or qualitatively? With all students exposed to the message that group work is good from a young age, it’s not surprising that both quantitative survey responses and qualitative changes in behavior were affected by the notion that something should be different. In other words, the so-called efficacy of

group work might just be a placebo effect.

Far worse than the possible holes in the research are the real life consequences some students must suffer. Among the long list of responsibilities of the high school student, group projects are just a single bullet point, and conflicts arise when some students chose to neglect that point while others choose to consider it. From a purely practical perspective, the math makes sense: if you allot a large group project 20 “success points,” divide those points among four group members and the project is now worth a mere five points. With another 99 tasks to attend to, a student’s greatest yield would come from ignoring that task for some other responsibilities or competitions that hold greater value.

Such prioritization is necessary in life and considered a skill crucial to survival in the adult world, preached by counselors and teachers alike. But an assignment is still an assignment that must be completed, no matter what other responsibilities may be hanging over a student’s head, and teaching students prioritization can backfire when some students choose to put their personal needs over the needs of the group. This can result in a drastically uneven distribution of labor. Neglecting the “success points” of group projects may subtract them from one person’s workload, but following the laws of mathematics, those points do not just disappear—they are merely thrown onto another student’s workload. While a tinge of worry may tug on the edge of one inquisitive soul’s heart when they see their starkly blank Google document, they can just as quickly remember that worry should not tug on hearts—the chordae tendinae should—and resume studying for their more “urgent” anatomy quiz instead.

If “collaboration” is a wholesome and

Tiger Times Tiger Times exercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation, and world. We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services, is obscene, libelous, or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.

delicious pie, with each member contributing his or her own equiangular and uniquely filled piece, then that pie will rarely be found in your local bakery. In response to research saying teachers should let students take the reins in group projects, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Woman Teachers fired back that the research was “unrealistic.” When students are left on their own to “figure it out amongst themselves using the power of collaboration,” the experience could perhaps be educational but a little too chaotic for the linking. In theory, all the children are laughing as they divvy up the work in exact decimal percentages. In theory, every single member logs on to Skype five minutes before the meeting just to make sure they are on time. In theory, all group members avidly participate in the sharing of ideas to come to a consensus after a brief but polite intellectual argument. Realistically, the road is a little rockier.

Granted, some group projects do work out. When all the members prioritize the group project and are excited to do it, the valuable and diverse input from all the members can no doubt product an unimaginable result. But tragically, these are often unmet exceptions.

The main appeal of group projects for teachers is the diverse input of several students. But this very aspect is why luck plays a big role—the composition of a student’s team greatly wavers a his or her success and workload—and this can either drag a student down or bring them up, in both cases not reflecting the student’s true abilities. Votsky’s claim that the success of an individual leads to the success of the others is no doubt true—the physics group with Albert Einstein is just bound for success, no matter how incompetent the others may

be. In particular, for projects in which all members receive the same grade, it is hard for teachers to accurately give a student an appropriate score without knowledge of the behind-the-scenes labor. Of course, the learning is the most important part of any activity, but for many students, their grades are a reflection of their learning.

Unfortunately, in the adult world, people must often work with others they do not like or fit with, but that is no reason to enforce collaborative work in high school.

Elementary and middle school are relatively filled with hugs and smiles, but the competitive nature of high school is no atmosphere for cooperation to thrive in, although in no fault to the teachers. Teamwork in high school can sadly more often than not include exploitation of fellow team members or mistakes that the whole team must pay for with their grades. One possible way to improve this situation that many teachers already are implementing is the idea of group work with individual grades, so that there is a higher degree of accuracy in acknowledging the individual work of students. In fact, clear divisions of labor given by specific roles combined with checkups during the process can help to ensure much more equal and manageable workloads.

No doubt this will instill better attitudes toward teamwork in students, helping them out in the long run as well.

On behalf of all the students that must carry the burden of their negligent group members, I plead to the teachers of the world—please stop the agony of group projects. Quite often in this realm of real students and real life, distrust and individual work are fostered rather than creativity and collaboration. Two heads may be better than one, but in the case of group projects, extra heads are just extra weight.

Tiger Times Staff Paper Editors-In-Chief Jaeha Kim Ariel Lee Website Editors-in-Chief Claire Kim Eric Song Paper Managing Editor Andrew Ham

Website Managing Editor Nicholas Kim Production Editor Grace Lee Graphics Editor Rachel Kang Photo Editor Daniel Shin

Copy Editors Soomin Chun Sarah Kim Alice Lee Diana Nakyoung Lee Layout Artists Amy Jungmin Kim Dawn Kim Joyce Lee Soomin Lee Yejune Park

Graphic Artists Michelle Cho Youngseo Jhe Jina Kim Photographers Angela Choe Ryan Jang April Kim

Reporters Justin Chang Junie Kah Andrea Kwon Michelle Lee Jeremy Nam Marie Park Grace Yang Adviser Mr. David Coleman

4

NEWS

The More You Know

Reevaluating the US-Korea alliance

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or years, the US-Korea alliance has been taken for granted. But in this day and age, throw all caution out the window; we may be witnessing a new era in East Asian dynamics. With President Trump in office, the US will take decidedly more isolationist stances in the future. That is, the Trump administration will focus on “America first” and may not exert its influence as much in other diplomatic spheres, especially in Eastern Asia.

In fact, during his campaign, President Trump even suggested that South Korea and Japan develop their own nuclear weapons to counter the threat of North Korea in the region, upsetting decades of standard diplomacy.

What this means for Korea is that it needs to begin building the long overdue process of developing its own resources and defenses. Years of American involvement in the Korean peninsula have not solved the struggle with North Korea, but have at least boosted

its Southern counterpart economically and technologically in ways that could give it a distinct advantage in any future struggles. While this may seem a pretty obvious solution to the issue, the fact is, a South Korea without an America is not something we have seen (pretty much) ever, and a cornerstone of Korean foreign policy is American diplomacy. With the US providing a shield behind which Korea has now become a major player on the global stage, it is time for the nation to become capable of defending its own borders rather than relying on a capricious superpower.

A major aspect of this diplomatic effort will be China, as the only way to truly neutralize North Korea’s nuclear threat without building up yet another nuclear stockpile is to strip the rogue nation of its closest allies. Part of this effort is again achieved by reducing ties with the United States. Of course, China will become the preeminent regional power–but this is unavoidable, given

President Trump’s policies. What is left for Korea is to take advantage of that power vacuum and win over China as an ally against North Korea.

