Tiger Times Volume 52 Issue 2

PHOTOS BY: Alice Lee, Jenny Seo, Sunny Lee

BACK IN ACTION After a long period of virtual learning, SIS students are back at school participating in their favorite activities and sports with new safety precautions.

SIS prepares for November production of “The Nutcracker” BY: Hugo Lee

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Fall sports season continues with strict regulations BY: Aimee Choi

Tiger Times October

Volume 52

Issue 2

ttonl.org

2 Editorial

Why lunchroom debates matter by

Brian Ham & Eric Hwang editors-in-chief

What does it mean to be political?

At Tiger Times, we would argue that being politically active is about much more than being a Washington junkie. We do not believe that you need to label yourself as a progressive or evangelical conservative to be politically engaged, nor is there a necessity to fully comprehend intricate tax codes to participate in politics. Rather, the only requirements to be politically active are to stand up for your moral principles and to take action to create a more just society as you see fit, no matter how small the deed or how unconventional your vision. By our definition, being a political participant can be as minor as a five minute lunch table discussion about SIS’s absence policies or commenting on a New York Times article about Trump’s handling of the pandemic, as long as you defend your core values and get involved with the politics of everyday life.

In our isolated Korean bubble, it is easy to believe that taking these small steps toward becoming engaged in American politics is pointless. After all, why should we, as high school students who are not even eligible to vote, wade into the disillusioned, convoluted waters of politics? However, while American political squabbles may seem distant, they certainly matter to the vast majority of SIS students who will be attending college in the United States. The impact of political outcomes are immediate and hit close to home; for example, the winner of this year’s presidential election will determine how easily non-US citizens among our current seniors get long-term visas and whether SIS graduates can afford to go to the hospital after spraining an ankle in our dorm room.

Beyond even our self-interest, however, participating in politics is a moral responsibility we owe to others who, unlike ourselves, do not have the luxury to ignore it. When we participate in politics to create our vision of a more just society, we protect the mother whose life-saving surgery hangs in the balance of government health care or the steelworker whose employer teeters on the edge of bankruptcy based on federal tax policy. In this manner, we must participate in politics because it is not only a selfish act, but also a selfless act.

Despite its importance, political discussion is eerily absent from the hallways of SIS, even as a monumental presidential election looms in the background. We rarely see lively debates about Korea’s foreign policy or the vocal Bernie Sanders supporters characteristic of American public high schools, and in an election year, it has never been more crucial to step back and evaluate how our own communities, local or global, can improve.

One solution to SIS’s political aversion may be civic education. Currently, an SIS student can graduate high school without ever taking a class that deeply explores civic responsibility, as courses that deeply explore modern American politics, notably AP US History and Government and Politics, are all voluntary. In essence, crucial lessons about civic engagement and responsibility often never reach the ears of the students who need them the most: those without a prior interest in politics. One’s political beliefs should certainly be self-formulated, but that does not mean politics has no place in the curriculum or that we cannot guide students toward developing their personal viewpoints.

If SIS is to truly prepare the entirety of its student body to become socially responsible, independently thinking global citizens, it is perhaps time to consider adding classes such as Government and Politics to the core curriculum. In order to reverse SIS’s political apathy and create a community willing to have those lunch table discussions, we must provide students with the tools needed to survive a world increasingly defined by widespread communication and intelligent, informed discourse.

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

Does ignorance justify cultural appropriation?

When K-pop girl group LOONA released teasers for their comeback in October, many fans spotted a red flag: one of the girls was wearing hair feathers similar to traditional Native American garments. This was not the first time something like this happened. Cultural appropriation is rampant in K-pop— idols often don dreadlocks and bastardized Native American headdresses—yet the situation is more complex than what most think. Due to steep cultural barriers, many Koreans are unaware of what is considered offensive in the West. Still, in a world where information is so readily available, ignorance does not justify appropriation. K-pop artists and companies have every means to educate themselves on cultural appropriation, so fans and fellow Koreans should hold them accountable for it.

Although many Koreans embrace foreign media, they are quite detached from actual foreigners. This is because Korea is an extremely ethnically homogenous country where non-Korean interaction is limited to just a handful of expat celebrities, of whom almost all are white. Additionally, language barriers often prevent communication with foreigners online. Hence, many Koreans are

nescient of the real-world problems minorities face due to their culture, such as African Americans being racially profiled as criminals for having dreadlocks, a hairstyle many Koreans view simply as trendy. The K-pop industry took it a step further and appropriated these cultures, which foreign audiences sharply criticized. For example, a statue of a Hindu god used as a prop in a BLACKPINK music video drew outcries from Desi fans, who were insulted that such a sacred symbol was used to create an “aesthetic.” Although neither the members nor the girl group’s agency had harmful intentions, the fact that they were completely unaware of these deeper implications is troubling. It shows that K-pop, and perhaps Korea as a whole, needs to learn about other cultures.

