Tiger Times Volume 49 Issue 7

Tiger Times VO L U M E 4 9 | F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 8 | I S S U E 7 | T T O N L . O RG

Medal Count Republic of Korea

GOLD 5 SILVER 8 BRONZE 4 TOTAL 17

Designed by Amy Jungmin Kim

Korea finishes 7th in the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games

Editorial

Debate the issues, not the protest

By Andrew Ham and Diana Nakyoung Lee Co-Editors-in-Chief

In the aftermath of the Parkland high school shooting, American civic leaders began to realize that 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz may have reaped lives, but had also planted copper seeds of change—seeds for a movement. The consensus among analysts seems to be that the students of Stoneman Douglas High, the survivors of this human indecency and abomination, are getting through to the masses in ways that gun control activists had failed to for decades. Student activism is uniquely formidable. Its momentum has quite literally toppled regimes: this, Korea should know best. What students and teachers in Korea, a land of nearly categorical gun restrictions, can learn from Parkland is that we can’t wait for a gunman to drive us to realize the value of student-generated campaigns.

It is undebatable that such campaigns at SIS, whether that be the unofficial Feminism Club, Gender and Sexuality Awareness Club (GSA), or Global Issues Network (GIN), could not possibly claim the gut-wrenching urgency championed

by Parkland students. Yet they are also clearly examples of student activism, of young people choosing to be more accepting or more passionate about an issue than most. An absence of kairos, even here, is no excuse to devalue the fact that at the essence and at the very least, these students’ impetus for change is, in the same vein as their American counterparts, an admirable display of compassion and civic duty.

Of course, we do not have to agree with what these clubs are saying, but the inability for many in the student body to engage with them with respect and decency is concerning. The causes these clubs espouse—and the people halfway across the earth or in our hallways who these students aspire to serve—at least deserve our basic human decency, if not a begrudging, mutual, civic respect. They deserve to be engaged with, debated against, disagreed with as individuals, as campaigners, as student activists, who the US so heartwrenchingly craned its neck waiting for.

For us to uncover these young campaigns then dabble in ad hominem attacks for comic purposes is not only distastefully unnecessary, but also speaks poorly on our ability to have heart: which we often seem to forget we have, until a gunman walks into our halls, putting us face-to-face with a little copper seed that may change that.

In our SIS community, the issues that these clubs highlight may seem distant and impersonal, which is why, as the executive members of these clubs will attest to, they are so often abused and ridiculed. But when our students first enter college campuses in the US, they’ll have a rude awakening when they encounter these issues firsthand and realize that student activism is the norm. It can be so easy to dismiss student protesters; after all, how much can we actually do?

But lest we forget, it was four young black students who sat and endured the full-flung racism of grown, “mature” adults at Greensboro. It was thousands of Chinese students who died, ripped from their youth, at Tiananmen Square. And it was college students at Kent State who paid the ultimate price, gunned down by the Ohio National Guard for protesting peacefully. The fact that we are able to even protest today is a blessing. It is a manifestation of hope, self-improvement, and maturity that we must not disparage, even if it disagrees with our most fundamental values; because nothing can be more important in a healthy democracy than the right to speak, the right to fight, and right to be heard.

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

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VIEWPOINT

Why students should be granted elevator access

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hen a group of students are walking back and forth for more than a minute near the elevator, there is no question about it: they are seeking an opportunity to ride it. Since the construction of the new middle and elementary school building, students have been banned from riding the elevators. Initially, although there was the agony of having to walk up five to eight flights of stairs every morning to get to class, in addition to the hill that must be climbed to reach the building itself, in time, students seemed to accept the policy out of indifference. Yet, especially after the Chinese classrooms moved to the 7th floor of the new building this school year, the use of the elevator by students has become by all measures rampant. All things considered, a reevaluation of the existing elevator policy is imperative: high school students must be granted access to the elevators.

There first must be a thorough examination of the current state of elevator use at SIS. Students, regardless of the building, are not allowed to take elevators to any destination unless they have an “elevator pass” issued by the middle or high school office. This pass is only given with proper medical forms that verify the physical inability of the stu-

dent to take the stairs.

While strict adherence to this policy is necessary for it to hold legitimate authority, a problem arises when every teacher has a different interpretation and administration of the nonexistent policy.

With some teachers greeting students as they get in the elevator and others making them get off without a pass, students are bound to be left confused of what the true boundaries of their rights to the elevator are. Who would follow the law of a country if only a fraction of them were enforced?

Sometimes, teachers get excessively strict with the policy. Some simply ask whether or not a student has an elevator pass, and still others say that without the pass in the student’s hands, regardless of whether one is on crutches or has a cast, they cannot enter the elevator.

But the real issue is one of irony: once many of the strict teachers who chase students off the elevator, they, themselves get in. This is where the point of objection arises. What allows for teachers to freely ride the elevator without an elevator pass or an injury? Is it simply out of entitlement? If they are riding the elevator themselves, why are they so adamant about disallowing students from doing so? Another fallacy behind the use of the elevator is that while teachers are

free to use the elevator for their leisurely trips from the first to the third floor, students who have five minutes to get to their seventh floor Chinese classrooms are forced to run up the stairs. The level of urgency is certainly incomparable, yet such is never taken into consideration.

As such, the elevator policy is simply logically inconsistent on many fronts.

Students who are work-studies for the middle school office or Chinese teachers are granted access to the elevator. When work study, too, is an official high school course, for what reason are these students permitted to ride the elevator and students of other Chinese classes not?

The core problem of this whole situation is that nobody, not even the administration, knows exactly why students are not allowed to take the elevators.

If the purpose is to allow injured students to speedily move between classes without elevator traffic, teachers should not be allowed either. The same applies if the purpose is to effectively transport heavy goods. Over time, the problems surrounding the elevator policy have become apparent. Rather than avoiding the problem, there is a necessity to address it by reevaluating the elevator policy.

By Hannah Kim Junior, Staff Writer

Banning coffee targets symptoms, not causes, of student stress Shattering my peaceful start to the new year, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Jan. 25 announced that the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee had proposed legislation prohibiting elementary, middle, and high schools from selling coffee to students and adults alike. If the bill passes the National Assembly, coffee will no longer be sold at schools starting from July. In other words, my long-lasting companion could be exiled from SIS by the time I am a senior. No longer will coffee be an available remedy for me and my torturous routines of slapping, pinching, and praying to stay awake during first period.

Upon conducting a survey in February regarding people’s opinions on this proposal, I found that the general consensus reflected my initial thoughts—downright disapproval. As a case in point, 30 of 30 SIS students surveyed claimed that this bill was absurd, with teachers objecting to what they called its infeasibility. Utilizing this consensus as a justification, I mean to say that instead of suggesting an unenforceable ban on coffee in schools, it is of vital importance for the government to successfully attend to greater matters—whether they are social, economic, or environmental— in South Korea.

To be fair and give some credit to the government, its present effort to execute this bill is understandable, as coffee has an extremely high caffeine concentration of 449.1 milligrams per kilogram. Furthermore, according to Statistics Korea, South Koreans drink 428 cups of coffee annually. In other words, they carry inflated risks of being subject to dizziness, nervousness, and sleep disorders.

Although the bill is well intended, will it change the status quo? If the aim is to improve students’ health by lessening caffeine intake, this law is definitely not the most effective way. After all, coffee is not only sold in school. On every street corner, we find ourselves face to face with a café. In fact, Korea Economic Daily reports that by Feb. 2017, there were 18,000 coffee shops in Seoul alone, with 200 to 300 “Java Houses” opening monthly. Thus, in the end, this legislation will just be the government’s futile attempt to combat the deterioration of students’ health.

This law also fails to consider the psychological tendencies of human beings.

When people are prohibited from their desires—in this case, coffee—they have an inclination to fulfill their longings, even if it comes to engaging in less healthy methods. Blind to consequences

that may arise, the sole intent would be to satisfy their yearnings. The banning of coffee in schools may lead to the rise in the consumption of caffeine pills and foods with even higher caffeine concentrations than coffee.

Rather than proposing impractical laws to prohibit coffee from being sold in schools, the government should concentrate on addressing issues of greater importance. Has the government effectively tackled the corruption of wealthy corporate leaders who are suspended from their prison terms? Has the government dealt with the plights of poor workers who shiver to their deaths in subzero temperatures? Has the government addressed the severe levels of dust particles that clog the clear winter skies?