Once the United States is removed from the equation, there is little reason why China would continue to support Kim Jong-Un. Essentially, it’s a losing investment, and the buffer North Korea served would no longer be needed due to the South’s independence. With Japan already on board with the anti-Kim rhetoric, winning China over would isolate North Korea and discourage it from embarking on any rash wars.

Such a policy does not mean that Korea should agree with China on every issue or even that Korea should become a dependent of its neighbor to the West.

All this means is that Korea should not feel obligated to undertake various programs simply to preserve its connections with the US or China. Clearly, foreign policy is fickle, especially in a nation so divided, and Korean leaders should

By Andrew Ham expect more curveballs further down the road.

The first obligation of the Korean government is to the Korean people, not to the American government. Although our history and our origins are rooted in the Korean War and much of our existence can be attributed to military and humanitarian aid provided by the United States, it is time to take another step toward greater independence. By investing more in its own military and strengthening its alliance with Japan (after finding a viable solution to the comfort women rift), South Korea can truly establish itself as a regional power in the future. But this will not happen if it cannot leave American protection.

Obviously, Korea is not in an ideal situation; the toddler has only now begun to walk on its own. However, amidst this chaos may be a great opportunity for the nation to finally take control of its destiny in East Asia and diminish the threat of North Korea for once and for all.

Citizens gather in solidarity for gender equality

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he 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2017. Just a day later, waves of men and women gathered on the streets of Washington to participate in the Women’s March, deeming it the biggest inauguration-related demonstration in US history. According to the Women’s March Global (WMG), the Women’s March held on Jan. 21 surpassed four million participants in total who called for gender equality in 151 cities across 58 countries and seven continents.

“Women’s march is a great way to shed light on these pressing women’s rights issues, particularly because many live under a façade of gender equality and pretend like the problems don’t exist,” said Michelle Lee (10), participant

in the Women’s March in Korea. “It’s like a hand in the face when thousands of people starting

marching in the name of women, LGBTQ , and other minority groups. It suddenly brings these societal issues to the surface.”

A movement, primarily organized as a protest against Trump’s election and sexist remarks, WMG represents millions of men and women across borders voicing solidarity with their opinions on women’s rights and empowerment. Since his campaigning days, Trump has consistently been criticized for degrading and objectifying women. However, the march has come to represent a gathering much greater than just an anti-Trump protest. Beyond politics, the marches

represent a fight against bigotry, discrimination, and inequality.

Specifically, the organizers of the Women’s March on Washington claim that they stand to “recognize vibrant and diverse communities.”

“What motivated me to be engaged in this movement is my great concern for

my country and the world, considering the disastrous situation that we are facing with the new Trump administration,” said Lee Piscioneri, participant of the Women’s March in Korea. “I have a daughter who is 10 years old. It is important for her to be there because in taking her there, I am teaching her about being a citizen and about civil responsibility.”

In South Korea, hundreds of

men and women, locals and foreigners, young and old, gathered on the streets of Gangnam to participate in the Women’s March the day after Trump’s inauguration. The protesters spoke against not only the gender inequality present around the world, but also Korea’s key domestic issues, such as its ban on abortion and gender discrimination in workplaces. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report published in 2012, the ratio of women to men in upper management

positions and public office is 1 to 9 in Korea.

Korea is ranked at 104th, which is lower than the rankings of many undeveloped countries such as Malawi and Syria.

“What was

remarkable about my experience in the march was that it wasn’t just women walking; it was everyone” Michelle said. “Koreans tends to not talk about women’s issues as much so the sight of so many men holding banners for women’s rights was really interesting. Yet, it is regrettable that there were far more foreigners than Koreans.

Unlike the US, Korea provides easier access to healthcare, therefore, making women’s health issues seem less relevant. However, even with such benefits, Koreans should march to change the way society perceives and accepts marginalized groups.”

By Grace Lee Senior, Production Editor

Tiger Times February 2017

Clubs celebrate Valentine’s Day with various events

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News Briefs

by Youngseo Jhe

SFS hosts annual KIMEA National Honor Festival

(Left to Right) Participating in the Tri-M “Just4You” concert, Joyce Kim (10), Sarah Cho (10), and Monica Lee (11) perform Valentine themed songs.

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n Feb. 14, SIS students were among the millions of people celebrating Valentine’s Day. To students, Valentine’s Day offers a chance to express their love to both friends and crushes. In celebration of the holiday, online sites and blogs have already posted articles such as ways to plan the perfect Valentine’s Day date or unique chocolate recipes.

Keeping to the idea, various clubs at SIS have come up with creative ways to incorporate the holiday into the lives of students. For example, Green Club offered a flower delivery service. With a slight tweak to the Korean tradition, anyone could send flowers, regardless of gender. For those too shy to directly propose to their crushes, this service provided a practical method of confession.

“With the flower delivery service, students can enjoy the anonymity of secret confessions,” said Daniel Lee (9), Green Club member. “Furthermore, they can also partake in the festivities regarding Valentine’s Day, regardless of their cur-

rent relationship status.”

Tri-M also hosted a “Just4You” concert that combined music and Valentine’s Day. The event provides opportunities for students to sing and perform in a comfortable atmosphere, surrounded by fellow students, while celebrating a special day together.

“The concert supplements to the school atmosphere of Valentine’s Day as many students will sing love-themed songs,” said Yoobin Lee (10), Tri-M member. “Not only that, it provides a relaxing opportunity to many members of the audience who are tired from their busy regular schedules.”

In the true spirit of love and confession, the freshmen also recited poetry that relates to both Geometry and Valentine’s Day. Again, the teachers have devised an method to rouse both school spirit and enthusiasm for classes.

However, regardless of the variety, all the special Valentine’s Day events offered by clubs have something in common: they address specific student needs and make

Photos by Daniel Shin (12)

it easier for students to participate in holiday festivities. Given the busy lives of SIS students, not many can afford the time to regard Valentine’s Day as a priority. However, club fundraisers and class activities provide students with the convenient option to have fun with friends and take time to appreciate their various social relationships, with both their families and friends .

“I think the Valentine’s Day services add a fun touch to the school life, and a thoughtful touch for the busy students in the school,” Kyuhee Han (9) said. “Now you can enjoy the festivities surrounding the day without having to expend a lot of effort or time. For example, rather than having to go outside and buy flowers on my own, I can just pay a reasonable price to have those delivered straight to the recipient. The celebration of Valentine’s Day through various club events proved successful this year.”

By Jina Kim Junior, Staff Writer

Trump’s first month in office prompts resistance against policies

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n Jan. 20, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the US and Commander-in-Chief. According to the Guardian, many of President Trump’s statements and decisions have brought in a tide of opposition to his presidency.

