Tiger Times Volume 50 Issue 3

The Little Mermaid, played by Lynette Kim (11) sings a parody of “A Part of Your World.”

In This Issue Belle, played by Yoona Lee (12), pretends to act dead in front of the two guards.

Prince Charming, played

by Arthur Kim (12), and Cinderella, played by Yoobin Lee (12), discuss their plans to take over the inherited land.

P.3 EXTENDED VIEWPOINT Excused absences: How excused absences undermine the SIS learning environment for teachers and students alike P.6-7 FOCUS Reducing Plastic: The individual efforts to reduce the use of non-biodegradale material vs. the governmental outlook into current environmental problems

The King, played by Hannah Yoo (10), listens in on the princesses’ opinions on why they should rule the kingdom.

Snow White’s Dwarfs, played by Angel Tak (11) and Agibail Rhee (10), listen in on Cinderella’s plan to murder the King and take over the land.

THE GAME OF TIARAS

Editorial

Evaluating SIS’ definition of internationalism

By Dawn Kim and Jeremy Nam Co-Editors-in-Chief

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n observational quip often enjoyed by students at SIS is based on the overwhelming ethnic homogeneity of our student body. Even without looking at hard numbers, a cursory glance of the cafeteria, hallways, and classrooms yields a substantial predominance of the Korean ethnicity. The irony, of course, is that as a school that brands itself international, the diversity of the student body does not seem to reflect that label.

But a deeper look into the workings of SIS yields a more relevant contention against its level of internationalism: Americanization.

Many SIS students possess an American passport, and for those that do not, there is still a good chance that they have lived in the states for an extended amount of time. Moreover, an overwhelming majority of us aim to go to an American university and get an American education, and often do not even consider higher education in other parts of the world. American ideals, academics, viewpoints, and culture further pervade the SIS curricula and system.

This focus may not seem like a huge problem, as we attend a western school in order to receive a western education. But the term “western” does not mean “American,” and neither does the term “international.” By design, since SIS is an “international” school, its education and curricula should represent and reflect that––but in the status quo, it doesn’t. Issues range from the subtle and discreet, such as the classrooms’ focus on American elections in lieu of other world events, to the more obvious, such as the consolidation of all non-U.S. history into one course.

This issue becomes especially heightened in the context of applying to non-American colleges, such as those in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Each year, only a small proportion of SIS students apply to such colleges, and receive considerably less school-provided assistance than U.S. college seekers. A chicken and the egg scenario presents itself here; if students do not initially intend to apply to colleges outside of the U.S., the school provides disproportionate representation to the range of those universities, and vice versa. Neither the students nor administration deserve the full responsibility, but the first step to take is to further inculcate students with the idea that excellent educational opportunities exist outside of the U.S. Obviously, there are steps to be taken by the student body as well; we need to escape this collective tunnel vision that the only and best path to success is through an American education, and open our eyes to the wide array of global opportunities available to us.

Make no mistake; the staff of Tiger Times is guilty of this trend as well, seeing as how Trump-related articles persist in nearly every issue we publish. But it is high time we take a step back and consider what our school’s focus on America says about us now, and how it may affect us in the future. Especially considering the current socio-political turmoil in the U.S., perhaps it’s best that we consider the global possibilities when looking toward our next four years of education.

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 Democrats struggle to find identity following midterms

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n Nov. 6, the United States held its midterm elections, which opened all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, a third of the Senate, 36 governorships, and multiple state legislature positions. After the final ballots were cast, the GOP was able to maintain control of the Senate and achieve a majority 52 seats, and the Democrats reclaimed majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years. While many viewed the midterms as a referendum on Donald Trump and the Republican Party, the election highlighted a Democratic Party struggling to find its own identity.

Of course, it would be impossible to deny that the Democrats have pulled off a ‘blue wave’ to a certain degree of success. The New York Times reported that, based on the popular vote alone, Democrats were favored over Republicans by a margin of about eight percent, and if it was not for a gerrymandered electoral map that heavily favored the GOP, the Democratic Party could have enjoyed a landslide victory.

Keeping in mind that the election was held in a booming economy in which 68% of voters said the economy was “good” according to CNN exit poll data, the Democratic Party pulled off an astounding feat in recapturing majority in the House of Representatives. This

means that an array of committees will now be led by Democrats, giving them the ability to both initiate and accelerate investigations about Donald Trump and his presidency.

Despite this victory by the Democrats, their ‘blue wave’ was nowhere near the tsunami that they hoped for.

They lost significant ground in the Senate, and they also gave up governorships in key swing states such as Florida or Ohio, which may greatly help Donald Trump in the 2020 elections.

Perhaps the biggest reason behind this is the fact that the Democratic Party is still struggling to find its post-Obama identity and is instead focusing its efforts on criticizing the Trump administration.

Currently, there are large discrepancies between policy proposals within the Democratic Party itself. For example, member-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of the Democratic Party openly called for the abolishment of US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, (ICE). Meanwhile, Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly of the Democratic Party released a campaign advertisement that vehemently opposed the abolishment of ICE. According to exit poll data collected by CNN, 23% of voters stated that immigration was their top concern in the midterm elections, and such discrepancies on major issues

Reducing mentally ill criminals’ sentences undermines public safety

Many people wish to live in a safer society where justice is served, but the extent to which legal standards should be applied remains obscure. Specifically, regarding the discussion of what punitive measures should be used to discipline criminals, some people argue against punishment that compromise criminals’ humanity – especially if the criminals suffer from a mental disability.

In fact, in the past few years, Korean courts have consistently reduced the charges of the mentally ill or feebleminded. For instance, in 2008, a man had his criminal charges reduced after raping and physically abusing an eight-yearold girl, simply because he was under the influence of alcohol. Should these rulings continue? The recent GangseoGu Internet Cafe murder demonstrates that courts should not confer leniency on the grounds of mental illness because the public safety needs to be strengthened.

According to the Korea Times, the Gangseo-Gu murder occurred in early October when a 29-year-old man brutally

murdered a 20-year-old part-time worker with a knife. Later, the perpetrator’s family brought medical records of depression to claim that his mental illness prevented him from making rational choices. However, although tangible records of depression were presented to demonstrate his supposed innocence, the fact that depression caused him to commit the unthinkable act seems unlikely. According to the Korean Department of Mental Health, when depression becomes severe, it causes a lack of motivation, making it difficult for individuals to commit such an atrocious murder.

Furthermore, in criminal cases, the court considers whether the mental illness was severe enough to prevent the suspect from distinguishing between objects and making rational decisions. In this case, there is evidence showing that the perpetrator could have premeditated the crime. After verbally abusing the victim on the day of the incident, he told the victim that he would come back

such as ICE have most likely cost multiple seats for Democrats.

The Democrat’s greatest strength and weakness is its diversity. It has the ability to tap into a much extensive electorate than the Republican Party, but that very electorate is preventing them from creating a clear and coherent stance. Democrats need to find common ground and identify domestic issues with universal relevance. They have attempted to do so with healthcare and the defense of insurance protections for people with pre-existing conditions, but such protections will almost certainly become obsolete with a Republican-controlled Senate.

Ten years ago, Barack Obama led the Democratic Party with the unified message of hope. But what has the Democratic Party’s message been since? What will it be going on to the future? As much hate Donald Trump receives, “Make American Great Again” is a memorable and effective message.

If the Democratic Party wants to build upon any momentum gained from recapturing majority in the House of Representatives, it must invest more time in defining what it stands for and creating consistencies within its stance on domestic issues.

By CHRISTOPHER SHIN Sophomore, Staff Writer soon. Then he went home, brought a knife, and returned. Such sequence of events, according to JTBC News crime psychology professor Su-Jeong Lee, is ample evidence that the culprit could make rational choices. Thus, depression should not be a sufficient reason for the court to grant leniency to his charges.

As a result, two types of approaches must be implemented to address this severe problem. Firstly, the goal should be to eliminate the root cause of the crimes that mentally ill criminals commit. As demonstrated in this case, the majority of mental illnesses likely stem from the lack of humane treatment: the culprit was always seen as an oddity among his family members, treated by his parents with prejudice. He was unable to receive the love that could have helped him grow into a stable individual.

Like such example presents, the people around those who are mentally ill play an important role in helping individuals overcome their psychiatric struggles.

A second approach could be to make a specific set of definitions that clearly outline all the cases mental illnesses are acceptable to reduce criminal charges.

The current judicial laws concerning criminals’ abilities to make rational choices and distinguish between objects give room for multiple interpretations.

Specificity, such as requiring solid evidence of mental illness or experiments that measure the suspect’s level of rational perception, can clarify the laws regarding mentally disabled criminals.