In light of the plethora of challenges inundating South Korea currently, our elected officials should refrain from proposing additional laws that are essentially unnecessary. Now is the time for the government to handle momentous matters properly, practically, and proactively.

I ask one favor: please help create a better South Korea and leave coffee alone.

By Kirsten Huh Junior, Staff Writer

Tiger Times February 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 Andrew Ham Diana Nakyoung Lee Website Editors-in-Chief Soomin Chun Nicholas Kim Paper Managing Editor Justin Chang

Website Managing Editor Junie Ye Joon Kah

Communications Director Marie Park

Production Editors Joyce Lee Soo Min Lee

Copy Editors Youngseo Jhe Dawn Kim Andrea Kwon Jeremy Nam

Graphics Editor April Kim Photo Editor Ryan Jang

Youngjin Park Graphics Artist Jina Kim Photographers Angela Choe Lauren Kang Jocelyn Lee

Layout Artists Amy Jungmin Kim Claire Lee Yejune Park

Kirsten Huh Andie Kim Hannah Kim Chris Lee Kate Lee Eju Ro Grace Yang Andy Yoon

Reporters Michelle Ahn Fiona Cho Sia Cho

Adviser Mr. David Coleman

Viewpoint Feature: Students’ inherent and unjust lack of self-autonomy.

When adults make decisions for us, is it love or plain coercion?

Can we ever be considered rational and independent as long as we are teenagers?

Cartoon by Andie Kim

Age does not indicate the value of one’s input

“[W]henever I find my dominion over myself not sufficient for me, and undertake the direction of [my neighbor] also, I overstep the truth, and come into false relations to him. I may have so much more skill or strength than he, that he cannot express adequately his sense of wrong, but it is a lie, and hurts like a lie both him and me. Love and nature cannot maintain the assumption: it must be executed by a practical lie, namely, by force.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Politics”

With all due respect to my close friends and the adults involved in my life, I would like to assert a firm, long-held conviction of mine: none of the decisions you make for me are legitimate. For clarification, I am not normally this supercilious, nor am I ignorant enough to assume my intelligence trumps that of the people with whom I interact. It should be self-evident, however, that I understand myself the best. As such, no one should be able to prevent me from eating food at McDonald’s, sleeping on the couch after returning from school, or listening to jarring rap music. Unfortunately, such a wish for independence is unrealistic.

At all times, there seems to be someone “looking out” for me; under the guise of compassion or authority, such entities often intervene, allegedly in my best interest, as if I am not self-aware. It is not that I do not appreciate their opinions, but here is what I believe: as the transcendentalist, Emerson, puts it, when someone makes decisions on another’s behalf, it is not an indication of “love” but plain coercion— nothing more and nothing less.

Since the conceptualization of “government,” history has been about gradually developing means to check it. To this end,

we perfected the system of representative democracy, in which we elect individuals to make decisions for us. Of course, the term “perfected” is an overstatement, for contemporary issues arise from this long-standing idea. As South Koreans, we live under the domain of a so-called “nanny state,” one that by definition, intervenes for our sake. The question that needs asking is this: is this term just a euphemism for an authoritative regime?

On Jan. 25, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in South Korea announced that the National Assembly has approved a bill that bans coffee sales in both primary and secondary schools. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, starting from July, even vending machines in schools will not be able to sell coffee.

What the government fails to recognize is the fact that anxiety and sleep disorders are not a result of premature coffee consumption, but a potential cause of it.

Believe it or not, the rigorous education system in South Korea, not to mention in China and even the US, means eight to ten hours of sleep—the optimal amount of sleep for the 14-17 age group—is a mere dream. The first step to curbing the unhealthy amounts of stress students experience, as well as the high suicide rate in the nation, is not eliminating some people’s go-to relief mechanism, but gradual bottom-up change in school environments. As one of the most popular drinks sold by the HSSC to date, the sudden disappearance of this product would mean negative implications even for the SIS student body, such as individuals losing the experiences needed to develop early self-control for the inevitable consumption of caffeine later in life.

All in all, we are not in charge of our lives; fifty-year-olds in Yeoeuido are.

As students at SIS, the federal government is not the only “nanny” in our lives.

Understandably, the SIS administration does have the authority to make decisions for us, but some generalizations about the student body do not and should not apply to everyone. One such policy is the one-AP limit for sophomores. Of course, they need a certain level of experience with APs before taking more, but there is little reason—at least communicated to us—that those who feel prepared to challenge themselves should not be able to do so. As long as they are making an informed decision and their teachers agree, this limitation could be reconsidered to accommodate for these ambitious individuals.

An additional limit some face is the school’s disinclination to implement a math acceleration program for those excelling in the subject, one that has already been implemented in schools around the world. Under such a system, especially gifted students could potentially skip a level or two of math if they have already demonstrated a mastery of, for example, pre-calculus. Once again, if a student has proven him/herself in class, through external assessments, and even in international competitions, is the school being cautious for our sake or simply restrictive?

The antidote to this problem seems to be direct democracy, in which representatives would not be chosen to act on our behalf; the power would be given to the people to decide in every single situation what is best for themselves. Sadly, this is impossible with the given time and size of populations we are dealing with, not to mention that the

SIS administration does sometimes need to safeguard us from our inexperienced selves.

Hence, a different, more feasible alternative must be taken to maximize satisfaction among the stakeholders.

All in all, it comes down to communication. Not only is there a necessity for figures of authority to utilize efficient feedback systems, but the affected are also given too little explanation regarding certain adminstrative decisions made on their behalf. “Some things are better left unsaid” is not necessarily an accurate idiom; the optimal way of preempting backlash is to give more justification for a specific action.

To this end, more effective utilization of the PA system, online daily bulletin, HSSC, and email could maximize the lines of communication the administration has at its disposal.

I am not calling for the rise of the individual to supplant the establishment. As a matter of fact, I trust my parents, teachers, and leaders more than my 15-year-old self.

I am not implying that the decisions the school makes for us are fallacious either.

However, when we students are limited in our educational opportunities against our wishes, we assume there is a reason, and we either want change or want to hear it. Unless the students are more clearly informed about the reason a certain result was most appropriate among all possible options, a relationship of mutual distrust is likely to develop. It is time we are treated less like immature teenagers and more like partners in a cooperative effort to maximize the education at SIS.

By Andy Yoon Sophomore, Staff Writer

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NEWS

News Briefs

By Chris Lee

Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tri-M hosts Valentine's Day Just For You concert

Singing a duet, Jessica Langham (11) and Eddie Ko (11) perform during the Tri-M Just 4 You on Feb. 14.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Soomi Lee (12)

Tri-M Music Honor Society held the Valentine’s Day Just 4 You concert in the atrium on Feb. 14 during office hours. The concert was a special version of the Just 4 You concerts, where Tri-M offered various sweets in addition to love-themed songs. Tri-M prepared special love-themed snacks to increase audience participation. A total of four pieces will be performed, including “The Only Exception” by Paramore and “One More Love Song” by Mac DeMarco. The Valentine’s Day concert was the third Just 4 You concert that Tri-M held this school year. Last year, instead of holding a Valentine’s Day Just 4 You concert, the club held one in March with a joint performance with choir students.

Orchestra wins Platinum at KAIAC On Feb. 8, the SIS High School Orchestra (HSO) and middle school Coda Orchestra traveled to KIS to participate in the KAIAC Large Group Ensemble. Both HSO and Coda Orchestra earned the highest rating, Platinum.

This marks HSO’s eighth consecutive year earning the Platinum rating. HSO played Serenata by Leroy Anderson and Carnival Overture

by Antonin Dvorak.

“The SIS Orchestra had a wonderful performance,” said Michael Ganus, orchestra director. “The orchestra performed very musically, and the members showed what excellent musicians they all are. Ms. Kim and I are very proud.”

KIS hosts 2018 National History Day On Feb. 24, the annual National History Day (NHD) competition will be held at Korea International School (KIS). High school and middle school students from various schools in Korea will compete in one of the five divisions: research paper, exhibit, documentary film, dramatic performance, or website. According to Anthony Loveday, NHD advisor at SIS, 80 students from SIS will participate. NHD Korea claims that the event gives students a chance to produce original works of analysis.

