Tiger Times Volume 49 Issue 6 by SIS Tiger Times

Tiger Times VO L U M E 4 9 | J A N UA RY 2 0 1 8 | I S S U E 6 | T T O N L . O RG

P3 EXTENDED VP BRINGING DIALOGUE TO SCHOOL

SNOWBALL:

SIGNAL P6-7 FOCUS CRYPTO: THE FUTURE OF CURRENCY

Editorial

Invest in journalism, please By Andrew Ham and Diana Nakyoung Lee Co-Editors-in-Chief We are able to write this piece today because of a class we both took in our freshman years, Intro to Pub. For a long year in classroom D306, we painstakingly planned extensive interviews, agonized over the slightest imperfections in our writing, and toiled over confusing InDesign features--and at the end of that year, we were deemed finally ready to join Tiger Times. Two years ago, however, the administration for a host of reasons decided to remove the courses Intro to Pub and Photography from the curriculum. Essential journalism topics were allocated and reintegrated into Communications, with units such as feature writing, layout, and interview skills being covered in conjunction with traditional communications topics such as interpretative speaking. At the time, it was said that this change would manage to prepare future publications students in a quarter of the time previously allotted to the subject. This was an unrealistic endeavor at best, and it remains that way today. Intro to Pub, on its own, was one of the most time-consuming, difficult elective classes we have ever taken in high school. The course deals with a style of writing and set of ethics not found in regular literature classes. It is idealistic to expect teachers will condense a packed, year-long journalism course into a unit lasting less than half a semester. Likewise, it is equally idealistic to expect students will learn to manage Tiger Times and Yearbook’s demanding schedules in three months. Thus, two years after this curricular decision, eliminating journalism classes without suitable replacements has placed publications at SIS at an awkward crossroads, a transition left essentially unfinished. Where there was no path we tried to pave one; yet the once-a-week, after school High School Journalism program run by volunteers of the Quill and Scroll Journalism Honor Society remains painfully undersupported and ineffective. First, allocating journalism classes to Friday afternoons means that both students and volunteer mentors with sports commitments--about a third of both groups--must miss entire units. Even when students and mentors are here, it is difficult to unearth professional teaching prowess or wholehearted, directed dedication where there is none. In these twenty or so weeks, we often find ourselves having to sacrifice instruction regarding either essential grammar or entire types of journalistic writing. Journalistic skill is a muscle, and one rarely used in an average high school student’s curriculum. Out of necessity, we at Quill and Scroll have tried to cut shortcuts to growth--but we know there are none. To some, one-hour-and-a-half long, once-perweek classes run by a handful of other high school students may seem like a more inviting, lower-stakes environment than what Intro to Pub used to be. But because back then we knew that the stakes were high we did our best to not just satisfy the rubric, but to grab its walls and stretch and bend its limits, to create something good, something unique, something of our own: fully deserving of the time and work we had committed. And to try to guide our freshmen to grow into strong, comfortable, and eager journalists, without such systematic support or tools, feels equivalent to making Olympians of average athletes. SIS journalism has been our home, work, mission and love since we began to call ourselves freshmen. Our journalism program is unique, and competitive on an international scale; but most importantly, it holds our community together. It creates bonds, sparks discussions, asks cutting questions, delivers stories, analyzes the issues affecting us and presents ways in which we can be better. The degradation of journalism will never be loud, but the eerie silence will be just as frightening. Bring Intro to Pub back, before it’s too late. 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

VIEWPOINT

Logan Paul’s suicide video reflects broader societal vices After enjoying his reign in 2017 as Youtube’s golden boy, Logan Paul’s rough start to the new year marks a heavy fall from grace. For those who are not familiar with the controversy, daily video blogger Logan Paul trespassed into Japan’s restricted Aokigahara Forest, colloquially known as “suicide forest.” Here, Paul and a couple of his friends stumbled upon a recent suicide victim, and in response, began filming themselves giggling and cracking jokes. They then proceeded to show the deceased on camera, making sure to censor the body’s face but nothing else. What Logan Paul did is so obviously and egregiously bad that he has been ripped to shreds––and from shreds to dust––by major publications, celebrities, and fellow influencers alike for his immature and insensitive treatment of such a delicate topic. His actions are so blatantly disrespectful that it seems almost redundant to say it outright. People commit suicide in secluded places like Aokigahara to die in peace, away from the attention of the modern world; exposing someone in their darkest hour to millions of people just so one can play psychologist only adds insult to injury. Imagining myself as one of the corpse’s family members, grieving only to find Logan Paul disrespect his memory like that is horrifying, and put in the same place, I’m sure Paul wouldn’t appreciate it either.

So was what Paul did, wrong? Obviously. However, no matter how disgusting we perceive his actions, we must also see that Paul is only the low-hanging fruit when we have a conversation about what’s wrong with humanity. This is the perfect moment to see ourselves in his tremendous flaw. Paul knew that his video would get views––no matter how much he says he didn’t do it for the views––and he’s not wrong: Paul’s video garnered millions of views before he took it down. Clearly, everyday tragedies like suicide have become more and more like spectacles in for society to indulge. I see it everyday on social media; do we really need to see ISIS executions and bodies trapped under collapsed buildings in an earthquake to know that such travesties really happen? Absolutely not. So why do we still click on them? Perhaps our peculiar behavior can be attributed to the more barbarous side of human nature, a modern spin on the ancient gladiator fights that are fueled by our morbid curiosity. Perhaps it is just mind-numbing entertainment. Whatever the reason, modern technology has made it so that information and depiction of terrible tragedies are easily disseminated, but such easy access has also led to the potential flippant treatment of such sensitive topics. The privilege of being able to capture a moment has made us desensitized to that

same moment. However, we cannot excuse Logan Paul for being part of a larger trend of this type of perverse entertainment. Paul’s video does differ from the typical fetishization and trivialization of tragedies in that he has a primary audience of very young, very impressionable teenagers. So what Paul did was not only disrespect the legacy of the deceased man, he displayed his body and poked fun at it in front of millions of twelve-year-olds who likely don’t have a firm grasp on the finality of death. In doing so, Paul perpetuates the desensitization of suicide to the next generation. I cannot conceivably understand, as an outsider, what is going through Paul’s head right now––the apology he issued screams public relations advice and not real, genuine sentiment––but hopefully he has learned a valuable lesson on what it means to be in such a position of influence. Whether we like it or not, millions look up to him, and he has the power to make or break their lives. It’s a scary thing, but it’s too late to shy away from it now. Either he can contribute to the problematic vices that plague the digital age, or he can work to improve them––let’s hope he chooses the latter. By Jeremiah Nam Junior, Copy Editor