More than one million Korean people have reportedly protested against the brutal murderer in a Blue House petition, claiming that it is impossible for a human to have committed such a horrifying crime. Yet these crimes can certainly happen anytime, gravely affecting both our posterity and us.

Thus, it is crucial to implement these alternatives to create a safer society.

By EMILY BAE Junior, Staff Writer

Tiger Times

November 2018

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.

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Tiger Times Staff Paper Editors-In-Chief Dawn Kim Jeremy Nam

Website Managing Editor Kate Lee

Website Editors-in-Chief Junie Ye Joon Kah Hannah Kim Paper Managing Editor Kirsten Huh

Production Editor Amy Jungmin Kim Graphics Editor Yejune Park Photo Editor Jocelyn Lee

Social Media/ Marketing Directors Fiona Cho Eju Ro Copy Editors Youngseo Jhe Andrea Kwon Sia Cho Chris Lee Layout Artists Claire Lee Youngjin Park

Erin Lee Emily Oh Graphics Artist Lynette Kim Photographers Angela Choe Lauren Kang Michelle Ahn Reporters Emily Bae Teddy Cho

Andie Kim Alice Lee Andy Yoon Brian Ham Eric Hwang Jiwon Lee Christopher Shin Thomas Song Jr. Joanne Yang Adviser Mr. David Coleman

Viewpoint Feature: When classes have become “optional” Is missing one or two classes a prerequisite to academic success?

How have excused absences become an integral part of SIS culture?

Inexcusable excused absences

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ast year, as a sophomore, I enjoyed the privilege of visiting almost every continent around the world—and, to be clear, I am not referring to family trips during school breaks or holidays.

Instead, most of my time away from school, in Ukraine, South Africa, and China, was in fact during school, while my peers listened to lengthy lectures and studied assiduously for multiple upcoming summative assessments.

As a result, I skipped a considerable number of classes in the process, and upon returning I had accumulated a sizable amount of formative and summative work I had to complete in a matter of days. Otherwise, there were no measurable negative consequences; the make-up work was the end of the story. In each occasion, I had been able to temporarily relieve myself from student responsibilities using the power of excused absences. In retrospect, although it would have been difficult to avoid participating in these trips, I realize that in the grand scheme of things, I had been unconsciously contributing to a deleterious schoolwide phenomenon.

To be exact, the problem I am referring to is not necessarily the excess of school trips, nor the cooperative nature of SIS’ staff. I am calling to attention the prominent trend of students skipping classes for illegitimate reasons, short of those that cannot be controlled, such as family-related issues or an actual medical concern. “Excused” absences, for years, have undermined the effectiveness of class curricula. A comprehensive solution or series of them must be considered if we are to tackle this multifaceted problem.

Whereas an overseas trip not affiliated with SIS is not often used as an excuse, the most common reason students resort to is a feigned sickness. As a result of procrastination and unpreparedness, some students are able to convince their parents to call the school office and explain that their child is “not feeling well.” Consequently, these individuals are given at least two more hours to prepare for a test others did

not have; in some extreme cases, students skip the test or the school day altogether.

To ensure the integrity of the student body, intentional steps have been taken by the leadership team: according to the 2018 update of the Student Handbook, the make-up summative assessment must be taken on the day a student returns from his or her absence. Nevertheless, an entire extra night to prepare could still constitute more than twice the amount of time one’s peers had to study the same content.

While it is true that one student’s absence does not always cause too much of an inconvenience, the accumulation of numerous individuals’ absences have considerable implications on all aspects of SIS’ learning environment. To begin with, this trend of overwhelming excused absences sends the wrong message to students that they can avoid the consequences of their decisions. Education revolves around the premise that mistakes are permissible when one is young. In the short term, one low score due to procrastination, for instance, could seem devastating; however, in the long run, not only will this blunder be shrouded by future successes, but it will also ensure that similar mistakes will not be made in the future. Just as rehabilitation is a crucial component of the criminal justice system in all countries, second chances are almost always given to students who break rules because teachers recognize the inevitable naivety of us teenagers. However, when even parents conspire with their children to avoid the would-be consequences of their folly—a subpar grade for hanging out with friends the night before a test, as an example— students become disillusioned with the assumption that the same options will exist at college and in the workplace. A choice becomes a habit, and before one knows it, it remains a norm for years to come.

In addition to learning from one’s errors, the prevalent reliance on excused absences undermines student-teacher relationships by fostering distrust. If teachers conclude that

missing classes before a test has become a trend for a given student, they justifiably lose faith in him or her. As a result, one student’s absence due to a so-called sickness forces the teacher to lose trust in not only the absentee but also future ones—even those who are legitimately unwell. Fruitful learning roots from a productive classroom atmosphere, but an amicable relationship seldom exists between an indignant teacher and a missing student.

Although acknowledgement of perfect attendance during the annual end-of-year assembly is sometimes viewed as the least important accolade, the leadership team is correct in publicly recognizing these students, who are model examples of people with a success-oriented mindset. Whereas the science award could arguably be earned through a remarkable aptitude for the hard sciences alone, perfect attendance requires the utmost organization, consistency, and dedication, qualities that extend beyond specific content taught in classes. It is worth recognizing that despite the prevailing trend of excused absences, a small but notable portion of the high school student body maintains perfect attendance each year.

Still, the fact that only about 20 people are asked to stand up every June implies the bleak nature of this schoolwide concern.

To a certain extent, the idea that attending class is optional has become ingrained in our mindsets.

American journalist Sydney J. Harris once said that “[t]he whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” It is supposed to provide students the means to break down barriers and graduate from school with a more complex understanding of their identity. Aside from intense competition and stress-inducing academic expectations, a towering obstacle that impedes students’ learning at SIS is the overwhelming amount of absences that adversely impacts both students and teachers alike.

Although it is undeniable that this problem cannot go unchecked, the

appropriate solution is not readily evident.

According to high school Principal James Gerhard, if given the impression that the same excuse continues to be used, the office notifies the counselors about this student’s activity, and extensive discussions are held regarding his or her study habits. It is the opinion of the leadership team that the parent’s decisions should almost always outweigh those of the school; it would not be the office’s place to question the parents over the phone or through email.

Moreover, decreasing the maximum amount of absences per semester does not seem feasible either. Allowing six absences in the first semester and seven in the second is not unique to SIS: around the world, the universal standard of acceptable attendance is 85 percent of one’s classes. Increasing this proportion might instead be an overwhelming burden to some students, who could experience extenuating circumstances during the school year.

Due to the mentioned limitations of the leadership team in tackling this issue, there seems to be only one plausible solution— altering students’ mindsets. We must redefine what it means to be “excused,” not to mention “student.” Regardless of logistical issues that can be addressed by the high school office, the root of this problem lies in the lack of motivation to complete school work on time, attend class, and fulfill one’s responsibilities as a student. Instead of avoiding the summative assessment or class as a whole, we should attempt to have candid discussions with counselors or teachers, who are often willing to help us manage or reduce our workload. Among the several ways to overcome an obstacle, avoiding it should not be one of them. Being a successful student entails more than securing positive outcomes: it is about learning lessons and overcoming challenges that will guarantee long-term success.

By ANDY YOON Junior, Staff Writer

4 NEWS News Briefs

By Amy Jungmin Kim

“Game of Tiaras” bestows unforgettable experience Senior, Staff Writer

History Honor Society hosts student-teacher history bowl

Photo by LAUREN KANG On Nov. 7, the History Honor Society hosted its first student-teacher history bowl. Intended to increase the club’s presence at SIS and to promote the subject of history with a more interactive and entertaining method. Two teams battled against each other. The first team was comprised of Jonathan Ames, world history teacher, Morgan Miller, US history teacher, and Edward Lee (10); the second team was made up of Anthony Loveday, US history teacher, Michael Silber, world history teacher, and Ryan Kim (11).

“I was very happy to host this event,” said Justin Kyung, co-president of the History Honor Society.

“In the past, our club only prepared for annual competitive history bowls. But we tried to give back to the school, and hosting a student-teacher bowl seemed like a good idea. Fortunately, students seemed pretty interested in watching the event, and we definitely want to continue hosting it.”

Teachers receive CPR training Staff members of Seoul International School had the opportunity to attend an optional CPR training session. The session was targeted for physical education teachers and coaches but was also available to any interested staff member. The first half of the session was a traditional lecture, with instructions given in both Korean and English regarding not only CPR procedures but also laws in Korea regarding medical emergencies. The latter half was a hands-on session, during which participants were able to practice with dummies and automated external defibrillator (AED) models.

“Since I had done the trainings before [coming to SIS], it was a good refresher, but I was also able to understand, since I live in Korea, what’s expected of me, and also what laws protect us,” said Bryan Prevatte, 6th grade science teacher who attended the session. “If I walk down the street, find someone on the ground, try to save them, and something goes wrong, I know that I’m still protected in certain ways.”

