Tiger Times Volume 47 Issue 6 by SIS Tiger Times

s e o u l i n t e r nat i o na l s c h o o l

Tiger Times VO L U M E X LV I I

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J a n u a ry 2 0 1 6

ISSUE 6

T T O N L . O RG

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Quick Adjustments to College

We all have multiple cultural identities, and it is key to make good use of that to approach new people.

Tina Quick, author of “The Global Nomad’s Guide to University Transition,” a book that gives crucial guidance to developing multicultural children, visited SIS on Jan. 22 to hold a seminar for seniors. She conducted two half-day sessions in the auditorium with the senior class, giving them advice on transitioning to college and what they should expect after graduation. According to Frederic Schneider, the Dean of Students who coordinated the seminar, Mrs. Quick had the perfect qualities as a guest speaker as she grew up a cross-cultured kid herself. Because of her father’s employment in the military, her entire family was required to uproot depending on his mission. Mrs. Quick repeatedly moved 29 times in her life, and has lived in countries such as Pakistan, Kenya, and Switzerland. After first-handedly experciencing the struggles of adjusting to new environments, Quick was thus able to give advice to students based on her own experience. Mrs. Quick visited SIS as part of a larger tour, traveling to numerous high schools in various countries including the United States, Hong Kong, and Singapore to present to international students who plan to attend college in different countries. “Mrs. Quick’s background makes it evident that she knows what she’s talking about, especially because she’s directly experienced the stages of moving,” Mr. Schneider said. “She effectively talked about the phases of transition, detailing the process one goes through when moving across countries. She also addressed the emotional ups and downs involved, but made sure to keep the students engaged by hosting interactive activities rather than merely speaking for the entire three-hour seminar.” Mrs. Quick emphasized the importance of being proactive in meeting new people. She elaborated that being multicultural could be used to one’s advantage when it came to socializing with a diverse popula-

tion in American colleges. A third-culture kid herself, Mrs. Quick also invested a great deal of time talking to students about learning to control boundaries to have fun while fulfilling their responsibilities. “It is important for students to be able to make friends, socialize, and enjoy their time at college, but it is even more critical that students keep their priorities straight,” Quick said. “No one should indulge in the ‘night life’ to the point where they are unable to control their desires to put alcohol and parties above their studies. Female students, in particular, need to be careful not to make themselves vulnerable to exploitation. It is important for girls to be capable of taking care of themselves so that they are not taken advantage of sexually.” Moreover, Mrs. Quick went on to delve into the details of college life in terms of what students should expect academically and how they should manage their time. She highlighted the importance of time management and independence as she warned students that they would not have parents or teachers looking after them. “The fact that we only have 10 to 15 hours of class a week, compared to the 8 hours of class we have every day in high school, was pretty shocking to me, and it was the first time I learned about the specifics of a college curriculum,” Jason Kim (12) said “After listening to Mrs. Quick’s speech, it hit me that I will have a lot more time on my hands in college than I initially thought. I realized that I will have to learn how to manage my time particularly efficiently. Unlike my experience as a higher schooler in Korea, where everyone has a tight schedule due to private tutors and extracurricular activities, every college student is expected to be independent in both learning and taking care of himself or herself.” By Sarah Kim Junior, Staff Writer

Addressing a group of seniors, Tina Quick, author of The Global Nomad’s Guide to University, discusses the importance of a smooth transition and the realities of college life in her visit.

Photo by Daniel Shin

SIS’ underdeveloped sex education

My experiences at THIMUN

Webtoons: the media industry’s newest trend

Netflix launches in Korea

VIEWPOINT by Sarah Y. Kim

NEWS by Ryan Jang

FOCUS by Grace Lee

LIFESTYLE by Alice Lee

Editorial

Learning to dream beyond high school

hat do you want to be when you grow up? When asked this question, many high school students will stammer, as they try to think of an answer about their future. Why is it that we can no longer easily answer this question that we used to be able to respond to without any hesitation? As high school students, it seems as if we lose sight of the person we want to become a decade or two from now in the midst of competition. College is seen as a final destination instead of a stepping stone in the path toward a larger goal about one’s future. However, high school should be more than just the four years of preparation to go to a school with a name. It should be a time for adolescents to explore their identity, their interests, and their dreams. But the unfortunate truth is that we are not given both the leisure and resources to dream about what happens after college. SIS does have certain resources that the counseling office implemented in order to allow students to research more efficiently about colleges and career development. The counseling office also offers advice to students who request specific information such as recommendations for summer camps. While there are many resources provided at SIS to encourage the growth of student interest in various topics, more “real” and practical counseling could provide inspiration for students to dream about the type of person they want to become in the future. For example, there are many human resources at our school who can provide specific guidance to students that extend beyond just the teaching faculty. First, the parents of SIS not only come from diverse backgrounds and but also have been very successful in pursuing many various careers that range from attorneys, surgeons, businessmen, professors, and robot scientists. Second, as a school with a rather long history, a better alumni network could be established. Both of these potential resources would not only offer students real life stories regarding their careers in a series of workshops or lecture series, but also possibly create connections for internships. So much more can be done to provide students with opportunities to explore their futures and think in the long term. However, this program will not achieve anything if the students do not do their part. Students must be willing to participate in events held by the school and take advantage of the different opportunities and resources available. A major change in attitude and focus is imperative for students, as such programs will be effective if students are intrinsically motivated to seek for help and think about their futures beyond SIS and beyond college. High school is a time that never comes back in our lives: students get to venture out into the real world and try different things they think they might have an interest in, without being seriously binded. We must take advantage of the limited time and youth we have to really explore ourselves before heading out into the real world.

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

VIEWPOINT

Improved Korean tourism raises hope, concern With the fastest Internet in the world, McDonald’s stores that deliver to homes, and the largest department store on Earth, Korea is definitely a great place to live. But is it a great place to visit? Is it even important for Korea to attract foreigners in the first place? According to the Korea Tourism Organization, tourism will improve both “national economy and quality of life.” Tourism is a step in the right direction for Korea to truly emerge as a developed, sophisticated nation. But instincts tell us Korea is not the best travel location – Korea has no world-famous Eiffel Tower or Mount Everest of its own. However, as tightly choreographed idol groups and guilty-pleasure soap operas have spread to countries both near and far, the Korean entertainment industry has allowed the country to experience a recent boom of international tourist arrivals. Increased number of foreigners wandering the streets of Apgujeong and Itaewon has raised hopes that Korea can further expand its global presence. Yet all is not as good as it seems. Problems with the tourism industry are only now being recognized, but they must be addressed properly if Korea’s tourism sector is to flourish. One major problem is the service mindset, or lack thereof, towards foreigners in Korean society. In the recent news, there are countless cases where taxi drivers and others in the service industry have exploited foreigners. These include outrageous price inflations, such as receiving 650 dollars for a taxi ride that usually costs only three dollars, and demanding extra pay for luggage. These incidents are only small reflections of the bigger reality of racism and discrimination in Korea. According to Seoulistic, a Korean culture magazine, because Korea’s population is very

homogenous, there is inevitably xenophobia, or irrational fear of the foreign and different. This xenophobia can often take the form of disrespect, resulting in such cases where foreign lack of familiarity with Korean society is taken advantage of by those who want to make profit. The rising popularity of the plastic surgery industry and its connections to the tourism industry also raises concerns for the way Korea is perceived by other members of the international community. According to the New York Times, more and more tourists, predominantly Chinese travellers, are visiting to

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Instincts tell us Korea is not the best travel location – Korea has no world-famous Eiffel Tower or Mount Everest of its own.