New midterm policy initiates positive change in exam culture The first semester of this school year culminated with an experimental policy: the new “skills-based” exams. Expectations of the new midterms were low in early December when students first received the news from the school delineating details. In retrospect, these expectations were proven false. While some classes kept content-based exams, others provided truly skills-based exams that removed the emphasis on memorization. Despite their flaws, the midterms were a surprising success that instigated an important change in exam tradition at SIS. Indeed, new exams in many classes effectively took some weight off of students’ shoulders by reducing the need to cram. English and science subjects were generally successful in testing skills rather than content. For instance, the English 11 and the English 10 exam required only textual annotation. Both demanded very little to no studying, as students were tested only on mastery of skill. Similarly, sophomore students taking Chemistry & Physics were glad to take an exam that included no formulas or facts, but only learned lab skills and data analysis techniques. The non-content dependent nature of these assessments made the exams purely skills-based, thus creating a positive change for students who had been pushed down by the pressure of the content-based exams and the extensive memorization they required in past testing years. Some subjects, however, produced exams that still required rote memorization--namely, foreign

language subjects. Chinese exams still required students to memorize characters and words like in the past. In fact, Chinese 3 students faced an exam that was more memorizationbased than the usual, as students simply wrote and memorized scripts in advance. The new policy, therefore, was not thoroughly successful in renovating the exams of every course. That being said, it is important to note the intrinsic limitations of a “skills-based” policy. It is significantly more difficult for subjects like Chinese to produce exams that are purely skillsbased. No matter how much content is removed from the exams, students will inevitably have to memorize Chinese characters and grammar necessary to test the student’s ability to communicate in Chinese. English, in contrast, is skills-based in its nature; there is no formula or memorization for English mastery. While the new policy was not perfect, it was the closest it could be to assessing authentically. With these

inherent limitations of certain subjects in mind, it seems as though most of the classes did provide the closest to a truly skills-based exam that they could. Considering it was the first time the practice was implemented, the transition into this new approach was rather effectively carried out. If we were to demand a thoroughly and truly skills-based exam policy, how could we combat the inherent restraints of certain subjects? Perhaps foreign language classes could try to provide writing and speaking exams without predictable topics, thereby diminishing the need for rote memorization. Along the same lines, perhaps math classes could find a skill to assess that is more relevant than teamwork. However, even without these changes, the new midterm policy was an important and successful change that possibly set a significant precedent for exam tradition in the future. By Eju Ro Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times January 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.

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

Layout Artists Amy Jungmin Kim Claire Lee Yejune Park

Youngjin Park Graphics Artist Jina Kim Photographers Angela Choe Lauren Kang Jocelyn Lee Reporters Michelle Ahn Fiona Cho Sia Cho

Kirsten Huh Andie Kim Hannah Kim Chris Lee Kate Lee Eju Ro Grace Yang Andy Yoon Adviser Mr. David Coleman

Viewpoint Feature: Public discussions are necessary for public issues How can students better understand the issues that affect them and the school? What can students do to make public, transparent dialogue a more regular occurrence throughout the school?

Utilizing platforms for open dialogue

As a 13-year student at SIS, I am intimately familiar with the school and I can confidently say that SIS and its students excel in many areas, ranging from academics to sports and extra-curricular programs. Walking down the hallways, I find myself surrounded with the school’s various accomplishments in the forms of awards, artwork, and posters. And recognition of the school’s achievements is not solely limited to within the school walls—the degree of praise that SIS receives from the public is as significant. However, I find one area on which SIS could re-focus its attention: open dialogue. Before identifying certain shortcomings with the school and its processes, it is of the utmost importance to acknowledge that there are indeed numerous platforms and avenues for discussion in our school, and they are not being utilized to their full extent. As a student body, we are absent in conversations on significant issues, such as the school's participation in the upcoming Pyeongchang Olympics, the new cafeteria, and even larger matters like school security. In other words, we as a student body need to improve on publicly and openly promoting and engaging in constructive and proactive dialogue. Why is open dialogue so crucial? Especially in an academic setting, the benefits of conversing publicly are many, but the most important to our school is the creation of a stronger sense of belonging, ownership, and responsibility. Engaging in productive discussion requires an individual to open up, listen, collaborate, and trust peers and

authority. What I mean to say is that by actively interacting, people will be able to form tighter bonds and develop greater feelings of attachment to what happens at SIS. Another benefit that comes with public, transparent dialogue is a stronger collective voice for the student body and a greater role as stakeholders. As of now, students’ voices appear to be secondary thoughts in the process of making important decisions, resulting in a one-sided system in which students are merely informed of many final decisions. We, however, should want to involve ourselves in not just identifying problems, but in working together toward solutions-based outcomes. For instance, the stakeholders who had the greatest say in choosing the new catering service were parents and faculty members. In a survey I conducted during the month of January, I found that 26 of 30 students would have been more satisfied if they had gotten a vote, or at least a say in determining the new catering service. I’m not necessarily saying that the results would have been any different, but if students had a seat at the table or been consulted, the consensus is that we would be more content with the decision. Globally, there are numerous corporations that successfully utilized their platform for communication amongst their employees. For example, Red Hat, a multinational software company from the US, employs an online communication platform, “memo-list,” in which employees can

openly discuss strategies as well as engage in casual conversation about essential topics of concern to the company. This venue allows every employee, regardless of his or her position in the company to have an equal voice and representation. Red Hat improved due to the instant feedback that was available and hidden proficiencies of employees were discovered upon the sharing of their ideas. What I’m getting at is that if we employ more of the communication tools that we have to their fullest potential, SIS could further develop as a school and help the student body to be more engaged. Upon considering Red Hat’s success, I came across two promising ideas for how we could make better use of the tools and venues we currently have in place for transparent discussions and shared decision making to flourish. One major platform we could make a more effective is the HSSC. The foremost action would be to reexamine the organization’s overall purpose. Is the purpose of the HSSC solely to plan events and raise money or is its purpose to establish a representative student voice for creating and reinforcing policy and practice in the school? A healthy balance between the two would be a great place to start. Open meetings would be an opportune chance for elected class representatives to initiate discussions on pertinent and timely topics as well as announcing school events. As representative leaders of the student body, the council members should act first and plant the seeds for open talks. An additional solution would be to take advantage of Tiger Times as an extended

voice of the student body. If a student has a concern, bringing it to the attention of the school’s media is an appropriate place to get the conversation started. Simply writing a letter to the editor is a responsible first step in creating open dialogue. Yet, entirely utilizing the platforms we have requires more than just a simple decision to change. For dialogue to thrive in our school, we have to transcend caring only about personal matters. In other words, we need to realize that there are larger issues that go beyond our own self-importance and that may be beyond our involvement. As such, we need to start concerning ourselves with the benefit of our fellow classmates and begin contributing our precious time, attention, and resources for the greater good of our school. It seems now as if we perfectly represent all the TIGERS values of the school, except one—that is, “Effective Communicators”. It is unfortunate that while we do have the necessary resources at arm’s length, we have not been successful at employing these resources to our collective benefit. I am more than aware that there are certainly students who passionately advocate open dialogue at SIS. Now is the time for us to focus our attention on utilizing what we have and to work together to achieve this shared goal. When, not if, we achieve effective strategies for public and transparent dialogue, we will then embody all six values as true TIGERS. By Kirsten Huh Junior, Staff Writer

NEWS

News Briefs by Sia Cho, Sophomore Staff Writer

Author Anne Sibley O’Brien visits SIS

Speaking to the middle school, Ms. O’Brien reads an excerpt from her own novel.

Photo by Jocelyn Lee

The annual guest author visit for students at SIS was held on Jan. 17 with accomplished author and illustrator Anne Sibley O’Brien. Ms. O’Brien began by introducing herself to middle school students at the morning assembly, speaking about her childhood in Korea and attributing it as one of the direct influences for her career of creating multicultural children’s books. Following her introductory session, Ms. O’Brien participated in various workshops with other groups, which included drawing and writing lessons to grades seven and eight and a “creative process” with high school art students. Through integrating aspects of her own personal experiences and engaging in interactive activities, Ms. O’Brien provided students with an insightful opportunity to explore their interests in art and writing. “I think the author visit was a success,” said Samuel Hopper, secondary librarian. “From it, students were able to see how someone can follow their lifelong dream and be successful at it, and at the same time see how it was for someone with a reverse multi-cultural upbringing.”