Science Club visits elementary students Members of the Science Club visited elementary school students on Nov. 5 for a friendly science demonstration. To assist the elementary students currently learning about the weather, the club prepared interactive experiments that would allow the younger ones to connect to their learning material through a more hands-on approach.

“Competitions and fairs are important to our club, but I think these activities are also very important because they promote kindness and bonding around the school,” said Jio Jeong (12), Science Club president. “Not only do we receive a sense of fulfilment that our knowledge in science can be applied to help out others, the elementary kids also get to look at their course materials with a new perspective.”

T

his school year, the drama department presented the “Game of Tiaras” as its annual play from Nov. 1-2.

Revolving around a creative plot that combines the storyline from “Game of Thrones”, a popular TV show, with Disney princesses, the play gave the audience great enjoyment as well as an unforgettable experience. Most importantly, the production provided a valuable learning experience to both the audience members and the actors.

“Acting as a princess is not a common role,” said Hannah Son (10), Snow White in the “Game of Tiaras”. “The play gave us a learning opportunity to act out roles, that we don’t usually encounter, using our imagination and creativity. What most intrigued me about the play was its unique vision.

We intended to make our audience never view Disney princess movies in the same way again. We strived to instill a new perspective into the audience: one that seeks to show the reality of Disney princesses and how they might not be so pretty after all.”

In the play, Snow White claimed to have been disgusted after a random prince kissed her. The king, moreover, was portrayed as a 50-year-old man struggling through a mid-life crisis.

In addition, Cinderella’s Cinderella complex, or her dependence on men to be taken care of, has been explicitly demonstrated as she desires for Prince

Charming to return her love. As the “Game of Tiaras” showed these elements to the audience, it portrayed the princesses as ordinary humans who each have significant issues affecting their lives. In essence, it took Disney’s romantic depiction of princesses into realistic illustrations. “‘Game of Tiaras’ was exciting for me to watch as a Disney movie critic,” said Jessie Park (11), an audience member. “I find the plots of Disney princess movies to be unrealistic because it always results in the prince and the princess falling in love. ‘Game of Tiaras’ clearly broke this convention, however. It essentially was an entertaining educational performance, enlightening me by introducing a new perspective through which I could observe the dark realities of Disney princesses and discover how much Disney can distort fairy tales.”

In addition to fostering a fresh point of view, the “Game of Tiaras” contributed pricelessly to the SIS community.

It not only gave students a means to express their passion freely and pursue their dreams, but also allowed them to overcome their fears and confront new challenges.

“This is my first time participating in a school play,” Hannah said. “When I was young, I had stage fright. I was not able to perform in front of a large audience. The eyes staring back at me whenever I was on stage would intim-

the more you know Unorthodox hack shakes the nation Social media companies have taken hits from all frontiers by software attacks, with Facebook being the most recent victim. But the prevalence of such assaults on the Internet has recently overshadowed the discovery of a more malicious attempt at hardware hacking, and the culprit behind the act was, unsurprisingly, China. Last month, Bloomberg Businessweek dropped an eyeopening article that outlined how China had successfully managed to infiltrate the defenses of multimillion-dollar industries and gain invaluable information with a device smaller than a grain of rice: the microchip.

Hacks done through the Internet or manipulation with an outside device are the most common, seen in election polls as well as the US government itself. But the most recent hack caught officials offguard with its unconventional tactic: Bloomberg reported that this attack was carried out through a microchip first attached to the motherboards of servers in the Chinese factories they were manufactured in. Against all odds, these chips went undetected through multiple screen processes and successfully lodged themselves in areas all over the US, proving to be a major triumph for China and their everlasting technology war.

Due to its size and limited memory, the microchip alone cannot harness the capability for a damaging attack on any servers.

However, it can easily wreak havoc by providing a doorway for more powerful Chinese servers to take over and infiltrate US boundaries.

In this episode, China specifically targeted Super Micro Computer Inc., a microchip producer company. By striking at the source of technology made for a multitude of purposes, the scale of the damage was on a much higher level. According to Bloomberg, 30 companies— including the world’s two richest, Apple and Amazon, as well as the US Department of Defense—were most likely affected by the hack, as they were customers of the infected motherboard; but the full extent of the damage is yet to be seen. Hardware hacks also provide a long-term avenue for infiltration, and the sheer capability of these attacks is precisely why they are so rare. Joe Grand, a hardware hacker and the founder of Grand Idea Studio Inc., described them as a phenomenon akin to a unicorn jumping over a rainbow.

Despite the potential for damage, these issues may seem abstract, far removed and peripheral to our daily lives. But what are the implications of these hardware attacks and how can they affect normal human

idate me. However, standing on stage as Snow White in the ‘Game of Tiaras’ allowed me to overcome my fears.

Imagining the sheer joy, frustration, and curiosity that my acting would elicit really helped me overcome my challenge.”

Prompting students to pursue their passion and tackle difficulties, the play contributed meaningfully to students.

Not only did it allow people to gain insight into the inaccurate media portrayals of Disney princesses, but it also gave a positive boost to students’ experience on stage.

“I really enjoyed directing the play,” said Shane Meiklejohn, Director of “Game of Tiaras”. “I loved how the play defied normal theatrical conventions by involving the audience in the lives of fantasy folk. Looking at traditional fairy tale characters from a realistic lens, it was intriguing to see how different our portrayal was from Disney’s illustrations. This was my first time here at SIS producing a play, but with just a single play, I’ve noticed that many students have grown to realize their capabilities and reach their fullest potential. Becoming a professional actor or stage director is not a difficult process. It takes passion, practice, and perseverance. This year’s play definitely gave that opportunity to students.”

By EMILY BAE Junior, Staff Writer

By Brian Ham beings like SIS students? All of this devastating information was only discovered three years after the damage had been done. With the vast amount of technology that encompasses our daily lives, we have opened up countless avenues for hackers to track our every movement. In this specific case, not only was national security harmed by the hacks on the CIA but also access to mega-companies like Apple meant ordinary citizens could have their lives pried open from thousands of miles away.

And if a hardware hack—one that inevitably leaves behind physical evidence—could fly under the radar for this long, how can we possibly deal with thousands of intangible software attacks that constantly manipulate our actions without our knowledge? We should take this opportunity to reconsider our interdependence on ever-growing technologies and wonder if the convenience gained by this slow surrender to the Internet outweighs the harms.

Tiger Times

November 2018

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Harvard affirmative action trial raises controversy for Asian Americans

Graphic By Amy Jungmin Kim

Harvard University, from the beginning of October, has been embroiled in a lawsuit to determine if affirmative action applies to all individuals subject to the policy.

Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) challenged Harvard’s dedication to fair admissions, calling out the university for treating Asian Americans unfairly during the admissions process. While the university has claimed that its policy of affirmative action promotes cultural diversity, a series of ongoing trials will determine whether this contention is indeed true.

“I believe that the college application process is not fair,” said Mary Ghadimi, English teacher. “Many people deserve to go to Harvard, but are not accepted. Ensuring diversity in college environments is really important and unfortunately it seems that certain ethnic groups feel the negative effects of that. “ Affirmative action, the policy of favoring

Students celebrate spooky Halloween

October, also known as “Spooktober” at SIS, is an exciting month for children and teenagers alike because of the many events that Halloween brings. Originating from the Celtic holiday that feared a day in which dead spirits were believed to return to Earth, “All-Hallows” day has evolved into Halloween over time, retaining the original spiritual and spooky nature. SIS celebrates this holiday with its annual Carnival hosted by Global Issues Network and the many complementary events that are held leading up to Halloween. During this year’s Halloween, the members of HSSC and GIN were successful in hosting such venues and propagating a sense of festivity, declaring a great success for the spooky season.

“I always get excited during the preparations for Halloween,” said Jenny Oh (11), HSSC Officer. “Putting up decorations, setting up the carnival, and preparing events bring out the childish joy and excitement inside me.”

Throughout the week of Halloween,

racial minorities, women, and historically excluded groups, provides individuals an opportunity against the regular pool of students. In light of the ever-challenging college admissions process, Asian Americans and organizations for new admission standards have challenged the effectiveness of affirmative action. The plaintiffs of this trial, the rejected Asian American students of Harvard represented by the SFFA, support the idea of abolishing affirmative action as they believe it hinders their acceptance into certain Ivy League universities such as Harvard University.

The SFFA, led by Edward Blum, a staunch activist who believes in the disregard of race to all approaches in public life, presented a series of evidence at trial to prove that certain groups were selected against which Harvard University strictly opposed. As unfamiliar inner circle jargon like the “Z list” or “the dean’s interest list” began to arise from released court

documents, speculations expanded rapidly in favor of the allegedly discriminated students.

