Tiger Times Volume 48 Issue 8

VO L U M E 4 8

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ISSUE 8

SEOUL

Tiger Times

Making a mark on history

Checks and balances prove successful in removing first female President from office

Photos by Justin Chang and The Korea Bizwire

Editorial

2 VIEWPOINT

To progress, and to progress

Criticisms of celebrities with sordid pasts miss the point

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

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arlier this year, the Tiger Times community reflected upon the nature of college preparation at SIS. While the conclusions made from this analysis were mainly optimistic, there were several areas that we suggested for improvement, such as the introduction of more career-oriented counselling during the earlier years of high school.

In alignment with our proposals, the counseling office and the administration promptly addressed the issue of introducing students to various career options by organizing a large-scale Career Month. Professionals with specialties in investment banking, corporate law, stem cell research, broadcast journalism, dentistry, and music production were invited to speak to students about the nature of their jobs. With such positive precedents, we are hopeful that the administration will continue in a direction that allows students to participate more actively in their own education.

As such, here are a few more issues that the editorial staff would like to raise, as areas of focus and change at SIS: pre-professional training and career counseling at SIS. While SIS already gives students the opportunity to participate in athletics, journalism, and service or academic clubs, the scope of extracurricular activities provided in the SIS community is still a factor that must be improved. Pre-professional training, or internships, presented by the school administration are definitely lacking. Students attending elite private schools in the US, especially those that are interested in pursuing a career in the sciences, are often connected by the school to university laboratories that specialize in their field of study. In contrast, students attending SIS often resort to outside consulting firms as a method of reaching out to those that provide pre-professional experiences. By building a relationship with professional organizations in the years to come, SIS students will be able to easily access first-hand career based training.

Career counseling is another factor that could potentially contribute to general advancement of the educational experience at Seoul International School. With most students at SIS receiving counseling once per year, counseling does not carry much weight in the SIS community. While counseling may seem as a boring ritual to students, in actuality, it has the power to change a student’s path in life. Through a more frequent counseling schedule, counselors will be able to better keep an eye on individual students’, and follow up with respective plans for professional training during the summer break.

At the end of the day, SIS already embodies many of the desirable traits that an effective private school in America possesses. This can be understood by simply looking at our college admission results. However, there are still areas for significant improvement that would greatly benefit students if developed. And that should be our ultimate goal: To progress, and to progress.

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.

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ften embedded within the buzz and talk surrounding celebrities are family issues that are sure to grab one’s attention. These talks of family life may venture deep into the field of ancestry, sometimes resulting in a huge, continuous stream criticism directed toward the stars in question. But should we really point fingers at celebrities for their lineage – for the crimes their ancestors, not they, committed?

Sadly, the answer is neither a definitive yes nor no. But what we can say for sure is that past mistakes are still mistakes that must be acknowledged.

The public should not be content with a superficial “it can never happen again,” or “let’s move on.” Rather, we should work toward an acceptance of these actions, with a complete understanding and knowledge of the past.

Don Won Kang, the infamous Korean actor, is a perfect example of this issue. According to DongA News, Kang proudly praised the legacy of his great-grandfather, a pro Japanese businessmen, without knowledge of the history, bringing forth a heavy onslaught of criticism that Kang should be ashamed of his comments. In

response, YG Entertainment, instead of accepting Kang’s family history, tried to shush down the comments that resulted in heavier criticism and demands for an apology.

As much as it seems reasonable to shush down all the talk, legal claims against the publication of the article only bring further spotlight on the issue. The legal actions of YG entertainment would seem more of an irresponsible action that not only ignores the history of Korea but also ignores Kang’s own family, an action that is very much against the commonly held morals of a family-centered society like Korea.

However we must note that the criticism should not be directed toward celebrities only. It is hypocritical to criticize celebrities over the actions of their ancestors and demand reparations especially when we ourselves do not know the history of our ancestors and sometimes refuse to take responsibility for their shameful past.

Think from another perspective: should American celebrities be subject to public criticism for having slave-owning ancestors? No – rather, the correct course of actions is for that

celebrity to accept his or her ancestors’ mistakes and apologize for the sake of public decorum. However, as long as these actions are taken, the celebrities themselves should not be guilty of any public misdemeanor or subject to any criticism. This is also because the fault belongs not only to individuals, but also to the collective society during the era. If we really wanted to comment on the celebrities’ ancestors’ shameful actions, we should reflect not only on the individual family’s responsibility but also the society’s responsibility.

Legally, the celebrities in question have no obligation to apologize for the actions of their ancestors. However, despite its legal nonnecessity, morally, it is important that they still accept the mistakes in the past instead of turning them away. Moreover, the celebrities should not be the only ones who live in shame over their ancestors’ wrongdoings, especially if it is in regards to the mistake of a society as a whole. It should be all of us who look over the faults and the wrongdoings of our ancestors and learn from them.

By Andrea Kwon Sophomore, Staff Writer

More government, not money, to solve obesity

The ongoing craze for healthier foods on social media has taken over a common female teenager’s Instagram, with pictures of acai berry bowls, quinoa salads, and detox juices to “cleanse all the fat away”. For years, society has encouraged healthier eating habits and has gone over multiple diet sensations, but interestingly enough obesity levels have only increased, the US with a striking 66 percent obesity rate among adults. Obesity has often been correlated with wealth and leisure, labeled as a rich man’s problem and less of a concern in poorer households. Coming into the 21st century, however, the most obese nations in the world are neither the richest nor poorest, but more and more health experts speculate that obesity is becoming a worldwide epidemic. It is no longer enough for the government to blame the unhealthy eating choices of consumers or their lack of physical activity, but should rather shift their focus on the habits of the food industry.

Being slim requires a fair amount of money, as buying a healthy load of vegetables or a good-quality package of meat has become especially expensive in our society. A package of Twinkies poses a tempting alternative, as it will probably give you a tasty amount of calories to suffice your hunger. It is hard to convince most that they should spend ten dollars for an organic salad when the more appealing alternative of a hamburger is luring their sight. Developing nations have begun to track into the upsurge of obesity, amplified by the introduction of fast food restaurants in lesser-developed regions.

The food industry comes in as the most influential actor in the equation.

The food environments around us constantly exploit one’s psychological, social, and economic vulnerabilities, making it easier for one to lose to a juicy hamburger advertisement priced at a flat

three dollars. Looking at the branding and marketing techniques of big food corporations, it is evident that company’s corporal and profit interests have taken over health concerns.

Poor people in developing countries are the most vulnerable actors during this rapid nutrition transition. Even in the most remote places of Africa, one can manage to pull up to a McDonald’s and get themselves their familiar order.

Urbanization is probably at the greatest fault, as it has drastically changed the average person’s diet along with their daily life and physical activity. The introduction of commercialized food chains that provide quick, cheap, and high-caloric meals combined with a decrease in physical labor has resulted in a rising problem of obesity in regions where health officials would least expect it. The image of malnutrition does not necessarily equate to a bony thin child, but health has become something more complicated than that.

Fighting a prolonged issue like obesity never has one simple solution, but it is clear that corporate interests must be tackled. Little things, like bans on free soda refills at restaurants or taking away the candy and soda at every cash register that constantly tempt us, have its contributions to curbing obesity but more aggressive tactics on directly dealing with the food industry is needed. Food corporations obtain profit off of selling food, and as long as people continue to demand for the unhealthy but addictive tastes of fast foods, they will have all the motivation to continue production in this manner. Whether it be a direct fat tax or increasing expenses of producing fast foods, a policy that will challenge the profit-driven interests of corporations will be the only way that the food industry may begin to shed light on a healthier society.