“NHD has allowed me to pursue historical interests outside of the classroom,” said Leonard Lee (10), NHD participant. “In school, history classes have strict curricula, and some of the subjects are of less interest to me. However, the freedom of topics when competing in NHD allows me to pursue my historical interests in a more personalized way. I submitted this year again and am hoping for the best results.”

Judges will evaluate students based on three categories: historical quality, relation to theme, and clarity of presentation. This year’s NHD theme is Conflict and Compromise in History.

Random Acts of Kindness hosts first RAK Week On Feb. 12-14, the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) club initiated their most anticipated event of the year: RAK Week.

RAK initiated a series of diverse events to promote spirit and kindness among the school body, ranging from handing out free treats to decorating hallways in spirit of Valentine’s day. Though it was the first year that RAK week was hosted at SIS, students and faculty felt that the club held high hopes and did not disappoint.

“RAK came up with the idea of having RAK Week--and coordinating it with Valentine’s Day—to create a feeling of caring and kindness in the SIS community,” said Barbara Conant, RAK adviser. “RAK planned various activities to showcase what random acts of kindness are, and what the club itself works toward.

I feel like often students can be scared to stand out, but I hope with RAK Week they learn that it’s okay to be standing out for doing positive things. And the more we promote such spirit, hopefully the more people will be comfortable with it and willing to pay the kindness forward.”

To promote this spirit of “paying forward” the kindness as effectively as possible, RAK began preparing this major event since the beginning of the second semester. RAK Week required more elaborate preparation than most other club activities that typically last for less than a day and, unlike RAK Week, consist of just one project each. On the other hand, RAK Week consisted of seven separate activities that ran mostly for the span of three days; thus, the club members spent about five weeks breaking into groups and preparing all seven distinct projects.

With the goal of encouraging kindness

in mind, RAK worked vigorously for a few months in preparation for the event.

“Two weeks before RAK Week, RAK members were already doing a countdown to the week on social media —Snapchat and Instagram—and I was, frankly, extremely excited for the event as were many other students,” said Amy Kim (10), a student who witnessed the

Smiling, Sravani Jujjuru (6), proudly holds up a RAK week sign.

Photo by Lauren Kang

buildup to RAK Week. “It was clear that RAK was preparing and working extremely hard, and their advertising really made everyone look forward to the event.”

The fruits of RAK’s efforts were evident on Monday, Feb. 12 when RAK Week began; around campus, many RAK activities were noticeably encouraging

Valentine’s spirit and the spread of kindness. As students walked into the high school building on Monday, they were greeted with one of the hallways decorated with colorful balloons; during office hours and activity period, students were often popping the balloons and finding inspirational memos inside of them. In addition, a Valentine' Day photo booth was set up, along with a booth in the atrium for “Pay it forward,” at which students were encouraged to carry out a random act of kindness, and ask the recipient to “pay it forward” and create a kindness domino effect, so to speak. And to further nurture a sense of happiness and kindness, the tiger mascot roamed around the building giving out free hugs and candy.

“RAK Week definitely went well and had a strong presence in the school community,” said Eddie Ko (11), an executive member of RAK. “One of our most influential projects was the 500 personal notes we wrote for the high school students. These notes spread positivity throughout everybody’s trips to lockers, walks to classes, and strolls around the hallways. Overall, we created an atmosphere of kindness and spirit, two things that our community often lacks.

I could see the positivity being spread when people were having fun popping our balloons, reading the messages, and hugging the tiger. Witnessing those instances really made me feel that RAK Week was a worthwhile event for the students and the school community overall.”

By Eju Ro Sophomore, Staff Writer

Lack of safety measures initiates chain of fires in Korea

A

massive conflagration blazed through a hospital in Miryang, South Korea on Jan. 26, killing 37 people and injuring another 130. The accident came weeks after a similar tragedy in Jechon, further fueling the breakout of public anger over the recent series of disasters that have occurred nationwide. Through the smoke of the heated atmosphere, such incidents revealed the increase in not only the death tolls but also the recurrent safety lapses, sparking concern over the government’s inability to enforce safety standards.

“There are so many people who have been affected through the recent string of fires,” said Grace Oh (11), AP Environmental Science student. “Such tragic events demonstrate the lack of proper safety measures in our country. Korea is not part of a region where there is an extremely dry climate that is prone to fires.

This means that these frequent outbreaks are caused by poor facilities and protocols, which the government should not only be aware of, but also fix.”

In December, the building fire that claimed the lives of 29 victims was attributed to the malfunctioning of the sprinkler systems. Such flaws in security

led to the arrest of the building’s manager, who was charged with the violations of fire safety regulations and involuntary homicide by negligence. Likewise, the hospital fire in Miryang was found to lack appropriate safety measures. According to Choi Man-woo, chief of the local fire department, the Miryang hospital lacked fire sprinklers, resulting in fatal smoke inhalation, many of which were those of immobile patients with respiratory difficulties. The reason for deficiency as given by the hospital’s chairman, Son Kyung-chul, was that sprinklers were not installed in the building “due to its small size,” once again underscoring the dire need for the implementation of substantive safety provisions.

“The fact that the hospital was devoid of any safety systems is quite shocking,” said Eric Hwang (10), GIN member.

“Whether it be a medical department or not, safety should always come first, and extensive steps should be taken beforehand to especially protect the lives of those who need more assistance than others in disastrous situations.”

Though upon his inauguration, President Moon Jae-in vowed to make Korea a “safer” place to live, the recent accidents

pertaining to the failure of his delivery have degraded confidence in the President’s credibility. Furthermore, public skepticism has risen for the future of the country’s safety standards, with the majority of the South Koreans remaining traumatized over the sinking of the Sewol ferry in 2014. In the wake of the fire, Moon convened an emergency staff meeting, “expressing deep regrets” over the high death toll and ordering a thorough investigation to take preventative measures for similar fires. Moon also called for immediate medical support for those evacuated from the Miryang hospital and pledged to take action in response to the incident.

“Though President Moon has previously affirmed that safety measures will be strengthened, the recent fires directly contradict his statements,” said Gordon Kim (10), Forensics member. “Whether the government will now follow through on its stance is undecided, but hopefully, more effective initiatives will be enacted to actually prevent further accidents like these in the future.”

By Sia Cho Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times

February 2018

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Students build friendship and clutch victory at AISA Math and Leadership Conference On Feb. 1-4, 10 SIS students attended the 2018 AISA Math and Leadership Conference at Senri Osaka International School (SOIS). This annual conference, held to cultivate friendship and fraternity among AISA schools outside the realm of sports, consists of a two-day math tournament comprised of creative challenges and a leadership seminar for student council representatives. Eventually, the SIS math team placed second against teams from Korea International School (KIS), Senri International School (SIS), and Osaka International School (OIS), with Brian EJ Lee (11) taking the crown for individual rounds.

The first tournament day consisted of two individual rounds, followed by an exhaustive “math trail” challenge at North Senri Park. SIS was represented by Soomin Chun (12), Diana Lee (12), Nuri Choi (12), Jinwoo Kim (12), and Brian. Teams were given one calculator each, a pixelated aerial view picture of the park, and a series of prompts that sent them sprinting from hills to the lake, gym, water tank, and parking lot.

“We thought we had performed really well in the team rounds, so we—especially the seniors—were surprised and disheartened when it was announced that we had lost the championship title and the AISA traveling plaque, which we had won last year,” Jinwoo said. “Turns out, we were so focused on running frantically at the park that we forgot to show our work. Still, the disappointment was short and we were happy to have made lasting memories with our friends and have eaten great Japanese food.”

The leadership conference, on the other hand, was designed to be more constructive and collaborative. The SIS HSSC was represented by Junie Kah (11), junior coun-

cil president, Amy Kim (11), junior council public relations, Minsung Kim (11), junior council secretary, and Steven Chung (9), freshman council treasurer. Between creative icebreakers and guest lectures from the SOIS administration, HSSC members had ample opportunities to interact and synergize with representatives from other schools.

“Getting to know the council members of other schools really gave us a new perspective on the way our HSSC works,” Minsung said. “We learned that student councils at SOIS or KIS meet for two to three hours every week or have leadership as an official class. We also came away wanting to reform our election process, so that we can attract and elect candidates with more quality and dedication. We will be updating the student body soon on our plans of action.”