“As a senior currently applying for colleges, I believe the trial will have rather a negative impact on Harvard admissions for Asian Americans than a positive one,” said Brian Lee (12). “It is obviously a personal thought but it is as though Harvard would be more inclined in accepting other racial minorities this year as this lawsuit might have potentially tainted the reputation Asian Americans hold, but obviously, the exact opposite might occur, where Harvard accepts more Asian Americans to prevent further controversy.”

SIS is primarily composed of Asian students from varying nationalities and many students, especially those currently applying for colleges, have viewed this accusation alarming as it might interfere with their acceptance into Ivy Leagues or other elite universities. The implications

the HSSC held various events open for any student to partake in. For example, a collaboration event between HSSC and GSA, “Moojigae Monday” was a great success. Any group of friends who dressed up in the color spectrum of the rainbow from red to purple was awarded a pumpkin pie. This was merely the start of the five day week with HSSC’s various collaborations with other clubs, progressing through Twin Tuesday with the STEM club, Halloween Wednesday with the drama club, “Thhamna”(sweaty) Thursday with DSQ , and a final Spirit Friday. Each day was also facilitated by unique events as well, in order to uphold the festive and entertaining mood of the holiday.

“Although there was definitely room for improvement as always, overall, I think the spirit week was successful based on the growing numbers of participants and the variety of themes that were incorporated,” said Kendall Sadler, HSSC Advisor. “My personal favorites were Moojigae Monday and Tthamna Thursday.”

On the other hand, GIN maintained uniformity in its annual event, the Carnival. A host to both middle schoolers and high schoolers, this event has always been a great attraction for students at SIS due to its famous Haunted House, various booths, and the overall exuberant mood

of the evening. Students were encouraged to attend in their creative costumes as they toured through the many stations including the Haunted House, the casino, the juice pong, the ring toss, and the food and drink corner. Middle schoolers and high schoolers alike both expressed contempt at the many enthusiastic stations provided at this event.

“It was fun and relaxing to take a break from adjusting to high school to play with my friends at the carnival, although I do think it would’ve been better if not all of my friends were working for GIN” said Sunny Lee (9). “The Haunted House was the most

derived from this trial will likely indicate that former SIS applicants to Harvard may have been subject to this process of discrimination. The question of whether or not the abolishment of affirmative action or a measurable decrease in its influence would impact the acceptance rates of SIS students still remains on the table. Certain impacts would arise from the students indisputably as some may be subject to higher chances at acceptance if affirmative action does become abolished.

However, there are matters at stake including the other minority groups whom had the benefit as Harvard students through this policy and their subsequent lack of acceptance if this policy becomes undermined.

“Personally, I believe SIS students are selected on their merits. It is possible that Harvard itself has a higher expectation for a pool of Eastern Asians who are generally known to have outstanding grades and test scores,” said Fredric Schneider, the Dean of Students. “Several factors contribute to the admissions process which schools like to call ‘holistic.’ Besides activities, legacy, regional competition, and the determination that the student would be a good fit for the school are part of the application process. Harvard does not have to worry about its yield from offers made to students in Korea because generally all of them will accept the offer of admission.”

The current ongoing trial has brought in former administrators other esteemed schools including Brown and Duke.

The former president of Brown, Ruth J. Simmons has supported Harvard’s Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, William R. Fitzsimmons and has contradicted the notion that such favoritism exists within colleges. As more people agree to testify before court regarding this matter, the trial increasingly becomes complex with more external factors. This trial, currently in federal court, will likely show signs of becoming a Supreme Court case regardless of the results.

By ERIN LEE Sophomore, Staff Writer

memorable experience, because it was really thrilling, yet really scary.”

In brief, the events held by both groups were successful in garnering a sense of joviality around the school. Not only did it provide entertainment to high schoolers and middle schoolers alike, but it also gave the freshmen a taste of what holiday events are like at high school. Now that Halloween is over, high schoolers are left looking forward to the many upcoming events

By THOMAS SONG Sophomore, Staff Writer

OF PLASTICS

Layout by erin lee

Potential for innovation in plastic waste solutions

BY ERIC HWANG

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he routine is familiar: busy Korean students order delivery food in plastic containers, buy beverages in plastic cups, and purchase goods wrapped in plastic packaging. After eating take-out meals, finishing drinks, and opening products, students carelessly throw away plastic containers with little afterthought. This trend has become increasingly familiar in Korea. According to Seoul Solution, a prominent Korean urban improvement group, the average Korean family contributed around 900 kg of municipal waste, the equivalent of two grand pianos, in 2012. With the accumulation of plastic garbage in bodies of water, including reservoirs for consumption, the Korean plastic problem has gained national attention over the past year.

The Chinese ban on plastic waste imports, beginning in 2018, has exacerbated this ongoing issue.

Previously, much of Korea’s plastic waste were sold off and consumed by China. However, after the ban, China’s refusal to accept foreign plastic waste led to a breakdown of Korean recycling infrastructure, forcing the Korean government to confront its apparent lack of recycling self-sufficiency.

In response to the increasingly prominent issue, the Korean government has proposed a wide range of solutions. Many recycling companies in Korea have refused to collect plastics and foams after the Chinese ban, drastically reducing prices for these materials. In order to combat the resulting buildup of waste on the streets, the Korean government has provided subsidies to recycling companies to make up for lost profits in exchange for promises of con-

tinued of plastic collection. Additionally, the government now requires cafes to use reusable non-plastic cups for beverages that are consumed in-house.

The federal government has also announced plans to raise the domestic recycling rate from 34 percent to 70 percent by 2030 and restrict corporate usage of colored plastic bottles, which are difficult to recycle, by 2020.

Although the Moon administration has implemented a wide range of solutions, some critics argue that their proposed resolutions lack diversity. For example, the government has focused on holistic solutions to the plastic crisis, such as attempting to prop up the recycling industry. However, in contrast to programs in the UK involving localized youth education on plastic, few of the Korean responses have tackled the plastic issue on a local level or engaged citizens in a personal fashion.

In light of this perceived lack of locality, some activists have proposed greater participation from urban or city governments. Supporters of greater metropolitan governmental participation point towards plastic bag bans in Seattle, which have reduced plastic bags in city dumps by nearly 50 percent since 2012 according to Seattle news channel, Kiro7. Seattle has also made headway by banning plastic straws and utensils from food services, measures that have been called for but ultimately unfulfilled in Korea. Other proposed solutions have advocated for greater industrial involvement rather than governmental action. For a three-month period in the UK, Starbucks charged customers a small fee,

around seven cents, for single-use paper cups and simultaneously gave discounts to customers with reusable mugs. In addition, many British businesses have voluntarily expunged plastic straw usage. On the other hand, although some Korean businesses have shown similar attempts at reducing plastic waste, such as purchasable Starbucks mugs that offer discounts on refills at Korean venues, nearly all Korean industrial solutions have been driven by government restrictions rather than corporate initiative, and few have been as extensive as British efforts.

The Korean government has made no shortage of solutions towards the plastic crisis, yet there is still room for improvement. Activists have called for a diversification of governmental solutions, especially towards more locally focused resolutions, and greater industrial responsibility. Even at SIS, plastic waste could be reduced. Currently, the school café continues to use plastic cups and straws, while many SIS students buy their water in single-use bottles instead of bringing reusable containers from home. Some students even reported that afterschool cleaners have not been distinguishing plastics discarded in recycling bins and garbage thrown away in regular trashcans, thus preventing the recovery of nearly all recyclables at SIS. The plastic crisis is not a dilemma that will be conquered in a day or by a single method of reform. Although the Korean government has fended off the worst of the plastic problem in the short run, the issue may rise again in the future unless other sectors contribute.

Overabundance of plastic highlights importance ofindividual actions

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nter a café in Korea, and people are seen sipping their beverages out of a plastic cup or through a plastic straw. Enter a supermarket in Korea, and once again plastic seems to be spotted everywhere, as people carry around plastic bags filled with several goods already wrapped in plastic packaging. The prevalence of plastic is evident in smaller communities as well: even in SIS, for example, students can frequently be seen carrying non-reusable plastic water bottles or digging into snacks wrapped in plastic. Such situations demonstrate one fact: plastic is not merely an important material anymore, but a key part of many people’s daily lives.

The mindless use of plastic may seem harmless at a single glance, since a degraded environment may seem to have no immediate impacts on individuals. However, when used in a wasteful way, the non-biodegradable material could pose several considerable threats to the environment. According to earthday.org, a website dedicated to addressing environmental problems, 10 million tons of plastic enter the oceans every year, of which, 236,000 tons are made up of microplastics, tiny pieces of broken down plastic that are not visible to the eye. Although microplastics seem no different from regular plastic, these particulate bits of matter are what wind up in the ocean and in the most unexpected places, including drinking water. Moreover, earthday.org also claimed that due to the continuous introduction of plastic waste in the environment, it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than there are fish.