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Korea to get nose jobs and double-eyelid surgeries. Admittedly, the plastic surgery industry has definitely helped the economy. The Korean government itself has marketed Korea as a place for “medical tourism” in hopes that crowds of wealthier Chinese will help sales. However, the potential of Korea becoming the “plastic surgery capital” of the world would be a frightening title that would impede tourism in the long run. In a world where people are increasingly encouraged to accept themselves for who they are, body modifications for non-medical purposes are viewed as hypocritical and contradictory. If Korea were to be permanently branded as a place to visit exclusively for plastic surgery, other aspects of Korean tourism would be overlooked.Profit is a function of tourism, but the greater

purpose of tourism – to spread cultural awareness about Korea and its multifaceted cultural aspects – would be completely ignored. Tourist programs in Korea could also have more a more distinctively Korean style. All major tourist cities are known for something: New York is known for its Broadway musicals, Greece for its historical architecture, and Osaka for its temples and shrines. Yes, potentially meeting an idol or trying the rich varieties of Korean food can be considered alluring experiences in themselves. However, Korea should come up with a trademark tourist style of its own if it really wants to settle in the tourism industry. Both of these problems can easily be addressed by enhancing existing Korean monuments, a process that has already begun with the construction of the Gwanghwamun Plaza in front of Kyongbok Palace. Korea has a distinct cultural style in terms of architecture, attire, cuisine, and other cultural aspects in general. Marketing this more traditional side of Korea would allow people to see Korea not merely as the hometown of major technological companies and K-pop but also as a country where the old synthesizes with the new. There is so much artistic, architectural, and cultural beauty to be seen in Korea; it only needs to be expanded and advertised in effective ways. Korea has experienced great improvements in the past couple decades, none of this would likely have been predicted just a few decades ago. But if Korea and the full spectrum of its culture is to be loved by tourists around the world, it has to learn how to sell itself more effectively to the market that is the world. By Ariel Lee Junior, Copy Editor

Tiger Times January 2016 Tiger Times Newspaper

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.

Editors-In-Chief Jean Cho Christine Seo

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Tiger Times Online Photographers Ryan Jang April Kim Daniel Shin Layout Artists Justin Chang Rachel Kang Grace Lee Joyce Lee Soomin Lee

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Adviser Mr. David Coleman

The fear of birds and bees: SIS’ underdeveloped sex education

By Sarah Y. Kim

on’t have sex. Because you will get pregnant, and die,” Coach Carr famously said in the teen comedy film “Mean Girls.” As absurd as his sex education classes were, they were, sadly, more substantiated than the sex education SIS students currently receive. At least they existed – and in the end, he distributed condoms. I have been a student at SIS for twelve years now, and I can only recall two instances in those twelve long years when I experienced something that even vaguely resembled a sex education class. The first instance was a weeklong puberty class in fifth grade, and the second instance was a study of reproduction – sexual and asexual -- in my eighth grade science class’ biology unit, that wound up being little more than a highly animated laughing session about certain body parts (during which one of my fellow classmates finally learned how babies are made). In neither situation was there an informed, serious discussion on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), safe sex, teen pregnancy or sexual harrassment– subjects that form the core of sex education in American schools. Matters have not changed since then. Currently the Physical Education department is developing a ‘sex ed’ curriculum for eighth graders that covers reproductive systems and ‘relationships’, and while this is definitely an improvement -- considering that for about three years, sex itself was a subject eliminated from the health curriculum – sex education at SIS remains highly underdeveloped. Due to the school’s “

reluctance to implement comprehensive sex education curricula, teaching about sex has been left up to our parents -- or rather, the media, as parents are often uncomfortable discussing such matters with their children. As a result, students are in danger of being misled and uninformed, whether it be developing unhealthy sexual habits (having recreational sex without contraception or STD tests), failing to understand what constitutes consensual intercourse and what does not, and developing unhealthy attitudes toward their sexuality. So much for our acclaimed education system. Admittedly, SIS students are less sexually active than students at the average American public school. Our naughty behavior manifests mostly in the form of smoking and substance abuse. This can lead to the assumption among parents, faculty, and students that ‘sex ed’ is somehow irrelevant to SIS students. But, we can only know so much about each other. Who are we to judge what is relevant to any student’s personal life? In addition, there is a lack of understanding of what exactly sex education is. In the past, the school leaders have received complaints from parents who were scandalized that our teachers were bringing up “the birds and bees” in an academic setting. This is not a situation unique to SIS. It is unfortunately an all too common misconception that sex education is ‘sex training’: teaching students how to have sex and encouraging underage sex in the process. That is far from the purpose of sex education. In no way do educators want to encourage their students to have sex. If anything, they warn students against the dangers of underage sex. But preaching abstinence is not a realistic way to help

students lead healthy personal lives. Educators are instead there to prevent the worst-case scenarios – such as the contraction of a sexually transmitted disease, or a teen pregnancy – and inform students that if they are so determined to have sex, there is a safer way to do it. Sex ed or no sex ed, teenagers are prone to becoming sexually active regardless, and it is better if they can be active without potentially ruining their lives. Moreover, in order to help SIS craft comprehensive sex education curricula, it would be useful to incorporate the subject of consensual sex. Despite the general consensus that rape and sexual assault is immoral, many lack an understanding of what rape is (for those who need a reminder: no consent means rape) and take a disturbing anti-feminist position on these subjects. Take, for instance, an incident in 2014 at Yale University – a common dream college amongst SIS students -- when a fraternity paraded the grounds shouting “no means yes” in an effort to promote rape culture. If one of the world’s most prestigious universities would give birth to a misogynistic circus, it is safe to say that SIS’ highly acclaimed academic curriculum is by no means a reflection of whether students have morals, or understand what is politically correct or incorrect, or how to navigate their way through the real world. And while, thankfully, there have been no reported rape or sexual assault incidents at our school, there is always the possibility that these incidents have occurred, but that victims are ashamed or afraid of judgment and are therefore reluctant to speak out. This would be in part because of the ‘blame the victim’ mindset, in which the raped is often blamed or ostracized. If the

school helped students to feel more comfortable speaking about sexual abuse, we could help ensure that attackers – if there are any – get what they deserve, and that victims would be able to more easily recover from such violent encounters. Incorporating the topic of gender and sexuality in the curriculum will also be beneficial. In a culture where gender inequity is the reality and homosexuals and bisexuals are oppressed – sometimes even demonized – such a subject is vital in order to ensure that students are able to think more progressively and accept one another for their individuality. It must be noted, however, that SIS’ underdeveloped sex education curriculum does not have entirely to do with people’s misconstrued perceptions of sex education or the school’s reluctance to provoke parents. Sex education is difficult to incorporate in SIS’ curriculum. It is difficult for the Physical Education department to fulfill their desires of giving students a comprehensive sex education at what they feel is the appropriate age (junior year), simply because our school does not require a physical education credit for juniors. Considering that physical education is mandatory in middle school and that they now have a health unit every year, the best option is to provide comprehensive sex education over a span of three years, with more controversial topics like contraception and sexually transmitted disease being incorporated in the eighth grade curriculum. If SIS finds some way to provide comprehensive sex education, our education system would not only equip students for the trials of an academic life, but for the bizarre world of adulthood as well.