Fortunately, they have plenty of resources they can use to do that. It is a well-known fact by now that K-pop fanbases span the world, composed of people from diverse cultures and languages. It is very easy for companies to reach out to these fans and ask them whether something can be interpreted as distasteful; given the fans’ extreme dedication to their idols, they would likely be willing to help. Additionally, in the case they do

culturally appropriate, companies and idols need to be open to criticism so that they are aware of and do not repeat it. BTS, for instance, apologized for their early African American cultural appropriation and have since educated themselves on other cultures.

If companies and idols are willing to go to these lengths, they can bypass the cultural barriers that separate them from the West and save themselves from needless scandals.

Some may argue that forcing K-pop idols and companies, most of whom have completely different sets of cultural values than the West, to obey Western standards is violating their freedom of expression. After all, K-pop is Korean, so why is it not acceptable they follow Korean norms alone? While this is the case when they are using Korean culture, it is not when they are taking from other countries. It is immoral to borrow from another culture without respecting the people that created it. Many Koreans have objected in the past to the misrepresentation of Korean culture overseas, so it is wrong to think that they can do the same by disrespecting cultures that are not their own.

At the same time, the K-pop industry should not be needlessly castigated. Not only does this deteriorate the mental health of companies and idols, who in the end, are just people that happen to be unaware, it also fails to enlighten them. Fans need to aim to educate, not destroy when cultural appropriation occurs to ensure that it does not happen again.

During the recent fiasco with LOONA, fans urged each other to not send hate and instead worked together with Native Americans to draft a letter to LOONA’s agency explaining why the teaser was inappropriate. The agency listened: the following teaser was blurred to hide similar hair feathers. Like this, with the help of Western audiences and the K-pop industry’s cooperation, cultural appropriation and ignorance of foreign cultures can become a thing of K-pop’s past.

BY: Rosa Suh Sophomore, Reporter

Struggles of the asynchronous schedule

In 2019, our eyes would grow wide in shock and terror when we realized we had three or more summatives on the same day. Now, three summative days have become an expectation and norm rather than a horrifying anomaly. Although the concern for academic dishonesty is understandable, the lifestyle that the new asynchronous schedule fosters is, quite literally, unhealthy for students. Therefore, teachers should take pity on us and adjust their smaller, frequent summatives to larger, infrequent summatives consisting of projects.

Although the regularity and breadth of summatives may seem like a trivial matter, it is quite a large factor that contributes to the rising stress levels for students.

Before the new asynchronous schedule, students preferred the small, frequent tests over large, infrequent summatives as it gave them more opportunities to boost their grades. However, with the new asynchronous schedule, when students have to take both large and small tests on the same day, the smaller tests are a nuisance because they prevent students from focusing all their attention on the larger test that counts more toward their grade, and bring down their average for the subject of the smaller test, essentially resulting in a lose-lose situation. Furthermore, students can not get the good quality rest they need because they have to spend the night up studying for all their subjects.

Some may raise the question: “Why would stress levels increase when students are going to be covering the same

amount of content anyway? Isn’t it their fault for not being able to manage their time wisely?” First, it is important to note that students are not cramming everything on the day before the summative because of bad study habits and procrastination, rather it is done out of necessity: it is inevitable that students will forget some of the content after a while. Moreover, when there is too much content, students have to rank their subjects in order of importance and prioritize the higher-ranking ones, which prevents them from preparing for all their tests to the fullest extent. The lack of preparation generates a surplus of stress and anxiety and places additional psychological pressure upon students.

Many teachers and administrators are concerned about academic dishonesty, as there have been various instances where students were caught cheating during online tests even with all the heavy precautions teachers have set up. At first glance, having students take their tests at school with teacher supervision is definitely an effective solution for cheating in the short term. However, it is important to note that academic dishonesty does not only include using a cheat sheet during the test. It also includes discussing the answers with peers and getting information about what comes out on the test before they take it. Thus, when there is an overwhelming number of tests students have to study for, they begin working with their friends to share information from the test. Moreover, they legitimize cheat-

ing by saying that the amount of work the teachers gave them is too “unfair” and that the amount of content they have to study for is “impossible for a human being to accomplish”. As pressure from taking multiple summatives on a day intensifies, the majority of students would eventually foster this kind of mindset, and no one would feel guilt from cheating because everyone else is doing it. Ultimately, a surfeit of pressure can easily set a trend of normalized cheating.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is obviously impossible to change the asynchronous schedule. However, modifications can be made to improve the “multiple summatives a day” system. If summatives become infrequent, students will not have to worry about constantly cramming content and having the small, frequent tests torpedoing their grades.