SIS Forensics Team wins second place at YISS On Jan. 20, SIS speech and debate teams competed in the KAIAC Forensics tournament held at Yongsan International School of Seoul (YISS). With Nicholas Kim (12) and Andrew Ham (12) winning both the respective rankings of first and second place in the extemporaneous section of the speech division, and Joyce Lee (12) and Sky Park (12) taking third place in the Parliamentary section of the debate division among other winners, SIS ranked second place overall in the 2017-18 conference season. “Taking second place for the conference overall was a stellar performance,” Sky said. “However, it was still disappointing not being able to come first—since one more chance remains for our team, we will try very hard to win in the final KAIAC championships!”

CSPA recognizes members of Tiger Times In January 2018, several members of Tiger Times received recognition for their noteworthy submissions to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Gold Circle Awards. With over 10,000 entries from student publications around the world, the Awards acknowledged a total of 1,080 winners for individual achievements in 165 different categories this year. Among these Gold Circle Award recipients were Alice Lee (12), first place for “Personal Opinion Piece,” Justin Chang (12), first place for “Single Feature Photograph,” Soomin Lee (12), certificate of merit for “Page One Design,” and April Kim (12), certificate of merit for “Single Spot News Photograph.”

Hanwha Hotels & Resorts provides revamped lunch for students

n Jan. 8, students entering the cafeteria found a new lunch system with a revamped infrastructure, a revised mechanism for serving food, and perhaps most importantly, a different catering service. With the expiration of J&J Catering’s contract with SIS, the school signed a new twoand-a-half-year contract with Hanwha Hotels & Resorts. Several adjustments among students have taken place to adapt to the rearranged cafeteria. “Even though many are waiting to give their full opinion, I think the staff enjoy the change,” said Hye Yong Min, Chief of Communications and School Catering Committee (SCC) member. “Compared to different catering services, Hanwha excelled at their professional service, and the use of organic ingredients helped the SCC make the final decision. Personally, I think Hanwha’s fusion-style food is very interesting.” One of the newest modifications to the cafeteria is the salad bar, which provides snacks such as pastries, fruit, and salads. As for the main lunch, the two types of meals, international and Korean, will continue to be served. The café, which sells additional food and beverages, opened at the end of January. Students and faculty will pay

The More You Know

for a café pass card, and money in the card will be deducted every time food is bought. Students and teachers have not shied away from discussing such manifold changes to the menu, and while there may be exceptions, many seem to agree that the food is delectable, more so than before. “Our main priority is to ensure hygiene in our services,” said Yoo Seonghee, Hanwha manager. “Hygiene is the most important because students are our main clients. We also believe nutritional nourishment, good taste, and balanced diets are all important. We wish to provide food that students will enjoy, so we try to offer more choices with the addition of the salad bar and drinks. Our long-term goal is to satisfy students’ hunger by increasing the number of choices for students through the salad bar and the café.” In addition to the substantial changes regarding the food, the interior design of the cafeteria was also subject to major updates. The area toward the back of the cafeteria, where students used to have seats, is now used to serve drinks and meals every day. Because of this new change, some students struggled to find seats and have been moved from their original seats. To ease the students’ transition into the new interior, the school has

provided new guidelines for seating arrangements, allocating sections of the cafeteria to different grade levels. “On the first day, I was unsure whether the food was going to be much better than before,” Joohwan Sung (10) said. “I thought the meals on [the following days] were much better. I think I can safely say that the meals have satisfied a lot of students. However, I do not think the rearrangement of the cafeteria was a good idea. My friends and I have been struggling to find seats for the past few days.” Due to such rearrangements, several lunchroom policies have also been changed. For example, the lines have been reoriented. In addition to this minor change, a new policy dictates that students can no longer bring backpacks into the cafeteria. Students have asked teachers whether they can leave their belongings in the classroom. Others have tended to leave their belongings in hallways, especially on the benches. The new lunch system, in general, has brought many changes to the daily lives of students. Along with the modifications to the meal, the new catering service has brought along various¬ effects in and out of the cafeteria. By Chris Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

Ignore activists at your own risk by Andrew Ham

When Jesus did it, he became a rock star. Then Congress did it, and we went “meh.” Three days after shutting down, the American government is back up and running—but don’t worry, it is still as inefficient as ever. After staging a brief and “noble” fight, the Democrats agreed to keep the government open in return for a promised vote on immigration issues. That’s right, we’re at that stage where even suggesting that maybe, just maybe, politicians should discuss a political issue merits applause. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with long, drawn-out negotiations over whether or not politicians should actually do their jobs” (or something to that effect). Despite keeping the government functioning, Democratic politicians now face fire from the progressive grassroots movements that have been upending national politics since the 2016 election. Just last week, the Women’s March returned to the streets for the second time, with millions of activists

reminding the nation that there are new voices clamoring to be heard and raring to destroy traditional institutions of privilege. Clearly, it is these grassroots movements that have ignited a string of significant liberal victories in recent local elections, but the party’s leaders seem to take this new generation for granted. They seem to assume that we have nowhere to go, that young, progressive activists will reliably vote Democratic when the time comes (which may be why so many decide to stay home instead). We are told that we are living in a watershed moment, with movements like MeToo, which was founded in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke, finally finding mainstream coverage and having real consequences in the world of Hollywood and entertainment. But with every supposed victory, our government takes an equal, demoralizing step backward. There are people out there fighting the good fight, but in Congress it’s always the same: a little bit of grandstanding, an inspirational speech from a senator in his/ her last term, then a waiting game, politicians twiddling their thumbs

until people stop protesting and move onto another issue. Moreover, the whole three-day “crisis” got me wondering: why even does the government have an option to shut down? In what conceivable situation could it be beneficial for the American people to have the nation’s machinery grind to a halt? All this does is provide an outlet for toxic political gridlock to actually impact the daily lives of hardworking Americans. Once the government shuts down, legislators take the time they should be using to devise policy solutions for the nation’s problems and devote it to a pointless discussion that we all know will result in Congress resuming business (and if it doesn’t, we’ll have much more serious problems to deal with). The recent government shutdown was a disappointing, pathetic culmination of the rage, passion, and hope that is building in America. Democrats seem to have the idea that the midterms will be a moment of reckoning for the Republicans and Trump; but they may just be failing to notice their own day of judgement following close behind.