By Michelle Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times March 2017

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A unique role for students as Korea reboots for the future

Viewpoint Feature: What can students do in Korea’s new political environment?

By Marie Park Junior, Staff Writer A description of President Donald Trump supporters as “deplorable” and former candidate Hillary Clinton’s supporters as “nasty” is an example of how strongly polarized US politics has become in recent years. While multiple viewpoints foster healthy discussions that may help increase transparency and expose corruption, today’s politics worldwide have gone beyond healthy opposition. Extremely polarized politics finds itself home to more and more harsh accusation in place of healthy discussion, making it increasingly difficult to have productive debate on important national issues.

Here at home, I see South Korea’s national politics becoming the grounds for polarized discourse, especially with the recent impeachment and subsequent expulsion of ex-President Park Geun-hye.

Former President Park, after a long investigation period, was ultimately impeached and expelled by the Constitutional Court on Mar. 13. This ruling changed Korea from its roots, not only because it is the first time a president has been expelled from office, but also because the people of Korea were actively involved in the process, with, according to the New York Times, “hundreds of thousands” of protesters taking to the streets in some of the largest demonstrations in South Korean history.

Despite this step forward, however, Park’s scandal has left the nation in a state of political unrest, making urgent a need for Koreans to cooperate in getting the country back on its feet.

The reasons for Park’s impeachment were based on her alleged violations of the

constitution and abuses of executive power.

Furthermore, her interpretations of the constitution which gave perceived advantages to chaebols, her inability to address the public to the satisfaction of her critics about crucial national accidents, and the recent Choi Soon-sil scandal all made her subject to judicial investigation. According to Aljazeera, President Park, during her court trial, was primarily charged with soliciting bribes from various companies for personal gain. These alleged violations engendered a nationwide movement, as seen in the largest demonstrations in the history of Korea held to protest Park’s presidency.

According to a poll reported in the Korea Herald, 86 percent of Korean citizens approved the Constitutional Court’s decision to remove Park from power, while nearly 70 percent of the respondents from the same poll called for a custody investigation. Despite this majority, supporters of the former president engaged in protests as well, in which three protesters died. Park’s statements that “the truth will eventually be revealed,” further encouraged her supporters, who believe Park was unjustly impeached. However, Park’s current attitude negatively affects the nation by further polarizing the political spheres of Korea.

Since it is usually a portion of the older generation that endorses Park, the political gap has widened even further and tensions have risen as a result. Korea’s establishment has been the main participant in Korea’s questionable political activities in recent years, often supporting the conservative Saenuri Party and strongly influencing the upper classes and chaebols. This has prevented large political shifts in ideas and power, since active voters have consistently voted for candidates with similar views. How-

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.

ever, citizens enraged with Park’s alleged conduct began getting involved, closely following the news, familiarizing themselves with the Constitution and Korea’s political system, attending protests, and exercising a younger voice in how the country is run.

SIS students, also part of this emerging generation of leaders, engaged with the daily news and even participated in candlelight protests.

Korean voters, compared to previous years, are beginning to show less support for traditional conservative ideals. According to Gallup Korea, as of April 6, ousted President Park’s former rival Moon Jae-in of the opposition party is the front-runner in the upcoming presidential election with 38 percent. According to the same poll, Ahn Chul-soo, the candidate from the People’s Party, followed closely by polling at 35 percent. This polling data stands in stark contrast to the 2012 presidential election, when former President Park’s ratings established her as the clear favorite throughout the campaign season. Anti-conservative sentiments seem to have risen as a result of the current controversy, as polling data reinforces the notion that corruption to any extent in the political arena will simply not be tolerated.

United, the people can provide the power Korea needs to pick itself up from the current political chaos and unease. Park’s presidency came to an end with an impeachment process brought to fruition, in large part, pushed forward by the people. Reports of as many as 1 million people protested in the candlelit streets for five months to voice concern over Park and her administration.

The precedent has been set: a president was impeached partly because of the will of the people. Citizens reclaimed their rights

of expression, speech, life, and protest supported by the Constitution. But before this, came the movement of the people to educate themselves. Citizens closely followed the news and perhaps even reacquainted themselves with the significant sections of the constitution. Staying informed is the best plan of action to prevent corruption and deceit in any government. It is the best way to learn the truth in a world in which “fake news” has the potential to erode and undermine political discussion. Educating oneself can allow proper debate based on logic and factual evidence in place of emotionally charged name-calling.

We must be conscious of the rights we hold as citizens of a democratic society, and exercise those rights to best shape the country. In a time when leaders of global superpowers oppose the press and questionable media promotes ignorance and misinformation, we have a duty to stay alert and informed. With this information, we need healthy discourse to check bias and ensure all sides of issues are heard. We need conversations in classrooms, where students can share their ideas and listen to others rationally. We need conversations, not fights. Change can only happen if we learn how to logically listen to opposing viewpoints, not stubbornly accuse others for supporting a different party.

For more information on how to get involved with the upcoming Korean presidential election, please visit these websites: http://nec.go.kr http:/blog.nec.go.kr Presidential TV Debate dates: Apr. 23 8:00 p.m.

Apr. 25 8:40 p.m.

Apr. 28 8:00 p.m.

May 2 8:00 p.m.

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 David Choe 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

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NEWS

News Briefs

Career Day speakers inspire students

By Youngseo Jhe

GIN Club go to Thailand on community service trip

On Mar. 2, Global Issues Network (GIN) members visited Chiang Mai, Thailand on their annual trip to extend their services overseas and gain hands-on experience as a volunteer. They worked together with two orphanages to learn about sustainable farming and painted dorms with local kids.

GIN members also had the chance to interact personally with the orphanage children throughout the entire trip, even enjoying a campfire together. According to Jeffrey McEvoy-Hein, MUN adviser, the trip was an opportunity for the club members to experience new culture and discover the lifestyles of resident children.

SIS students go to Luxembourg to participate in AMIS On Mar. 14, 22 SIS students travelled to Luxembourg to take part in this year’s Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) conference. AMIS is a three-day long festival that brings together qualified, auditioned musicians from all over the world by forming honor orchestras and bands similar to that of the Korean National Honor Festival (NHF). AMIS strives to encourage higher standards of performance and understanding of music in students around the world.

Prior to the festival, SIS students were able to go on a sightseeing trip and visit downtown Luxembourg. The festival commenced two days after their arrival on Mar. 16, the first day of rehearsals. After rehearsals were over, students were given extra time to explore the city with their chaperones. On the third and last day of the festival, all AMIS participants performed at the Gala Concert, where they played four pieces.

Model United Nations members visit Beijing for BEIMUN The 24th annual Beijing Model United Nations (BEIMUN) conference was held at the International School of Beijing from Mar. 3-5. The day before the conference, MUN members visited famous historic sites such as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, and even watched an acrobatic show. Following the tour, during the conference, delegates from all over the world debated over the theme of growth and duality in our world today.

“During the conference, I got to know such a diverse group of people from so many countries around the world,” said Shelley Jeon (10), MUN member and BEIMUN participant. “Since SIS has such a homogeneous student body, it felt great to meet people from other cultures. For example, the delegate sitting next to me was from Hungary.”

For SIS, the month of March was ‘Career Month,’ where the school hosted a number of representatives from various careers during activity period. From investment bankers to TV journalists, and from corporate lawyers to stem cell scientists, the variety of careers introduced during the event sparked the interest of many students.

The event was planned by the counselors in order to introduce to students the many fields that await after graduation.

Although the visit from an engineer had to be cancelled due to scheduling conflicts, Career Month seems to have had its desired effects, with many students becoming more aware and more interested in what jobs that they will take once they graduate from college.