In fact, some of these ideas for new events were proposed at the HSSC general meeting following the conference. Proposals included a Summer Splash-Down, Bubble Soccer, Haunted School, teacher-student karaoke, an e-sports tournament, and a school-wide tagging game called Assassin. Many of these ideas had yielded favorable results in other AISA schools.

“In the closing event for the weekend, we had to make boats out of boxes, balloons, and tape, so that we could sit in and sail the boat across the SOIS pool,” Sohee said. “We were teamed up with students from SOIS and KIS and came away with a lot of new friends—which was the case both during the conference and our trips to the Osaka Expo. I’m so happy to have marked my senior year with a special cultural and learning experience.”

By Diana Na Kyoung Lee Senior, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Struggling to prevent “Yea Boi” from capsizing, Sohee Ahn (12) signals for help from her team, which was comprised of students from different schools. Photo Courtesy of SOIS

The More You Know You might recognize this article from the last mass shooting This article you are about to read can be understood just as well by reading the same column in issue 4 published last November. I might as well have copied and pasted those words, because in the time since the last mass shooting in the United States and this most recent tragedy, nothing has changed.

The topic, of course, is gun control— the eternal political debate that seems to be characterized by a level of inaction that is significant even by congressional standards. Whenever I tell Americans that I live in South Korea, they always ask me inevitably how “scary it is to live near North Korea” and whether I live in constant fear of a nuclear attack raining down from above. In return, I often wonder what it’s like to live in America, where every time I walk down the street or go to the movie theatre I could theoretically be sitting next to someone with

a handgun in their pocket, a civilized nation where I could be gunned down at school, at the local grocery store, or in a gun shop surrounded by the very weapons used to terrorize innocent civilians.

The cycle of mass shootings in America is so well-documented that it is almost a cycle in itself. Time and time again, after every mass shooting, the people ask for gun control. Time and time again, the NRA says that the only way to stop a criminal with a gun is for every citizen to arm themselves and begin what essentially amounts to a shootout. The only way—imagine that!

To the NRA, the US is essentially a war zone, where every citizen gets up in the morning, packs their gun, and is ready to be a hero by shooting someone at a minute’s notice. Sadly, America is not a nation of minutemen. The “good guy with a gun” narrative only works if we are

in a battlefield or a war where we expect to be shot at and are ready to shoot back, not in a civil society where everyday life consists of going to the grocery store or watching a movie.

Moreover, as I talked about in my article back in issue 4, putting guns in the hands of the “good guys” only works to prevent the mass shootings or criminal shootings that are often reported by the media. However, there is a significant portion of gun violence that is perpetrated by precisely these “good guys,” people who pass mental health tests, have spotless criminal records, and seem ordinary by all means. How can we prevent crimes of passion, where a normal argument is escalated by the mere presence of a gun, with background checks? The truth that Americans cannot admit is that regardless of who the person is, having a gun in the

By Andrew Ham

house makes it exponentially likely that someone will be injured or killed by that very gun. After a certain point, when 11,101 out of 14,022 total homicides in one year are committed by firearms, we need to admit that guns do kill people.

So many of the crimes that we see would have been limited in scope without a tool of war to amplify the damage.

Once again, I urge the United States to take up gun control, of course, but also to consider more radical measures.

We should be focused on keeping firearms away from dangerous members of society and criminals, but we must also remember that anyone can change momentarily during an argument or an altercation, and providing citizens with such easy access to these weapons of mass destruction is ultimately an irresponsible, unworthy act of a just government.

Korean entrepreneurship remains difficult

BY YOUNGJIN PARK

We are surrounded by a world rife with great ideas, and seemingly even more startups — from fully-grown companies like Amazon and Google to one-man indie developers.

In the wake of the 2008 recession as well as the ongoing flourish of the software market, entrepreneurial spirit has resurged; venture capital companies are seeking to invest more than ever while creating cheaper, but functional products. Across the globe, “entrepreneurship” has evolved from its rather humble beginnings into a buzzword representing success.

Many experts, such as professor Zoltan Acs from George Mason University, agree that entrepreneurship is a boon for the economy. Some entrepreneurs can get obscenely rich, but by doing so they often create jobs, creating much more growth than established businesses: the US Small Business Administration claims approximately seven out of 10 new jobs are formed by small businesses, even though established businesses employ more people.

New businesses not only promote a stronger economy but also provide quality of life improvements and facilitate other businesses. Some entrepreneurial ventures, such as those that bring the internet to developing nations, facilitate other startups and encourage a healthy entrepreneurial scene that is necessary in a country.

In America and other developed western countries, entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have become household names, while figures like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have ascended even beyond the celebrity status and are now considered heroes. Social media has trumpeted the success of entrepreneurs who bootstrapped themselves up from grassroots, galvanizing a generation more acutely aware of entrepreneurship than any other. The

Millennial Magazine, a web publication for the 30 and under demographic, claims that 60 percent of US millennials consider themselves to be entrepreneurs, while 90 percent think they have the entrepreneurial mindset. Another survey by the Bentley University indicates that 66 percent of US millennials would like to start their own business and 37 percent wants to work on their own. This suggests that millennials could be more entrepreneurial than almost any other generation.

Developing countries, by nature, are sites of exponential growth and development, which opens the door to new exciting possibilities. Steve Yegge outlined why he left a dream company of many, Google, to work at a startup in Southeast Asia (SEA) for a company called Grab: he perceived the potential in the emerging markets of SEA to be limitless. In SEA and other developing regions, even though the people are more impoverished, many people have access to the web through mobile devices, which opens up unprecedented new markets. Grab, for example, started out as a company for taxi-booking and food delivery like Uber but later released their Grab Pay app, which allows people to transfer money to others digitally conveniently.

In contrast to the rest of the world, the entrepreneurial scene in Korea looks rather grim. In Korea, success is Samsung, not starting your own business. Most Koreans don’t train to become entrepreneurs; they work hard to get into famous colleges for the sole purpose of increasing their chances of getting hired into one of the “good” businesses.

According to an OECD report, only 20 percent of Korean youth believe that entrepreneurs are good role models, which is by an incredibly wide margin, the least positive

view of any OECD country. This contrast between the negative view of entrepreneurship in Korea and the actual large body of people who own small businesses suggests that Korean entrepreneurs are mostly self-employed, necessity entrepreneurs, who create businesses as means to employ themselves, not opportunity entrepreneurs, who take the initiative to bring their ideas into the market.

Necessity and opportunity entrepreneurs both share the same job of an entrepreneur, but they have incredibly varied implications. According to a study done by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, opportunity entrepreneurs are great for the economy, while necessity entrepreneurs do not make an appreciable effect on the economy.

Other challenges are present for Korean entrepreneurs as well. Business that rise to meaningful prominence are often acquired by powerful conglomerates, the “Chaebols,” companies like Samsung, Hyundai, or LG, due to their immense capital and influence. As these conglomerates expand, they can often outcompete and acquire the small to medium-sized businesses in their respective sectors.

Samsung, for example, not only provides smartphones, but is also involved in TVs, chips, cars, construction, housing, housing insurance, health insurance, apparel, air conditioners, laundry machines, amusement parks, and in many of those sectors, they are present if not dominant.

It is reasonable to expect that these challenges today for Korean entrepreneurs will be the similar challenges that future Korean entrepreneurs will face in 10 years. If that is the case, the Korean entrepreneurial scene will continue to be limited, restricted, and dominated by a limited pool of businesses.

Seeking entrepreneurship at SIS

BY YOUNGSEO JHE

Entrepreneurship has a long chapter in history. From the merchants of the Silk Roads to Steve Jobs of Apple, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs have existed in some way, shape, or form. The boundaries that once defined these enterprisers, however—the classic examples of traders, merchants, and businesspeople—are now shifting.

Technological development is spurring multiple advancements in business, opening up interesting opportunities for young aspiring entrepreneurs. The world has now arrived at a point in time where everyone, everywhere, has easy access to a wide audience. This means that anyone can start small and accomplish big, including students. It does not necessarily take a Bill Gates mini-me or an astoundingly groundbreaking idea to succeed in entrepreneurship.

Even the greatest of ideas can sprout from small sparks of inspiration.