“President Trump has made some very interesting decisions regarding his picks,” said Jonathan Ames, Government and Politics teacher. “I do believe that since he is the legitimate winner of a democratic election, he does have the freedom to take actions that he feels are best for his presidency. However, being an untested politician, his choices might seem reckless.”

According to BBC News, from his first day in office to Jan. 31, President Trump signed 18 executive orders, averaging 1.5 each day. These orders included an immigration ban, a proposal for border security improvements, and initiatives to undo much of former President Obama’s policies. Despite his intentions to better the security of the US, President Trump received a torrent of criticism both domestically and internationally, ranging from Iraq’s Foreign Ministry to

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“While executive orders are within the presidential prerogative, the frequency and unorganized fashion that Trump is using them with is certainly cause for concern,” said Morgan Miller, AP Economics teacher.

The public also questioned whether President Trump’s cabinet picks were qualified to take on the responsibilties associated with their positions. Critics have claimed that the candidates have limited experience in their respective fields, both in and out of government.

For example, Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of Education, has no experience in government or in any public school. Though her nomination was highly contested by many concerned education activists spearheaded by Senator Elizabeth Warren, her nomination passed after Vice President Mike Pence broke a 50-50 senate tie regarding her confirmation.

“The citizens of a country have a right to complain about their representatives and leader. That’s just one of the basic rights in a democratic world,” Hayoon Song (10) said. “As for other countries, they of course have the right to complain because President Trump also affects

their country so much. For example, in the case of Mexico, President Trump’s presidency can drastically affect their economy as well as their general affairs.”

President Trump gained massive opposition, especially from the Democrats who claimed that President Trump is not a legitimate winner of the election because he did not win the popular vote.

Furthermore, resistance to his presidency increased with the emergence of a scandal reagarding Russian involvement in the election. The scandal has led to boycotts and protests against the Trump administration’s integrity. According to the LA Times, Trump’s inauguration had 19 percent less television viewers compared to former President Obama’s first inauguration.

“The American president has a major impact on the world,” said Mr. Ames.

“The ability to protest is something that we should not take for granted.

Although it may not bring change to policies and actions, the way that the media portrays these protests may result in some changes.”

By Andrea Kwon Sophomore, Staff Writer

National Honor Festival (NHF), a music congregation consisting of skilled orchestra members from various international schools across Korea, took place at Seoul Foreign School on Feb. 18. All people who passed the preliminary recording round were able to participate in this event.

“One new thing about NHF this year is that there were two separate orchestras for one piece,” said Sarah Jung (10), an NHF participant and SIS orchestra member. “I was really excited to hear different interpretations and performances of the same piece of music. Experiences from NHF like this have driven me to try harder and strive to reach a higher level of performance.”

Anti-drug unit in Philippines banned after death of Korean Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to suspend all anti-drug units after the anti-drug officers got involved in the kidnapping and strangulation of South Korean businessman Ick-joo Jee. Chief Director General of the Philippines National Police Ronald dela Rosa commented that the breakup of anti-drug units was mandatory in reforming them, but had the possibility of interrupting the president’s anti-drug campaign.

“The actions of the corrupt police officers would no doubt elicit negative responses from Korea, which may heavily harm their relations with the country,” said Andie Kim (9), MUN member. “However, by suddenly halting [the president’s] anti-drug policy, the 6000 lives killed by his campaign lose their value. [His decision] might have disappointed many of his followers because they like his charismatic quality of actually taking things to action.”

Although these anti-drug units are currently disbanded, Duterte declared that his campaign concerning the drug issue will continue until he steps down from office in 2022.

2017 National History Day to take place at KIS This year’s National History Day (NHD) is to be held on Feb. 25 at Korea International School. High school and middle school students from both international and local schools in Korea will be participating in NHD, competing in one of the five different divisions: research paper, exhibit, documentary film, dramatic performance, or website. According to Anthony Loveday, NHD organizer, there are a total of 72 SIS participants this year in NHD, the most popular category being website with 25 contestants.

trump in

layout by Amy

What Trump means to South Korea

by Michelle Lee “

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elcome to the land of opportunity, the beginning of the American dream.” This is what many immigrants believe they will hear when arriving to start a new life in the US. American values have often mirrored those of immigrants, but when the crux of the nation’s debate shifts to the planning of border control walls, it is questionable whether those shared values are still intact. By a single signature from the Oval Office, President Donald J. Trump set a strikingly different tone from previous leaders and forced a legal confrontation with those who would see America’s immigration problems handled diplomatically rather than forcefully.

Looking closely at his actions during his first months in office, it seems as if the interests of President Trump and the interests of Korean immigrants–or any immigrant for that matter–do not align as they once did. Whether one finds it favorable or not, Mr. Trump has already enacted policy changes that have far reaching implications for the average citizen, and these changes are now at the forefront of national and global conversations designed to analyze his jurisdiction and authority.

The first focus area for Mr. Trump is his vision of a “secured border,” initially carried out by his executive order banning immigration from seven predominantly Muslim nations, including Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Libya.

Kamal Essaheb of the National Immigration Law Center, speculates that this travel ban will have unintended consequences and holds the potential of impacting faraway nations such as South Korea, even though its reinforcements are not yet full fledged. According to

the Washington Post, many immigrant lawyers working between nations claim it is likely that under Trump’s government, even a legal green card holder could face additional scrutiny in the near future. Korean immigrants on temporary visas alone may have to prepare for unexpected immigration circumstances such as slow-downs, detentions, and outright rejections. As the second-most deadly mass shooting in American history was perpetrated by a Korean student, Cho Seung-Hui, immigration expert Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute explains that this holds possiblity for the US to restrict support of Korean immigrants in the form of limiting the benefits currently given to Korean nationals.

Trump has also suggested modifications to H-1B visas granted to foreign students and workers. According to The New York Times, the visa gives a six-year legal permit to stay in the country and is often used by those who go on to become permanent residents. The status quo shows that with Korea being listed as one of the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) visa waiver countries (out of 38 total nations), South Korean citizens are permitted considerably more benefits when entering the country, such as being able to stay within the nation without a granted visa for up to 90 days or even having a better chance of being admitted as a permanent resident. Trump’s proposal, however, would involve clamping down on the number of H-1B visas being awarded, in theory, prioritizing only the most paramount foreign students showing “valuable skill.” What this may exactly mean for the majority of foreign exchange students has

yet to be seen, although it will inevitably have an effect on employment opportunities for foreigners. Both Koreans in and out of the US have been pushed to think of alternatives if situations do ever turn against them, even if that simply means less student visas being handed to the many who wish to take part in America’s education system.