Tiger Times January 2018

US government shuts down for three days, demonstrates lack of partisan cooperation On Jan. 22, President Trump signed a bill that ended the three-day US government shutdown and reinstated funds for the functioning of Congress until Feb. 8. The shutdown followed the failure of a Senate spending bill, but diverged opinions on policies regarding immigration and deportation are said to have contributed to much of the tension leading up to the shutdown. Spending bills require a 60-vote super majority to pass in the Senate, so without at least 9 Democratic votes, no bills can be passed solely based upon Republican support. Holding their votes as leverage, Congressional Democrats hoped to make a deal giving deportation protections to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program recipients. When the deal did not go through, the spending bill failed to pass, and the government shut down. Many Republican leaders, such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, framed the shutdown as the Democratic party focusing on illegal immigrants while neglecting “fundamental responsibilities” such as “taking care of [the] military and veterans, providing healthcare for needy children, and funding [the government],” as McConnell tweeted. “Though I would have never specifically known that there would be a government shutdown, it did not come as a huge surprise to me that something like this happened with the current administration,” Jongwon Kim (12) said. “It is something I kind of expected to see with President Trump in office. We have been seeing intense political polarization in both governmental and civilian realms ever since the presidential election, and President Trump’s manner and policies are not helping to alleviate the matter.” Leaders from both the Democratic and Republican parties were seen apportioning the blame during the three days of what has been called both the “Trump shutdown” and the “Schumer shutdown,” illustrating

the partisanship that has characterized this shutdown. President Trump, in multiple tweets (the apparent method of communication he prefers) and in a video recording shown at a fundraiser at the Mara-Lago resort he was supposed to be present for, blamed Democrats, claiming that “their desire to have unchecked immigration” was causing the shutdown. On the other hand, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blamed President Trump, making the argument that the President’s lack of action had caused the shutdown to be prolonged beyond reasonable doubt. “I was stunned, for lack of a better word, at the answering machine message of the White House during the shutdown,” Joanne Lee (12) said. “It explicitly named and blamed congressional Democrats for the government shutdown instead of showing professionalism and sending a message of comfort to citizens. Part of a

government’s responsibility is to convey at least a feeling of stability to its citizens so that they may have faith in the leadership. Playing the blame game instead of doing their job is truly humiliating for the nation’s representatives and the people they supposedly represent.” Despite the lack of professionalism that some citizens felt that political leaders showed during the shutdown, the House and the Senate voted on Jan. 22 to end the shutdown after a speedy three days, compared to the 16 days that the government was inactive for in the previous administration. In the span of these three days, Senate Minority and Majority Leaders Schumer and McConnell reached an agreement regarding assurances related to immigration, the controversial issue that had caused the spending bill to be fiercely debated upon in the first place. “I think the problem that the shutdown

ultimately represents is the nature of bipartisan politics in the US,” Sky Park (12) said. “The obvious political divides cause politicians to act upon their party loyalties and not work for the interest of the people. The shutdown was a manifestation of this polarization—a prideful stand down between Democrats and Republicans. That being said, the shutdown was not as bad as it could have been. The fact that both parties came to a quick, shortterm resolution shows that they haven’t completely abandoned the people, and since most of the shutdown happened over the weekend, its impact on government infrastructure and federal workers was limited. But the disputes will probably continue, and there is not much time to come up with a concrete compromise.” By Marie Park Senior, Staff Writer

Iranians take to the streets in protest

ince Dec. 28, 2017, disgruntled Iranians have surged into the streets, protesting allegedly unreasonable economic policies created by corrupt government officials. In the midst of this uprising, at least 25 have been killed, according to Iranian state media, and Iranian politician Mahmoud Sadeghi estimates that more than 3,700 people have been detained as a result of their supposedly mutinous behavior. Authorities in Iran additionally revealed that 90 percent of these individuals are students, some of whom have had no part in the protests but were taken into custody as a preventative measure designed to deter more protesting on the part of Iranian citizens. Nevertheless, despite state efforts to stifle such demonstrations, thousands from the poorer proportion of the population have fought incessantly to protest and reform Iran’s detrimental economic policies. “[Iranians’ demands] seem to be much more economic than ideological in nature,” said Jonathan Ames, high school social studies teacher of government and politics. “Focused in peripheral cities as opposed to

Iran’s capital, Tehran, the protests revolve around the gradually rising costs of goods and the belief that the president is not adhering to his earlier promises of economic progress and an increased quality of life. To put it simply, the protest’s main objective is conveying discontent regarding the lack of job opportunities and calling for decreased costs of goods.” Along with general dissatisfaction regarding the state’s recent actions, the protests have made room for Iranians to release frustrations about additional, larger issues, namely their leaders, President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, hinting at the fact that these demonstrations perhaps pertain to more than economics. Calling attention to these figures’ alleged corruption and despotism, protestors have begun to demonstrate their unwillingness to acquiesce to these leaders’ actions and their grave conviction that the regime is not living up to the promises of the revolution in 1979, one of which is more stable leadership than that of Shahs’ administrations. The Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989, Khamenei has taken an uncompromising approach to these

individuals, asserting that they were solely to blame for these civil disruptions and should be stopped. On the other hand, although the protesters have argued for his abdication, President Rouhani still seemed to commend the protests as just and appropriate—the people exercising their rights as citizens of Iran. “It has come to my attention that Iran freed around 400 prisoners [on Jan. 16], proving it is not necessarily too afraid of civil disobedience nor too unforgiving in its actions,” said Michael Jo (10), a student who has been following the news on Iran. “Still, several detainees have died in jail, and thus, investigations are being held to uncover the truth of the situation. Time will only tell what the state’s complete and entire reaction is to the citizens’ betrayal of its trust.” Less than a decade after the Green Movement, an uprising led by middle-class citizens against the election in 2009 of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the lower echelons of society are taking similar approaches—crowding the streets and conveying their opinions on social media—to pressure the government to reevaluate and

reverse its policies. Utilizing such means to express one’s dissatisfaction, the recent Iranian revolt has nevertheless suggested notable differences between protests of the past and present. “The recent protests depict a shift in two aspects of Iran’s demonstrations throughout history: social class and demographics,” said Michael Silber, high school social studies teacher. “First, while previous protests were led and pioneered by the middle class, the recent events indicate that the lower classes are getting more involved, as the issues in contention are less ideological and more economic. Second, in terms of demographics, the protests are mainly comprised of younger people, a proportion of the population with vast amounts of unemployment, who have been disappointed with the reforms promised by President Rouhani and undermined by the Supreme Leader. Despite this departure from the past, it would be optimistic to think regime change is imminent as a result of these events.” By Andy Yoon Junior, Staff Writer

Cryptocurrency shaping the future by Hannah Kim (11)

With cryptocurrency on the rise, debates continue on its efficiency and future as a widespread currency. Particularly, major stakeholders including banks and governments have various responses to the new technology. In theory, cryptocurrencies are run on a “peer-to-peer” basis without a central regulatory body. This allows for more transparent transfers of money, and for the value of the currency to be unaffected by any individual country’s political conditions. Despite such great advantages of cryptocurrency, several governments around the world have expressed concern about the free trading of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. In reality, the lack of a central regulatory body also implies the unpredictable nature of the system. On Jan. 11 Korean Justice Minister Park Sang-ki revealed during a press conference that the government is drafting a bill against the overheating of the cryptocurrency industry, and perhaps even its complete ban. He described the prevalent purchasing of cryptocurrencies as “similar to speculation and gambling.” Consequently, the price of Bitcoin fell 10 percent from approximately $20,000 to $18,300 in Korea the following day, which is still 30 percent higher than the global price of $13,740. The explanation for the bill, given by the Seoul government, was the potential for money laundering, hacking attacks, and illegal trade. In other words, the transparent but anonymous nature of cryptocurrencies and their detachment from any individual government allows for easy misuse by criminals. Particularly in countries like Korea where the law is not yet able to address the clear legal boundaries for cryptocurrencies, such can be taken advantage of. Undoubtedly, there is a need for government regulations to be put in place in order to