As a result of drastically worsening environmental conditions, there are current efforts underway to lessen the use of plastic; in addition to putting emphasis on the dangers of plastic consumption, world governments have encouraged using less

BY KATE LEE plastic by imposing certain regulations. The Korean government, for example, recently banned cafés from serving non-takeout drinks in plastic cups and reformed the process of recycling plastic to a more meticulous procedure. However, despite the stricter policies regarding plastic use, people still manage to find alternative ways to continue using plastic for their own convenience, thereby nullifying the efforts of the government. Even if people are constantly warned about the serious impacts plastics will likely have on the environment, the majority of people still make an extensive use of this resource If both the governmental policies and constant reminders to become more eco-friendly are fruitless for some people in understanding the harms to – or even stopping the wave of – plastic consumption, an effective solution may be focusing on addressing the issue at an individual level. Specifically, motivating individuals to genuinely care about solving the issue may be appropriate, considering that some people are still unaware that plastic pollution, if exacerbated, will eventually harm their health as well. In fact, reducing the use of plastic – and encouraging others to do so as well – is not difficult: simply replacing plastic cups with tumblers or using reusable bags instead of plastic ones when shopping could make a huge, beneficial difference in both people’s habits and the quality of their surroundings.

In addition, it is important to note that plastic is not always a resource that must go to waste and end up being detrimental to many lives: instead, this non-biodegradable material could be used in many beneficial ways, with its capability to serve as a component of numerous useful artifacts, including medical devices and architecture. For instance, plastic could be consumed as a useful resource to make prosthetic limbs, such as artificial legs and arms – in fact, the material could even be utilized as

construction resources in order to make up parts of architecture, ranging from small houses to huge skyscrapers. Hence, plastic could be viewed from a positive light, and be used in non-wasteful ways to benefit both people and the environment.

Of course, factors other than plastic consumption, such as fossil fuel emissions and deforestation, contribute to the increasing climate change and degradation of the world’s condition. Yet, even among these environmental concerns, plastic pollution remains the most relevant one at an individual level, being the easiest to address. Furthermore, while other problems require greater measures to fix, this issue, in particular, can be solved easily if people have greater incentives to decrease the supply of plastic they use by making simple changes to their daily habits.

Not only is plastic consumption the most relevant issue, but it is also the main gateway to begin adopting green practices in general. Merely avoiding using plastic straws and cups or beginning to recycle scraps of plastic properly may seem like ineffective solutions at first. However, in reality, even the smallest eco-friendly actions can eventually contribute to a greater environmental improvement, as it could remind people to stop using single-use plastic and producing indisposable waste.

Plastic consumption tends to be addressed frequently by groups of people, with the government and several environmental organizations urging people to use less plastic. Yet, such efforts are barely pursued individually by citizens, as some of them lack the motivation to gradually stop wasting plastic in their daily lives. In addition to being the biggest concern of larger environmentalist groups, the issue may need to garner individual attention as well.

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LIFESTYLE

The in

Photo by LAUREN KANG

Between

By CHRIS LEE

Plagiarism and Popularity Fox TV’s recent import of a Korean TV show, The Masked Singer, is a perfect example of growing Korean popularity in entertainment. A Korean broadcasting company succeeded in selling the format of The Masked Singer, where audiences try to guess a masked celebrity’s identity just based on his or her singing. However, in the midst of the growing international plagiarism of Korean TV shows, the transaction of The Masked Singer is a rare exception of proper enterprise. Many similarities can be drawn between the extent of plagiarism a high school student might commit and such remakes.

If likened to a student’s Turnitin originality report, Fox TV would score a perfect zero percent of plagiarism. Through legitimate transactions, Fox TV succeeded in gaining rights to the format of the program and succeeded in making unique modifications to the American version.

And yet, most of the remakes of Korean TV programs have been somewhere in the grey area between originality and plagiarism. For example, The Good Doctor, an ABC remake of a famous Korean drama, did not deny copying the original show. However, the director of the remake “paraphrased” the movie, while not properly “citing” the Korean version, breaching a grey area of plagiarism.

China also has a history of contentions with South Korean entertainment programs. The Chinese remakes have been characterized by more severe copyright infringements. In fact, a total of nearly 40

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plagiarism-accused programs were being simultaneously developed, according to the Joongang Daily.

Some Chinese remakes copied more than just the idea for the TV program. For example, “Rap China,” a Chinese remake of the Korean “Show Me the Money,” copied even the format of the preliminary rounds, where famous artists ceremoniously award those who break with a flashy necklace. These Chinese remakes would definitely be under-par when held to school-level academic honesty standards.

The Korean media, in its early stages, was not free from blame, either. When American TV shows were a big hit across the globe, Korean shows were accused of copying as well. For example, in “Star King,” a popular Korean show in the early 2000s, people with various talents display them in front of the judges and the audience. The format of the show sounds familiar because it is an exact adaptation of the renowned “America’s Got Talent.”

However, due to Korea’s past lack of prominence in the industry, “Star King” did not receive much scrutiny.

Some have described these adaptations as part of a general trend to a single culture: everyone does what is popular. However, it is definitely important that blatant plagiarism must be avoided, and adaptations must give credit to the original work. At the very least, some level of respect to originality must be maintained, even if school-level honor code standards cannot be followed.

The Incheon Grand Park exhibits both the beauty of traditional Korean buildings and the amber autumn foliage.

Best places to visit in the fall

Though it feels like winter is nearing from the sudden drop of temperature, it is undeniable that it is still fall season. The green leaves on trees have started to turn into autumn colors.

With the bright yellows, oranges, and reds, many people have been visiting sites where they can explore and sightsee the beautiful changing colors of the leaves. Before the weather turns too cold to be outside during winter season, it is best to enjoy the warmer weather outside and taking a breather from the lifestyles of school and only being inside.

Incheon Grand Park is one of the biggest parks in Korea. Including a botanical garden, an outdoor music hall, tradition experience centers, a lake, and many sport centers, the park is known across the country as a hot spot to take picture with fall leaves. Along with the various available activities, the park is encompassed by a trail around three km long and allows for visitors to take pictures while also breathing in clean air.

“Not only is the scenery beautiful, I got to breathe in fresh air as I walked along the park and lake,” Calvin Lee (11) said. “Isolated from the busy environment of urban cities, Incheon Grand Park was filled with sounds of bird chirping. The fall leaves provided me the best pictures to take as a start of long pants and the end to short sleeved t-shirts.”

Closer to the urban parts of Seoul is the Jamsil Han River Park. Young sightseers like to take pictures with the autumn leaves and while others go for a picnic near the river. A distinct feature of the park is its ramen machine at convenience stores near the Han Rivers. The machines specifically for ramen help people make the ramen the way they eat it at home instead of eating cup noodles. People are also

Whoever said that folk rock isn’t part of rock music was joking—or just completely mistaken. While it is true that folk rock sounds very different from the conventional, blaring rock music one hears on the radio, this subgenre still encompasses the lively, powerful rhythm traditionally associated with rock music, then incorporates a soft crooning that makes it the perfect, unique blend of heavy and delicate.

Still, despite its parallels to conventional rock music, it may be a little daunting to give folk rock a try. After all, a Google

given the opportunity to order chicken with a surprise gift of some mats to sit on the grass areas at the park.

Despite the cold weather , many young couples and children have headed their way toward Guanghwamun, a popular place to walk around wearing the traditional Korean clothing, hanbok. The fall season helps take wonderful photos of the combination of the background fall leaves and the colorful hanbok that people are wearing. There is also the Statue of SeJeong, the founder of the Korean language, and many other historical buildings, such as the many palaces near Gunghwamun.

Guanghwamun is not the only best place to visit during fall season. The Korean Folk Village also allows for visitors to wear traditional clothes and walk around while viewing the ancient traditional lifestyles of Korean ancestors.

Many activities are available and are accessible to try out: making shoes out of straws, making the traditional rice cakes, and trying out dragon’s beard candies.

“When I took my AISA volleyball girls to experience traditional Korean culture, they really enjoyed the orange leaves and took numerous photos,” Soomin Kim (10) said. “Since it was a while since I last visited the site during the summer, the fall leaves made the experience more enjoyable and was fun to jump into the stacked leaves that had been raked.”

Though it may be chilly outside, it is better to look at the falling leaves of the autumn season before it is too late!