Furthermore, if tests and quizzes are replaced by projects, students can spend more time better comprehending the content instead of stressing out about forgetting a minuscule detail that appears in an image caption in font size 7. Projects can also get rid of room for academic dishonesty because they require individual exclusivity and cannot be easily copied. Putting larger emphasis on these larger tests can also impel teachers to reconsider whether the small, frequent tests they assign are significant, and induce them to assign tests that are only absolutely necessary.

BY: Jasmine Jeong Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

October 2020

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Tiger Times Staff

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.

Volume 52 Issue 2 October Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editors-In-Chief Brian Ham Eric Hwang Website Editors-in-Chief Christopher Shin Joanne Yang

Paper Managing Editor Jiwon Lee

Layout Artists Ashley Kim Clara Lim

Website Managing Editor Jenny Seo

Copy Editors Irene Kim Sarah Ju Emily Sung Skylar Peck Hugo Lee

Production Editors Emily Oh Eddie Hahm

Reporters Rosa Suh Bona Suh Hannah Kim Jasmine Jeong Sunny Lee Rachel Yoon Minjae Chun Jennifer Kwon Erin J. Choi Jordan Kim

Katherine Suk Katie Kim Isabelle Lee Jack Lee Aimee Choi Alice Lee Woojune Kim Jennifer You Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Viewpoint Feature: With the change to a virtual learning setting, it is of utmost importance to consider how to best manage students’ motivation levels that affect all aspects of student learning.

How should our learning systems be modified on a technical scale to ensure the best quality of education for both students and teachers?

Are students making enough change within themselves to acommodate for the implications of virtual platforms?

Leaders over followers The 30 minutes between lunch and fourth period are a time of engagement and passion, when 20 to 30 students gather in a room to discuss or cooperate on issues of interest. Clubs take up a significant part of our daily school lives, serving as an opportunity to gain leadership experiences and to build relationships between students. However, in the midst of a global pandemic and a hybrid system of two days of classes at school and two days online, clubs are operating on a strictly internet-based system, minimizing interactions between members and leaving many meetings up to the teacher, the “host of the Zoom meeting.” This, for some clubs, has reduced the significance of the role of club executives, who were originally the ones who decided the majority of the club schedules and events. Some complaints have arisen from students who felt as if they were being robbed of the opportunity to lead or take part in largely student-centered activities, but it was undeniable that club productivity was better than ever—teachers pushed forward one project after another, fearing that their club would turn inactive especially in an online setting. This has, therefore, raised

the question: what is more preferable, teacher- or student-led clubs? Although teacher-led clubs are certainly beneficial in organization and productivity, student-led clubs are ultimately more helpful for all.

Some contend that teacher-led clubs are more functional because teachers tend to get through club events more quickly than students. Additionally, especially in the case of volunteer clubs, students lack knowledge about external locations or environments, whereas teachers are most likely more knowledgeable about club responsibilities outside school and the real world in general.

Also, primarily teacher led clubs do not experience certain pitfalls that are common in student led clubs. For instance, some clubs tend to lose discipline and rigor, especially after a few months.

Some clubs dismiss their members after solely taking roll call for five minutes, and do not have lasting projects or assignments that contribute to the overall productivity of the club. Students have reported that certain clubs have been more likely to feel unprepared and impromptu due to the complete control of student executives. This is espe-

cially true for mainly senior-led clubs, as college applications’ looming deadlines divert their attention from club events in the first semester, and senior motivation dwindles during the second semester, resulting in the club’s downward spiral. It must also be noted that teacher leadership usually correlates with primarily teacher-centered discussions when deciding executive officers for the following year. Some argue that teachers are the best judges when it comes to executive decisions, as teachers are usually more rational and consider applications solely based on merit instead of taking student connections into account. This will thus contribute to a club environment in which students strive hard to obtain the position of leadership instead of relying solely on upperclassmen networks to do so.