deter crimes that may arise along with the spreading use of cryptocurrency. In some countries such as Venezuela, the government outlawed cryptocurrencies entirely. In Korea, a bill was passed outlawing trading by foreigners and minors last year, slowly taking a move toward a more limited range of use of cryptocurrency. Some, however, argue that in a capitalistic society, the government has no right to restrain individuals from purchasing cryptocurrencies out of their own will. Amid the trend of increasing government restrictions on the new technology, there exists a necessity for such governments to face and deal with rising problems of an increasingly technologically advanced world. Cryptocurrency, like any other rising technology, will be a threat to workers in various fields including the banking industry, and may consequently face backlash. Thus, as cryptocurrency and other technological developments begin changing the fundamental aspects of human life, governments and social systems will have to effectively adjust, and reconsider, what is in the true interest of the people. Furthermore, despite the intended decen-

tralized nature of cryptocurrency, the mining system allows for the potential monopolization of the cryptocurrency industry. Mining, a process through which individuals earn “blocks” of Bitcoin, can only effectively be done with a large number of high-performance computers and amount of electricity. In countries like China where electricity and computer chips are cheap and factories with metal rods and computer racks are prevalent, miners are more easily able to get their hands on a large number of Bitcoin. Hence, while the ideological merits of cryptocurrency lie in the decentralized nature of the currency, in actuality such is being proven to not be true. Depending on how governments around the world respond to the rise of this new technology, its fare and consequences will be determined. While to a certain extent the peoples have the right to unrestrained access of such technology in a free market, its decentralized nature may pose a threat to many governments and their legal systems.

Behind Bitcoins: present and future of blockchain by Andrea Kwon (11)

Every hour, minute, and second, the Internet blips with a transaction of cryptocurrency. Investors, banks, and businesses watch with alertness to the unpredictable rise and fall of its value. With around 1,500 different cryptocurrencies in existence, the amount of transactions and their aggregate value is in the billions and its influence in the world economy is exceptional. But beyond all the copious transactions, Bitcoin seems to be the major concern with a market cap of about 200 billion dollars. According to Blockchain Luxembourg, on average, 300,000 transactions of Bitcoins are made every day, with the aggregate value totaling up to three billion dollars. In the center of it all stands blockchain technology, the backbone of all Bitcoin trade. So what is blockchain? Developed in conjunction with Bitcoin, blockchain, at its core, is essentially a digital record regulated and confirmed by a network of users. The primary principle behind blockchain technology is that it is an immutable system allowing for a faster, cheaper, and more decentralized service. All blockchains begin with a user’s address created by randomly selected characters, which is only accessible through a customized “private key.” When the user makes a transaction with another party, the information of the trade is recorded and shared within the network.

A combination of these transactions is registered as a block within the system. Here is when something called hash function comes into play. By creating a unique string of characters for each block, hash function provides a hash, which is intertwined with the code of the previous block. A continuous process of these hashes results in a chronological chain of blocks with matching codes. As a result, the chain is now virtually impossible to break down or alter, creating a secure form of data transcription. Although a technology with great prospects, currently blockchain is only widely used in the transactions of numerous types of cryptocurrencies. The most widely known three are Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum. While both Bitcoin and Litecoins are used as monetary values and have numerous similarities, Ethereum runs on an entirely different purpose. According to Investopedia, Ethereum runs distributed applications and maintain a peer-to-peer network using its token, Ether, while running the entire platform on blockchain technology. Currently, one of the larger problems of blockchain lies in its prime character formed by its theoretically impenetrable system: the inalterable nature of data. According to the New York Times, blockchain technology, as a manmade creation used for the function of human interaction, is highly prone to error, which cannot be fixed in the system due to the data’s permanence. However, despite its fast development since its creation, a systematized amending and redacting method is not yet developed. As for any problem, the issue intensifies when applied to the real realm of blockchain technology. The New York Times reported that a hacker took advantage of an error within the program that could not be

CRYPTO

fixed from its immutable nature, gaining about 18 million dollars worth of Ethers in the process. Despite its problems, blockchain technology has great prospects and potential that may transform our everyday lives from regulation of health care to taxes. In the case of health care, blockchain can send out patient’s information without the risk of breach of privacy. In addition, business settlements can easily be made in a more secure, fast, and cheap platform while maintaining high transparency. Not just in the private sector, blockchain can largely impact government systems as well. For example, instead of a driver’s license or even a passport, blockchain’s “private key” can be used as a source of identification used for systems such as tax collection, travel, and voting. Though blockchain technology gives us an insight into a more positive future, it is hard to say that it would completely revolutionize our society in the nearby future. Beyond just implementing the system to a wider range of services, blockchain continues to be in its experimental stages. Still, based on the current cryptocurrency transactions, blockchain technology proves itself to be a viable technology that can tangibly change the use of different services.

THE FUTURE OF CURRENCY layout by Young Jin Park

LIFESTYLE

complain

against the world By Ye Joon Kah

Meaninglessly significant: “I would sell my kidneys for extra credit.” I’ve heard since middle school about the competitive ranking system of our high school: 0.01 points make a dramatic change in what “place” you are in, meaning, every point counts. Perhaps it is not all that foolish for a student to focus on the minute details of his or her own grades, as one extra point in Powerschool can somewhat impact a person’s future. While it is understandable that people might sacrifice their hearts and souls for that one point, in reality, there is deeper meaning to life apart from grades. This system itself is quite inevitable; there are few better alternatives, which is why students are too scared to look at the bigger picture of their education that suggests that grades do not determine who he or she is. Indeed, getting a few points higher than your classmates could possibly get you into Harvard, but as we’ve all probably heard multiple times in our lives, numbers are numbers. Admittedly, I am also a guilty bystander of the nasty competition that occurs in our school. I simply follow the defined cultural parameters, and try my best to assimilate to such environment by studying day and night. However, I do not believe that the inherent education system is at fault, but rather the distinct SIS culture that focuses excessively on perfection. When I was still in freshman year, I believed that my ultimate goal in life was striving for all-around perfection: being the good girl that everybody looked up to. In a similar vein, I strove for academic perfection, believing that every point determined my life. In retrospect, I was naïve to believe that I could reach that status of perfection, when in fact, I was an individual with many flaws. Now, I openly embrace my weaknesses and acknowledge that I should be working towards the “bigger picture” rather than spending my time listlessly on Powerschool. While it is hard to realize the truth in one’s early stages of high school, once that truth is understood by the individual, it is possible to observe the other beauties of life apart from grades. I don’t mean for my analysis of our school’s innate culture to sound arrogant; I still agree with the point that healthy competition is good: it motivates people to work harder, and encourages them with a certain incentive. However, pulling all-nighters to salvage one point in the gradebook may not be as significant in the future, so why sacrifice so much for so little?