In retrospect, however, Trump has already experienced the checks and balances of democracy that he must navigate with his every decision. Radical changes are unlikely, evidenced by the almost instantaneous halt of the travel ban by federal judges and courts. Experts on foreign relations also claim that there will be no consequential change in the US’s military support of South Korea with the continued deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and joint defense capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear threats. On a diplomatic level, both South Korea and the US are on the same team and it is to each country’s political and economic benefit that a strong alliance is maintained. Kathleen Stephens, a former American ambassador to South Korea, has explained that on the bare minimum, citizens of Korea can rest assured that the Trump administration recognizes the seriousness of North Korea’s threats. More often than not, there is a relative balance of ideology within the government, but it is still fair to say that policies like changing visa laws are susceptible with Trump leading the way forward. With a new president comes new behavior, and time, to be sure, will determine the true effects of his presidency.

our world

Jungmin Kim

Democracy: Caught in a Climate of Conservatism

by Jeremy Nam

M

odern democracies have touted themselves as the panacea for progression. They have found comfort in the fact that they have been the go-to ideology for nations to prosper economically, socially, and politically; and thus the belief that democracy can do no wrong has pervaded its proponents and invaded its opponents. Alas, just as communism has been unable to ground itself successfully due to practical rather than ideological issues, the modern democracy has found itself not impervious to folly as well.

This has been reflected in recent times, where the democratic world has plunged into an era of political scandals, radical conservatism, and social divide. Korea was struck with the reveal of a corruption scandal surrounding a woman the majority of the nation voted for. In Europe, farright, radically conservative parties sprung up in Germany, France, Sweden, and many more—all of which promote intense nationalism and Euroskepticism. And finally, the man who has been at the center of media cynicism for his election and the conservative policies that followed: Donald J. Trump, the new leader of the free world. In response to the radical shift in the dynamics of our ideals, the time has come once again to question the democracies that the West holds up high on a pedestal of infallibility.

Interestingly, despite being an intangible concept, the degree of democracy (or lack thereof ) can and has been quantified by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in their Democracy Index. The EIU grades countries’ democracy using a plethora of factors and algorithms in order to find the most balanced and accountable judgment possible.

Coinciding with the recent suspicions of the left regarding the current political state, the US has recently received a 7.98 on a ten-point scale. The US has thus been categorized as a “Flawed Democracy,” marking the first time since the conception of the index for it to ever receive anything other than a “Full Democracy.”

The first instinct would be to, naturally, point fingers at Trump, and in some ways that assumption holds ground— but only in an indirect way. The report noted a particularly poor performance on “political participation” with a score of 7.22 and “the functioning of government” with a 7.14. The low score in these categories, along with statements noted by the EIU, suggest that it is not the administration that has been the biggest impairment to America’s democracy.

Rather, it is the people’s faith in the government, involvement in politics, and a failed constructive effort to push for change.

This is reflected in America’s current approach to try and tackle the policies currently coming out of the White House. Efforts at protest in the US have been frequent and passionate, but they are often fueled by impulsiveness and thus lack a collective goal. Examples of this include the riot at the University of California, Berkeley, where private property was trashed in response to the arrival of an executive at Breitbart, an alt-right media outlet. Such instances are not seen as an attempt to reform a flawed government, but rather an expression of dissatisfaction and anger. In fact, this particular example has been used as a tool by the right to demonize the liberals; such spontaneous, violent protests have served only to stratify an already divided

nation even further.

In times like this where faith in democracy seems bleak in the US, a cue can be taken from Korea, where responses to political indignity have received praises from the BBC, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. The hundreds of thousands of people standing up to an injustice in a rhythmic, regular fashion with a set goal in mind has displayed not only the Koreans’ ability to organize and protest in a calculated fashion, but also their faith in their own democracy. The EIU points out that this is why in those same categories where the US scored so poorly on, the Republic of Korea passed with flying colors.

Yet still, it is also important to note that Korea has also been labeled as a “Flawed Democracy” this year—but for reasons very different from that of the US. The EIU, noting the scandal that burst into the political sphere this year, decided that the system of government itself has become unable to be declared democratic, and for now is in a state of political limbo. The two-party system has broken down, and with a projected election coming up in light of the impeachment the legitimacy of the systematic democracy is thrown into question.

In any case, these reports have shown that democracy does not hinge itself upon simply the basis of elections, but that rather, it possesses a plethora of complex, intricate factors. Such factors have shown to involve not just the government’s participation in facilitating a democratic society, but the citizens’ input into democracy as well. After all—in the literal definition of the word—the people are the ones who hold the power.

8 LIFESTYLE

Dessert Review

By Soomin Lee

Photos by April Kim (11) After a big lunch with a childhood friend, we went eye shopping around Garosu-gil, a popular shopping street with a countless number of stores and restaurants, for a bit to digest our food.

However, like the big foodies we are, we didn’t actually look at clothing stores; instead, we lingered around the café road in hopes of finding a good dessert place to once again fill our stomachs.

Fortunately, we found one. Upon first glance, we didn’t have high expectations. The exterior was very simple, resembling a small terrace adorned with a few plants and a simple neon sign with the café’s name, Good Night & Good Luck. However, the interior took my breath away. Although the size of the shop was as small as I had imagined it to be, the furniture was arranged in a fashion that made the cafe seem spacious. There was a long wooden table

in the middle, with a white bookshelf to the right and a few marble top tables to the left. The café had an overall antique feel to it, and the counter added to the look with a movie sign hanging above it, imprinted with the café’s name.

I fell in love with the place again after glancing at the dessert menu. Unlike those of other cafés, the menu here was not as extensive. In fact, there were only three types of cake to choose from: Good Luck cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, and Sinsa carrot cake. My friend and I decided to get the Good Luck cheesecake (we’re both avid fans), iced tea, a cafe latte, then took a seat by the windows.

The moment our order came out, we were mesmerized. The dessert was utterly beautiful—the thick slice of cheesecake topped with cherry compote was placed on a dark blue plate with the words “good luck” stenciled with

powdered sugar. The iced tea and cafe latte were just as stunning. There was not only a whole slice of lemon in a tall glass cup of iced grapefruit tea but also the intricate design of an elaborate heart on the surface of the cafe latte.

However, the aesthetics did not even come close to the actual taste of the cake and the drinks. The cheesecake had an extremely thick consistency to it—a feature usually difficult to find in cheesecakes at Korean cafés. The cherry compote topped on the cheesecake made it all the more worthwhile, the fresh taste of cherries intertwining perfectly with the cake’s richness.