“Most of us students worry and stress about which college we want to go to.

What we really never consider is what jobs and careers we will hold after we graduate from college. After all, college is merely to prepare us for our careers” said Justin Lee (12). “ I think that this Career Month gave me a better perspective on what careers I want to do in a few years time. Of course, I don’t have a definite interest but this event has really

stirred my thoughts.

During one of the presentations of Career Month, Chief Producer of SBS 8 News and TV journalist Hyunsik Lee described to the students the joys and excitements that come hand in hand with the life of a reporter. Hyunsik Lee has had an exciting life, with his career taking him to the many corners of the world. He has reported in North Korea at the turn of the century and stood within a 100 feet from former Dictator Jongil Kim. He had travelled to Chile in the midst of a natural disaster, traversing the tough Andean terrain, to report a story.

And he had unglamorously eaten takeout food at the front steps of the UN building in New York City, waiting for tense and developing negotiations between American and North Korean representatives to end.

“As demanding as the work of a journalist can be, it is also uniquely fun, active, and exciting,” said Mr. Lee. “Through anecdotes and personal experiences, I wanted to highlight and share the more colorful parts of journalistic work that go into creating the final, polished product that most people see on TV. I hope it was an inspiring oppor-

tunity for aspiring journalists in the audience!”

His compelling stories brought about much enthusiasm from his audience, with many laughing, clapping, and engaging as Mr. Lee recounted his various experiences. But Mr. Lee may have done more than just captivate his audience.

Students listening to his presentation who did not initially have an interest in journalism began to consider a path in journalism.

“Although I am not part of any journalism clubs or classes nor did I have a large interest in the field of journalism in the past, I found Mr. Lee’s presentation to be motivational and inspirational,” Andy Kim (11) said. “What surprised me about Mr. Lee’s presentation was the physical labor that being a journalist requires. Because when I see my friends report stories for Tiger Times or Tiger News Today, I usually only see them travel up and down the school—seeing that many of the real life journalists hop from country to country in search for a story was inspiring.”

By Justin Chang Junior, Staff Writer

Dr. Guskey advises teachers, aids new initiatives

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n March 1, all SIS teachers attended the annual professional development workshop held at the school auditorium while students were gone on holiday. Professional development days have always served as opportunities for teachers to either learn or refresh various concepts regarding education by inviting special guest speakers. This year, SIS invited Dr. Thomas R. Guskey, professor of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation at the University of Kentucky, and author of several books.

“Every year, we arrange professional development sessions which help teachers basically be learners,” said Ruth Poulsen, Coordinator for Teaching and Learning. “When teachers are planning their lessons with students, they go through what we call a three-step plan.

The first step is planning the learning goals of the unit, the second step is writing the assessments, and the third step is planning the learning activities. The person we brought in this year, Thomas Guskey, focused on stage two. His workshops that he did with us helped us push for our big initiative this year which is to plan assessments after the learning

goals.”

Last year, SIS invited another guest speaker who focused on step one of this three-step plan. As a result, teachers had been training extensively on that very step for the following year, devoting many of their Monday meeting sessions to planning out their unit goals. During several of those meetings, teachers of the same subject from kindergarten to grade 12 would assemble to ensure that their learning goals fell in the same trends and every grade would prepare students for the next. According to Ms. Poulsen, Dr. Guskey—expert in educational evaluation and development of grading systems—was an appropriate speaker to invite this year as the SIS faculty department was ready to make their transition from step one to step two.

“Out of a total of four or five main concepts Dr. Guskey introduced to us, one was what we call the table of specifications,” Ms. Poulsen said. “The table of specifications is simply a way of checking that teachers are assessing everything they should be assessing. It allows us to take all our assignments and organize them on a table divided into categories from Bloom’s Taxonomy. The

purpose of using the table of specifications is especially to make sure that we are assessing the higher level skills which are obviously harder to check if students are capable of, such as evaluation and synthesis.”

After being introduced to new concepts by Dr. Guskey, teachers went through several self-editing and peer-editing processes. What makes this workshop session special is that activities held during professional development workshops had rarely been publicized, making this the first time students were notified of what happened during a workshop session through word by mouth.

“I never knew that my teachers put this much work into preparing lessons and assignments,” said Hannah Kim (10).

“It was like exploring a whole new world when I heard that teachers go through similar steps to what we do during their sessions to plan goals and assignments.

For me, revelations like these reaffirm the need to appreciate my teachers more.”

By Amy Jungmin Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times March 2017

The More You Know

What will it take to prioritize the Islamic State?

In all religions, no matter what values are worshipped, it is universally agreed that hospitals are off-limits. Those who are unable to protect themselves deserve our ultimate protection and safety from malicious actions in general. Of course, exceptions come along once in awhile, leading to human lives lost and damage done.

This week, Islamic State gunmen dressed as medics opened fire on a hospital in Kabul and killed more than 30, according to the BBC. Described as a horrible human rights violation by the President of Afghanistan, it is now time for local governments to step up and protect their citizens; all that is needed now is approval from the higher powers at play.

The new attack now gifts the Afghan government with a good opportunity to increase hospital security and the intensity of its fight against ISIS. The catch— they can’t. Simply put, the local government does not have the manpower

or the resources necessary to wage such an expensive war. This responsibility is shared among the West, who need to not only secure the region but also prevent it from spiraling out of control.

Although in the past ISIS devised a strategy of blowing up heavily-populated but random areas, it has now expanded its scope of operations, possibly revealing its increased military capabilities. The group is so confident that it is willing to tangle with the security forces of a nation with its own soldiers, a worrying sign for the sovereignty and authority of Afghanistan. This rise in military capability also represents an international failure to regulate ISIS’s arms trades and to cut off any foreign interference in the group.

If it is true that ISIS is now growing locally (at the very least), then the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the so-called “leaders of the free world” will need to collectively devise a new strategy to deal with this

terrorist group.

Clearly, a solution will somehow include Russia, which has desired the elimination of ISIS as well, into the fold.

A major roadblock for Western forces seeking to eliminate the Islamic State is Russian soldiers, due to the Kremlin’s belief that the Western powers would use this fight against terrorism as cover for overthrowing the Assad regime in Syria and instituting their own leader.

In fact, the Syrian civil war, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 21st century, has been exacerbated in large part due to involvement from the United States and the Russian Federation. Therefore, any strategy to combat ISIS will require a resolution in that field.

Despite the risks involved, a joint military coalition under the banner of such major powers may provide regions in Afghanistan and the Middle East with the military authority they need. Despite its seemingly impenetrable exterior, the Islamic State’s machine is vulnerable

By Andrew Ham to any systematic chipping-away at its surface. Another, less risky option is to supply regional armies with military advisers, personnel, and equipment through legal arms trading channels, therefore avoiding a potentially costly standoff between the West and Russia.

Despite the extended efforts from individual nations to protect themselves and their citizens from the Islamic State’s reach, these developed powers have done far less to protect those beyond their borders. Exploring ways to combat cyber terrorism or institute travel bans to keep one’s citizens may be wise, seeing the perennial threat we face today. However, that threat is on the doorstep of multiple nations we callously group into “terrorist breeding grounds.” Perhaps the deaths of the sick and innocent will finally spur the major powers into action, away from the gridlock of Syria, with the common recognition that the Islamic State is an affront to humanity and its common values.

Consumers boycott Trump-affiliated businesses In reaction to the 2016 US Presidential election, many people have taken to expressing dissent toward the Trump administration through boycotts. The driving force behind the boycotts has been a movement called #grabyourwallet, which focuses on making an impact on the Trump family and administration by flexing consumer power through boycotts against businesses that endorse or are directly involved with the Trump family.