NEWS

Obama takes executive action on gun control

ZEITGEIST ISIS continues murderous killings in spite of international resistance By Jaeha Kim Following the footsteps of Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and Korea, Taiwan elected its first female president, Tsai Ing-wen, on Jan. 17. This not only highlights a major change in gender stereotypes, but also marks a great shift in the politics of Taiwan. Tsai Ing-wen, who represents the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), differs significantly from Ma Ying-jeou, the previous president. While Ma Ying-jeou and his party, Kuomintang, stand for the unification of Taiwan and China, Tsai supports independence from Chinese influence. During her time in office, Ms. Tsai vowed to preserve a stable relationship with China, to increase transparency within the Taiwanese government, and to revitalize its economy through improvement of relations with China. “I think that election of Tsai Ing-wen definitely represents the change in political perspective of the Taiwanese people,” said Jeffrey Park (11), MUN member. “Tsai’s victory over the Kuomintang, the dominant ruling party for over 70 years, demonstrates the willingness of Taiwan’s recent generations to further separate themselves from the Chinese sphere of influence. This change may be due to a variety of factors, all of which sum up to an anti-Chinese view on politics. ” The youngest of 11 children, Ms. Tsai was born from a well-to-do family with a father that ran a car-repair business and invested in land. During the first 30 years of her life, she pursued her academic passions receiving a Bachelor’s degree from the National Taiwan University, a Master’s degree from Cornell

fter prolonged controversy over the constitutionality of gun control along with other firearm-related issues, President Obama took executive action on Jan. 5 to further the interest in reducing gun violence in the US. According to the New York Times, the recent implementations were praised for being more progressive in comparison to Congress’s previous failed attempts in passing more stringent gun-safety measures. Most of the executive actions set stricter background check protocols before citizens could purchase guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives finalized a law that would require background checks no matter where the purchase is conducted—stores, gun shows, or over the Internet—while the Federal Bureau of Investigation proposed improvements such as employing more than 230 additional examiners, processing background checks more efficiently, and notifying local authorities more frequently about any suspicious gun purchases. To help reduce gun violence in the nation, Obama also addressed the need to increase access to mental health treatment. Mass shootings are not the only component under gun violence; suicide, if conducted through a gun, is categorized under gun violence. Though people with mental illness barely impacted the firearm homicide statistics, according to CNN, 21,384 deaths out of 33,599 gun deaths were suicides, often linked to mental illness within the person committing suicide. In order to attempt to combat this cause of death, the Obama administration proposed a new $500 million investment to make sure access to mental health care is expanded to a larger population of US citizens. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services is currently in the process of finalizing a rule to remove unnecessary obstacles in obtaining background information regarding health in the process of background checks. The responses to the new executive actions have varied. Michael Anestis, director of the Suicide and Emotion Dysregulation Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi, articulated

his support for the actions in a letter to the editor of the New York Times, stating that more efficient background checks help lower suicide rates. “There have already been too many cases of violence caused by guns,” said David Yoo (10). “Whether the perpetrator of violence legally owned the gun or came in possession of it through someone else, the problem lies in that guns are made too accessible to too many people: we have children accidentally shooting their parents’ guns and mentally ill people shooting without full control of their consciousness. Some say that guns are necessary for self-defense, but in this case, self-defense is only an excuse for violence.” In contrast, according to the New York Times, conservatives have criticized Obama’s decision on the grounds that any action that implements gun control violated civil rights. On Jan. 3, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida expressed his discomfort with Obama’s actions on Fox News Sunday, stating that Obama was taking rights away from “law-abiding citizens.” Similarly, Donald Trump, in CBS’s “Face the Nation,” claimed that it violated the Second Amendment. Still others were unsatisfied with Obama’s executive actions because they believed that the executive order was not strong enough reaction to the ongoing controversy regarding gun violence. “Politically, the executive actions are a step in the right direction, but practically, the order produces few tangible changes,” said Wonjai Lee, MUN member. “I know that Congress’s lack of cooperation makes taking action more difficult, but stricter gun control laws are long overdue. This executive order doesn’t solve the gun show loophole and it doesn’t utilize the ‘no-fly’ list—a list of terrorist suspects that aren’t allowed to board a plane— even though it would make sense to ban those suspects from buying a powerful weapon. America needs more if it expects itself to be safe from gun violence in the future.” By Marie Park Sophomore, Staff Writer

SCIC to host ES demonstrations

News Briefs By Diana Nakyoung Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

University, and a PhD from the London School of Economics. Despite her non-political educational background, however, Ms. Tsai worked as the national security adviser to former President Lee Teng-hui, and former president Chen Shui-ban. She also assisted in launching the “Small Mini Links” program in 2001, which has since allowed for direct ferry transport and trade relations between Taiwan and China. “While researching for a debate topic regarding the relationship between Taiwan and China, I found that Ms. Tsai played a fundamental role in molding the path for interaction between the two areas,” said Nuri Choi (11), Forensics member. “Under the leadership of Tsai, Taiwan has a bright future in which it builds a network of economic alliances with China while asserting a certain level of independence. At the current stage, this is what Taiwan needs for sure, in order for it to develop into a powerful and sustainable democracy” Despite her affiliation with the DPP, few expect Ms. Tsai to push for complete Taiwanese independence. According to the BBC, political science professors of Taiwan know Ms. Tsai to be a conciliatory politician, rather than a strongly ideological one. Although Taiwanese autonomy is not at the top of her political agenda, the country’s citizens do not doubt her devotion to its full and complete democratization, as she refused to submit to intense pressure from China and the KMT Party, regarding the issue of unification, during her previous years as a Taiwanese official.

S Taking the lead in the science club’s elementary school demonstrations on Jan. 19, Arit Sarma (9) and Alan Kim (11) (left to right) blow up balloons for the physics group’s presentation.

Photo by April Kim

cience Club (SCIC) will host its annual series of demonstrations for elementary students on Jan. 19 and 22. Each session is expected to have an audience of about 30 students, ranging from kindergarteners to fourth graders. “SCIC also tries to encourage others to love science,” said Yunah Han (10), SCIC executive treasurer. “Elementary kids have fun because they get to see experiments and labs that they won’t be able to in class.”

Each of SCIC’s four divisions—biology, chemistry, general science, and physics—will show an activity with a presentation dissecting the science at work. “Finding new experiments is challenging, but we’ve worked for success since before winter break,” said Nuri Choi (10), general science division captain. “This year, my division will show color-changing milk using bipolar properties of soap.”

Tiger Times January 2016

Reflections: Coping with Post-THIMUN Depression

Jan. 23rd, 2016: Saturday

3:55 A.M. The 23 SIS participants at The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) drag themselves out of their KLM flight in the morning. Hazy in their sleepy states, they struggle through customs, pick up their luggage, and climb aboard the bus to the Kurhaus Hotel. 9:30 A.M. After checking into the hotel, the delegates board the train to Amsterdam. For a grueling three hours, they wander from station to station, attempting to find their way around the Netherlands. At the end of the day, however, the trip is long but worth it. The paintings at the Rijks and Van Gogh museums draw the attention of the delegates, keeping them entertained for hours. Afterwards, students head toward the pancake house, where the students – hungry after a long day of touring – devour pancake after pancake in the cozy restaurant.

Jan. 25th, 2016: Monday

8:30 A.M. The delegates representing the Sultanate of Oman and the United Nations Environment Program board the tram, the men in suits and the ladies in heels, to attend the first official day of the conference. For some delegates it is their first time at THIMUN, and they enter the World Forum Center with wide eyes while others enter the building reliving fond memories of past THIMUN experiences. In Korea, especially at Seoul MUN, the delegates of SIS felt that they were among a selectively chosen, smaller crowd. However amongst the 3,500 other

delegates coming from around the world, students cannot help but feel a little insignificant. In the Netherlands, delegates now play the part of small fish in a big pond.