And now, the drinks. Initially I was not sure how the drinks would be: after all, this place seemed to be known for its cakes, not its drinks. I was proven wrong once again. The iced tea was extremely fresh, a bit sour at first yet sweet

and long lasting. The cafe latte had the quality that mirrored that of popular coffee shops—it was not too foamy and I could really taste the strong scent of roasted coffee beans.

Before we knew it, my friend and I were done with the cheesecake and the drinks. It probably took us about 15 minutes to finish, but the taste lingered with us far beyond that time.

Good Night & Good Luck, overall, is a café that seems to have been made for the sole purpose of pleasing individuals with its beautiful handmade cakes.

Through my visit to the place, I really felt the warmth and sincerity through not only their food but also through their service. Any other customer will surely feel the same, so the next time you’re looking for a place to relax and enjoy, try visiting Good Night & Good Luck!

Spare Room for Glow-in-the-Dark Bowling: the revival of a fresh trend To some, bowling may seem like a belated trend of the 70s. However, the image you have in your head will completely change when you visit the Star 24 Bowling Arcade. At first, I was reluctant to go, partly because I have no knack for physical activities such as bowling. To be honest, I wasn’t really interested until the moment the bowling alley switched off its lights and transformed into its famous “glow-in-thedark” form.

In order to get a first-hand experience of the trendy bowling alley, I dragged my friends into the Star 24 Bowling Arcade with me. When we finally found the Arcade’s street name on the Naver search engine, the taxi driver’s navigation system stated that it wasn’t a registered address.

As a result, we got off the nearest subway station, Hapjung, and walked for about 10 minutes until we finally got there. It wasn’t a long walk from the station, but the cold weather made it a tiring one.

Luckily, the bowling arcade wasn’t difficult to locate due to its big, flashy sign jutting out right on the main street. We were all reluctant to go in at first because it seemed like one of those places you see in Chinese Kung-fu movies, like a gang’s main headquarters. Nevertheless, we went in and discovered that it was nothing like that in

the inside. Although it wasn’t necessarily the friendliest environment to bowl, it didn’t stifle us from playing the actual game because it was a pretty lively environment; there were multiple ping-pong and pool tables near the entrance, as well as a bunch of refrigerators that contained purchasable drinks.

We went up to the cashier, borrowed the bowling shoes and went in, only to find that the bowling alleys were not glow-in-thedark. When I asked them where the glowin-the-dark section of the alley was, the manager told me that they weren’t going to start it until at least 8 p.m. Extremely disappointed, I went in and changed into the bowling shoes nonetheless. However, right as we were about to start the game, the lights in the arcade started flashing off and some upbeat music started playing. I noticed that the plain bowling balls started glowing in a fluorescent neon color. In that moment, I felt a flow of adrenaline rushing through my body, and that was when the real game started.

Actual bowling was much more interesting compared to the experience I had playing Wii Sports bowling. The bright glow coming from all angles especially enhanced the overall mood of the game. The game ended pretty quickly with only ten plays for

each player. Although I wanted to play one more game, by the end of the first, my arms were aching badly and I was too tired to play another match. Still, despite the fact that I am incapable of doing anything physical, I had a fun time.

However, there were few drawbacks in the bowling alley that cannot be ignored. When I went to go pay for the game, the cashier told me that the price of the game was a shocking 24,000 won for just three people playing a short thirty-minute game.

Usually, the price is much cheaper in other bowling alleys but this one cost 2,500 won for each shoe rental and 5,500 won per game. Nonetheless, glow-in-the-dark bowling alley is a rare sight in Korea so trying it out once is something that I would definitely recommend. Go with your friends, family, or your lover and you will not regret it!

By Junie Kah Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times February 2017

9

Entertainment finds new home in politics

Love him or hate him, there is little doubt that Donald Trump’s presidency has ignited a flame under the nation. The world of entertainment has not been exempt from this shockwave, with countless celebrities articulating their passionate opinions on the matter. Unlike the rest of the US, the industry has also had a primarily one-sided viewpoint of the presidency; by and large making it clear that Hollywood outright rejects the President of the United States.

“Although celebrities have always expressed their opinions on politics in some way or another, I feel like that custom has been particularly accentuated in light of recent political events,” said Katie Lee (10), MUN member. “Hollywood leans very far to the left, so they sees things like the immigration ban and Trump’s misogynistic nature as completely wrong, which is why singers like Madonna have performed at the Women’s March in D.C. and actors like Meryl Streep speak out against his policies.”

However, not all celebrity involvements have been indictments of the President, whether it be tongue-in-cheek or deliberately explicit. While outright supporters of Donald Trump have stayed relatively inactive (save the occasional tweet), there have been calls to tone down the destruc-

tive reactions toward the presidency in favor of constructive ones. Actors like Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman have expressed such sentiments, although the latter made it very clear that she was not endorsing Trump, but rather a preservation of the democratic process.

However, that did not stop the two from being slated by media and fellow celebrities.

“I sympathize with the left’s disappointment with the recent changes in the American governmental body,” said Joonyoung Lee (10), Forensics member. “However, there is a kind of unnecessary adversity to anything that remotely sounds supportive of Trump–– even if it isn’t––especially in areas like Los Angeles, or New York, or pretty much any city by the coast. The actions of Hollywood recently have been reflective of this kind of behavior, and I for one would like

to see these celebrities using their influence to be practically productive instead of bashing others for having different opinions.”

As an upshot of the influx of politics in entertainment, a debate has thus been rekindled regarding if they should be involved in politics at all.

Celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg have voiced that exact opinion, stating that while high-level celebrities often wield an enormous influence over a nation of people who often conform to and model themselves after their role models on the silver screen, many times such celebrities are out of touch with problems that the common man faces.

“Ultimately what it comes down to is a question of free speech” said Anthony Loveday, psychology and US history teacher.

“Celebrities have just as much right to practice their political opinion as anybody else, it’s really up to us––the public––to decide to what extent that endorsement should sway our personal opinion. Most studies show that celebrity endorsements don’t have much impact on the outcome of elections one way or another, so celebrities should be free to have whatever political opinion they want.”

By Jeremy Nam Sophomore, Staff Writer

Nigerian-Korean model breaks through racial barriers, paves road for models of color

I

n a country where 96 percent of the population is ethnically Korean, foreigners are bound to stand out. According to Korea Times, the Korean modeling industry uses that to its advantage and actively recruits foreign models to walk the runway. However, in the midst of this preference for non-Koreans, fashion designers have also discreetly discriminated against models of color, and have rejected them based on their skin color or nationality alone. At first glance, model Han Hyun Min resembles one of the aforementioned foreigners – but in actuality, he is a half-Korean, and half-Nigerian teenager with a unique story of success.