The movement gained traction in the form of 700 million social media views.

According to the New York Times, the founders of #grabyourwallet Shannon Coulter and Sue Atencio met on Twitter and bonded through a mutual dislike of Trump back when he was a presidential candidate. First started as a protest to Donald Trump’s sexual assault allegations on Twitter, #grabyourwallet expanded into a movement dedicated to creating a more respectful and inclusive society using consumer power. Coulter launched the hashtag on Twitter and compiled a list of companies that sold Trump products.

The list evoked a nationwide response due to the peaceful method of protesting it provided to Trump critics.

“As representatives from companies such as Uber become more outspoken about the views they believe their company’s espouse, consumers have the prerogative to influence these views,” said Julie Jang (10). “Once a company establishes these views, they can not stop their consumers from having a say in what the company does since the consumers’ money directly affects the company.”

While boycotts normally yield little to no effect because of the effort needed to organize a large movement for a sustained period of time, #grabyourwallet was successful in boycotting Trump products.

As reported by Time, Shoes.com dropped

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Ivanka Trump’s shoes from their website.

Additional retailers such as TJ Maxx, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom removed Ivanka inventory due to poor sales. #grabyourwallet provides

power.

“As the world becomes increasingly digitalized, people are relying more on non-traditional outlets such as

t: e l l a t w t r o u yo boyc b ra r of #G e w po

Currently boycotting 60 companies

23 companies dropped from the list hashtag read or viewed 2oomtimes in 40 days

alternative retailers uninvolved with the Trump family. The list of alternative retailers gives consumers the ability to choose where to shop but simultaneously limits the profit companies make, effectively forcing companies to retract certain political positions and demonstrating consumer

social media to express their opinions whether it be political or non-political,” said Michael Silber, AP World History teacher. “The traditional protests are shifting towards posts on social media that broadcast to a larger audience and perhaps a more effective solution.”

The emphasis on the use of consumer power within social movements, according to Forbes, is because brands are steadily moving their focus on how to tap into social media to amplify brand marketing.

Not to mention, the rising pressure on businesses to be more socially responsible and rethink value creation or the ultimate measure by which a corporation is judged, a trend that grants consumers more influence pertaining to the decisions of corporations. What is missing from these two insights, however, is that these two trends will increasingly intersect.

Concerned consumers are realizing that they can use social media to organize themselves around shared values. Social media gives them a sounding board to share ideas, as well as a means to punish irresponsible corporate behaviors. An early example was the Greenpeace-led Facebook protests against Nestle’s tacit support for deforestation in Malaysia.

Realizing this influence, companies such as Pepsi used crowdsourcing to invite consumers to co-create where Pepsi puts its charitable contributions.

Social media creates not just a new marketing dialogue between brands and consumers but also a powerful rationale for why corporations must begin partnering with the rising tide of customers who can now demand new standards for corporate behavior and a higher commitment to purpose. According to the Independent, while previous corporate boycotts have been based around social issues, #grabyourwallet has transformed into a sign of successful political change in the digital age. The advent of a new political movement is eminent, especially when the world is more interconnected than before.

By Michelle Cho Sophomore, Reporter

kPOP - of Passion and potential

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he curtain rises. Girls in matching pink skirts rush onstage, bright-faced and eager to showcase their new song. They jump around, dancing to the rhythm of a glitzy pop song featuring innocent yet weirdly sexual lyrics. Every movement is strenuously practiced, meticulously executed. The girls dance, enveloped in the cheers of their fans, male and female, Korean and foreigner alike.

There is a new wave of Korean Pop (K-Pop) in town. The graceful creases of a hanbok, the melodic crooning of a gayageum no longer presides. In their place are coordinated outfits in the signature colors of each girl or boy group, with a slew of colorful pop songs. Debuting with the help of Seo Taiji and Boys, the genre has only been growing since 1992.

25 years later, K-Pop has now grown to a respectable subgenre, with newcomers such as TWICE and the Bangtan Boys (BTS) racking up 9,900,000 and 10,000,000 views respectively within the 24 hour mark of uploading music videos to Youtube.

For a relatively newborn industry, K-Pop has a remarkable beauty and professionalism that makes it stand out. The meticulous, almost mechanical kalgunmu of Infinite’s “Be Mine,” is a prime exam-

By Dawn Kim

ple of the effort they put into every performance.

From a guerrilla performance on the streets of Gangnam to an anxiously-awaited fan meeting at Gocheok Sky Dome, the genre is famously known for its cohesive professionalism. With recent cases of idols such as G-Dragon writing songs for their own groups, K-Pop exceeds any other genre in terms of the hands-on-activity involved. As some trainees receive instruction for as long as 10 years, their specialization is beyond a job, but of a passion, unheeding of any setbacks or scare tactics detailing a less than 1% chance of making it to the big scene.

Another distinguishing factor of K-Pop is the sheer diversity it contains. Competing amongst an innumerable population of other groups, each group or band has a diverse sound, with a unique story and “image.” From a cute underclassman to a mythical god, it is easy to find a group that fits one’s tastes. Since each artist has a specific color scheme and an array of high-quality official merchandise ranging from lightsticks to action figures, each group is anything but forgettable. Rather, this music style could most likely be characterized as selling the most “current” styles in the most profes-

sional manner possible. With the debut of Seo Taiji, many audiences had one unifying revelation: Rap, a genre previously exclusive to the English language, could be adapted to accommodate Korean words.

K-Pop’s unique sound, of factors of pop combined with distinctively Korean roots, is another factor that helps distinguish it from other forms of music.

More importantly, it reflects the type of music that sells. The sheer popularity of this type of music has more than just record sales; it promises a chance to show off the existence of a nation not solely defined by computer chips and presidential debacle.

Of Korean industries and what they offer, K-Pop is undeniably a cherry on top of the sundae. If the cherry entices some customers to taste the chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream below, the cherry could prove to be undeniably useful, even vital to the entirety of the treat. For an infant industry, it is perhaps the pinnacle of the hallyu wave, developing faster than any other Korean industry, and actively participating in promoting tourism. With the constant praise and scrutiny the industry has been under, maybe it is time to take a step back from all this scrutiny, and let K-Pop breathe for a second and appreciate all it stands for.

Behind the flashy lights of kpop

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f kimchi and bibimbap had been the marketing icons of Korea until a few years ago, those have given way to the Korean pop (K-pop) trend that now marks the era of neo-Korean culture. K-pop is attributed to a larger phenomenon called “Hallyu,” which a term referring to the global pervasion of Korean culture. The original concept of Korean idol groups dates back to the 1950s, with the trio “Kim sisters” group that introduced Americans to K-pop for the first time. Half a decade later, K-pop is has become one of the fastest growing music genres in the world, amassing more than 35 million followers around the world, according to the Korea Foundation.

Of course, the positive economic influence of K-Pop is palpable. In a study by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion agency, K-pop related exports were valued to be at 12.6 trillion won, or 11.6 billion dollars. Overall, the increasing popularity of K-pop is indicated through the corresponding rose of cultural content exports, which, in 2014, rose by 8.4% as contrasted the 2.3% overall export growth.

However, according to the Korea Times, some

By Jina Kim

question the validity of such an economic ripple.

Those who do actively embrace K-pop and Korean culture are mostly young students in Southeast Asia that have relatively little buying power as to produce a viable economic effect. In addition, the industry has been on a rocky path ever since the THAAD issue has elevated Korea-China tensions.

According to New York Times, China has blocked the streaming and promotion of K-pop, which is severely detrimental financially as that country serves as K-pop’s largest and most lucrative market.