“1987” and “A Taxi Driver” offer hopes of artistic liberalization

ith periodic releases of historical films, recent trends in the Korean movie industry have reflected an increased contemplation of history and stimulated retrospective attitudes. The myriad of history-related movies premiered in 2017, namely “A Taxi Driver” and “1987,” stand out because they take a critical, human look at key moments in the Korean historical narrative. According to President Moon Jae-in, under his administration artists will have more freedom to pursue their interests. At a discussion with artists previously blacklisted by the Park administration, Moon expressed his remorse for those who were censored, promising to bolster government support for cultural art. “I think the implications [of this change] are quite encouraging,” said Michael Silber, social studies teacher. “There will be more funding for the arts and for the promotion of Korean culture, encouraging Korean artists to become internationally renowned. This really takes a government that is committed to supporting artists.” Premiered on Aug. 2, 2017, “A Taxi Driver” is based on the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju against

JUKEBOX JEWELS Magic Man BY DAW N K I M

former President Chun Doo-hwan’s martial rule and authoritarian regime. During its screening, the movie received public acclaim for its touching tribute to German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter and an unknown cab driver that assisted Hinzpeter in his documentation of the Chun regime’s dictatorial brutality at Gwangju. A film that accurately captured the fervor of the Gwangju Uprising, “A Taxi Driver” became the first 2017 movie to reach 10 million viewers in Korea. Its success is often attributed to the film’s historical veracity, signifying the public’s interest in raw and emotional depictions of history. “That ‘A Taxi Driver’ was based on a true story seems to have inspired such a big audience to watch the movie,” said Alex Oh (10), “A Taxi Driver” viewer. “Many [viewers] were able to relate to it, especially the ones who actually experienced the events that occurred in the movie.” “1987: When the Day Comes” was released on Dec. 27 and has already garnered over six million viewers. Yet another movie set in the Chun Doohwan era, “1987” revolves around a government cover-up of Seoul National University student Park Jong Chul’s

From the neon lights of Vegas to the stunning lights of Da Nang, tourist cities never sleep. When the sun goes down, the city comes alive, dressed to the nines in bursts orange, blue, and purple that decorate each bridge and skyscraper. Each color hiding and embellishing lives explored, the lights of such cities leave unforgettable memories for both travellers and locals. With each listen, “Paris” by Magic Man brings these emotions alive shade by shade. Magic Man was created by vocalist Alex

death by water torture, an incident that lighted the fuse of democratic change in South Korea. The film also covers the June Democracy Movement and Chun’s proposal to “protect the constitution,” which was in effect a corollary to his military dictatorship. “I believe that the director took great efforts to accurately depict life under a martial regime. He invites the current generation to resonate with the sentiments of Koreans during that time, thus highlighting the famous saying that ‘a nation that forgets its past has no future,’” said Ellie Cheong (11), “1987” viewer. “His focus on students’ deaths communicates that the dedication of the youth was the main impetus for the 1987 revolution.” The screening of such historical movies indicates a shift toward a more liberal standing within Korea’s movie industry. With President Moon having announced that he would not discriminate against cultural art on the basis of his political bias, it seems that Korea has reached a turning point in the development of its cultural and artistic freedom. By Youngseo Jhe Junior, Staff Writer

Caplow and guitarist Sam Vanderhoop Lee who met each other while traveling around France as a part of World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). While helping out in French organic farms in exchange for room and board, Caplow and Lee became friends with an amateur magician who called himself “Magic Man,” thus inspiring the band’s name. After producing their first album “Real Life Color” as a duo in 2010, Caplow and Lee recruited their friends, bassist Gabe Goodman, keyboardist Jus-

Tiger Times January 2018

Bubble Tea Works becomes new hotspot of Gangnam

ith the chewy texture of tapioca pearls and the savory flavor of milk and fruit tea, bubble tea is a unique beverage rising to popularity in South Korea. In the crowded streets of Gangnam, Bubble Tea Works, a small but renowned bubble tea cafe, serves more than 30 different types of bubble tea, served both hot and cold, with an exquisite interior design of vibrant colors that seems to resemble the sweet tang of their sapid liquid. In the basement floor of Gangnam Central Prugio City near the second exit of Gangnam Station, Bubble Tea Works is located on the left of Aori Ramen, a popular Japanese ramen shop. After a warm, satisfying meal at Aori, many customers head to Bubble Tea Works for some refreshments to cleanse the heaviness left in their mouths by the ramen. Likewise, after enjoying a steaming bowl of ramen, I entered the compact shop and found myself facing a bright, iridescent wall reflecting back my shocked expression with brilliant radiant colors. Every time I shifted my view to a different angle, the luminous colors transformed from pink to purple to blue, and back to pink. The rest of the walls of the café were plain white, which was a smart balance that helped to further dramatize the magical sensation. The shop was small with only two to three seats for each of the six white tables.

tine Bowe, and drummer Joey Sulkowski. The rest is history. Despite having only two studio albums and one EP in total, Magic Man enjoyed relative popularity before its untimely hiatus in 2017. In 2013, the band supported bands Walk the Moon and Sir Sly on their separate tours as supporting acts. The year after, Magic Man supported New Politics, Sleeper Agent, and alternative rock giant Panic! At The Disco on its The Gospel tour. Following the release of the band’s second studio album, “Before the

There were several other customers when I entered the store, leaving little space for me to find a comfortable, sizable seat. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but appreciate the simple yet intricate minimalist designs of every crevice of the café, like the string of festive white tinsel that hung from the ceiling and small ivory cushions that rested on the back of each metal seat. What stood out to me the most, however, were the rectangular tables that caved inwards, like a wide, flat box. Inside were small watermelon and pineapple inflatable pool floats that were used as decorative drink holders. I took a seat at a table with three pool floats, set down my DSLR, and walked over to the counter. I was handed a large pink menu with a long list of milk and fruit tea, divided into three categories: classic, premium, and special. The classics included variations of Jasmine and Oolong tea; the premium contained different flavors of Tieguanyin and Premium Green tea; the special had Coffee Black teas, Milk Specials, and Cold Brew Specials. The drinks were also divided into four different ranks, represented by a pink pyramid diagram with Retail, Standard, Master, and Exquisite from bottom to top. Each level of tea had its own unique characteristics and allowed me to choose based on my preference. I could also choose from House Bubble, Rose Sakura, Yuzu Honey, and Handmade Bubble for additional tex-

Waves,” Magic Man received a considerable amount of attention from magazines such as Rolling Stone, Glamour, Instyle, and GQ. Racking up just around 350,700 monthly listeners on Spotify, Magic Man still remains an elusive gem for electronic rock enthusiasts despite its extensive press coverage and touring record. Unlike other Jukebox Jewels selections, Magic Man’s discography shines brightest as the backdrop. Bright, upbeat picks such as “Paris” distinctly feel like a muted rendition of M1LDL1FE’s “Distraction,”

ture. Finally, I was given a choice of sugar level from 0 to a 100 percent, increasing by intervals of 25 percent. After a long period of contemplating my options, I relied on the decision of my sweet tooth and ordered three drinks: Tiegyuanyin Honey Rose Milk Tea, Tiegyuanyin Strawberry Milk Tea, and Oolong Honey Tea, all with 50 percent sugar level and additional House Bubble. The prices of each drink were fairly low that even my penurious status of wallet could afford all three drinks for less than $15. The only part of my trip to Bubble Tea Works that failed to meet my expectations was the amount of time it took for the drinks to be served. This may have been because of the rushed orders from a party of five who entered the shop a few minutes after I had and beat me to the cashier. I was tired of playing and fumbling with the pool floats and blankly staring at the iridescent wall by the end of the 15 minutes it took for my order to finally come out. But the tedious waiting time was immediately forgotten as soon as I spotted my three cold bubble teas. I first tasted the Tiegyuanyin Honey Rose Milk Tea, which I had previously heard was one of the best drinks on the menu. After a long, satisfying sip, I could understand why it got its title. The silky milk texture swirled around in my mouth in harmony with the chewy homemade tapioca pearls. The sweet