Jan. 26th, 2016: Tuesday

9:45 P.M. The delegates convene in Room 123 for a surprise party. It’s Susan Lee (9)’s birthday! As soon as Susan enters the room, the delegates, although all at different pitches and places of the song, start singing a boisterous happy birthday. Wishes are made, candles blown, and the second day of THIMUN is over.

Jan 27th, 2016: Wednesday

7:45 P.M. After a long day of debating, students gather to walk to the bowling alley next door. For a few hours the delegates forget about the problems of the world and instead focus on the ten bowling pins at the end of the alley. Bets are made and the stakes are high. At the end of the day, the person with the highest score with an absolute monopoly of points is Steven Smith, history teacher. Anybody need bowling lessons? His room is located in the D wing on the first floor of the main building.

Jan 30th, 2016: Saturday

11 A.M. After a late start in the morning, the 23 students assemble in the lobby with one week’s worth of laundry stuffed in their luggage, packed and ready for Korea. The students check out and board a tram headed for

Victor Kang (10), Jeffrey Heo (10), and Wonjai Lee (10) work on editing their resolutions during their lunch break on the first official day of the conference.

Delft. Having only a few hours left before departure, the students make the most of their time by touring the area. Some students climb the 108.75 meter high Nieuwe Kerk, the second highest church tower in the Netherlands. By the time they reach the top of the tower, their legs are burning and lungs heaving. However, once they see the view from the top, their breath is taken away not only because of the cold weather or and the arduous climb, but because of absolutely stunning view what seems like the whole world. Others rent bikes and ride along the canal, shopping as they wander around on two wheels instead of legs.

Photo by Ryan Jang

6 P.M. The delegates put all their luggage in the bus, and say one last goodbye to the Kurhaus Hotel, after accomplishing the three Bs (going to the bathroom, Ben and Jerry’s, and the beach). Post THIMUN Depression (called PTD) starts to kick in, and the students start to dread the amount of work they must face when they arrive in Korea. In the end, however, the million make up’s are completely worth the week-long experience in the Netherlands. By Ryan Jang Sophomore, Staff Writer

Divisions between Minjoo Party, People’s Party cause crisis

ith the Korean congressional elections taking place this April, the Minjoo Party (MPK), a social-liberal party, is facing factional feuds as a result of the departure of Ahn Cheolsoo, co-founder of the MPK. After Ahn’s withdrawal from the MPK, several other party members followed his footsteps to his new party, the People’s Party. As of now, the newly formed People’s Party is still in its preliminary stages, with approval ratings of 32.6 percent in Gwangju and the North and South Jeolla Provinces. Moon Jaein, chairman of the MPK, and Ahn’s failure to work out their differences over how to reform the MPK was what led to Ahn’s defect in the first place. Because of this, Moon has decided that he would resign shortly. Ahn’s defection as well as a stream of other figures led to the MPK losing noticeable foothold in the Korean

political arena. For example, Kwon Rhokap, a politically symbolic figure in the Jeolla region, the main support base of the MPK, has also left the party, leading to the loss of even more supporters. “I think the outcome of the election is pretty unpredictable because of the rise in approval ratings of Ahn’s new party,” said Judy Moon (10), follower of Korean politics. “I thought Ahn leaving the MPK and the splitting of the party would cause his new party to have less support, but the recent polls show otherwise.” Another critical issue affecting the opposition parties is the incompletion of the electoral map, as registrants of the election were forced to submit their bids without information on which district they will eventually be representing. Because of the National Assembly’s inconclusiveness with the electoral map, Ahn’s departure led to

the MPK having to deal with exposed fractures within the alliance that the leadership had previously tried to reconcile. “When I heard that the electoral map wasn’t yet finalized and that Ahn proposed that the elections be postponed, I was surprised and thought it would lead to a downfall for the opposition parties,” said Sunhee Bae (9), follower of Korean politics. “But now I think their effort to make amends will have a positive impact on the publics’ views.” Despite their struggles, the leaders of the opposition parties are trying to reconcile broken connections by recruiting more members. By enlisting outside figures and reaching out to old allies, parties are continuing their attempt to gain support. The MPK’s attempts to turn the game around by rearranging personnel largely gained positive responses, according to the

Korea Herald. For example, Pyo Changwon, forensic psychologist and political debater, immediately caught the public’s attention by speaking out about disputed issues such as the government’s deal with Japan on wartime sex slavery. “The main opposition parties should seek for people who aren’t political, but people who are specialized in specific areas like economy or technology,” said Jeyun Kim, attorney at law. “I think that nowadays, politicians are not seeking the peoples’ interests but they’re own. They’ll do everything to get reelected, which is why people think very little of politicians. The opposition parties seeking people who were uninvolved in politics will allow them to gain more parliamentary seats.”

By April Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

2016 WSDC Team Korea selected

Cornell Ambassador visits SIS

iwhan Moon (11) and Nicholas Kim (10) will be returning to the World Schools Debate Championship (WSDC) national team, as announced by Team Korea coach Andy Hume on Dec. 13. The team of five will compete in the 2016 WSDC, a summit of debaters from over 50 different countries. “Selection is extremely tough,” Coach Hume said. “Schools nominate top debaters, but only 24 from Korea are chosen to take part in the opening trials. Then, they

i-eun Lee, Class of 2014 alumna and current student at Cornell University College of Human Ecology, revisited SIS on Jan. 12 as Cornell’s winter ambassador. The seminar covered college academics, dormitory life, clubs and organizations, time management, and Greek life. Ms. Lee is a member of an official Cornell club that trains representatives. “It’s all definitely different from

participate in videotaped debates, with which the top 12 are chosen. After four months of practice every weekend, five are chosen for the next year’s team.” WSDC 2016 will be hosted in Germany around late July. “I am truly honored to have been selected among such qualified competitors,” Jiwhan said. “Building off of my past experience, I hope to make the most out of this opportunity and work with my partners to strive for success.”

high school and a big adjustment,” said Fredric Schneider, Dean of Students. “For example, she chose to live in a women’s only dormitory to get a better chance at a private room, and takes only five classes—10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and in the afternoon on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” According to Mr. Schneider, the meeting was attended by five students, four of whom will enroll at Cornell next fall.

Webtoons set new dimension in Korean entertainment indust Every day, the entertainment industry searches for new ideas, new concepts, and new media sources. In other words, innovation is the key to success. In an interview with YTN, Deokhyun Jeong, culture critic, suggested that the unique stories of webtoons, online comics, have provided a fresh alternative to the chronic problem of predictable plot lines in Korean literature, which originally was regarded the backbone of Korean media. When Korean movies first gained momentum in the 1960s, most movies were adaptations of popular novels from the era. However, according to Junghee Lee, a reporter at OhmyNews, the quality of Korean literature gradually deteriorated since the 2000s due to hackneyed, repeated plots and flat characters. As a result, many drama adaptations of novels began failing to garner interest among viewers due to their cliché motifs. On the other hand, webtoons offered new possibilities. Over the past couple years, webtoons have increasingly been adapted into other forms of ‘2D content’, such as movies, dramas and even novels. “Movie nowadays “Movies nowadaysrecycle recycleaalot lotofofthe thesame sameplots plotsover overand andover, over,leading leadingtotothe theslow slowbut butsteady steadydecline decline of the industry,” said Benjamin Poulsen, ES Art teacher and a fan of comics. “However, online comics not only provide a novel entertainment factor but also include social messages that everyone can relate to. For example, the main themes of Daredevil, a popular comic made into a drama, are poverty and the nature of of good good and and evil.evil. TheIt book is reallyis very insightful insightful and its and drama its drama did adid good a great job of jobtreating of treating ratherrather serious serious issuesissues in a way in a that would way that would be not beconsidered not considered silly, which silly orisfrivolous, what many which people is whatin many the Western peopleworld in theexpect Western from world comics.” expect fromAfter comics.” they were first introduced through the portal site Daum in 2003, webtoons have slowly started to replace After they traditional were first literature introduced as thethrough primarythe idea portal banksite behind Daummovies in 2003, and webtoons dramas, have according slowlyto started Jeong.to While previous replace traditional Korean literature dramas asbased the primary on traditional idea bankliterature behind focused movies and on un-relatable dramas, according experiences to Jeong. such as random While previous encounters Korean withdramas billionaires, based webtoons on traditional deriveliterature from understandable focused on un-relatable and realisticexperiences events, whichsuch have as appealed random encounters greatly towith thebillionaires, general public. webtoons Manyderive fans offrom webtoons understandable find greatand meritrealistic and enjoyment events, which tracing have the development appealed greatly of “real” to the characters general public. throughout Manythefans course of webtoons of the webtoon. find great merit and enjoyment tracing the