SIS is no exception to the phenomenon of increasing entrepreneurial activity. With the advantage of greater access to information, students are actively organizing nonprofit organizations, promoting themselves through social media, and pitching creative ideas at competitions. There are student entrepreneurs at SIS that are even planning to continue their careers at college. Just four months ago, Jo Lee (12) founded a nonprofit organization called PASSIONFRUIT and is currently working to further develop her business.

What inspired Jo to establish a startup business was her determination to take action and instigate social change.

While browsing through her Facebook feed, she came across a video discussing the dearth of government aid for the damage done by the Hurricane Maria crisis in Puerto Rico. She was enraged by what she perceived to be apathy exhibited by the leaders of the US. That rage later changed into a sense of shame after Jo realized that she was hardly

any different from the inactive government. Upon these contemplations, Jo decided that she would no longer remain passive about such social issues—and hence the birth of PASSIONFRUIT. “We initially began as a laptop sticker business but later extended it to apparel, which has had an overwhelming response so far,” Jo said. “All of our designs are student-made and I think that’s one of the most important parts of our business: providing a platform for the youth to fight for their passions. I hope to carry this on soon by receiving designs from everyone—not only our student designers—and expanding our merchandise to include other products.”

Overall, it seems that technology has created a more inclusive environment for business rookies. They are able to increase public accessibility to their businesses; Jo’s organization also runs on an online platform. Moreover, prospective entrepreneurs can easily gather information about and identify trends in the market they hope to enter, thanks to the Internet. Applications and social networking services facilitate communication and the exchange of feedback. They help maintain connections, which ultimately contributes to the growth of a business. The advent of technology has also generated a myriad of opportunities for enterprise. For example, YouTube, a mainstream social media platform, has helped pioneer a new entrepreneurial field: YouTubers are essentially putting their ideas out on the Internet as products.

The convenience and the ease with which YouTube can be operated have resulted in relatively active student participation in this enterprise. YouTube beauty vlogger Hailey Kim (11), under the name Cray Cray Bella, has regularly been uploading makeup tutorials and vlogs since last July.

She started her channel purely for entertainment, motivated by her personal interest in cosmetics. Once she uploaded

her productions, she began receiving constructive feedback from viewers. Such two-way interactions encouraged her to expand her content to include vlogs and occasional rants. This YouTube entrepreneur also utilizes Snapchat, a social networking service application, as a means to advertise her channel to her audience and inform them about her latest updates.

“Social media is the key to entrepreneurship,” Hailey said. “I myself am nowhere near a businesswoman, but observing my dad, media is an enormous factor in attracting, or losing, the crowd’s interest. Making your own Facebook page and YouTube account to connect with different people in the world and to show your hidden talents is another way that entrepreneurship and social media are linked together. [Such connections are] likely to happen once your channel or account becomes widely loved by a large audience.”

Early experiences as an entrepreneur prove invaluable in the world beyond secondary education, especially in an increasingly tech-oriented society. Yet, whether SIS students will really be prepared to enter the realm of business once they get sent off to college is questionable. Although Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) does give students a taste of what it is like to be an entrepreneur, not every student in the school is given this option, as FBLA is a rather selective club. SIS offers virtually no practical courses, and neither are students taught to be financially literate. This requires initiative on the part of the administration as well as the students; expanding chances for entrepreneurship in the school curriculum entails administrative involvement.

Considering the positive implications of entering the business sector, it may be reasonable to take a step toward providing measures that allow for students to involve themselves in basic entrepreneurial activity.

8 LIFESTYLE

99

ts complain

a g a in s t th e w o r ld

By Ye Joon Kah

“I’m too sick to come to school—and it just happens to be that I have a big test whenever I’m sick!”

Skipping school is an intrinsic culture at SIS—even to the point where you are considered a deviation from the standard if you have perfect attendance. There is indeed an uncanny coincidence between illness and tests at this school. Many students have a tendency to intentionally skip school whenever there is a big exam in order to create more time to study and to find external help from those who already took the test.

Regardless of these facts, there is nothing a teacher can do to prevent students from not coming to school.

Yes, evasion is a legitimate tactic under a few circumstances. However, like the famous saying: taxes can never be evaded. In a similar vein, assignments at school have a certain limit to where students can manipulate the loopholes. Recently, the school has even set several policies that make it difficult for students to miss exams: a student must bring a doctor’s note in order to be qualified to take the test, and they must take it as soon as possible.

Despite these specific policies dictated by the school, there still are students who continue to follow the pattern of missing school on test days. Nonetheless, the paradox lies here: on the surface level, students call in “sick” because they want to raise their grades—yet, doing so ultimately harms their educational career. The more days of missed school, the fewer the learning opportunities for an individual. As a result, students are neglecting the values of true education in order to receive a better education in college.

Perhaps rather than the fault of the students, it is the sort of competitive environment that SIS fosters which pushes students to make these sorts of decisions. However, if we start the blaming game, there are too many fingers to be pointed at too many different people. Rather than lying in a permanent state of stagnancy, we can explore a tangible solution that will incentivize students not to miss school. At the end of the day, we all pay an inordinate amount of money in order to go to this prestigious school, and we do not want any of it to be going to waste.

The first step to be taken is to reduce the emphasis of grades in this school: perhaps changing the grading system entirely from a 100 point scale would be the only way to overturn the rife competition at our school, and switching to a 6-point scale or even letter grades would lessen up the tension.

Nevertheless, most importantly, it lies on the responsibility of the students to take on a different mindset. Instead of thinking of ways to temporarily avoid tests, perhaps they can just take it, regardless of whether they are prepared or not. Whatever the results may be, that test will show the legitimate skill of the individual, and will thus contribute to a more truthful image in the academic level.

Among these circumstances are those who are legitimately sick and cannot come to school; but most students know the true reason as to why their peers skip schools when they have certain tests: because they have no choice but to evade something they are not prepared well for.

SIS experiences “baby boom” in recent months During the past few months, a number of teachers at SIS have had children, thus marking a significant change in their lives and the school community.

Such individuals include Eugene and Megan Lee, Alyssa and Tyge Shelby, Sara and Peter Brodhead, Jeffrey Mcavoy-Hein and Julie Hein, and Alice Cha. This so-called “baby boom” occurring at SIS has allowed for the development of a communal and family-like atmosphere among faculty members—an environment of support, compassion, and understanding. To this end, teachers often congratulate couples for their newborn in a myriad of ways and sometimes help the couple handle external issues during times of stress or general difficulty. Such support helped alleviate accumulated stress and facilitated the transition process for these parents.

“SIS has an extremely strong sense of community,” said Mr. Lee, high school science teacher. “Many teachers have offered to prepare meals, buy items from Costco, act as a substitute teacher, and babysit our son for us. Thanks to the wealth of knowledge the SIS teachers in our community have accumulated over

the years [pertaining to having a child], it is very comforting to have peers we can look to for answers to questions and their personal experiences.”

Female teachers preparing to give birth are given maternal leave, during which they are able to focus less on creating lessons and tests for students and more on the baby on the way. An absence of such important figures has led to the need for long-term substitute teachers who can create their own lessons and grade assignments for the class. Such sudden, inevitable changes have led to alleged difficulties experienced by students in adapting to their new learning environments.

“When I first found out that [Megan Lee, high school English teacher,] was leaving for a few months, I thought it would be hard to adjust to a new teacher’s expectations,” said Eric Hwang (10), who has been learning from a long-term substitute teacher for two months.

“However, thankfully, the transition process has been quite smooth, and I think most of us have adjusted to this new learning environment well, despite initial difficulties acquainting ourselves

with the substitute and adapting to her teaching style.”

The affected teachers have found it increasingly difficult to handle the process of having a baby during the weeks since his or her birth. Having to withstand the stress of juggling one’s work and personal life, as well as maintaining one’s own health, has been a minor issue teachers have had to deal with throughout this transition process. Nevertheless, the couples have generally found it to be a fulfilling experience that produced an additional source of happiness for them.

“Of course, I remember nights when I couldn’t sleep because of my children,” said Peter Brodhead, high school English teacher. “When I found out Sara was pregnant for the first time a few years ago, I initially thought to myself that there would be no more fun and games.

Having kids simply means a different kind of fun. Today, I don’t remember the days I couldn’t sleep much, but I remember more of the days of having a great time.”

By Andy Yoon Sophomore, Staff Writer

School installs air purifiers in every classroom in response to high air pollution

Walking around the streets of Seoul, it is easy to notice that white sanitary masks are worn throughout the year. Air pollution has been and is continuing to be a severe nationwide health threat to citizens and their respiratory systems.