By LAUREN KANG Junior, Staff Writer

search result of “folk rock” will yield photographs of older musicians such as Bob Dylan and the Byrds, implying that folk rock is a trend of the past. But with the current popularity of folk rock bands such as British group Mumford & Sons, perhaps it is worth taking a look at their songs to see why some may be inclined to listen to this particular genre.

Formed in 2007, Mumford & Sons was initiated by four friends, Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. This lineup would stay constant despite a long 11 years spent touring and

recording together. During this time, the band developed a distinct musical style that used folk instrumentation, including instruments such as the acoustic guitar and the banjo, but played over an alternative rock-based rhythm. The members are all talented instrumentalists, and each of them plays several instruments during performances.

The band found limited success in the years directly after its formation, but a breakthrough came with the release of their debut album, “Sigh No More.” Its lead single “Little Lion Man” topped the

Tiger Times

November 2018

Taylor swift openly voices political opinions

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n October 8, Taylor Swift stunned the world with a lengthy Instagram post endorsing a political candidate for the upcoming Nov. 6 midterm election. Swift’s decision to utilize her celebrity status–and her equally influential social media–as a platform for political expression is a rather common phenomenon today in a world where an ex-reality television star can become the president of the US. If Swift’s decision to speak is any different from those of Kanye West, an open Donald Trump supporter, or Trump himself, it is that she has a long history of carefully walking the middle line between red and blue that was instantly broken by this post.

“The post marked the first time that she has ever been politically vocal ever, and it reinforced her presence in mainstream culture,” said Eddie Ko (12), a Taylor Swift

“Show Me the Money” season 7 draws wide audience

fan. “She endorsed the democratic candidates in her post and urged her fans to go vote. It can feel like celebrities don’t know what they’re talking about, and they might not be experts on issues like economics, but I think there is no harm in simply encouraging people to vote. It’s a more effective way of getting many people to vote, since celebrities establish a friendlier connection with audiences that make them more persuasive.”

In her Instagram post, Swift vehemently argued for LGBTQ rights, gender equality, and racial equality, before she finally publicly endorsed two Democratic candidates for her home state Tennessee: Representative Jim Cooper for the House and former Governor Phil Bredesen for the Senate. Swift concluded by urging her young followers to vote; according to the New York Times, more than 166,000 people

On Nov. 9, the seventh season of the hip-hop production “Show Me the Money” (SMTM) drew to a close. Despite having a record-breaking number of applicants this year, one final victor, Nafla, was chosen in just 10 weeks. Nafla, who was already known as a prominent underground rapper, had consistent popularity throughout the season. By inviting already-popular artists to serve as mentors of the inexperienced competitors, SMTM was able to attract not only a large pool of participants but also a large audience on air.

“Not only is SMTM the only hip-hop show in Korea, but it also gives a chance for many rookie rappers to shine on stage and show their skills to the public,” Tyler Hong (11) said. “Additionally, it is a very good source of entertainment for people like me who are really interested in Korean hip-hop. I think SMTM was able to help “indie” rappers learn from the popular professionals.”

Underground rappers, who are not yet famous, were able to appeal to a wider audience by participating in SMTM. This year, SMTM tried to increase its transparency by airing even the very first preliminary round, which unintentionally ended up helping independent rappers. Some rappers, including those who did not make it to the second and third rounds, won acclaim from the audience.

“Although SMTM is trying harder to become transparent, it still uses “evil edits” to characterize some rappers as evil, some as innocent and naïve, and some as unlikeable characters.”

Leonard Lee (11) said. “These evil edits have made many rappers frustrated because the edited vid-

charts in the UK, the US, and Australia, even being nominated for Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 2011. They continued their success with their sophomore album “Babel,” another folk rock gem that even ended up setting a record for the biggest selling debut of any album in the US that year. Listeners found comfort in singles such as “I Will Wait” and “Lover of the Night,” which clung onto the same vivid expression of sorrow and longing present in the previous album.

Unfortunately, the band has lost some of its support as of late. With the release

had registered to vote in the 48-hour period following her Instagram post, a growth period which Votes.org characterized as unprecedented. Yet the public had varying responses to this “new Swift” – and the clashes in opinion are not just liberal versus conservative.

“I’m happy that she encouraged political action among the youth,” said Minyoung Huh (11), president of the Gender and Sexuality Awareness Club. “But I have questions about her decision as a whole. Her political silence was taken in by Alt-right communities to be secret support of their ideas, but she never spoke out against this and profited off these ideas. When people suddenly choose to vote because of Swift instead of voting for, let’s say, the idea that transgender people’s civil rights are being threatened at a federal law level, it just shows me that people don’t genuinely care.”

Swift’s political coming out has rekindled the debate of to what extent celebrities should be involved in politics. Some say that the far-reaching influence that celebrities wield over the public, especially one that often conform to their popular role

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models, dominates the democratic political process that should be based upon political concerns rather than popularity. Washington Examiner writer Siraj Hashmiti even tweeted, “the 2018 midterm election is officially a proxy war between Taylor Swift and Kanye West.” At the same time, advocates of free speech praise Swift’s decision to risk her careful reputation to encourage political participation. The burden to maintain a fair political process may even be in the hands of the public rather than the celebrities.

“If celebrities want to use their platform to advocate for whatever, that’s their right,” said Mary Ghadimi, MUN adviser. “I think the problem is more in an uneducated populus that is perhaps unable to think for itself. The problem with Taylor Swift posting something and people then suddenly voting shows that they’re not thinking for themselves. If you want to vote, you should vote; you shouldn’t have to wait for Taylorswift to say something to vote.”

By EJU RO Junior, Staff Writer

eos affected public impression of them. I think SMTM focuses a lot on creating cliché narratives and unintentionally do “evil edits” in the process.”

Mnet, the parent company of SMTM, is notorious for its “evil edits.” This year, SMTM was accused of making one of the rappers look evil and selfish. SMTM has been accused of essentially choosing the winners of each round beforehand by using manipulative rhetoric that influences the audience to prefer one rapper to the other, without objectively judging the rappers’ performances.

“I feel like SMTM has several elements in it that are unique to its own program,” Michael Jo (11) said. “I especially think SMTM is special because it sheds light on rap music that is not idolizing and cute, but very competitive and burdensome among the competitors, who have their own colorful and distinctive style of rapping.

Therefore, I personally think the fun part comes when as a viewer, you start to encourage certain teams of rappers who not only have a unique style of rapping you like but also have a certain inner personality that is charming to the audience. I am always looking forward to the next episode.”

SMTM’s influence and popularity has pervaded through the classrooms of SIS, where students can often be found citing lyrics from the show.

Also, Beats Per Measure (BPM), in joint effort with Media Club, has created their own adaptation of the show: “Show Me-dia Money.” The school-wide competition will be held on Nov. 26, where students will judge peers’ rap performances. BPM hopes to recognize students who are talented and interested in hip-hop through this competition while increasing the student body’s interest in contemporary music.

By CHRIS LEE Junior, Staff Writer

of their third album, “Wild Mind” in 2017, Mumford & Sons departed from their usual, folk-centered instrumental music, substituting their usual banjo for an electric guitar and mixing in heavier drum sounds. This resulted in a loss of the original sound Mumford & Sons had retained during its early years, as well as a shift to a focus in alternative rock. On the band’s first two albums, tracks such as “Little Lion Man” and “I Will Wait” had generated a nostalgic mood through their softer, dreamier melodies. However, these emotions have unfortunately faded due

to the group’s experimentation of their newfound musical interests.

Although these controversial decisions demonstrate the band’s willingness to let go of its appealing, folk-oriented side, in the end these blunders only confirm that these musicians are very much human and capable of making mistakes. Thus, despite the fact that Mumford & Sons did lose some of its previous musical vibe, their music retains its allure to a younger audience fascinated with the band’s constant transitions and evolution.

Sometimes newer bands replace older

groups that used to be favorites but prove to be less exciting and relatable. Though Mumford & Sons has disappointed myself, as well as the many others who appreciated its folk side more than its rock side, its older songs still remain treasured, and this November, listening to the everpopular “Little Lion Man” causes the heart to become just a little more hopeful and excited for the few remaining autumn days yet to come.

By FIONA CHO Junior, Staff Writer

10 SPORTS Leicester pays heartfelt tribute to fallen chairman

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ct. 27 marked a tragic day for football when the helicopter carrying Leicester City Football Club’s chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, fell to the ground in an uncontrolled spiral, ending with an explosion in the parking lot near the team’s stadium. “Khun Vichai,” a nickname for the chairman, was formerly the fifth-richest man in Thailand; however, his legacy has stretched far beyond his business. In 2016, Vichai won the hearts of Leicester citizens by doing the unthinkable: leading the club to football’s pinnacle by winning the English Premier League.