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Webtoons rise as prominent cultural connection in Korea A quick snapshot of a typical morning in Korean subways—fingers swiftly scrolling, gleaming eyes penetrating phone screens, slight grins and nods—explains the new booming social phenomenon of webtoons. Given the current popularity of webtoons, it is quite unexpected to hear that only a couple of decades ago, cartoons were viewed as culturally degrading and socially unaccepted. In fact, classic Korean dramas often portrayed cartoon readers as oduks, or cartoon nerds who were easy targets in the classroom. Although cartoons were viewed shamefully back then, online cartoons on Korea’s most renowned portal sites have somehow stepped into our society as new modes of communication and have significantly changed in their social perceptions. The first generation of Korean cartoons was merely comic strips and the occasional political cartoon in newspapers. In the 1960s, traditional comic books began to flourish, rapidly filling up the formerly empty shelves of comic book stores. As technology thrived, the Webtoon age marked its beginning in 2004, when webtoons started burgeoning after Naver, a popular Korean portal site, launched ‘Naver Webtoon.’ As other portal sites started introducing their own webtoon corners, the scope expanded as well, introducing new genres of horror, fantasy, comedy, and more. According to The Korea Times, the most crucial factor that bolstered the escalating acceptance of webtoons lies with the idea of social communication. Though cartoons were once considered “nerdy,” they are now rising as an artistic way to depict social issues in the form of drawings. Not only are webtoon corners seen as viable spaces for people to support or constructively criticize a piece of work but also as practical beginning points for those who aspire to be professional cartoonists in the future. For instance, fans of “Cheese in the Trap,” a famous webtoon on Naver, gather together online to analyze the plot, share their opinions, and simply enjoy conversations with people of the same interest. “I’ve been a fan of webtoons for a long time,” said Caroline Min (10), webtoon reader. “In the beginning, it was merely cartoonists uploading their drawings for people to read as an entertainment source before moving on to another tab. There weren’t any commenting boxes

or audio aids or special effects to support the service. Now that technolog it seems as though webtoons have ultimately evolved into a social page fo ple to interact with multiple gadgets, actually learn valuable lessons from th exchange personal stories and problems online. The webtoon industry has immensely.” According to Chosun, it is without a doubt that webtoons and cartooni receive a whole different wave of recognition, especially with a myriad of w on televesion. Web-cartoonists appear frequently on television shows, desi products related to their own cartoon characters, and are actively trendin most influential figures in today’s Korean media. The oduks are no longer pl ized” spot – these cartoonists are on their way to stardom. Indeed, there are some who have opposed the speedy transformation its first popular appeal to the public over a decade ago. According to Na claim that easy accessibility to upload any webtoons on any portal sites c the glorification of inappropriate topics and bring about a moral decline i ample, Love Revolution (Yun-hae Hyukmyung), a well-known webtoon from N stirred public controversy with its depiction of school bullies as glorified figu “Webtoons are usually viewed in a positive light,” said Bryan Kwak (11), “But since webtoons cover a large scope of topics, it’s often difficult to filte ones. Although cartoons are technically creative content, people should b what they’re actually reading.” Despite some slips along the way, the Webtoon market is still skyrocketing from a few blocks of drawings uploaded online, webtoons are blooming wi sense of communication, marketing value, and fame. Granted that there ma regarding inappropriate material, prevalent technological development ha webtoons to become one of the most dominant cultural devices in our curr oduks are nowhere to be seen as easy targets in any high school teen dra

try

By Grace Lee

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WEBTOON V.S. MOTION PICTURE

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as of Jan. 27

By Grace Yang

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Fashion king

LIFESTYLE

Netflix targets Asian markets through debut in South Korea

n Jan. 8, Netflix, the world’s leading Internet television network with over 70 million members in over 190 countries, made its official debut in South Korea. Besides South Korea, Netflix announced its decision to expand its program to other Asian countries including Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Netflix’s launch in Korea created a sense of excitement but also some concern among Korean viewers. “As a former fan of the American TV show, ‘Orange is the New Black,’ I was exceptionally enthusiastic about the fact that I would be able to watch all of the episodes I had missed after coming to Korea from the United States,” said Cinji Lee (10), Netflix user. “Since Netflix is now available to all, I believe that it will receive as much

attention as it does in the US. Already, even though it has only been a few days since the release of Netflix, my friends and I constantly talk about its shows.” Following Netflix’s release, there has been much debate about whether expanding its accessibility would be profitable. According to Forbes, Netflix’s decision to expand to South Korea is a logical choice, especially because South Korea has a population of about 51 million and is home to an estimated 18 million broadband households. In addition, Korea has the fastest Internet connection in the world, giving Netflix a large chance that it will succeed here as much as it did in America. On the other hand, some are concerned that the expansion will not result in any measurable profit.

“Although I use Netflix to watch a lot of American sitcoms and occasionally movies, I don’t think that Netflix will be able to become as widespread in Korea as it is in the United States,” said Chloe Choi (12), Netflix user. “Netflix has a few Korean dramas, but they are really outdated like ‘Boys over Flowers,’ which was popular six years ago. For Korean online users, I think the majority would much rather continue using other streaming websites, judging from Netflix’s current outmoded state.” While Netflix plans to further expand to the Chinese market soon, according to the Wall Street Journal, it does not have a high probability of success, especially since the Chinese market is currently overwhelmed by aggressive local competition. However, investors have high hopes, since Netflix was

Becoming a billionaire just got a lot harder — and here’s why

ver felt like dumping your life savings in a convenience store simply because you felt a little lucky that day? You’re in luck—the Los Angeles Times has built a convenient simulator that allows you to “invest” a certain amount of money into a simulation of the Powerball lottery so that you won’t have to brave the burgeoning lines of people hoping to strike it rich in a contest that has attracted more than its fair share of citizens who do not understand that a lottery exists to make money for its sponsors, not for its participants. I’ve tried my luck already with that simulation, and after two persistent hours of buying tickets I managed to bankrupt the Marshall Islands no less than five times (my fortune had started off at $900 million). The

odds of winning this so-called Powerball lottery are reportedly at one in 292 million, which may or may not be more likely than the Cleveland Browns winning a Super Bowl within the next decade (they won’t). According to the International Business Times, which for some reason was commenting on the lunacy of gambling life savings on risky investment returns (ever heard of the stock market?), I am 30 times more likely to become the President of the United States and three times more likely to be killed by a vending machine than I am to be a jackpot-winner come late January. To illustrate this very point to my lottery-loving aunt, last September I bought $50 worth of lottery tickets as her birthday gift, scratched them off, and gave her the $3 I earned. Her response was simple. She told

me that it would have been a lot more had she done them. Our obsession with lotteries has reached an unhealthy level, as many things in America—such as hamburger consumption and gun ownership—eventually do. By trusting the illusions proliferated by corporations that advertise with pretty girls and yacht rides, people toss away valuable time that could otherwise be used to structure their lives and pursue realistic goals. On the surface, the lottery seems like the American Dream epitomized in all its cheap glory (that part about hard, honest work bringing success was lost sometime before the 1920s); striking it rich in the Powerball is the modern version of getting lucky in the gold mines half a century ago. Inside, however, is an entirely differ-

the best-performing stock of the 2015 SPX index, with stock gains of 138.38 percent. “Despite inevitable doubts about whether Netflix will succeed in Asia, Netflix probably became available in Asia since there was high demand,” said Ronald Slachta., Netflix user. “Although Netflix does charge its users with a few dollars per month, I believe that Netflix will be as popular in Asia as it is in the states, since Netflix provides its users with high quality videos, which are extremely hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. Since Netflix also has great management in terms of analyzing consumer patterns, I believe that it has a high potential of flourishing.” By Alice Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