However, student led clubs have benefits that teacher led clubs do not. Primarily, it is crucial to keep the true purpose of student led clubs in mind. The most fundamental purpose of student clubs is to be student run and buttress students experiences, not necessarily to create an extremely productive environment with machines that raise millions

for charity or revolutionize the world. That is why even though student-led clubs may arguably be slightly less productive, they are preferable for allowing students to gain leadership and fostering a student-led extracurricular community at SIS, especially because students can connect better with the rest of the student body and the teacher is not necessarily aware of what students want to do in the clubs. Additionally, student-led clubs are inherently more about experience than productivity. Are volunteering clubs really about raising a few hundred dollars, or is it about giving students volunteerism habits that they will continue to practice as adults? Making mistakes and slipping along the way are essential components of building experience as student leaders, as teachers or higher authorities will not always be there to help. Extending this point to executive officer decisions, even though student connections may be involved, the chance for students to obtain leadership overrides any potential discrepancies. When initiating executive decision discussions, students are able to learn how to filter through different possibilities to make the best decision for

the club, an ability that they would otherwise not be able to obtain in high school. Furthermore, building and exploiting student connections is not necessarily always harmful. By understanding that connections with higher authorities are sometimes prioritized over one’s merit, students can learn and attain strategies for building these connections, which will most definitely be used later in life.

Therefore, it is crucial for clubs to find a balance between the two styles of leadership, while giving student executives the slight upper hand. Especially with the current COVID-19 chaos, when it is inevitable that teachers take control with the unmuted microphone and the position as Zoom call host, opportunities for executives to take control of the meeting, even on the web, are necessary. After all, school must prepare students to be leaders, not followers.

BY: Emily Sung Junior, Copy Editor

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SCHOOL NEWS

News Briefs SIS continues to hold standardized tests

HSSC hosts E-Sports tournament

There are a total of seven SAT tests held annually; however, due to the COVID pandemic, 46 percent of the testing centers have closed, while other facilities have limited the number of students allowed to take the tests. The College Board has granted SIS the privilege to resume the SAT testing, under the conditions that all students comply with the mandatory safety requirements. Members are to pass a thermal camera, bring an orange pass with student details, maintain strict distancing policies, and wear masks at all times.

“Being a senior, it was really important that I take the SATs this year since it would be my last chance before college submissions,” said Alex Park (12), a senior student. “I was really relieved to see that SIS would still be holding the testing unlike some other schools. Other students stuck to the COVID regulations, allowing the testing to continue, and it was overall a swift process.”

Insight into upcoming events for DSQ As grade levels attend school based on a specific rotation schedule, the challenges within SIS clubs to remain active only increases. The SIS dance club, DSQ , has taken a more original approach to pursue its activities. Being a dance club, the primary activities revolve around live showcases. Yet, due to the coronavirus, such productions have been cancelled, leaving club members to resort to alternative methods that would retain productivity. In the middle of October, DSQ plans to release two dance cover videos on their YouTube channel to replace the intended performances, and members continue to spend time outside of school preparing for remote projects.

“The current situation has pushed us to switch to safer ways to hold similar activities we usually do,” said Elaine Choi (12), an executive of DSQ. “We meet regularly to practice and film covers, and although we usually film two covers a year, we plan to upload videos until we get the opportunity to perform in school and in front of an audience.”

The science department welcomes a new AP biology teacher Chris Koester, the former AP Biology teacher, departed SIS six weeks into school. SIS administrators rushed to recruit a new teacher, and despite the sudden news, the recruitment process was surprisingly swift, as due to the global pandemic, many were in search of a job and SIS received many applicants. Nico Lambert, the new Science teacher came from teaching in another international school in Korea, and his career rooted off in a public school in Kentucky, in which he taught there for two years.

“Hi all! This is my sixth year teaching,” said Nico Lambert, the new AP Biology teacher. “I have taught all the way from grade six to grade 12 science, and I love teaching students about how things around us work. The students at SIS seem very motivated and it seems like an exciting place to work in. I hope to get to know the students better!”

BY: Erin J Choi Sophomore, Reporter

From Sept. 26-27, HSSC organized an E-Sports tournament where students from all grade levels took part in online games such as Among Us, Minecraft Hypixel, and League of Legends. With Chuseok break around the corner, participants engaged in virtual games with their friends during the weekend.

“We thought it would be best to incorporate an interactive event that would bring the SIS community together,” said Ginna

Schultz, HSSC advisor. “Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to think of activities that would be engaging yet safe.”