In order to protect its students from the negative impacts of air pollution, SIS recently installed air purifiers in every classroom that can be manually controlled by teachers.

According to data from research by the National Environmental Science Institute, KORUS-AQ , which was conducted in last July, 34 percent of the air pollution comes from China, nine percent from North Korea, and 52 percent from within South Korea. Because much of South Korea’s the air pollution originates from within itself, people of all ages easily become victims of heavy pollution.

After consecutive days of high air particles in the Korean atmosphere, especially early on this year, SIS provided a delightful surprise for its students on Feb. 9: level three wall type air purifiers were installed in every classroom. The

JUKEBOX JEWELS Bad Suns

BY DAW N K I M

air purifiers are generalized to CA-certified model AP-2510EH from Coway, each price ranging around 40,000 won each for rent and 980,000 won for official payment. The school purchased over 70 of these air purifiers and the installment was performed by Coway over the weekends.

“We realized that the air quality was deteriorating over a few years here in Seoul,” said Michael Colaianni, Director of Schools Education. “We have a government air quality index on our webpage, and we look at that every hour to make sure that the air in this particular neighborhood is suitable. We have a very conservative policy that brings students inside when the air quality reaches a point where we feel it is maybe some danger to students. And we wanted to make sure that within each classroom and kids and parents could feel safe that their kids were in a safe breathing environment. The Coway agents did a wonderful job with installing the machines over a limited period of time. ” The initial reaction from the student body, as well as the teachers and parents,

There is a special kind of anxiety that comes with the second semester of the school year. A part of you knows that since you have spent the better half of the year fretting over assignments and teachers, you will know the little tips and tricks that make AP courses and new teachers easier to navigate through. A part of you worries nonetheless, succumbing to the pressure of rounding out both parts of the school year by outperforming yourself each time. In the midst of this instability, Bad Suns serves as the

was confusion. This was because the installation was not aforementioned or even hinted at in any context.

“I don’t know exactly the reason behind this sudden and drastic decision,” said Michael Silber, AP World History teacher at SIS. “But regardless of its reason, it’s always a good thing that the school cares about public health.

Certainly, it did surprise me in the way it developed, but I think some kind of concern can be expressed by parents.”

Although the installment was a quick and spontaneous decision, following a few days of adjustment, both teachers and students have provided positive feedback of having the in the classrooms that can easily turn on and off with a remote. Furthermore, in the quarterly Parents Advisory Commission held last Wednesday, many parents also expressed their appreciation and satisfactions to have the safety portion of the school updated and keep their kids in a safer environment.

By Andie Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

perfect depressant to calm you down for the time being, allowing you to resume life until the next bout of anxiety strikes once more.

Bad Suns was founded in early 2012 by vocalist Christo Bowman, bassist Gavin Bennett, drummer Miles Morris, and guitarist Ray Libby. The Southern California rock band purports itself to be heavily influenced by music in the 70s and 80s.

Teetering on the edges of alternative pop and post rock, the band has produced two studio albums, one EP,

Tiger Times February 2018

9

Black Panther packages resounding message in blockbuster

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a lot to be commended for. The studio’s inexplicable ability to create a highly intricate web of stories that connect at multiple junctions, all the while converging into a single storyline, is an unprecedented feat in modern cinema. However, what Marvel movies often lack are messages that ultimately feel consequential and connect to larger and relevant issues in the modern world.

“Black Panther” is different, however; the February film not only ensures Marvel’s light-hearted dynamism, but it also delivers pointed commentary while celebrating black culture.

The movie takes place in Wakanda, a fictional African nation that is not at all what it seems. To the rest of the world Wakanda is an impoverished third-world nation that relies on its textile industry and weaves colorful dresses. However, thanks to being built on an abundant supply of the most versatile metal in the world, vibranium, Wakanda actually boasts of highly advanced technology years ahead of the rest of world. Such technology—such as perfected maglev trains, spinal regeneration, and advanced weaponry—are hidden

by Wakandans from the rest of the world for fear of exploitation. The film features T’Challa, the current Black Panther, who is in line to become the next king of Wakanda and is tasked with answering questions about isolationism, especially when faced with the reality that Wakanda’s technology could help improve the impoverished conditions of subjugated people all over the world.

“Black Panther” has been lauded for celebrating black culture in an unapologetic, unrestrained fashion, which it does by evoking afrofuturism. Afrofuturism is the imagining of a technological utopia seen through the lens of African culture. Such a term was coined in response to the fact that African culture had, over the course of history, been stunted in its technological development due to slavery and imperialism, with almost every square mile of the African continent colonized by European settlers at some point. But because fictional Wakanda has never been tainted by white supremacy and imperialism, ancient African traditions remain common practice there while interlaced with advanced technology and science. In addition to this concept of celebrating African culture, because “Black Panther” boasts an African-American staff, an African-American soundtrack, and addresses African-American issues, the movie represents an idea that black culture can claim as its own with full autonomy. In this way, the movie is more than just a good

and five singles since 2013, remaining steady with its branding, genre, and band members for a solid six years.

Like Jukebox Jewels alumnus Dresses, Bad Suns debuted with an otherwise meteoric rise. Though the band’s first EP, Transpose, received little to no publicity upon its release in 2013, 2014 and 2015 could arguably be described as the band’s heyday. The band’s release of their first album “Language & Perspective” launched the band into the spotlight, from opening shows for the 1975 to performing at Coachella 2015. If ticket sales

Directed by Ryan Coogler

ratings Rotten Tomato: 97% IMDB: 7.8/10 Common Sense Media: 5/5

By Grace Yang

Reviews “The arguments Black Panther undertakes with itself are central to its architecture, a narrative spine that runs from the first scene to the last.”

-Christopher Orr, The Atlantic

film. It’s the expression of a movement.

What makes “Black Panther” shine even brighter is its ability to make social commentary in a way that feels authentic and nuanced. The film’s commentary relies on its characters to look within themselves and struggle with their perspectives and viewpoints. Through this method, two different extreme points of view are offered.

T’Challa’s first instinct as king is to protect his country by ignoring the outside world.

Others want to use Wakanda’s full technological and military might to seek retribution for centuries of injustice, such as the

are any indication, the band’s popularity has and continues to be relatively popular. Following the release of their second studio album “Disappear Here,” Bad Suns has gone on three different tours in 2017 alone, the Heartbreaker tour, Outskirts of Paradise tour, and Love Like Revenge tour, which took place in spring, summer, and winter respectively, and has an upcoming three day show in the UK in March.

A typical song from Bad Suns is comprised of lyrics and vocals similar to that of Seafret vocalist Jack Sedman and

oppression in the US. Ultimately, however, the film decides that neither option is truly tenable. Such commentary is relevant more than ever in today’s society – at the end of the movie where it is explained at the UN that the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers, we can only assume that the movie is taking a jab at a certain politician obsessed with the latter.

Every time a new Marvel movie is announced, it’s an opportunity for the studio to refresh its formula and bring in new elements. In recent years, those elements have mostly been comedic or satirical – which

melodies reminiscent of those written by Dresses ex-members Timothy Heller and Ryan Maldonado. Picks such as “There Was a Home Once” ruminate upon the experiences of seeing one’s family deteriorate after growing up (“My bedroom looks the same, but that is not how it feels …

Mom and dad play pretend | But it’s over and we know.”) while others such as “Daft Pretty Boys” outlines a quintessential unstable relationship (“I’ve got no time to waste on another pretty face, Got no time to waste on another pretty face…”). With overarching themes of unrequited love

isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, not only does “Black Panther” boast thoughtful, compelling storytelling from, but the film also brings to light important political and social discussions in a way that roots the fantastical Marvel Cinematic Universe in real world issues. Because of this, “Black Panther” isn’t just another typical superhero story; it houses a powerful message, earning its place among the top of Marvel’s films.

By Jeremy Nam Junior, Staff writer

and existentialism, the group’s sound has become increasingly polished and refined over the years.

Checking in with reality after weeks of rest can be terrifying at times. Watching the world burst back into a dimension of obligations, personalities, and challenges is sometimes too much to handle. Maybe the lesson here to take from Bad Suns is that no matter the challenge, the answer is to always push on regardless. It did the band well–so maybe it will do its audience some good, too. Check out Bad Suns on YouTube, Spotify, and Bugs.