By Andrew Ham

ent monster, one that does its dirty work quietly and undetected. Although most ticket buyers will not gamble significant amounts of money, lower class Americans are far more likely to participate in the lottery, setting off a vicious cycle that exploits their desire for wealth by preventing them from achieving that precise desire. Excluding those who are lucky, 70 percent lose that money within several years. The very people who vehemently reject even the most minuscule of tax rises gladly fill out the tickets, which essentially represent a massive 38 percent tax hike due to such low payouts. Does this mean you should stop trying? Maybe not; after all, a Muslim woman attended a Trump rally last week. Anything’s possible.

Tiger Times January 2016

The Force May Have Awakened episodes iv-vi (1977- 1983)

8.6

8.4

imdb

episode vii (2015)

By Justin Chang Sophomore, Staff Writer

By Michael Kim and Sang Ho Lee Senior, Project EIC and Production Editor

female

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no family

bil

estimated total value

Women wanted; NASA mission to Mars

Awakens” gave something that was lacking in the prequel trilogy—happiness. Longtime fans could not help but squeal with joy when Han Solo and Chewbacca appeared in the doorway of the Millennium Falcon, saying: “Chewie, we’re home.” Or when the resistance X-wings flew in gloriously to the booming of the “March of the Resistance.” Even newcomers to the franchise left the cinema excited about the movie, which was not only a homage to old-timers but also an introduction to the world of Star Wars. For first-timers, “The Force Awakens” was what “A New Hope” was to old fans: the beginning of an epic tale set in the vastness of space. Of course not everyone loved the movie but with an IMDB score of 8.5/10 and a total box-office haul of 1.75 billion USD, it definitely did better than the hated prequels and in the end, it’s a new Star Wars movie. Why wouldn’t you want to watch it? What “The Force Awakens” did was capture the essence of Star Wars: a fantastical space journey, a magical adventure that took place in the realms of both science and fantasy. While the prequels failed miserably in grasping the viewer’s attention due to its over-emphasis on the science side of science fiction (it defined the force as a product of microorganisms called midi-chlorians—who cares?), among countless other sins, “The Force Awakens” paints the world of Star Wars in a more mysterious tone, sending viewers on a journey not merely to outer space but to a whole new world—just like the original trilogy. After a 28year nap, the force may truly have awakened. Finally.

droid: BB-8

ell it’s finally here, the new Star Wars movie. In what may very well be the most highly anticipated opening weekend in cinema history, the Star Wars franchise returned to the big screen on Dec. 17, 2015 with “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” and was welcomed by cries of joy from one of the world’s largest fan bases. Now then, the obvious question is: Is it worth watching or will be the beginning of another trilogy of disappointment? “The Force Awakens” is a new hope and a second chance for the franchise to redeem itself after the unfortunate tragedy that was the prequel series, released between 1999 and 2005, famously criticized for having terrible acting, unbelievably fake computer generated imagery, blasphemous portrayals of original trilogy characters, and Jar Jar Binks. Fortunately, Director J.J. Abrams seems to have been able to produce a worthy successor to the original trilogy this time around, worthy enough to once again carry the title, Star Wars. In a spoiler-less nutshell, “The Force Awakens” follows Rey, a scavenger from the desert planet of Jakku, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper and a traitor to the villainous First Order. Taking place in the aftermath of “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,” Rey and Finn venture through the galaxy in search of the lost Jedi, Luke Skywalker, while fending off the antagonist, Kylo Ren, and his army of stormtroopers. With explosive action and unexpected twists and turns, “The Force Awakens” is a better than great addition to the revered franchise. Of course, “Episode VII” is not without its flaws and some hate the new movie as passionately as they have hated the prequels. In a series that claims to venture into uncharted territory, “The Force Awakens” manages to almost entirely plagiarize the plotline of the original movie from the same franchise, “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.” Rey is basically a gender-swapped Luke Skywalker, Jakku is identical to Tatooine, and the Death Star returns yet again as Starkiller Base. In addition, numerous plot holes existed in “The Force Awakens,” while a number of characters, like the villains Kylo Ren and Captain Phasma, were disappointingly lame than anything else, especially when compared to Darth Vader and Bobba Fett from previous movies. “The Force Awakens,” in the opinions of some, was imperfect and did not live up to expectations. For others, however, these faults barely affected the actual viewing experience of the film because “The Force

Thinking at 0m/s

2013 marked the first time that women made up 50 percent of the NASA astronaut candidate class. But looking forward, should NASA try to go even higher? Should the first human Mars mission be all-woman? Let’s start with the physiological arguments for all-female missions beyond Earth’s moon. A lot of us want to become astronauts, but becoming one is not easy. Many factors disqualify you from NASA, and scrutiny will be even greater for the first manned trip to Mars NASA has been hoping to launch for years. After all, we need these pioneers to stay put 200 million miles from Earth. So physiologically, the biggest health concern for astronauts right now, according to a 2014 NASA study, is an issue where women appear to have a big advantage— they are resistant to vision impairment. Several male astronauts have experienced confirmed vision problems, often accompanied by anatomical changes to the eye, both during and after space flight. All of them were in orbit six months or less, which is a lot less time than the eight months of zero G in each direction that you’d have on a Mars mission. Now, countermeasures are being studied, but the exact cause of this biological phenomenon isn’t entirely understood yet. What we do know is that so far no women have experienced lasting vision issues. And since vision is a critical faculty on a Mars mission, and given the uncertainty about underlying causes, this might be a major checkmark in the pro-all women column. Granted, women are more prone to space motion sickness when they first hit zero G and are more likely to get urinary tract infections. Yet, none of these disabilities rise to the same mission critical level as impaired vision. Another argument for preferring women to men on longer space missions—namely that it costs less to send them to other planets. How come? It’s about food. While you can recycle air and water, you need to take all the food mass with you on a trip to Mars. This argument got a lot of attention in late 2014 when writer Kate Greene wrote an article to this effect in “Slate.” Greene noticed that the women in her cohort consumed about half as many calories as the men, despite comparable activity and exercise. This was consistent with what had been seen earlier by current and former NASA analysts that she cites in her article. So how much money could you save if you deployed all women? In dollar values, quoting PBS Spacetime, at today’s launch prices, it’d be between $0.5 billion and $5 billion. Although not significantly a lot, we’re still talking about a savings of hundreds of millions of US dollars with one selection with numerous apparent advantages. Suppose it turns out that by the time we’re ready for the Mars mission we cannot manage the vision issues, and taking into account the cost issues we discussed, should an all-female crew be given preference for the first Mars mission? Because remember, the first Mars mission really needs to succeed. It would seem prudent to eliminate every risk that we know about and are capable of managing.