building listeners up to challenges and adventures unseen, while louder, bolder selections such as “Chicagoland” seem to mirror the anticipation that leads up to shopping sprees and bookstore expeditions alike. However, a closer listen to the band’s lyrics proves that Magic Man’s lyricism is the farthest thing from nondescript. From escapist anxiety to romantic frustration, (“Lines could be letters for all I know | I made a guess, I think it’s too low | We’ll just slide by on our way out,” from the song “Like Sailors” in the album

liquid was surprisingly refreshing with a hint of what tasted like strawberry at the end. Even after I had gulped down the last of the drink, the taste of strawberry and milk lingered around as I reached for my second milk tea. The Tiegyuanyin Strawberry Milk Tea was thicker and more flavorsome than the previous drink. The beverage had a complicated mixture of savor, including a stronger taste of strawberry with actual bits of the fruit floating around with a generous amount of white pearls and reminded me more of a milkshake than a type of tea. The Oolong Honey Tea, on the other hand, was a simple, clean, and sweet version of the original Oolong Tea with a subtle hint of honey. Bubble Tea Works is definitely the go-to dessert café for those of you who crave a sweet yet refreshing drink that cleans out your mouth after a wholesome meal. You can also have a bit of fun with customizing drinks to your preference. And it definitely doesn’t let you leave the café feeling guilty for chugging down a heavy dessert because their bubble teas do not contain any artificial coloring or preservatives. Rather, it will leave you with a pleasant tang that rests in your mouth even after finishing your drink and makes you crave for another sweet milk tea treat. By Andie Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

“Real Life Color”) Magic Man delivers in both melody and lyric. Though the band’s future remains uncertain for now, its discography is a shining gem hidden within the slurry of music released in the modern revival of synthpop. With a stroke of good-natured enthusiasm, Magic Man lives up to its name by entrancing even its most apathetic listeners. For a cheery dose of reassurance to chase away the wintertime blues, check out Magic Man on Spotify, Melon, and Bugs.

10 SPORTS Play-by-Play: Tigers mark their 5th consecutive win Preview

On Jan. 17, the varsity girls basketball team began the year with a victory against Gyeonggi Suwon International School (GSIS). Following the win against Phoenixes of Korea International School (KIS) on Jan. 12, the Tigers were able to successfully start the latter half of the season, cheered on by the animated crowd and cheerleaders.

Quarter 1

The Tigers won first possession and was able to successfully score the first point of the game with a clean free throw from Yoobin Lee (11). By maintaining their steady rhythm and ideal routine, the Tigers earned numerous points through a series of well-placed layups from Michelle Ahn (11), supported by consecutive short-cut passes from players made to confuse the opponent’s defense. Countless attempts and efforts made by players on the court further intensified the atmosphere, triumphantly ending the first quarter with the Tigers eighteen points ahead.

Quarter 2

Once again, the Tigers earned the first points of the second quarter with a quick steal and a solo fast break layup by Michelle. The Tigers focused on establishing a stronger defense by slowing down their pace, but nonetheless continued to extend the Tigers’ scoring streak with additional free throws made by Grace Oh (11) along with her layup. Incorporating the defensive tactic, Michelle Ahn (10) was able to put on a fierce defense, ultimately stealing the ball from her opponent, successfully wrapping up the second quarter with an innumerable score difference.

Quarter 3

The Knights claimed their first point half a minute into the third quarter with a layup, an

attempt to regain their lead. However, continued struggling to score while Eugenia Lee (12) scored an uplifting point with a well-placed layup. A jaw-dropping routine of quick, concise passes and transitions disoriented the Knights, opening space for Michelle to dribble through multiple defenders and perform a flawless layup. Few minutes into the game, Lauren Kim (12) provided the Knights with opportunities for the Knights to score points. Nevertheless, Lauren immediately recovered with her strong defensive play and guarded the basket at critical times. The quarter ended without unexpected changes, once again, with the Tigers in the lead.

Sports Photo of the Month

Quarter 4

As the game drew to an end, both teams braced their drive and synergy for the last stretch of the game. Winning the first possession of the ball as well as the first point of the last quarter, the Tigers were able to speed up their play by guarding up their basket as well as fiercely dashing towards the other end of the court. Michelle attempted countless layups as Eileen Cho (12) put a clear finish to some, by scoring rebounds of failed attempts. In the last minutes of the game, Marie Park (12) and Michelle performed an exhilarating routine of passes and layups before the buzzer went off, ending the game on a good note.

Overview

The Tigers were able to maintain their synergy and secure teamwork from the start of the match until the end, allowing the Tigers to mark their 5th consecutive win, by 53:10, of the season. By precisely executing confusing plays and showing passion, the Tigers were able to dismantle the Knight’s defense. Getting ready for the jump ball, Timothy Kim (12) jumps high to reach the ball and starts the game off strong against the KIS Phoenix. Photo By Angela Choe

By Claire Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

Pep rally fires up the heat for victory against KIS

eturning onto the court for a fresh start of the year, the SIS Tigers burst through the crowd of cheering spectators to kick off the 2018 Winter Season Pep Rally on Jan. 12. The triannual pep rally hosted by Tiger Sports Council (TSC) showcased the accomplishments of varsity athletes, providing an opportunity for students and teachers to spur their tiger spirit. Through the breathless cheering of the crowd, fierce determination of the athletes, and the fired-up atmosphere, the event ultimately paved way for the varsity teams’ triumph in their games against Korea International School (KIS). “As it was my first time being the tiger mascot, this year’s winter pep rally was a whole new experience for me,” said Calvin Lee (10), member of TSC. “At first, I felt really nervous inside my costume, but when I heard the crowd bursting into cheers as the stream of athletes surged into the gym, all of my anxiety completely vanished. I felt a

rush of excitement burning through me, and I tried my best to engage the audience and spark up some team spirit. Even though the event went by in the blink of an eye, I think that this job was overall a spectacular experience.” Once the hype from the teams’ entrance settled down and the official start of the pep rally was announced, the player introductions took place, giving individual recognition to each dedicated athlete. The event was followed shortly by a performance from the school dance club (D$Q), which added fuel to the heat and left the awestruck crowd pumping and cheering in support. For the finale of the whole event, an intense game of knockout for the varsity basketball and cheer teams allowed to warm up for their big game while generating spirit at the same time. According to Lauren Kim (12), president of TSC, the event turned out to be as successful, if not more, as those of previous years.