10 SPORTS

Coach Ghadimi adds vigor to varsity girls soccer team

W

ith the start of a new spring season comes many changes and new faces. One of these is the addition of Mary Ghadimi, AP English Literature and Composition teacher to the coaching staff of the varsity girls soccer team. As a well loved teacher at SIS, Coach Ghadimi drew much adulation from her players.

“The positive energy that Coach Ghadimi brings to the team is crucial during both games and practices,” said Karen Joo (12), right midfielder for the girls varsity soccer team. “I was so excited when I heard Ms. Ghadimi would be our new coach this season because it’s always great to have someone so enthusiastic and encouraging especially when playing a sport like soccer. I’m sure she’ll help us grow individually and as a team, just like she has ever since the beginning of the season.”

This season, Coach Ghadimi will be working mostly with Michelle Cho, the goalkeeper, with whom she does goalie training. Still, her interactions with the rest of the team cements her status as both an encouraging teacher in the classroom and a supportive coach in practice. Together with Tamara Atanaskovic, head coach of the varsity girls soccer team, Coach Ghadimi aims to lead their team.

“Coaching is fun since it’s cool to see students outside of a school setting,” said Coach Ghadimi. “I don’t know most of the girls on our team except for the three or four students in AP English Literature and Composition that I know. Still, there are many extremely talented girls on the team and I’m excited for

Sports Photo of the Month

this season.”

As one of the two coaches for the team, Coach Ghadimi plays an important role not only in improving the individual skill set of her players but also in fostering teamwork. By praising not insulting, the players improve.

“While working with Coach Ghadimi during every practice, I am learning a lot,” said Diane Lee (12), varsity girls soccer player. “I sometimes forget that I’m in practice because Coach Ghadimi’s encouragements make practice not gruelling but enjoyable. I know I’m improving but also enjoying soccer.”

Coach Ghadimi is a staunch believer that hard work and fun must come hand in hand for success. In her approach to drills and practice, Coach Ghadimi makes sure to make soccer fun for the players. In this way, the team can utilize after school practice as both a stress relief valve and a way to hone their individual skills.

“This is the first time I am coaching soccer,” said Coach Ghadimi. “From what I have learned from coaching previous sports, my most important coaching philosophy is to put full effort in every drill. But it’s also important to make sure practice is fun for the players and not stressful. If you make a mistake, it’s fine to laugh about it and enjoy it. I think if you combine hard work with a relaxed atmosphere, and if the team is happy and enjoy being together, that leads to wins and success.”

By Justin Chang Senior, Staff Writer

Jumping to make a layup, Andrew Lee (12) pushes through two defenders and successfully earns two points for the team.

Photo By Angela Choe

Chung Hyeon smashes opponents at Australian Open

O

n Jan. 22 during the Australian Open, Chung Hyeon, a South Korean tennis player, made history by defeating Novak Djokovic, giving him a spot in the quarterfinals.

Chung Hyeon has made a record of becoming the first South Korean – male or female – to reach a grand slam quarter-final.

During his match, Chung Hyeon won all three sets, astonishing viewers and fans. In his professional biography, Chung Hyeon stated, “Growing up, I looked up to Novak Djokovic because of his ‘fantastic game and mental strength.’ When I was young, I was trying to copy Novak because he’s my idol. I can’t believe this, dream’s come true tonight.”

“As a tennis player and a crazy fan, it was amazing to see Chung Hyeon not only show off his impressive skills but also use them to defeat one of the most talented tennis players” said Sarah Park (11), a tennis player.

“After watching Chung Hyeon, I wanted to become as talented as him and dreamed that later on, I will be in his shoes, going against talented tennis players. It’s amazing to see how a tennis player from a small country like South Korea can have their name on the headlines of world newspapers and magazines.”

According to Chung Hyeon, he took up the sport due to astigmatism, a common vision disease that causes blurred vision; doctors told him that looking at the color

green would help is eyesight. Chung Hyeon also got his start from his father and his brother who both participate in tennis.

Rising-star Chung Hyeon then defeated Tennys Sandgren, ranked 97 in the world, during the quarterfinals, ultimately placing him in the semi-finals, the first for any Korean tennis player, against Roger Federer.

Later, during his semi-finals match against Roger Federer, he resigned due to blisters that prohibited his play.

“I was in complete awe while watching Chung Hyeon defeat Djokovic throughout each set” said Justin Cheun (12), a varsity boy’s tennis player. “It was a shame to see Chung Hyeon forfeit the match during the semi-finals against Federer due to his blis-

ter. It would have been amazing to see a star from a small country go against one of the more well known tennis players.”

Chung Hyeon’s performance in the Australian Open was a surprise to say the least, shown by his jump to rank 29 from rank 58.

A veteran compared to Chung, Djokovic is currently rank 13 with 12 Grand Slam championships and 56 other professional ATP championships under his belt, while Chung had won just one ATP championship after being unable to participate last year due to his injuries.

By Angela Choe Junior, Staff Writer

Tiger Times February 2018

11

Basketball teams mark an end to their season with AISA

O

Getting into his shooting form, John Ban (12) attempts to shoot a free throw in the AISA Tournament held on Feb. 1 at SIS. Photo By Jocelyn Lee

n Feb. 1, the girls’ varsity basketball The boys were also the runner-ups against KIS team traveled to Busan while the boys’ Phoenixes, earning the title of second place. Howvarsity basketball team stayed at home ever, beating the Phoenixes as Champions with a court to participate in the Association score of 56:51 in the recently held Basketball KAIAC of International Schools in Asia (AISA) tournaTournament. On the first day of the tournament, ment. Other schools that participated, besides the boys kicked off with a triumphant game against SIS and Busan International Foreign School (BIFS) YIS, beating the team with a score of 48:40. Followwere Yokohama International School (YIS), Senri ing the lead, the boys marked another victorious Osaka International School (SOIS), Korea Internawin against BIFS with a score of 70:44. After an outtional School (KIS), Korea International School Jeju standing performance on their first day, the boys (KISJ), Branksome Hall Asia (BHA) and Chadwick started their second day with a challenging game International School (CI). Throughout the four-day against SOIS in the semi-finals. Nonetheless, the Titournament, the basketball teams made unforgetgers set off for a lead, winning the match by a score table memories and formed stronger bonds, as they of 55:34. The team struggled, however, in a tight approached the end of their season. game against KIS, losing the match with a onePlacing second in the tournament, the varsity point difference from a buzzer-beating three-pointgirls’ basketball team yielded successful results. er by Andy Yang of KIS. Although KIS placed first in Their first match was against BHA, whom they the end, SIS still placed second, followed by CI. defeated with a score of 48:35. However, the girls “From the moment I entered the gym, I could struggled in a tough match against SOIS, losing tell something was very different,” said Wonjai Lee the intense fight with a score of 34:41. Nevertheless, (12), varsity boys basketball team captain. “It wasn’t the girls regained their success and defeated BIFS because the tournament was taking place in Korea. with a score of 45:29. Maintaining their streak, they It wasn’t because I was hosting two students from competed with KIS and ended victorious with 42:37. SOIS (Senri Osaka International School) either.

Their final match of the tournament was against It was because of the fact that I was in the exact SOIS, the team deemed undefeatable. Unfortunateposition the former captains had been in just a ly, despite the girls’ attempt to put on a fascinating year ago. It was definitely a heavy load on my back, performance, they lost by a score of 35:39. With a the idea of becoming a mentor for the younger total of three wins and two losses, the varsity girls athletes on the team. I would have called this placed second place, SOIS placed first, KIS placed tournament a very successful one but at the end of third, YIS placed fourth, BIFS placed fifth and BHA the day, the tournament was a heartbreaking one, placed sixth. honestly more pain than pleasure, mainly because “The AISA trip was undoubtedly my most memof our loss in the finals. But I do believe this loss orable and favorite moment of this year’s basketball may have been a wake-up call for us not to get too season,” said Michelle Ahn (10), member of the complacent. If there are any goals that I think the girls basketball team. “For the first time in so many team should have in mind, they should be to win years, our varsity girls basketball team brought 1st place in the KAIAC Tournament and come back back a plaque. The games were tight and fun, faster stronger next year to take over the AISA tournathan our normal games. My personal hopes for next ment as well.” year would be to become AISA champions as well as KAIAC champions since we were so close of becom- By Claire Lee ing one this year.”