In fact, some champion against using K-pop as a means to promote contemporary Korean culture. An alarming impact of K-pop, according to Korea Times, is the new obsession with one’s facial appearance. While it is inconclusive to directly correlate the influence of K-pop alone on plastic surgery rates in Korea, the influence of idols on teenagers and young adults is widespread. According to High Brown, many teenagers often come to plastic surgeons’ offices with a photo of an idol, and request surgery to look more similar to that idol, a symbol of the pinnacle of beauty. When constantly deluged with

images of extremely attractive people, society places a unilateral emphasis on a certain type of facial appearance. Consequently the younger generation seeks plastic surgery as a solution to their discontent and low self-esteem. Beyond the purpose to advertise Korea in general, many question the point behind the depth of modern K-pop as a cultural platform.

That is not to say that the genre of Korean pop itself lacks that certain level of depth, due to the rich history it boasts. Korean popular music was called “changga”, and its first widespread popularity among Koreans rose as the music was employed as a means to express discontent of Japanese occupation during the early 1900s. The music remained as a symbol of optimism and the rebellious spirit that the Koreans encompassed while struggling for independence. In conclusion, the origins of K-pop are indubitably noble, and a paramount part of the national identity.

As K-pop has emerged as the a popular aspect of neo-Korean culture, its followers should not merely fawn over the idols for superficial reasons, but also understand and respect the illustrious history that comes along with it.

8 LIFESTYLE

Banksy’s barrier boutique of Bethlehem “Walls are hot right now, but I was into them long before Donald Trump made it cool.” - Banksy

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he sultan of satire is back, and with a project grander than any of his previous epigrams of society’s vices. Anonymous street artist Banksy officially opened The Walled-Off Hotel on March 20, and the building is situated mere meters from the towering wall that has separated Israel from the Palestinian territories for 17 years. The project was designed to make a political commentary of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict using the artistic medium of an entire hotel. Noting the dreary, towering concrete barrier that surrounds the establishment, its claim to fame has become having the worst view of any hotel in the world.

“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is long and complicated, but the important thing to know is that it is a dispute over what was formally known as Palestine between the Jewish and Arab population,” said Michael Silber, history teacher and forensics coach. “The conflict is tense, so I question

if Banksy will be able to make truly neutral political commentary on the topic.”

Although its matter-of-fact name suggests otherwise, The Walled-Off Hotel is really an amalgamation of a hotel, a museum, a campaign, and an art gallery for residents to enjoy simultaneously. Every inch of the hotel is home to political art and unconventional tropes; for example, the presidential suite contains a jacuzzi fed from what appears to be a dilapidated water tank speckled with bullet holes. Other rooms have been modeled after army barracks— fashioned with bunk beds, footlockers, and concrete walls. The graffiti style art that brought Banksy to fame stains the bedroom walls, with a tongue-in-cheek depiction of an Israeli soldier pillow fighting a Palestinian rebel painted above a king-sized bed.

“Overall I think political art like Banksy’s hotel can achieve great things in strained political conflicts,” said Curtis Lee (10), MUN member. “Much of the problems

regarding today’s clashes of culture such as the Isreali-Palestinian conflict stem from a lack of dialogue and communication between the two, and a means to alleviate is definitely sparked by this artistic project that brings attention to this somewhat forgotten problem.”

This is not the first time Banksy has used his influence to mutate a conventional tourist attraction into a work of sociopolitical satire. In August 2015, Banksy opened a pseudo-theme park called Dismaland, a shrewdly dubbed “bemusement park” that made many similar cynical commentaries, but regarding consumerism. Unfortunately, as it was a temporary exhibit rather than a lasting attraction, Dismaland was closed just after a few months. However, The Walled-Off Hotel is projected to operate for as long as circumstance permits.

“Banksy is a really interesting artist that never fails to disappoint with his projects,” said Eugene Song (10), design student. “I

have been following his works for a long time, and every piece of work he puts forward has a telling moral and sheds much needed light on important issues. Especially with his recent pieces, Banksy has not only shown his ability to blend political education with his art, but also to add an element of leisure to it as well.”

Making the transition from painting alleyway concrete to building grand infrastructural sites has only shone a brighter limelight on Banksy. Never one to shy away from controversy, the artist has shown not only that he will point fingers to the various injustices of the world, but also go right up to their doorstep and rebuke them to their faces. In this way, Banksy’s take on the modern world––while cynical and dystopian––demonstrates a brazen tenacity that the world can learn from.

By Jeremy Nam Sophomore, Staff Writer

‘Moonlight’ reflects success of uncommon themes

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or those who have never lived in a black neighborhood in Miami, Florida, the movie “Moonlight” sheds light into the atmosphere and society cultivated in a town filled with crime, drugs, and abuse. Although the movie seems to be about the life of a gay, black boy in a poor society, upon further examination, it actually seeks to answer questions about masculinity, sexuality, life, and hardship. All in all, the movie can be seen as an amalgamation of a personal film, documentary, social commentary, and a touching story.

Based off of the play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” by Tarell Alvin McCraney, the movie “Moonlight” follows the life of Chiron and depicts his life story in

three stanzas: childhood (played by Alex Hibbert), adolescence (played by Ashton Sanders), and adulthood (played by Trevante Rhodes). Though the movie starts off by depicting Chiron as a young boy, it soon jumps into his life as a troubled teen, and jumps once again to depict a burly, seemingly-tough man. The audience is left wondering what happened in between those jumps of time. However, one constant idea is pervasive throughout the scenes: Chiron’s struggle with his sexuality.

Throughout the movie Chiron’s search for his identity is illustrated, and due some traumatic situations, instead of becoming comfortable with his identity, he is seen retreating into himself as he grows older.

Though Juan, a father figure to Chiron,

Jukebox

Jewels

BY DAWN KIM

(played by Mahershala Ali) tells him “at some point you gotta decide who you gonna be,” the protagonist is unable to determine who he is, and the audience is taken along as Chiron attempts to accept his sexuality.

Nominated for eight Oscars and winning three of them, “Moonlight” was a success in terms of the attention it garnered and the money it raked in. Though the film did not star any household names and had a budget of merely $1.5 million, it still acquired a 99 percent rating on Metacritic and a 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes—numbers that shed light on the film’s merit. Many critics report watching the movie as if it were a poem rather than a story.

“Though there was not a lot of dialogue

W

ith the promise of warmer days and shorter nights, there is something romantic about a spring evening.

Every nightfall brings hope and opportunity, not just for the budding plants but also for each one of us. A sense of palpitation, of waiting for something more is what drives us on, up and beyond the promise of a spring break and onwards towards the end of the school year. That downy simplicity was everything that “Empire of Light” by

throughout the movie, it was still one of the most impactful movies I’ve seen in my life,” Jeffrey Heo (11) said. “The scenes were intense not only in that they were action packed, but in that they were filled with emotion and meaning—even when characters did not talk, a story was being told.

The cinematography and camera angles also showed the audience different perspectives, making it interesting. The plot is also very unorthodox, yet it is told in a way that everyone can empathize with it. I understand why the movie was nominated for eight Oscars, and I believe it will be hailed as one of the greats in years to come.”

By Ryan Jang Junior, Staff Writer

Savoir Adore presented to me.