“As a fan of Han since 2015, his story to fame is truly remarkable. He is a person that overcame systemic racial discrimination in Korea, which is a country with only a small minority population,” said Mimi Yoo (12), Han’s fan. “Not many of the foreign models in the country have managed to do that. Personally, I think some unique characteristics, like his patience and perseverance, helped him endure the challenges set forth by racial prejudices.”

Indeed, his perseverance was instrumental to his success in thriving in such a competitive industry. A year ago, Han

stood at 184 centimeters tall, and weighed 56 kilograms, which was not the model body required by fashion designers.

Therefore, over the course of a year, Han exercised and grew 189 centimeters, a respectable height for male models. Even once he achieved the ideal male model figure, however, some designers rejected Han due to his skin color. For example, he practiced walking in 12-centimeter high heels at gay clubs for a fashion show, only to be replaced by another model on the very day of the catwalk. Once cast on the runway, problems ensued. Despite the fact that Min was a fluent native in Korean, coordinators at fashion shows judged him based on his looks alone, and continuously talked to him in English. Furthermore, he was shunned by fellow Korean models, who believed that he was not fit for the runway.

“I think diversity is important in the Korean modeling industry, particularly due to the tremendous amount of influence fashion itself wields in modern Korean society,” said Jin Chung (11), Han’s fan.

“People tend to watch and follow fashion trends very closely, so it’s important that we send the right message to the public.

If we are to keep up with the globalized

and multicultural world, then we should embrace the cultural diversity that comes along, and not discriminate against models of a specific group.”

Despite such setbacks, Han maintained a positive and patient attitude towards those discriminated against him. His sunny disposition soon appealed to those in the industry, and his hard work paid off at the 2017 Seoul Fashion Week, in which he appeared in 11 fashion designer shows.

Now recognized as one of the top models of Korea, Han prides himself in his skin color, which he now regards as unique in the Korean modeling industry.

“Han’s story proves how one can turn a negative stereotype into a unique feature, and it is nice to see Han paving the path for other foreign models to follow,” said Gloria Park (11), attendee of the Seoul Fashion Week. “Although he is half-Korean, he still faced numerous obstacles due to his skin color, but he never gave up on his dream. I hope that within a few years, people in the modeling industry open their minds up to the diversity of models in the country.”

By Jina Kim Junior, Staff Writer

By Dawn Kim Ah, February. Otherwise known as the shortest month of the year—except when you consider the fact that it contains no breaks of any sort. In fact, the nearest break when we can freely rest, unwind, and hang out with friends with little guilt is two months away. It is a long stretch of time, a little too much to just survive with sheer willpower and occasional (read: daily) procrastination. What you need is a batch of new, zesty songs that will power you through your days, full of new songs and albums you can peel back and listen to one by one. So on a particularly exhausting Tuesday night, I pressed the play button to “Comeback Kid” by Against the Current.

For a band just beginning to receive the spotlight, Against the Current has illustrious credentials.

Formed in 2011, ATC has three current members: Guitarist Dan Gow, drummer Will Ferri, and vocalist Chrissy Constanza. The band’s progress is outlined in their YouTube channel “againstthecurrentNY,” with update videos and covers dating back to 2012. The channel also held its official music videos up until 2015, when ATC joined American record label, Fueled

by Ramen.

Despite being a seasoned pro, ATC delivers music consistently charged with the optimism and youthfulness of a newcomer. Constanza’s vocals serve the cherry on top, showcasing the group’s ability to produce multiple musical styles, from a flirty synthpop that could belong on a Hollister playlist (see: “Wasteland,” from their studio album “In Our Bones.”) to a particularly vindictive alternative rock that explains their membership to Fueled by Ramen (see “Fireproof,” from their “Gravity” EP.) Regarding artists and its fanbases, Against the Current has a few hits thanks to several promotions from their new label, but a relatively small number of monthly listeners amounting to just 411,700. Fear not though, as they seem to like Korea–of the two independent world tours they hosted, the musicians performed in Korea both times. As the band has just announced their “In Our Bones” world tour, perhaps Korean fans could hope for another visit.

So craving a zing of zest to scare away that cold that has been creeping up on you the past two days? Blow it off by finding Against the Current on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, or their very own store. And if you are feeling a bit adventurous–hit up the Reading and Leeds festival this August.

10

SPORTS

Varsity basketball teams compete in AISA tournament Following the annual tradition of participating in the AISA tournament, the varsity girls and boys basketball teams travelled to Yokohama International School (YIS) and Senri Osaka International School (SOIS) respectively from Feb. 2-5. As always, both teams prepared rigorously after school for this tournament while continuing to play against local schools in the KAIAC league throughout the season as well.

The AISA tournament this year saw an emergence of different schools participating in the league; it was the first time student athletes from Busan International Foreign School (BIFS) and International School of the Sacred Heart (ISSH) played in the AISA basketball tournament, increasing the pool of schools from four to six.

“AISA is a great opportunity for our athletes because th ey can experience a whole new different kind of play in an international setting,” said Timothy Munro, coach of the varsity boys basketball team. “Local leagues such as KAIAC are great, but you always play with the same people and you start developing a routine of some sort. In these tournaments, you really have to figure out things on court when you get there. For example, our boys had a hard time playing one team with two very tall members on each side of the court.”

Amongst fierce competition, the varsity girls managed to rank fifth out of all six teams. According to Michelle Ahn (10), varsity girls captain, the AISA tournament allowed the team to not only develop relationships between team members but also clearly see which area should be further developed: keeping the lead.

“I was very proud of our team because I thought the games at AISA especially showed how hard we practiced this season,” said Michelle Ahn (10), varsity girls basketball captain. “Not only were we able to show off our skills, we were also able to develop strong team bonds and get to know each other much more. However, we learned that even though we are fully

Graphic by Joyce Lee (11) capable of winning teams, we sometimes are not able to keep the winning lead throughout the whole game. Overall, AISA helped us a lot in finding out the strengths and flaws of our team; it was a truly unforgettable experience.”

Over in Osaka, the varsity boys placed second out of six schools, which was a step down from their AISA championship title last year. According to Wonjai Lee (11),

varsity boys basketball team member, the team had to play under pressure with only eight players as one was sick and one was injured. However, even though they lost in the finals, they showed everyone the quality of their play even without two key members.

“Through AISA, we gained a valuable sense of teamwork and team commitment which definitely helped in

our championship KAIAC run,” Wonjai said. “Next year, a lot of the key seniors on our team will graduate, leaving many holes. It is crucial that next year’s seniors take the next step and become good enough to continue to carry the legacy of the SIS basketball program forward.”

By Amy Jungmin Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

99 complaints

against the world

“Check out my new swaggy Lebrons!”