imdb

droid: R2-D2

41.9

SPORTS

Basketball teams build teamwork at AISA Tournament

oth the boys and girls varsity basketball teams showed strength in teamwork during the Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) Tournament held at KIS and SIS respectively from Jan. 28 to 31. Undefeated for conference games prior to the tournament, the varsity boys basketball team placed second, while the varsity girls placed sixth. Consisting mostly of returning members to the varsity team, the varsity boys basketball team had solid teamwork through the season, according to Tim Munro, varsity boys basketball coach. Only two out of the thirteen players were completely new to SIS basketball team, and all players are juniors or seniors. “At SIS, JV and varsity players often practice together and run the same plays, so athletes can continue developing their skills with similar team members as they transition from JV to varsity,” Coach Munro said. “The clear understanding of each other’s abilities helped the players work together as a team.” However, despite the success in the tournament, the result was initially disappointing to some players, according to William Son (11), varsity boys basketball player. “Most of us were part of the team last year, when we won first place in the same tournament so we had higher expectations for this season,” William said. “At the same time, though, this disappointment will motivate

us to practice harder for the upcoming KAIAC tournament.” Meanwhile, the varsity girls basketball team also showed growth in teamwork during the tournament. With new changes in team members and strategies, the team made progress through the whole season. “This year’s tryout process did not discriminate skilled individuals with less experience in varsity team, which could explain the balanced distribution of players from different grades.” said Sue Lee (11), varsity girls basketball player. “Once we had the qualified individuals, we improved our teamwork by trying plays that specifically simulated other teams’ styles of offense and defense.” According to Sue, the team then carried out plays with code names such as “Seattle” or “Portland” during the tournament. Code names not only help the team save time during the game but also help the players share a sense of group identity because they are the only ones on the court who understand the names. With new strategies and expanded codes, the varsity boys and girls basketball teams made use of their experiences from AISA at their KAIAC tournaments, which were held on Feb. 4. The boys team ended their season placing first while the girls placed second in both season and conference. By Rachel Kang Junior, Staff Writer

Dribbling the ball, Eugenia Lee (10) drives in toward the hoop past a player of Busan International Foreign School at the AISA tournament on Jan. 30.

Photo by April Kim

Varsity cheerleading team places second at KAIAC

IS cheerleaders successfully wrapped up their season by participating in the recent KAIAC cheer competition, held at Chadwick International on Jan. 30. According to Andrea Goodrich, varsity cheerleading coach, the team was able to perform without major setbacks and placed second for the team section of the competition. According to Coach Goodrich, the routine that the varsity cheerleading team performed this year was one of the most physically demanding routines she had ever worked with. Members of the cheerleading team had to hold extended practices both during and after school hours on the week of the competition in order to polish their skills and perfect all aspects of the routine. Preparation for the competition was not only physically exhausting, but also mentally grueling for the cheerleaders, as they had to maintain a positive attitude and

wear a smile through the difficult stunts. “The girls could not perform their stunts with perfection even until the day before the competition, so they were all extremely nervous and anxious at first,” Coach Goodrich said. “But I deemed it important for them to be confident with their skills before expecting any judge to be impressed by their routine. It was important for the girls to be able to show the crowd what they had been practicing for weeks, and I am very proud that the results reflect the amount of hard work and effort we all put into the performance.” The varsity cheerleaders struggled with maintaining both necessary skill and proper mentality throughout their practice because they attempted various new stunts that even returning varsity members had never before performed. From one-man stunts involving female-only cheerleaders to arabesques, which involved cheerleaders

standing on one leg with the other extended outward, many of these techniques required strength that the cheerleaders built with hard work. “Every single member practiced with extreme enthusiasm and grit for the KAIAC competition, because we all knew how important it was to end our season on a good note,” said Victoria Hahm (11), varsity cheerleader. “We got bruises and cuts all over our arms and legs, but all of our hard work paid off at the end when we won second place. Bringing the silver plaque home felt like having a heavy weight lifted off my shoulders because I no longer felt the pressure of having to perform without making any mistakes.” The KAIAC competition also featured an individual section, where individual cheerleaders could perform a cheer, dance, and a jump of their choice. Each performer received a score out of 20 points from each

of the three judges, and the 12 cheerleaders with the highest scores received the all-tournament player title. Among the cheerleaders, Eunie Jang (12) and Jenny Lee (11), co-captains of the cheerleading team, as well as Yanis Park (12) won the all-tournament title. “This was my first year performing in the individual section of the KAIAC competition, and although it was unexpected I was extremely happy to be part of the top 12 individual cheerleaders on my first try,” Jenny said. “It was an entirely different experience from performing as a team, because I had no one to depend on throughout the performance. However, I could see the rest of my team cheering me on from the side, and I was able to gain confidence from them.” By Sarah Kim Junior, Staff Writer

Tiger Times January 2016

SPORTS PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Youngest figure skating champion faces difficulty due to age

Enthusiastically lifting her pom poms, Yanis Park (12) and the other members of the varsity cheer team performed their KAIAC routine at the Winter Pep Rally on Feb. 3

Photo by April Kim

lacing first at the Korean championship on Jan. 10, Young Yoo, an 11-year-old figure skater, became the youngest athlete to win the championship, with a total score of 183.75 points. Young broke the record previously set by Yuna Kim, who won the same championship when she was 12 and a half years old. At the age of six, Young first began skating as a hobby in Singapore, and dreamed of becoming a figure skater after watching Yuna win a gold medal for her first-place performance at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. After moving to Korea in hopes of practicing at better facilities in 2013, she set numerous records in various events as the youngest figure skater and became a national athlete in 2014. However, despite her impressive accomplishments, her title was taken away because of her young age. “When I first saw her performance, I noticed that she had speed, nice edges across the ice, and jumps that were all clean and successful,” said Helaine Lee (9), former figure skater. “At such a young age, she already achieved the highest ranking in the Korean State Union (KSU), which means she practices on ice almost five hours everyday. I believe age requirements should not have stopped someone as talented as her from skating in national competitions in the first place.” At 11 years of age, Young is younger than the minimum age requirement set by the International Skating Union, which means that she is not eligible to participate in the World Junior Figure Skating Championships although she is a national skater. As she does not meet the age requirement, she initially

lost her privilege to practice freely at the Korea National Skating Center, and had no other choice but to make time in the early mornings and late nights to practice after the center closed, according to Kyeongin Ilbo. “Although I am looking forward to her progress in the future, I believe her young age does have some unfortunate downsides,” said Sunny Oh (10), figure skating enthusiast. “I was shocked when I read that she didn’t have a place to practice anymore because of her age. I think it’s really unfair to discriminate against someone with a lot of talent just because she’s too young, and I hope this doesn’t happen again in the future.” After the issue of her losing privileges to skate garnered much negative action from the public, the KSU stepped up on Jan. 17 to address the concerns and provide a solution, giving Young the right to practice at the Korea National Skating Center again. In addition, Young signed a contract with All That Sports, a company that also manages Yuna, in order to handle her future activities. “Once the fear of failure is eliminated, I think it is very effective to teach young students to become athletes because their body masses are smaller,” said Tamara Atanaskovic, gym teacher. “If someone has enough talent and potential, people should support the path by providing the conditions needed to be successful. I hope that, in the future, more children will be exposed to sports when growing up, as it will help Korea in international sports.” By Soomin Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