Savoir Adore is like a lovechild of Panic! at the Disco and Viva La Union. The group began as a duo between Paul Hammer and Deidre Muro, then-students at NYU. One day, they challenged each other to complete an EP within a weekend. The rest is history– the group signed onto Cantora Records in 2009 and presented their extended play, The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl With Animals in Her Throat,” not long after. The electro-pop duo produced two

Tiger Times March 2017

9

(Cherry blossom festivals)

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arch is the month of new beginnings: as the cold starts to finally thaw away, colors take over to fill the scene. The cotton candy-like clouds endlessly fill the bright blue skies and patches of green sprout from underground into the world’s eye. Vibrant splashes bloom – baby pink petals start to fall gently by the end of the month. To witness such beauties of nature, try visiting the two of the most famous locations in Seoul for their cherry blossom trees: Jamsil Seokchon Lake and Seoul Children’s Grand Park.

1. Jamsil Seokchon Lake With a subway station just five minutes away, the Jamsil Seokchon Lake is the perfect place to go for those looking to enjoy the warm spring weather without traveling long distances. The lake is not very big – it will only take about 30 minutes, tops, to go around the whole lake – but the bright pink canopy right above your head will leave you enchanted. All is good except for the fact that the festival closes earlier here than at other locations because many visitors pluck off the branches from the trees, so to experience the full scenery, I advise you to visit in the first few days of the festival.

Aside from walking around the lake, you should also visit either the Lotte department store or the mall for additional excitement!

There is a long list of activities to engage in, ranging from riding a roller coaster at Lotte World to eating at any one of the international cuisine restaurants. The Lotte tower also recently opened and is one of the tallest buildings in

Korea with beautiful views, so don’t forget to visit before you leave.

2. Seoul Children’s Grand Park Despite the fact that the location is not as accessible as that of Jamsil Seokchon Lake, the Seoul Children’s Grand Park is a rather popular place for families and friends to visit together for an outing. What makes this park stand out amongst the other parks with cherry blossoms is its size. It is one of the bigger parks in Seoul – much bigger than the lake in Jamsil – and alongside each of the roads are grown cherry blossom trees that bloom beautiful baby pink petals each year without fail. Likewise, the park is so big that you will not have to worry about walking around with a crowd: there is plenty of room for everyone.

In addition, there is a lot more to do at this park than simply look at cherry blossom trees, especially for younger children. There is not only a zoo but also a small amusement park and a renovated playground, so if you have any younger siblings or children, this is the place for you to visit. Pack a hearty lunch with your friends or family and make a trip to park this spring!

Both the Jamsil Seokchon Lake and Seoul Children’s Grand Park are great locations to explore, and I assure you that you will have the time of your life. Enjoy watching the season unveil itself right in front of your eyes!

By Soomin Lee Junior, Staff Writer

Bringing back the new beat: ‘Muggles’ Mansion’

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f you like fresh, addictive beats and would also like to listen to the voices of many talented singers and rappers, “Muggles’ Mansion” is definitely the album for you. Code Kunst is a renowned producer, especially well known in the world of Korean hip-hop. After joining the sub-label HighGrnd of YG entertainment, he has now returned with a full album featuring popular artists. HighGrnd is one of the most respected hip-hop labels that built its reputation in a matter of a few years.

To give a general description, “Muggles’ Mansion” is an album full of exotic beats and tunes. It is definitely not like a typical K-pop album, but at the same time, it doesn’t stray too far off the spectrum of mainstream media. Each song has its own unique feeling, featuring different singer or rapper. “Muggles’ Mansion” is an interest-

full-length albums supported by four singles, until 2014, when Muro left to pursue a solo project. As the sole remaining member, Hammer still keeps the band active, collaborating with vocalists and live bands to present the two singles and one studio album.

Having amassed a total of three albums, two EPs, and six singles in the span of nine years, the artist’s music has an underlying sense of serenity running through it.

Their louder songs, such as “Too Late,”

ing album because, rather than focusing on the singing or rapping skills of the artist, it is purely beat-focused—that is, the powerful beats are the predominant sound of the album, overshadowing the lyrics.

“Muggles’ Mansion” can be only described as one of a kind. One could not do the album justice by placing it under a category. It is neither indie, nor hip-hop, nor pure K-pop—which is perhaps the reason why it is so appealing. Especially after the airing of hip-hop shows such as “Show Me the Money,” and “High School Rapper,” there has been an emerging genre within K-pop where artists mix more exotic sound within their songs. Although there is yet to be a set genre for this sort of music, it is definitely marking its place within the music industry. Although some people criticize others for trying to follow the band-

(their newest single), and “Night Song” (from their studio album, “The Love That Remains”) feel like an adrenaline rush that comes with a late night’s walk in an arboretum. On the other hand, songs such as “Transylvanian Candy Patrol” (from their studio album “In the Wooded Forest,”) and “Empire of Light” (from their studio album “Our Nature,”) feel rather downy, like nursing a crush back in eighth grade.

Unapologetic but hopeful, dreamlike but jarring, their entire discography is remi-

wagon in listening to more indie-hip-hop songs, “Muggles’ Mansion” is an album that deserves applause as the colorful beats and the producer’s unique style accentuate each other, all throughout the album.

In addition, the diverse range of artists that participated in this one album is stunning. Popular rappers such as BeWhy, Mino, Loco as well as emerging artists such as Suran have featured in this album. The head artist not singing in his or her own album seems to be a rising trend in Korea as Primary, for example, is another prominent K-pop figure that prefers to produce songs for other singers to perform.

Despite the fact that all of the songs were above average, the title song did not clearly stand out as the top of the pack. On the other hand, some of my personal favorites include “THIS IS,” featuring CJamm, and

niscent of a long daydream.

But despite their progress, Savoir Adore’s popularity is still quite domestic. The once-duo has a total of 416,634 monthly listeners on Spotify – an absurdly small sum, considering that their most popular song, “Dreamers,” (also from their alcum “Our Nature,”) racked up over five million plays. 7,000 of their listeners hail from Manhattan, a somewhat bittersweet homage to the Brooklyn-based duo. Runner-ups include Los Angeles,

“Parachute,” featuring Hyuk Oh and Dok2.

“THIS IS” has a relatively simple but extremely powerful beat, which mixed in well with CJamm’ catchy lyrics. “Parachute,” on the other hand, was a beautiful fusion of both hip-hop and less mainstream sounds.

Perhaps because of its less mainstream sound or because of the lack of promotion from HighGrnd, this album unfortunately did not strike popularity with the public and did not do very well in the Korean music charts. As a result, when you play “Muggles’ Mansion,” you’ll either love it or hate it immediately. But regardless of your verdict, the album’s refreshing beats will ensure that your listen was worth your time.

By Junie Kah Sophomore, Staff Writer

Chicago, and Brooklyn. The artist sticks to gigs such as the Firefly Music Festival and Karoondinha Music & Arts Festival, events based in Delaware and Pennsylvania, which may explain their low-profile activity. With the lull of the few months sandwiched between spring break and summer vacation, music tends to be one of the greatest refuge from what may seem like a restless monotony. So hit up Savoir Adore on Apple, Spotify, or Melon to fight off those spring blues.

10

SPORTS

Varsity swimmers develop teamwork during first KAIAC meet

Diving into the water, Jaywon Yi (10) swims the breaststroke leg of the girl’s 200 medley relay during the friendly meet at SIS on March 22. The girls would go on to place second in the relay. Photo by Ryan Jang

Along with cross country and cheerleading, swimming is one of the few sports that are non-divisional within KAIAC, allowing SIS varsity swimming athletes to gauge their skills against swimmers from schools of all divisions, such as Osan American High School, Seoul American High School, and more.

14 varsity boys swimmers and eight varsity girls swimmers participated in

the KAIAC A/B Format Swim Meet held at Chadwick International School on March 10-11. Although swimmers had competed in a friendly meet at YISS prior to this competition, this meet attracted attention and anticipation from enthusiastic SIS swimmers because it was the first official swim meet of the year. This was also the final official meet before the KAIAC Championship at the end of the season. In

the previous years, KAIAC A and B Format were held separately with several weeks in between as different events occured in respective competitions. However, starting this year, the two meets were combined as one big event that spanned over two days.