Basketball shoes are trendy, but does that mean we should spend hundreds of dollars on shoes that won’t be worn more than ten or twenty times? One pair of basketball shoes cost around two hundred dollars; with that money, a person can buy around forty Starbucks Frappuccinos, two hundred Hershey’s chocolate bars or four hundred cans of aloe juice. With two hundred dollars, there are numerous fun and exciting things that a person can do, so why spend it on a shoe?

Also, because there is pretty much a shoe line for every single famous basketball player out there, it is impossible

By Junie Yejoon Kah

for collectors to be satisfied with just one shoe. Once a person buys a Kobe 8, they have to buy the Kobe 9, Kobe 10, Kobe 11, and Kobe 12, and pretty soon the only thing he or she will have left is a couple of cents in his or her wallet and bad credit. It is understandable when basketball players want to buy basketball shoes to enhance their performance. However, to be honest, why do they need fifty different shoes that virtually have the same effect?

A few of my friends are basketball shoe collectors—whenever a new collection comes out, they will stand in line in front of the Nike store and wait for hours to buy it. However, when they come back to school, they don’t

even have fifty cents to spare to buy me a drink. If basketball shoes are destroying the worldly relations amongst people, it is something to seriously reflect upon.

In addition, there is a strange commonality amongst basketball shoe collectors. They never wear their precious shoes outside. It is a good thing to take care of one’s items with impeccable care, but why buy a shoe in the first place if all you’re going to do is store it deep down in the corner of the closet due to fears that it might become dirty?

If you’re going to buy an expensive shoe, you should at least wear it.

Lastly, if there is really no point in buying basketball shoes except for

the fact that it “looks cool,” there are better ways to use the money spent on it. Think about all the starving children around the world; think about those who do not know how to add two plus two because they don’t have enough money for a proper education. Instead of spending a thousand dollars on your Lebrons, perhaps you can donate that money for a better cause.

Yes, basketball shoes are cool and everyone has the right to buy anything they want. However, they should all keep a few things in mind: wear it if you’re going to buy it, don’t buy hundreds of them, and lastly, think about the more imminent problems within society. Now, try and enjoy your shoe!

Tiger Times

February 2017

Usain Bolt stripped of gold medal from 2008 Olympic relay Jamaican representative track and field athlete Usain Bolt was stripped of one of the three gold medals he won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The measures were taken after it was uncovered that one of his teammates, Nesta Carter, was found to have used the banned drug methylhexanamine for the 4x100 meter relay race.

“In my opinion, Bolt should not be the one to take responsibility for the loss of the gold medal from the Beijing Olympics,” said Heewon Kim (11), forensics member.

“First of all, his teammate was the one who was accused of taking excess amounts of a banned substance and there is not even sufficient evidence to support the indictment of Carter except that one sample presented approximately eight years after the Olympics was over.”

Despite the fact that Bolt lost his title as a ‘triple-triple’ Olympic champion after losing the 4x100 meter medal, Bolt expressed that he did not have a problem giving back one of his six Olympic gold medals if it was confirmed that his teammate took excessive doses of methylhexanamine, which was prohibited since the 2004 Olympics, when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) took responsibility for the banned substances list. According to the Guardian, Bolt’s case is not unprecedented, as Russia’s Tatyana Lebedeva was likewise stripped of the triple jump and long jump silver medals she won at the Beijing Olympics after she tested positive for the steroid turinabol.

“This is not an uncommon case, as even

11

Sports Photo of the Month Badminton season begins

one of Korea’s representatives, Tae Hwan Park, was also accused of doping and was handed an 18-month suspension,” said Andie Kim (9), MUN member. “In the cases of both Carter and Park, those blamed for doping did not really have a voice in defending themselves. Rather, it was always taken for granted that they committed such an act and they were immediately punished afterwards, even though they could have genuinely taken such banned substances unconsciously.”

According to the Telegraph, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to accept Carter’s sanction stating that he could not understand why methylhexaneamine was found in the samples, since he had never tested positive for a banned substance before the 2008 Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, putting aside his loss of a gold medal, Bolt plans to retire from athletics after the 2017 World Championships in London.

“Although it is sad for Bolt and the other two runners who did not test positive, it is a team event and thus, everyone must follow the laws,” said Ricky Green, physical educations teacher. “In the end, the IOC must maintain a tough stance on drug cheating as it is incredibly bad for the reputation of the sport. Therefore, I believe the IOC has made the correct call and should continue to do so.”

By Alice Lee Junior, Staff Writer

Preparing to serve, Emily Bae (9) and her friends warm up before badminton tryouts.

Photo by April Kim (11)

Spring season begins despite tryout shortages As the basketball teams and cheerleaders return from Japan and move to prepare for the upcoming KAIAC tournament, the winter sports season comes to an end and the spring sports season begins to bloom.

Athletes wishing to be part of the soccer, badminton, and swim team start to get into shape to show their best abilities during tryouts.

The varsity boys soccer team kicked off early, having held the main tryouts on Jan. 31-Feb. 3, before the winter season had even ended. Because of the smaller number of students trying out, there was only one round of dismissals, which happened after the last day of tryouts on Friday.

“Coach Robinson and I agree that we’re focusing more on input than outcome,” said Gray Macklin, varsity boys soccer coach. “On some level, you can’t decide the outcome of the game. We expect the guys to pay attention to meet the expectations

for every training session. One thing to improve would be to maintain the level of fitness to the end.”

Though the varsity girls soccer team did not start the season as early as the boys, it held pre-season scrimmages and practices everyday from Feb. 7-10. Athletes were encouraged to attend these pre-season practices to get a head start on showing their athletic skills and commitment to the team, while the actual tryouts for the varsity girls soccer team were held on Feb. 14.

“During tryouts, we assessed the girls’ levels of fitness, individual ball skills, teamwork, and shooting skills,” said Tamara Atanaskovic, varsity girls soccer coach.

“Out of those criteria, what was very important was definitely fitness, or the ability to push through when it gets tough. Since we have a very young team this year, the main focus for girls soccer this team will be working on forming a strong team bond

and strengthening connections.”

Meanwhile, away from the field and under the surface of the pool, swimmers were trying out as well, with their tryouts held on Feb. 7-9. They had been preparing for the upcoming season since Jan. 17 in the form of biweekly pre-season workouts. The swim team found itself shorter than usual on students, especially girls, who wanted to try out.

“We have a lot of great swimmers, but I think the amount of dedication required to the team and the practices are difficult,” said Cindy Presse, varsity swim coach.