Broken shower heads, amateur dreams, and newfound stardom The stadium holds so many people, a number he has only seen while watching his favorite players on television. The bright lights, throngs of cheering fans, rumbling speakers announcing the arrival of the youth all-star basketball players, hotdogs making their way around the stands... William Chung (10) does all he can to keep his focus on tying his shoes. The unease is not typical for the fiery leader who “carries the emotional baggage for [his] basketball team,” as Ryan Jang (10), William’s teammate, explains. “William has such a burning desire to win that whenever we lose he kicks the gym lockers and breaks a few shower heads,” said Timothy Kim (10). The anxiety—or is it focus?—appears between the creases of William’s face as the loudspeakers call his name and he trots out to the center of the basketball court. “He once broke an air conditioner because we won by ‘only’ four points,” Ryan recalled amusedly. The whistle blows and two players—gi-

ants—leap into the air, tipping the ball backwards. Players scramble and the ball slips out of their hands, rolling toward the stands. William swoops down, snatches the ball, and jumps forward, spying the chance to score in the game’s first seconds. Opposing players, who hadn’t yet registered William’s sudden strike, scramble back in an attempt to block him, but are too late—the scoreboard lights up and the crowd explodes. The budding player had, like so many stars before him, embarked upon his basketball career as an amateur, playing during Friday afternoons with his friends. “Although it began pretty casually, when we saw how well [William] played, we decided to take it a little further,” said Jaehwan Chung, William’s father. It has definitely paid off for William, who is now a regular starter in the junior varsity basketball team, showing off the “focus and determination that makes him an impressive player,” as described by Dongsub Yim, a pro-

fessional basketball player who trained briefly with William. Two minutes before the quarter ends William capitalizes on another lapse of concentration from his opponents and races by outstretched arms to score again, watching the net ripple before spinning on his heels to pump out a quick celebration. Now William is in the thick of the greatest game of his life, the annual youth all-star game. It was hardly surprising for members of William’s basketball team, then, when he was selected to represent them in the all-star game, a match where representatives from teams around the nation come together to play one match. The game ends; players line up before cheering fans and toss signed balls into the stands. William stays behind a little longer to wave to the crowd again before slipping back into the tunnel. Although basketball may be reputed for its tall players, the true leaders, the “floor

generals,” of a basketball team are usually its shortest members: the point guards. As the presumed leader of his junior varsity team in and outside of school, William is always the first to touch the ball and bring it across the court. From behind, the general watches the battle appear before him and directs the flow of what will happen next with his team, whose members have played together since middle school. “When I scored those first points [in the all-star game] I felt the roar of the crowd rumbling under my feet,” William said. “I was surprised at how quickly I scored, and I could also see that same shock in my opponents’ faces.” When faced with his biggest test yet, William “learned how to steel [his] nerves and play with more poise and confidence, as a leader should.” By Andrew Ham Sophomore, Staff Writer

SMALL TALK

FAUX NEWS 2016 candidates deemed ‘public health hazard’

BY JUNGHO DANIEL CHOI

by Diana Nakyoung Lee

The heart yearns for simplicity, but nothing seduces the mind more than complexity. Wanting too much is an ironic disease, preying most heavily upon its inventor—the first world. In the age of delicious advertisements and shiny show windows, minimalist lifestyle movements are a return to simplicity—in essence, they are promises to cut out all unnecessary fluff and clutter, and to live with only basic necessities. 2015 was a year of retrospection— looking backwards—and, more importantly, looking inwards, in a search for clarity. From minimalist Starbucks holiday cups to “tiny house” movements, and from kale juice cleanses to social media detoxes, it was a year in which minimalism was embraced in its many forms. The “tiny house” movement, for example, attracted 40,000 supporters to its convention last summer,

according to Time. Members lead an exodus to “tiny houses”—smaller than 400 square feet and cheaper than $30,000—embracing minimalism as a way of life. Complexity, however, is not always tangible; escape from clutter entails more than merely moving away from it. Social media users, for example, are pushed down to the sand by a ceaseless stream of cherry-picked and pre-meditated narratives. It has not only become incredibly easy to idealize the luxurious lives (and “selfies”) of others, but also incredibly difficult to separate our true wants from fictitious ones. Perhaps this is why we find the philosophy of minimalism so dreamlike—it entails being presented with the untarnished, uncorrupted essence of our surroundings, and of ourselves. Ironically, corporations have also spent the year spinning minimalism

into prize marketing strategies. Some, such as E-mart, introduced “no brand” advertising—an oxymoron in itself¬—by wrapping its products in solid yellow packaging, with the name marked in big black writing (though adjectives were sprinkled on in finer letters). Other companies made more subtle—perhaps even subconscious—choices. Starbucks’ minimalist holiday cups, to name one, were designed wholly matte red. It is nice to live nicely—technology has made the world so much easier— and it is a privilege to have clothes, art and entertainment that we can want. However, when wants go overboard, they turn into lust. In our world of rainbow advertisements and fairytale consumerist fantasies, are our wants really our own? Perhaps, the first-world society has found itself teetering on the edge—one red stiletto heel crossing the line.

photo of jan

1 At the open meeting on Jan. 20, Yoon Lee (12), HSSC executive president, started the meeting by announcing upcoming events such as spirit week. In addition, the sophomore HSSC members presented information about Snowball and the club executives of UNICEF and Kaleidoscope updated the audience on their projects.

PHOTO BY KELLY KIM

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified all candidates for the 2016 US presidential election as a public health hazard, saying yesterday that the ability of these candidates to cause illness, injury, and perhaps even death, was more than enough to qualify them for this label. These observations come not only from anecdotal evidence, but also from statistical experiments designed by the WHO. “We conducted several experiments where we exposed a large group of randomly selected individuals to speeches made by one of the 2016 candidates, and the results were terrifying,” said Meredith What, WHO representative. “Some responded by vomiting violently, while others instantly developed a high fever. A lot of our researchers were affected too—one got very depressed and tried to jump out of a window. Correlation does not necessarily imply causation. However, seeing as most subjects who were exposed to the candidates responded this way, while the subjects in the placebo group watching cat videos didn’t respond negatively, I think it’s safe to assume that the candidates did indeed cause these reactions.” After hearing of these experiments, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) became concerned with the actions of the WHO, calling it a human rights violation to show videos of the 2016 candidates to humans for an extended period of time. Though the WHO maintains that they could not have known that their experiment would cause this much distress, the HRW is still threatening to sue the WHO for its actions. “The WHO should have known better than to conduct these experiments—it’s obvious that these politicians cause chaos and mayhem everywhere, even the human body,” said Katerina Oiler, HRW representative. “Human testing regarding carcinogens and other substances that cause cancer is definitely a human rights violation. The WHO should be a health organization working for the betterment of people, rather than one that promotes disease, illness, and injury. We hope this lawsuit will convince them to be more responsible in the future.” Ms. What was about to respond to these allegations from when she saw Donald Trump speaking on television out of the corner of her eye. At this point, she fell to the ground and began convulsing. After calling the emergency services to rush Ms. What to the hospital, Ms. Oiler expressed her belief that the HRW would win the lawsuit, saying that she “rested her case.” “I thought I was going to die,” said John Smith, hospitalized WHO test subject. “In fact, I was rather hoping that I would die, instead of having to watch any more of Ted Cruz’s idiotic speech. If he was here, I could have punched him. I’m told that I went insane and tried to punch myself instead.” According to the WHO, all 2016 candidates caused such violent responses, with two exceptions. The first was Martin O’Malley, who caused a look of bewilderment to appear on subjects’ faces before they fell asleep. The other exception was Bernie Sanders, who caused test subjects to become so passionately supportive that they spontaneously combusted and burned to death.

I DE•A•LOG : minimalism