“As this was our first official KAIAC swim meet this year and personally the second high school swim meet I have ever been, at first I was definitely nervous to swim the events I was assigned to,” said Hannah Kim (10), new varsity girls swimmer. “However, since we had already been through several weeks of rigorous practicing, I expected my times to reflect such efforts and be lower than the last few times they were measured.”

Although swimming is an individual sport for the most part, there is great camaraderie and team spirit that develop between varsity swimmers during the season. Throughout the meet that spanned over two days, varsity athletes were able to not only swim their events, but also build teamwork and bond with each other.

“My favorite part of the meet was being able to spend time with the team and cheer each other on throughout all of our races,” Hannah said. “As swim meets last the entire day, much longer than a typical game for any other sport, we were able to spend a lot more time as a team, which definitely helped a lot with team bonding. Cheering each other on and being cheered for were all

things that made me feel like swimming is a sport that shines light on team spirit — of course, not to mention the relays at the end that are always worth the wait.”

Rivalries between schools that have persisted for multiple seasons also provide great excitement during swimming meets.

Particularly, the SIS boys relay team has maintained a mutually stimulating rivalry with the SFS boys relay team, with no one team proving distinctive superiority over the other. In this KAIAC meet, SIS boys relay team beat the SFS team for the first time this season at the 200m Freestyle Relay by 1.11 seconds.

“Going into this meet, our swimmers, especially new members, were anxious in the beginning,” said Brian Kim (12), cocaptain of varsity swim team. “However, there was no extreme pressure as our team had realistic expectations as we were just getting into shape. It was not that we had bad swimmers, just that we were aware of the fact that other schools had been practicing for a longer period than we had been. Even then, we had trust in each other.

We knew that we had what it took to beat SFS and take that #1 spot, we just needed to do our jobs and each do what we had been training to do in the future to secure that place.”

By Grace Lee Senior, Staff Writer

Fueled by recent successes, Rockets shoot for the stars The 2016-2017 season has been a season of improvement for the Houston Rockets, almost to a point that they are viable candidates to reach the NBA finals this year.

Standing third in the Western Conference with 47 wins and 21 losses with still 14 games to go, the Rockets’ record this season was far better compared to the 41 wins and 41 losses last season. Led by MVP candidate James Harden, the Rockets are a team to be feared.

By trading their unprotected first round pick in the 2017 draft and Corey Brewer for guard Lou Williams, the Rockets made strides to bolster their squad and improve their chances in their championship run.

Williams will accompany Eric Gordon on the Rocket’s bench, both of whose shooting touch is unparalleled. Gordon, especially, has improved dramatically this season, winning the JBl Three-Point Contest this past All-Star weekend and providing substantial cover from behind the arc. Rockets now possess the two highest scoring and arguably the two best sixth men this season, making their bench as threatening as their starting five.

“The Rocket’s have bolstered their squad and improved a lot since last season and are playing at a phenomenal level,” said Andrew Lee (11), starting small forward for the boys varsity basketball team. “I think Harden definitely deserves the MVP over Russell Westbrook or Lebron James this season because he has been truly out of this world.”

The outside scoring threat of the current Houston squads rivals, and maybe even surpasses, that of the Golden State Warriors, home of the ‘Splash Brothers’ Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson who made names for themselves by shattering 3pt record after record for the past few seasons.

Especially with both Curry and Klay shooting colder this season than in previous

seasons, the Rocket’s threat is even more apparent.

Individually, much of the Rocket’s squad are above average at best. The clear exception and the only player that plays at an All-Star caliber is shooting guard James Harden, one of the MVP candidates for this season. But put together, the Rockets are one of the most efficient in the league today. Harden’s scoring prowess and his unselfish playmaking that sets up his teammates for easy points has bode relatively well for the Rockets, allowing the team to drop big numbers when the balls were dropping in the net. The presence of Clint Capela and Nene in front court and the combined three point capabilities of Harden, Williams, Gordon, power forward Ryan Anderson, and small forward Trevor Ariza

makes Houston a formidable threat.

“The Rockets, in my opinion, is amazing,” said Eddy Sul (11), shooting guard and small forward for the boys varsity basketball team and a Rockets fan. “Capela is a breakout star, Gordon is a good add for a three point specialist, Lou is a great late add, Ariza is consistent, and Harden is excellent. Their offense is one of the best in the league and if only Harden stops committing so many turnovers, they could win the league.”

Though their records fall short of the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs, their two biggest competitors in the Western conference, Houston could theoretically make a successful championship run. They must, however, not be marred by injuries, which could sideline their best

players, for the remainder of the season and throughout the playoffs.

With their improving offensive capabilities, the Rockets have not disregarded the defensive deficiency they showed throughout last season. Much of the team has stepped up their game at the other end of the court, with the most surprising improvement coming from James Harden who was criticized heavily for being invisible and incapable on defense last season.

In addition, Capela, Ariza, and point guard Patrick Beverley have shown immense aptitude in defending the Houston rim and preventing their opponenents from outscoring them.

By Justin Chang Junior, Staff Writer

Tiger Times

March 2017

11

Sports Photo of the month

Chadwick vs. SIS

Players on the boy’s varsity soccer team pass, defend, and shoot against Chadwick during the game hosted at SIS. The team would go on to win 3-2, after a thrilling last-minute goal by Yoon Jae Seo (9). Photo by Ryan Jang

Korean ice hockey team recruits international players As the host of the upcoming winter Olympics, which will open on Feb. 5, 2018, South Korea has gotten a head start in recruiting players from around the world including the US to bolster its men’s and women’s national hockey teams, one of the most central sports of the event. According to the New York Times, countries often take advantage of loose citizenship rules to import highly talented athletes in various types of sports, and South Korea, likewise, seems to be utilizing this technique to its advantage.

“I believe that in terms of a sport such as hockey, it is not a bad idea to recruit skilled players from abroad,” said Sky Park (11), previous hockey player. “For example, there are precedents such as the US recruiting foreign chess players to compete as its representatives in the World Chess Cham-

pionships. Likewise, having other skilled players train alongside Korean players would allow us to develop in skills and rise up in world rankings.”

The South Korean men’s national hockey team approached several North Americans playing on South Korean, Canadian, and US teams with offers of the right to citizenship. According to the New York Times, certain players have expressed hesitation in responding to such requests, as some felt as if they were betraying their own countries by playing for South Korea. In addition, some South Koreans started to criticize the Korea Ice Hockey Association (KIHA) for using international athletes instead of Korean players.

“Personally, I do not agree with the naturalization of foreign players, but KIHA obviously feels that it can be more com-

petitive by bringing in players from the US and Canada,” said Ricky Green, physical educations teacher. “In essence, the sad thing about this situation is the fact that rising hockey players from Korea will feel discouraged as it will become more difficult to represent their country. For this to change, the IOC will need to assess the rules regarding who can represent a country and who cannot.”

Likewise, the women’s national hockey team also recruited talented members from abroad, resulting in significant progress.

According to the Guardian, the group beat Thailand 20-0 in the Asian Winter Games, while losing 3-0 to Japan, one of the most qualified teams. In an attempt to expand the frontiers of hockey, KIHA envisions a four-year $20 million plan to secure Korea’s position in the

international hockey scene.

“I think the men’s national team made the right choice naturalizing foreign players, considering the fact that there is such little time left to develop Korean hockey before stepping on stage with literally the world’s strongest teams,” said Sue Lee (12), current women’s national hockey player.