“But even if we don’t have as many girls, we want to focus on the students we do have and make them stronger swimmers. My ultimate goal is for the students to enjoy swimming and have a passion for it: I want them to feel like they belong on the team and put in the effort because they want to.”

Athletes wishing to try out and be a

part of the badminton team were invited to attend an afterschool open gym and informational meeting on Feb. 8. Though the badminton team is a more recently formed sport than the others at SIS and not yet a KAIAC official sport, there was no shortage of athletes wishing to play badminton: 12 girls and 19 boys tried out for the 10 available spots on the respective teams.

“I looked for all-around good badminton players,” said Ricky Green, badminton coach. “To get into the team, players had to be able to make good decisions on shots, or know which shots to play and when to play them. It is difficult for me to gage how good other schools’ players are, since this is my first year coaching badminton, but I am optimistic because I think we have a lot of good players.”

By Marie Park Junior, Staff Writer

12

SMALL TALK

Idealog: Hwa-hwe Maeul (Communalism)

by Diana Nakyoung Lee

As January reached full bloom, a small group of Tiger Times staff crossed the highway in front of SIS to visit Hwa-hwe Maeul – a village christened after the Korean word for “flower.” The village was erected nearly thirty years ago, when a storm of forced evictions swept over Jamsil-Dong leading up to the 1988 Seoul Olympics. As we walked down the small winding road, we observed close to 200 vinyl houses huddled sideby-side, surrounded by cardboard boxes and coal and small clay flower pots in which the soil had frozen over.

We stopped to gather still shots and short video clips of the village as we walked – slowly, but eventually, we reached the small community center at the expected time. What we had not expected, however, was to be welcomed in as if we were family.

Fingers and cheeks bitten raw pink from the cold, we first shuffled into the small living room. We were bashful and still a little nervous. In their eyes, we must have looked like ruffled baby birds – lost from our nest, out of our bubbles, and chirping awkwardly in inadequate Korean. Our broken greetings caught at the back of our throats, and our questions seemed to clunk out awkwardly and inelegantly.

I felt a deep sense of shame, not only as an interviewer, but also as a Korean. In Korean culture, respect

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for one’s elders is conveyed through subtle shifts in suffixes or tone; adroitly conversing with our seniors is a key Confucian virtue, and in our international school setting, many of us had far from mastered this art. If the old men and women of the village had clucked their tongues at us then, deeming us coddled children raised in an elite cosmopolitan bubble, I would have considered them completely justified; for we were soft summer children, raised in the comforts of Korean modernization – the very beast that had driven these halmuhnee from their homes thirty years ago. They could have viewed us with disapproval – even disdain.

But instead, they warmly gestured us to the seats they had left open at their lunch table. They gently informed us that they had already set enough rice and kimchi soup on the stove for everyone. The mayor adamantly insisted that we stay for lunch. She opened up to us first with a kind of warmth I had only seen extended to one’s own grandchildren. “Here,” her wrinkled smile beckoned, “come sit.”

From what we had researched beforehand, we had reasons to doubt that their budget had any room for such a large shared meal. We were overwhelmed with a profound sense of wonder, appreciation, and gratitude. At first, I thought that it was because the villagers

250,659 eye-catching, be-my-wife, government-sanctioned guidelines to truly dress like a woman

Ladies, don’t you just hate it when you can’t separate between genders because everyone is wearing pants? The world lost so much of its color as women began stepping out of their vibrant petticoats and evening dresses into drab shirts and pants. These newly assigned twenty-five-thousand-and-sixhundred-fifty-nine guidelines help you to dress like a true woman—whether you are firefighter or senator, you will always be able to impress that man.

1.Dresses, gowns, skirts. We know that they represent femininity, but what kind of skirts and dresses should we be wearing when we really want to catch that special man’s eye?

The Middle Ages was the pinnacle of women’s rights. Women were called ladies, didn’t need to use their brains, and men even had a code of chivalry specifically designed to protect their ladies. This cordial treatment obviously stemmed from the women’s beautifully restrictive, clingy and expansive clothing.

39. Heels. High heels were developed in 17th century Europe, back when literal crap was on the streets.

To avoid the crap, men and women both wore heels. We don’t need to deal with the literal crap anymore, but we are women. The highest, reddest heels are still the epitome of “sexy,” and it doesn’t matter what kind of ankle-breaking, toe-smashing pain we have to go through if we look great and avoid all the crap in the world.

409. Pants. What do you mean pants? We want to express our femininity, which means NO PANTS. And none of those godawful Hillary pantsuits either.

2,876. Socks. Your ankles have to be covered at least until a height of 3.45cm above the anklebone, a number specifically engineered to ensure that there is an even distribution of skin and modesty. The only exception to this rule is see-through stockings.

9,174. Leather jackets. Any sort of extreme rebellious clothing, which includes leather everything, may scare men away. Pair your punk nature with excessive femininity, like a wedding dress. Cover that dark gothic makeup with a hijab or a veil, and remember, flower crowns go with everything.

11,243. Shorts. The only exception to the pants rule (see guideline #409) are shorts that are longer than 9cm and shorter than 12cm. These are the only kind of pants that scream slattern and virtuous at the same time and therefore are the only kind of acceptable pants.

Congratulations, you now know how to be a woman from the tip of your toes to the depths of your soul.

If wearing a wedding dress, leather jacket, corset, ball gown, high heels, flats, one glove, short shorts, no pants, stockings, half dark makeup and half bride makeup simultaneously seems disorienting and even dangerous to your mental and physical health, you are doing it right. Go you!

BY JOYCE LEE

were all so happy, so warm, and so generous despite their destitution. I thought that the profoundness of our shared meal stemmed from the fact that they had so little - that their destitution made their kind offer relatively more valuable.

But in retrospect, I think I missed the true significance of their gift. Though there was a wide gulf of class differences separating the halmunee and me, chuckling around a shared bowl of jjigae around that table, I felt a sense of family. The value of our free meal was much more than of the monetary kind. The halmuhnee had welcomed us to their communal table and ushered us into their merry conversation with open arms when we had done nothing to deserve such kindness. They gave us the gift of communalism. As a wise grandmother might have whispered to her blooming grandchild, they passed onto us a little golden nugget of wisdom: communalism isn’t some far away, idealistic, elusive abstraction – it’s right here. It’s in a smile, a story, a luncheon. All we need to do is reach out.

Leaving Hwa-hwe maeul, we navigated up the same icy path we had come down. Inside the clay pots, the soil was still frozen over. January was still in full bloom.

But walking back along the highway, I was warm. And I hoped that the halmuhnee were, too.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH Photo by Justin Chang

Dancing to a vibrant and modern rhythm, two Mexican contemporary dancers contort to create art.