“I remember hearing about Leicester City signing Jamie Vardy, a semiprofessional player, and hearing about his story of coming from the bottom division of soccer all the way up to the Premier League,” said Hugh Kang (10), a football fan. “I thought that his career itself was already a miracle, but it was even more amazing to see the team as a whole, which had been relegated very recently, compete with top tier clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea and win the league.”

When Vichai took over the club in 2010

for 39 million pounds, Leicester City had been languishing in the second tier of English football. Fast forward five years and throw in a $120 million investment, the club had broken the modern world of football by becoming the champions of England.

In the process, they defeated teams whose individual players had wages tantamount to those of the entire Leicester City squad.

Statistically speaking, Leicester’s title win was the least likely upset in sports history, as bookmakers had set the odds at 5000 to 1. To put this in perspective, according to bookmaker William Hill, it was twice as likely that Kim Kardashian would become president or Elvis Presley be found alive today than Leicester City winning the Premier League.

“At first, nobody really expected Leicester City to win and midway through the season, I thought they were just getting lucky,” said Youn Hwang (10), varsity basketball player. “However, once the season concluded, I thought they definitely deserved to be on the top of the table because of how they managed to use the unique skills of their players.”

The earth-shattering achievement was

Sports turn sour with NBA brawl

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n Oct. 21, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo spat in the face of Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul, resulting in a fullgrown brawl between the two teams. Lakers forward Brandon Ingram also threw a punch as he joined the fray, as LeBron James, who was making his regular-season home debut with the Lakers, attempted to pull Paul away.

The NBA handed down the punishments a day after the incident in the fourth quarter at Staples Center, suspending all three players without pay.

At times, competitive sports bring out the worst in individuals—from petty insults to tackles, to red-cards and incessantly thrown flags. In retrospect, as infantile and embarrassing sports brawls can be, competitive sports are littered with largescale conflicts that have continued to break out in increasing numbers and frequency.

Take, for example, the Pacers-Pistons fight of 2004, which is considered the worst night in NBA history by many. Pistons center Ben Wallace went for a layup to be fouled by Pacers small forward Ron Artest. Wallace pushed Artest, resulting in a bench-clearing fight on the court between players. Mere seconds after the fight was broken up, a fan threw a drink at Artest, leading to yet another fight between players and spectators. Fifteen years later, fights in sports are still on the rise, with the concern over fights having been renewed recently with innumerable inappropriate violent conflicts across several sports, not just basketball.

“People might say that players are just being immature and unprofessional with all the fights, which is true for some cases, obviously. Fights between players, however, is actually a big part of the sport, as it increases competition,” said Alex Hyun (10), JV basketball player. “Fights, such as the infamous Lakers-Rockets scuffle, make the games more intense and interesting for viewers. I think fights in general are necessary in all sports, even in high school

the result of a multitude of factors. One was the emergence of N’Golo Kanté, a relatively unknown Frenchman who started the season warming the bench but wrapped it up by winning the Premier League Player of Year award for his defensive efforts.

Additionally, much of the drastic change came from above: unlike the majority of football club owners, Vichai was a regular presence in the stands during Leicester’s football games and seemed to be genuinely interested in the football aspect of his business venture. Besides his passion for the game, he also won over the city with his philanthropic gestures; he often handed out hot dogs or treats in the vicinity of the stadium, donated millions of pounds to local charities and even bought every member of this squad a BMW i8, worth around $100,000 each. In this manner, Vichai also built close relationships with his players, and was even invited to their weddings, something unlikely for the average sports team owner.

“I think what made Vichai so special is that he brought an ordinary team to champions of England, which was practically unparalleled in the history

level basketball and other sports, to a certain extent.”

Brawls in competitive sports are not limited to simple fouls and red-cards. There are instances in which athletes showboat or celebrate excessively through violent means, glorifying unnecessarily intentional physical harm—as a case in point, Khabib Nurmagomedov jumped over the cage shortly after submitting Conor McGregor at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 229 to attack Dillon Danis, McGregor’s teammate.

“There is nothing wrong with being happy following a victory. It, however, is simply immature and egoistic after a certain extent as players may take offense and you just look bad,” said Timothy Munro, boys varsity basketball coach and physical education teacher. “We should always be humble regardless of how happy we are following victories and abide the unwritten rules of sportsmanship.”

Moreover, there are instances in which athletes’ showboating results in violence.

On Sept. 24, 2000, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens celebrated a touchdown by running to and standing over the Dallas Cowboys star, incensing Cowboys players. Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith mocked Owens in response, running to then slamming the ball on the star while staring at the 49ers’ bench. In the fourth quarter, Owens ran a fade and caught the ball, sprinting to midfield to slam the ball over the star, but Cowboys safety George Teague leveled him.

“I, like other high school athletes, do not have the ego and confidence of professional athletes,” said Claire Kim (10), JV basketball and varsity soccer player. “Although I admit that fights can be entertaining sometimes, they validate the use of violence in a sense, and it truly is unacceptable to be accepting and validating violence under any given circumstance.”

By EMILY OH Sophomore, Staff Writer

of the game,” said Ricky Green, physical education teacher. “But even above that, he truly cared about the city; he was not there just to support his brand, and it showed.

He went to the home games despite living in Thailand, held individual meetings with the players to discuss contract issues, and so on. There has been such an outpour of emotions because he was a man of the people.”

Upon hearing the tragic events of the past month, the players responded with heartfelt messages and gestures, testifying to the unique relationship between owner and players that was fostered in this football club. Every Premier League game the following weekend held a minutes silence, video tributes lit up stadiums and players wore black armbands in remembrance of the fallen chairman. Vichai’s efforts and vision let a small Eastern Midlands city dream of the unthinkable, even for a brief moment, and his legacy will inspire hope in the citizens of the future.

By BRIAN HAM Sophomore, Staff Writer

Sports Photo of the Month

Cheering during halftime, Helaine Lee (12) puts on a bright smile and gets the crowd excited for the next half of the basketball game.

Photo by ANGELA CHOE

Tiger Times

November 2018

SK Wyverns claim championship of 2018 Korean Series against Doosan Bears

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Score of 3:4, 9th inning, two out-counts, and two strikes. The Doosan Bears was just a single out-count, a single strike away from winning the game. This game was going to either make it or break it for Doosan—SK was just one win away from taking home the championship, while Doosan needed two more wins. Josh Lindblum, Doosan’s best pitcher thought that he had SK Wyverns’ ace, Choi Jung. However, as his fifth forkball came pushing toward the center at the speed of 131 km, Jung did not hesitate—the ball flew 105 meters across the Jamsil stadium and tied the game 4:4. He had saved his team from loss—and paved the way to claiming the 2018 championship later that day.

Just as how SK Wyverns advanced from the playoffs against the Nexen Heroes with a dramatic homerun by Han Dong-min in an extended game, the final game of the Korean Series also extended to the 13th inning. The main character of this dramatic film was once again Han—he hit an uncontestable solo homerun, securing the Wyverns’ championship. With no doubt, he received the title of the Most Valuable Player of the Korean Series.

Following 2007, 2008, and 2010 victories, 2018 marked the Wyverns’ fourth year of winning the Korean Series. Interestingly, both wins in 2007 and 2008 were against the Bears.

Ever since 2010, the Wyverns were not able to rise as a threatening team –their main players like catcher Park Kyung-whan retired, and ace-pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun that lead the previous championships got injured. But this year, tightly knit with a second-year manager Trey Hilman, the Wyverns came back with a raid of homeruns and fireballer pitchers.

“I am still in shock that we beat the Bears,” said Grace Oh (12), an avid fan for the SK Wyverns. “The Bears were so good during this season—all the statistics were directly point at the Bears to easily claim the championship.”

Many critics easily predicted the Bears to win the Korean Series. The game-difference between the two teams from the season was 14.5—proving the Bears’ clear dominance. The

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top three pitchers that won the most games in the league were all from the Bears. Moreover, the hitter with the highest runs-batted-in, as well as the most homeruns, were both Bears.

However, the structure of the post-season games was a curve ball the Bears did not expect. Having secured first place, the Bears had to wait for too many weeks until their turn—the Wildcard games, sub-play-offs, and the play-offs. Despite strategic trainings and friendly games, the intimidating line-up of the Bears had lost its flame.

“To be honest, I didn’t even care much about the play-offs,” said Alexander Cha (12), a strong Bears fan. “I, along with all the other Bears fans, was confident that no matter which team advanced to the finals, we would win. Our team was equipped with the best captain, Oh Jaewon; the best catcher in the league, Yang Yuiji; and the best pitchers, Lindblum and Frankoff. Our fan-base was bigger than any previous years, and we were all ready to hold our championship trophy. I am sincerely so distraught that we didn’t win this year.”