“Yet, for the women’s national team, it was initially saddening to see the ones who have been playing for so long yield their positions for the Olympics only a few years prior to those who never even thought of trying out for the team. But now, it is evident that everything was for the better and that the girls from Canada and America are more eager to push themselves harder.”

By Alice Lee Junior, Staff Writer

99 complaints

against the world “There won’t be a single phoenix flying around after this game.”

Promoting school spirit is something that many school organizations want to achieve, but it seems like such groups have been pushing for the wrong sort of school spirit. With the dawn of interschool sports competitions such as KAIAC, there has been some intense sporting rivalry between SIS and other schools. However, the unfortunate reality is, SIS’s “school spirit” only extends to a few of the matches, and doesn’t reach anywhere else.

The issue is that students at SIS are

By Junie Yejoon Kah

extremely inconsistent, especially when it comes to supporting school teams. When one attends a SIS home game, he or she may spot a few SIS students, but if they take a closer look, they’ll realize that it’s a student from either the Tiger Sports Council or HSSC who must partake in keeping score or selling food. However, on days when SIS hosts big tournaments such as AISA, we see a mass crowd cheering for SIS. The inconsistency of school spirit makes it incredibly hard to determine whether SIS students have or do not have spirit. It is true that we show a great deal of unity in AISA or KAIAC games, but it

mostly ends there. However, to many SIS students, we seem to be superior to all the other international schools.

In that sense, we do have an issue of excessive school spirit, but a pretty rotten sense of it. The “school spirit” in SIS is distorted because some students display apathy toward their school—but at the same time, they still believe that SIS is better than other schools. SIS students strive to be better than others, but not the best.

On the bright side, people still come to a few of the important matches. However, every time we have a big game, we see at least one person intentionally tackling

another player or a team member angrily complaining to the referee. Perhaps if there was a balance to everything, things would go more smoothly, and we would have an easier time displaying appropriate behavior in the face of other schools, attracting people to home games, and expressing school spirit in other aspects apart from just sports.

Embracing school spirit is cool but only when we learn to respect other schools and also gain a sense of respect for all the hardworking athletes. Hopefully, students won’t have to be kicked out for punching other people in the next games to follow!

12

SMALL TALK

Idealog: DEISM In Adam and Eve’s biblical story, the apple from the forbidden tree symbolizes not only sin, but also knowledge. The wicked serpent had promised Eve that were she to bite into the fruit, she would know the difference between right and wrong, and that she would be enlightened. One could say that curiosity was Adam and Eve’s original sin.

Centuries later, an apple would fall at Sir Isaac Newton’s feet from a branch overhead, as he sat under a tree contemplating the laws of physics. This apple would give him the eureka moment he needed to shed light on the concept of gravity. He went on to write seminal, historic works on the laws of motion and calculus: with his intellectual endeavors, he opened the floodgates of the Scientific Revolution.

With that said, one might assume that Newton was an atheist. After all, in the Garden of Eden, the apple was knowledge and knowledge was sin. Curiosity was contraband. Yet Newton was a man of faith. So were the Enlightenment thinkers Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. In fact, Newton spearheaded one of the most prominent religious movements of this time:

FAUX NEWS

By Diana Nakyoung Lee

deism. These stellar minds may have differed in the nuances of their religious beliefs, but they were all deist.

The philosophy of deism was exceptional because it was an unprecedented compromise between science and religion. Newtonian deism begins from the philosophy of mechanism. Most scientists in Newton’s time believed that the world ran like a machine: the flexing and contracting of human muscles, the rising and falling of tides, the coming and going of comets all seemed to suggest that there were little, invisible gears churning incessantly around them. In this way, Newton thought that the world was like a clock. But he didn’t just see a clock - he saw a clocksmith: God. Deists believed that a higher power had created our world to run systematically and smoothly like a machine governed by a set of universal laws, which they identified as scientific laws or natural laws. They also believed that after God had set this machine in motion, that He had stepped back and let the system run its course on its own. Deists believed that praying was useless: “Why should God bend the natural laws governing this world,” they would ask, “to better your day?” After all, to them, an individual was but an infini-

Humans, It Is Time For You to Stop—Sincerely, Methuselah Tree

tesimal gear in an infinite automaton.

Deism also allowed the leading thinkers of the time to reject the supernatural beliefs sometimes attached to faith. Enlightenment philosophers raced to analyze how this universal machine worked, and many arrived at groundbreaking conclusions. Locke, for example, argued that God had bestowed all humans with natural rights (the rights to life, liberty, and property) at the time of creation. He argued that all governments—any form of political machinery—must run under such natural laws. A unique mélange of religion and reason, Deism elicited the most unconventional of discoveries from the most unconventional of minds. It preached that the human quest for knowledge was neither sin nor insolence, but rather a divine gift and mission.

In a political age fractured by lines of religious, cultural, and ideological division, we may want to borrow a lesson from the past - from Newton’s time.

Faith, whether it be in a political party or in a religion, does not have to be the antithesis of compromise and growth. Two parties pushing violently and vehemently against each other will never grow. Often, to expand, we have to learn to fold and to flow.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Fair and Balanced Humans, it’s time for you to stop.

You humans are funny. Back when I was first born y’all were just figuring out how to keep track of time. Egyptians were smart, let me tell you that.

They managed to figure out that it takes around 365 sunrises and sunsets for us to circle around the sun once.

You tend to figure these things out pretty rapidly if you’re rooted to a place for years. Mobility is overrated—more movement, more things to figure out.

For thousands of years me and my old friend Prometheus lived in this grove. We thought humans were pretty interesting to look at. Scavenging the floor for food, making strange domes, burning our old, leathery arms, using them to bang on things that made loud noises that shook our leafy hair were just some of the strange things you humans did. Once in a while you would even get all rowdy through the night, waving arms in erratic motions with no wind to fuel them. But mostly we didn’t want to deal with all the complications that came with talking to humans, especially due to the explicitly written clause in our contract of trees that states that we do not communicate with humans, or other species, even if they take our pinecones, build houses on us, and/or use us as a public urinal.

That contract is our dignity as Treekind.

Now, the reason that I am breaking that contract in order to send this message is because you are threatening to murder us all. Let me be honest

with you. After watching that erratic movement everyone in the circle did together, Prometheus and I gambled a significant number of pinecones on the continuation of your species, because no such idiots have a place in the “fight or die” masterplan of Mother Nature.

Yet you have somehow managed to continue your survival for as long as I have lived. If you kept your idiocy to yourselves, no one would care. You are but an inconsequential dot in the great clock-like mechanism of the universe.

But no, you had to stick your runny little noses into everything, and now everything and everyone’s dying.

Humans were likable when they were doing cute things, like building pyramids and drawing out how to calculate the area of a circle. Building bombs that can flatten entire forests?

Denying that the world is not getting warmer? Try standing outside for maybe ten years, you would quickly realize that it gets hotter and hotter every year.

Compared to five thousand years ago, it’s practically hell in the summer here in California. If I had water in my stems to sweat out, I would.

When I filled out my BarkBook profile, I described myself as a “chill guy.”

I don’t tend to get angry, and when I do, the most aggressive I can ever get is maybe shaking two branches at a time.

But the way that you humans treat us, and the world around you, is threebranch, maybe four-branch shaking worthy. Stop and think before I start shaking five.

BY JOYCE LEE

Photo by April Kim

Singing a duet rendition of the song “Eyes, Nose, Lips” by Taeyang, Nick Yeo (12) performs at the UNICEF Talent Show rehearsal in preparation for the actual performance on March 23.