Sophomore, Staff Writer

Graphic by April Kim

NBA All-star weekend showcases athletic talent

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n Feb. 16, the top basketball players from the NBA showcased their talents during the NBA All-star weekend. With events ranging from the three-point contest to the actual All-star game itself, fans were thrilled to see the extraordinary display of talent that makes the best of the best stand out even in the premier basketball league in the world.

This year, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver introduced a new format to the Allstar games. Previously, each All-star game pitted the best players from the Eastern Conference with the best players from the Western Conference. But in the 2018 All-star games, the best player from each conference drafted the players for their respective teams from a pool of a combination of the best players from both conferences, allowing fans to see a welcome mix of talent from both the East and the West. This year, the

team captains were Stephen Curry, starting point guard for the Golden State Warriors, and Lebron James, starting small forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“This year’s All-star game was particularly impressive since the talent among players were distributed among both teams,” said Andrew Lee (12), varsity boy’s basketball player. “In past years, the West always won since the West just had better players. But with the playing field leveled in this year’s game, each team actually began to put in effort to win, culminating in an astounding display of both offensive and defensive talent.”

This year’s three point contest once again pitted the best shooters in the league against each other and included big names like Klay Thompson, starting shooting guard of the Golden State Warriors, Bradley Beal, starting shooting guard of the Wash-

ington Wizards, and Devin Booker, starting shooting guard of the Phoenix Suns. While Thompson put up an astounding effort in the second round of the contest by putting up 25 points, it was not enough to overcome the 28 points Booker scored. Booker went home with not only the trophy but also with the record for the most number of points scored in an All-star three point contest.

“I watched Devin Booker’s record-breaking three point contest live and was quite frankly astounded,” said James Lee (11), a basketball enthusiast. “Stephen Curry made a name for himself in 2015 by putting up 27 points, which was the record back then, and was called the king of the three-point land thereafter. It will be interesting to see how Devin Booker’s career plays out, especially since he is not only a naturally gifted shooter but also very young.”

In the dunk contest, rookies Donovan Mitchell, starting shooting guard of the Utah Jazz, and Dennis Smith Jr., starting point guard of the Dallas Mavericks, went against Larry Nance Jr., recently traded power forward of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Victor Oladipo, starting guard for the Indiana Pacers. Each contestant showed an array of skills and pizzazz throughout the contest. Of the memorable dunks included Nance Jr.’s double tap dunk, Mitchell’s picture perfect imitation of the legendary Vince Carter, and Victor Oladipo’s Black Panther dunk where he donned a mask from the recently released blockbuster film given to him by the movie’s star, Chadwick Boseman. In the end, Mitchell took home both the win and the trophy.

By Justin Chang Senior, Staff Writer

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SMALL TALK

What is ethnorelativism?

The Olympic season is back– it is the season of medals, competing, and sports, but it is also the season of internationalism and culture. The sporting events constitute just the tip of the iceberg; below the surface lies the cultural and social significance of this global event. As more than 90 countries and cultures are convening in Pyeongchang, this February is a particularly relevant time to discuss the need for inter-cultural sensitivity and assimilation: ethnorelativism.

The dictionary definition of ethnorelativism is the ability to view various behaviors and values as cultural rather than universal. In other words, it is the ability to respect and understand cultures by adopting various cultural perspectives.

Being ethnorelative might sound easy – just respect other cultures. However, it requires a bit more than just that. So the worrier I am, here is a brief explanation of ethnorelativism for anyone who hopes to be more culturally sensitive this year.

“We’re all the same--we’re all people in the end.”

Ostensibly, this maxim means that everyone should respect everyone else because “we’re all people” and thus all equal. Indeed, it holds an appealing notion of universality and global respect. But such a vague,

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:: social justice worrier

hackneyed notion is only a veneer for the underlying meaning of the statement: “Let’s pretend as if everyone, regardless of their backgrounds or cultures, are living in the same circumstances as I am. Let’s try to ignore cultural differences.”

The common misconception is that being universal (believing in premises like the one above) is having open arms for everyone, regardless of race or culture.

However, those who often believe in such values are those who, in fact, do not open their arms up to cultural differences. To be ethnorelative, one cannot simply lump everyone into one “universal” identity group as human beings and hope that everyone will be happy and respectful.

Ethnorelativism is a confusing social concept that is even more difficult to acquire as an ability. But as a Korean often encountering non-Koreans, in retrospect, it is a concept that is extremely relevant to the life of myself and of many others.

For example, let’s say an American named Bill is beginning his stay in Korea. When Bill learns about the culture of taking off shoes in houses, he finds it odd and uncomfortable--he asks me, “Why do you even do that?

It’s so weird and unnecessary,” he tells me, and pro-

[Annotated] facts from direct NRA sources

Most Read, Most Trusted Dana Loesch, NRA spokesperson: “Not everyone is able to do the same things that other individuals are able to do in order to further the cause for “freedom” and keep our rights “secure.” But there’s one small thing that people can do, the very least, the bare minimum, to make sure that their rights are secure, but the “rights” for the [murdered] next generation, and so on and so forth, and that’s to join the NRA, and become a member. Join this historical organization that has a proven track record of fighting for individual “liberty,” has measurable success in keeping our rights [but not to life, to safety, to freedom of speech] “secure,” and I think that by doing that, they’re “contributing” [to the mass shooting statistics that keep on growing.]

Wayne Lapierre, executive vice president of the NRA: “It’s a bizarre fact that in this country our jewelry stores, all over this country, are more important than our children [who are shot down as they sit in classrooms]. Our banks, our airports, our NBA games, our NFL games, our office building, our movie stars, our politicians, they’re all more protected than our children at school [less than two months into 2018, we have shootings in Marshall County, 2 killed, 18 wounded. Parkland, 17 killed, 14 wounded.] Does that make any sense? To anybody? Do we really love our money [that we bribe politicians with to keep gun laws out of the Senate floor] and our

by Eju Ro

celebrities more than our children? … Evil walks among us [holding AR-15s] and God help us if we don’t “harden” our schools [by arming teachers] and “protect” our kids [by giving them access to assault rifles.]”

NRA Twitter Account: “According to this #ArmedCitizen ‘The AR-15 is my weapon of choice for home “protection”... And this is just a perfect example of good guy with an AR-15 stopped a bad guy with a knife [by waving his gun around in the air and yelling at the assailant to stop stabbing people.]”

“Blaming guns is not a rational response. First of all, guns don’t commit crimes all by themselves [but did you know easier access to firearms means more gun deaths? Did you know that lack of background checks allows the guns to land in the hands of those who can use guns to commit such crimes?] but also because rifles of all types are used in less than 3% of murders each year in the U.S., according to FBI uniform crime reports. [in addition: the US makes up less than 5% of the world’s population, but holds 31% of global mass shooters (CNN).

In 2007, the estimated number of civilian-owned firearms in the US was 88.8 guns per 100 people, the highest-ranked country in the world for such a statistic (Washington Post). According to Vox, the world’s second-ranked country was Yemen, a ‘quasi-failed state torn by civil war,’ with 54.8 guns per 100 people. Is this even satirizable anymore?]

BY JOYCE LEE

ceeds to walk into my house with his shoes on.

Such instances seem trivial: no one was really hurt by the fact that Bill did not want to take his shoes off, but the accretion of such attitudes and judgements about other cultures is what can ultimately result in discrimination, prejudice, or disrespect.

Ethnocentrism is not restricted to seemingly inconsequential behavior—for instance, consider Muslim head coverings. Headscarves are considered “unacceptable” and often people of other cultures fail to understand that simply because they do not wear such headscarves does not mean no one else should. In fact, France, in 2017, made it legal for companies to ban employees from wearing headscarves, so such ethnocentric behavior exists on legal and structural levels as well.

We should be more vigilant when we interact with people of other cultures. Though universality sounds ideal, being universal instead of cultural is failing to respect and understand differences in culture. The root of respect is understanding that one’s culture is not the only one worthy of recognition. Let us learn to shift perspective to be global citizens in preparation for this Olympic season.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Joanne Lee (12) passionately presents her trifold during the AP Research atrium display to sophomore students.

Photo courtesy of Michael Silber