The Korean Series was a tough relay of games for both teams. Necessitating four games for the crown, the two teams brought their A-game to each and every match. The first game went to the Wyverns after two homeruns, while the second went to the Bears thanks to a well-defended game by pitcher James Frankoff. At their home stadium in Incheon, the Wyverns easily won the third, lost the fourth by an upset, but came back for the fifth. As the games moved back to Jamsil, the Wyverns only had one more win until their championship, and they gave all they had for the sixth.

It has been eight years since the Wyverns flew at the highest mound of the fall season, and this win could potentially be marking the beginning their second reign. While saying goodbye to their manager Hilman and pitcher Merrill Kelly, the Wyverns hope to return next year with the same force as this post-season.

By MICHELLE AHN Senior, Staff Writer

Winter sports kick off with open gyms, tryouts, and first games As the fall sports season came to a close, many SIS athletes have welcomed the return of JV and varsity basketball and cheerleading. Although the first game took place in mid November, winter sports unofficially began in October with open gyms. At these non-mandatory events, various prospective basketball and cheerleading players displayed their talent and improvements to coaches. Many students who did not play or even try out for winter sports last year also participated, eager to make a positive first impression on coaches before the beginning of formal tryouts.

“Since I did not try out for basketball last year, this year’s open gym was my opportunity to show the coaches my skills,” said Jaewan On (10), open gym participant.

“Although I did not make the JV or varsity teams this year, I think familiarizing the coaches to my skillset through open gyms will help my chances next year.”

The open gyms quickly transitioned into official tryouts. Meeting from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, the boys basketball team put participants through many vigorous drills as well as intense scrimmages, leaving many gasping for breath. As the tryouts spanned multiple days, several athletes were cut after each practice, until only the finalized JV and varsity players

remained. On Oct. 31, the girls team tryouts were fundamentally similar to the boys’.

On the other hand, the cheerleading auditions functioned slightly differently.

Several weeks before the tryouts, aspiring cheerleaders were divided up into groups of three or four. On the day of the auditions, these groups preformed chant and dance routines together while cheerleaders also preformed a separate tumbling routine individually. One commonality that connected all three tryouts was the tense atmosphere. At the auditions, even former JV and varsity athletes admitted to feeling nervous due to ambiguous roster security.

“No one’s promised anything so even former JV and varsity players have to come in, practice, and be prepared like everyone else,” said Timothy Munro, boy’s varsity basketball coach. “Previously, I cut a kid who played varsity in tenth and eleventh grade. He came as a senior and wasn’t ready.

He thought he was already on the team.

There is no such thing as roster security.”

With tryouts now over, the new basketball teams and cheer squads played their first games at home on Nov. 14. As the teams build greater chemistry, the inter-conference games against traditional rivals such as Korea International School (KIS) will continue until spring. Capped off

by AISA and KAIAC tournaments in late

January and early February respectively, the upcoming winter sports season promises to be an exciting one for SIS athletes and students alike.

“It’s a new season with new opportunities to chase glory,” said Alex Hyun (10), JV basketball player. “As a second year sophomore on the JV team, I’ve gained

a lot of experience from last year that has prepared me to help the team win in new ways. Hopefully with this experience, my teammates and I can bring another KAIAC tournament victory to SIS and we can stamp our place in SIS history.”

By ERIC HWANG Sophomore, Staff Writer

12 SMALL TALK

Internet hate speech…

point

For most people, a typical subway station conjures up these following images: tracks with hoards of dirty rats, a mysterious odor, and trains that are seemingly always delayed. Yet, anyone who has utilized Korea’s public transportation would attest to the fact that the Seoul metropolitan subway system is one that breaks all the previously stated assumptions.

Consisted of 22 different lines that stretch all the way from Incheon to the core of Gangnam, Korea’s subways are clean, fast, and rider-friendly. From air-conditioning to high-speed wifi, the subway cars in Seoul are superior to those of any others.

Coupled with cheap prices that make it less of a burden to travel across difference cities and provinces, the stations themselves are of quintessential quality, and easy to navigate through.

Unlike the New York metro system, Korean subway stations allow users to access both directions of travel, lowering chances of confusion of locating different lines and tracks.

The beauty of the Korean transportation system extends beyond the metro. The bus system, easily accessible and well-set up to connect the areas between subway stations, is also one of its great merits. Wherever one intends to travel, it is highly unlikely that it is more than a 10-minute walk from a subway station or bus stop; furthermore, most buses and subways run in intervals of around 10 minutes, allowing for transportation time to be minimized. This also extends to those who travel to and from Seoul. Express buses, which transport passengers to various parts of the country, are set-up with more comfortable seats and allow easy travel for countless workers on a regular basis. Not only are the buses convenient, but they are also clean and equipped with an efficient bell system, able to be pressed from any seat. In addition to all such advantages, discounts are offered for various age groups and those who take multiple means of public transportation to arrive at their destinations. When you next get on the subway upon minutes of arrival, use a public transportation passes, and take a seat on a long bus ride, keep in mind that the public transportation system we take for granted is a luxury within and of itself, one which could be a great source of happiness for others around the world.

BY HANNAH KIM AND JUNIE KAH

Sia Cho & Andy Yoon

… overextends the freedom of speech:

While the freedom of speech is a fundamental democratic value that is the hallmark of all liberal societies, it entails some limitations. According to the National Security Law of 1948, the government is permitted to limit the expression of ideas that incite immediate violence or promote anti-state actions. Although the latter metric of unlawful speech might have been more relevant in the mid-1900s, hate speech that drastically undermines the physical and well-being of citizens cannot be legal. Sites have

… guarantees one’s freedom of expression:

As a universal human right, all citizens of a democratic nation should be granted the freedom to express themselves. The reason such websites still exist and have not been banned is because the ideas that comprise it are not constitutionally illegal. As of yet, the state has not censored specific content on such websites, though it has the resources to do so, demonstrating their adherences to South Korea’s constitution. Most of the problems that dissidents pinpoint pertain to hate speech, not the platform. And hate speech in most democratic nations is again legal; in all countries short of some European ones that were involved during World War II, Holocaust denial is permitted, despite being both false and insulting.

Although it offends certain groups of people, offensive speech is still a vital component of one’s freedom of expression—to, without punishment,

… is a hot topic concerning several websites in South Korea. Public Internet forums exist where extremist individuals can embrace radical ideas through posts and comments. They function using a view-based ranking system, not to mention a point mechanism, which awards users points depending on a given post’s offensiveness.

been shown to embrace harsh insults against minorities and even promotes violent harassment of these groups.

Although being controversial is welcome in democracies, explicitly calling for physical aggression as posts on such sites often do is morally indefensible. In addition, the online forum impacts a wide base of the public; according to the Korean Herald, one site has more than two million visits per month from diverse users, including students, married women, and even celebrities. It is important to stress that the freedom of speech is not absolute; if it is exploited to cause undue harm, the government has the obligation to rescind this right.

Under the pretense of free speech, example sites encourages its users to post provocative ideas through its point mechanism; the forum awards points to users based on the offensiveness of their claims. As such, such sites not only harbor inflammatory language, but it also creates a incessant vicious cycle of hate speech—a “race to the bottom” between users regarding who can be more hurtful. For instance, according to SBS, numerous female users of a certain site even disparage women in order to earn points, demonstrating the practical harms of promoting this system. Whereas the point-driven platform might have begun as a light form of entertainment, its detrimental impacts to both victims and ordinary netizens reveal that it cannot be tolerated.

assert a statement or opinion.

ority. Although derogatory condemnation of women will likely not become the new standard of morality anytime soon, allowing such sites to exist enables free discourse through the media and interpersonal discussions regarding the reason such ideas must not be promoted. For instance, a well-known education TV program in South Korea, known as “I Want to Know That,” dedicated an entire episode to raising public awareness about the dangerous nature of one online forum. Despite the offensiveness of such content, the productive discussions that result from them create and strengthen the society’s moral compass.

… create a vicious cycle of hate speech:

… facilitates a free market of ideas:

In the 1919 Supreme Court case Abrams v. United States, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes presented a compelling argument in his dissenting opinion—that “[t]he best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market.” It was during this historic case that an important philosophical concept, the marketplace of ideas, was introduced. No tangible, universal concept of “truth” or “just” exists; as late as the 1960s, racial segregation in American public accommodations was an accepted fact of life. As such, even if a certain idea sounds bizarre, foolish, or offensive, the job of determining its validity should be left to the general public, not a single group of individuals, such as the government. As a result of transparent, public discourse, ideas will eventually be culled based on their relative superiority or inferi-

Photo of the Month

Discussing the answer to a history question, history teachers Morgan Miller and Jonathan Ames team up with Edward Lee (10) to lead the team to a victory during the History Battle

Photo by Lauren Kang (11)