“I think the pep rally was extremely successful in terms of smoothness,” Lauren said. “The organization was detailed and carefully planned so that no miscommunication occurred, and the activities were promptly on schedule. Although the most difficult part of initiating the pep rally was, like for every other preceding rally, the challenge of stimulating audience spirit, I think that this one fulfilled its purpose, exciting the audience to get cheering as well as allowing the winter athletes to be recognized for their hard efforts and skills.” With team spirit still blazing in the air, the varsity boys basketball team drove into their game with fiery Tiger pride. Though the game started off with a tight margin, each of the players contributed to every play, enabling the smooth execution of well-practiced drills. Their unshaken determination, combined with strong chemistry among all of the players, was what ultimately led to the team’s success, taking the

PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS 2018

victory by 52:45. Likewise, the varsity girls basketball team was able to excel against their opponents as well, defeating them for the third time in the season with a score of 38:23. Albeit the game presenting tough challenges for the team, the players’ impregnable defense and acute offense tactics prevailed in the end, wrapping up the night with an undefeated home ground. “I think our defense really drove our offense in the KIS game,” said Yoobin Lee (11), varsity girls basketball player. “We communicated really well when we realized what their play was and helped fill each other’s space when someone else had to block the ball. Although we are not a tall team, we are a fairly fast team, and I think that really showed in the KIS game, especially considering the fact that a fair number of points were gained through fast breaks.” By Sia Cho Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times

January 2018

South Korea Finishes Preparations for Pyeongchang 2018

Bearing the Olympic Torch, Ryan Kim (10) marches forward with excitePhoto Courtesy of Ryan Kim ment and pride.

ith the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics less than a month away, South Korea is wrapping up its final preparations to host one of the largest international sporting events. Despite initial concerns as to whether or not Korea would be able to succeed in hosting the Olympics, 12 stadiums have completed construction, the Olympic Village is now open, and the KTX express high-speed rail also began running on Dec. 22. Passengers on the newly built KTX can travel from Incheon to Jinbu (Pyeongchang) in 1 hour and 30 minutes, allowing for much faster transport than by car. The local government of Gangwon Province, in which Pyeongchang is located, is also in the process of finalizing the prices for accommodations, selling tickets, and organizing torch relays. “I am planning to attend the hockey game between Russia and the US,” said Mr. Derdeyn, Design teacher. “I would have liked to attended more events, but it is not only difficult to get to Pyeongchang but also the tickets were more expensive than I had thought. For me, as is a once-in- a-lifetime experience to attend such a large sporting event, I am interested to see a large number of people in one place with each of them representing their country pride.” The 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics will last from Feb. 9 to Feb. 25. The Olympic Torch, initially lit in Olympia, Greece, was transported to Korea on Nov. 1, 100 days before the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Olympics. Each Olympic has a unique torch design that symbolizes the site at which it is to be held. The 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic torch is 700 mm in length, under the theme of “Happy 700,” which represents Pyeongchang’s altitude 700 meters above ground level, known as the most comfortable environment for human habitation. Its white color symbolizes the white landscape of Pyeongchang, while the curved design and textured surface were inspired by Korea’s traditional white porcelain. The Pyeongchang 2018 Torch Relay was held throughout the country in vari-

ous cities under the slogan “Let Everyone Shine”. Among the 7,500 torchbearers was Ryan Kim (10). “I was a torch runner in the torch relay for the Olympics. I ran 200 meters with the torch and passed the flame on in Bonghwa,” said Ryan. “The overall experience was exciting because I trained for several hours and then got to execute the job and ride the convoy around the town. The Olympics being held in Korea again is particularly special for me as it is part of my family legacy – my grandfather was the Secretary Chairman of the Seoul 1988 Olympics organizing committee.” Although low ticket sales was initially a problem, now, with 690,000 out of the aspired 1.07 million tickets sold, such concerns have since abated. The sudden rise in ticket sales is attributed to various promotional events such as the beginning of the torch relays and sale of the popular Pyeongchang long padded coats, which added to the country’s overall excitement for the upcoming Olympics. “Despite the Olympics being in the middle of the school year, I am travelling to Pyeongchang every weekend to watch various events like ski jump and speed skating,” Ian Lee (11) said. “I am excited to attend an international sporting event, especially events on the very slopes I skied on for the past several years. I think it will be an experience I will recall for the rest of my lifetime, especially as it is being held in my home country.” According to the organizing committee of the Pyeongchang Olympics, Korea expects around 83,000 foreigners to visit the country. The 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics is expected to serve not only as an opportunity to promote Korean culture but also to yield positive economic impacts for the nation as a whole. As the country and the world’s attention shifts to the county of Pyeongchang, finishing touches are being perfected for the grand stage of competition.

By Hannah Kim Junior, Staff Writer

Monetization of soccer decreases competition

he recent blockbuster deal between English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Arsenal that saw star players Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan being swapped has rekindled debates over the monetization of association football. “Neither Arsenal nor Manchester United are the best clubs in the Premier League and neither Alexis Sanchez ,” said Jeffrey Heo (12), an avid FC Bayern Munich supporter. “Yet somehow, Alexis Sanchez is being paid 600k Euros a week.” Alexis Sanchez, who is far from the top scoring forward in the Premier League with only 7 goals, is now the highest paid Premier League player in history. Similarly, in past seasons, many big name clubs had spent nearly 50 million Euros in transfer fees on unproven players. This included Manchester

United’s Anthony Martial and Bayern Munich’s Renato Sanches, who is currently playing for Swansea City on loan after a year of disappointing performances. Comparatively, David Beckham, a retired midfielder that is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of this generation, only garnered 37.5 million in transfer fees when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid. Such prices have raised questions on why clubs are spending big money on players far from the top. In addition, this past summer, 25 year old Brazilian forward Neymar Jr. was sold by the Catalonia based FC Barcelona to Ligue 1’s Paris Saint-Germain for a record 222 million Euro. In the same transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain acquired AS Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe, a sensational 19 year old forward who led AS Monaco to the Champions League semi-final last year, for 145 million

Euros and 35 million Euros in bonuses, the second highest transfer fee in association football history. While other clubs in the Ligue 1 cannot afford exorbitant fees to increase the quality of their squads, it is possible for Paris Saint-Germain due to funding by Oryx Qatar Sports Investment, and revenue earned from tickets and merchandising. Currently, Paris Saint-Germain’s combination of Neymar Jr, Mbappe, and Cavani has placed them at the top of the league, 8 points ahead of second place Olympique Lyonnais. This trend of mega-money clubs dominating leagues through exorbitant spending on star players of rival clubs has eliminated competition in some of the leagues throughout Europe. In the German Bundesliga, FC Bayern Munich, a club famous for poaching players off of rival German clubs including Borussia Dortmund, sits 16 points ahead

of second place Bayer 04 Leverkusen. FC Barcelona, a club that had established a nail-biting rivalry with Real Madrid, sits 11 points ahead of second place Atletico Madrid and in the Serie A, top tier clubs S.S.C. Napoli and Juventus F.C. are 10 points ahead of SS Lazio. With mega clubs buying their way to the top of the table, less known clubs like Genoa C.F.C. have little to no chance of winning the league. “I think competition has been erased from football because top clubs are dominating their leagues with money and players,” said James Lee (12), Chelsea F.C. fan. “As long as a few clubs can buy top players while other clubs cannot, there will be little variations in league champions.”

By Justin Chang Senior, Staff Writer

SMALL TALK

EQUALISM? OR FEMINISM? “I’m not a feminist. I’m an equalist because I advocate equality for all genders.” That is the essence of equalism: a gender-neutral and more mild substitute for the feminist movement. The number of times I have seen that comment on any gender-related article on Facebook is, surprisingly, uncountable with my fingers. According to a recent study by the Korea Institute of Criminology, responses from 2,000 Korean men showed that nearly 80 percent of them had abused a woman while dating one; and economically, the gender wage gap is at a jarring 36 percent. In South Korea, where ingrained tradition often holds its place amid the rapidly changing economy and dynamic political climate, such blatant sexism is an issue that is only now entering the battle for social change. Yet recently, more women have opened their eyes to this overt yet deep-rooted prejudice. Feminist organizations such as the controversial Megalia—an allegedly radical feminist website--have emerged with protests, mass popularity, and media spotlight. Like with any rapid social change, opposition is the shadow tagging along, and here, the opposition is

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