As a result, Among Us—a social deduction game where each player takes the role of either a Crewmate or a predetermined Imposter—was hosted.

Through the votes of high school students, HSSC scheduled Among Us to take place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept.

26. Another game was a lobby of Minecraft Hypixel minigames,

where players were able to join anytime from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 27. Both of these were intentionally engendered as friendly games. As a result, no students were deemed winners.

“The main goal of creating Among Us and Minecraft Hypixel was to cheer students up,” said Yoonseo Kim (10), HSSC member. “Inactivity and boredom are something we all regularly face. So, by engaging in uncompetitive events, it can help students ease their mind

from stressful situations and enjoy their time off.”

However, League of Legends was regarded as competitive.

Six teams—Go Next, SKT T1, SKT T2, E7, and Seongnam Surfers—participated in preliminary rounds held on Saturday. Unlike the aforementioned teams, Night League moved to the quarterfinals through an automatic bye system, which allowed the team to advance to the following round without playing against an opponent. In the preliminary rounds, Go Next beat FF15, SKT T1 beat SKT T2, and Seongnam Surfers beat E7. Then, in the quarterfinals, Night League beat Go Next and the Seongnam Surfers beat SKT T1. From here, Night League and Seongnam Surfers advanced to the semifinals. Eventually, Seongnam Surfers, consisting Tony Kim (12), Dennis Choye (12), Anthony Hong (12), Christopher Kim (12), and Michael Cho (12), won the best of three games, winning and receiving the ultimate prize of 50,000 won.

“Although our team didn’t win, we had a fun time playing League of Legends,” said Andrew Park (10), an avid gamer. “Outside of school, I always enjoyed playing games with my friends.

Because of quarantine, I felt like I was not able to interact with my friends as much as I used to.

But, through the HSSC E-Sports tournament, my friends and I were able to have fun, which I feel like is important, especially during COVID-19. It was something I don’t regret spending my Saturday night on.”

BY: Jennifer Kwon Sophomore, Reporter

SIS Medical Society students take GPSA program over summer vacation

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his summer, SIS students in the Medical Society club received an opportunity to participate in a virtual research program with Duke University and Global Public Service Academy (GPSA). Five students from the club volunteered to participate in the program, listening to lectures, working on projects with mentors, and presenting their projects to Dr. Robert Malkin, the founder of GPSA. In addition, the SIS students were able to connect with other high school students from different countries around the world such as Japan, China, Switzerland, and Canada.

“I decided to participate in the GPSA because I wanted to build a strong relationship between SIS and the GPSA organization before I graduated,” said Hannah Yoo (12), a senior executive of Medical Society. “As the COVID-19 pandemic is a very relevant topic and of my interest as a STEM student, I wanted to participate in lectures and start a project

in my community addressing this issue. Until now, I wasn’t aware of how vulnerable populations were dealing with the pandemic, but after meeting with one of the guest speakers, I was able to have insight on Myanmar refugees. The program changed my opinion that students can partake in making a difference for a better world.”

A professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, Dr. Malkin founded GPSA in 2010 with the belief that high school students also had the ability to bring changes to the world. While students are often underestimated, GPSA gives an opportunity for them to prove that students are as capable as adults in contributing to their society.

In addition to learning about epidemiology, students of SIS were able to find out how they could impact the world around them and put it into practice through their various projects.

Realizing how one can make a difference could greatly affect the student’s future career and

life regardless of whether or not the student chooses the field of global health.

“I think anyone who is willing to do so has the ability to impact their community in a positive way,” said Diana Perez, the assistant manager of GPSA. “During lectures, students all had the chance to participate and share opinions not only with their SIS peers but also with students from China, Japan, Switzerland, and Canada. They were able to identify the need in your area, reflect on what you could have served and come up with a feasible solution by using resources that your target population had access to and could understand.

It was a true pleasure having SIS students join one of our ecourses and we look forward to continue learning and growing together in the near future.”

The participation of Medical Society’s members in the ecourse opens up the possibility of increased involvement in such programs for SIS students in the future. As the students

explore their areas of interest, they will be able to learn and explore more about fields that they have not thought of before in school. The five students that participated in this program this summer overall gained insight on what things they could do to help their community get through the pandemic and attain a better idea of what global health is.

“I participated in the program because I wanted to learn more about COVID-19, since I am very interested in anything related to biology,” said Amelia Chung (10), a GPSA participant.

“I learned a lot about the virus in general, as well as how other countries were dealing with it, in particular through their medical systems. In the end, I learned to be more cognizant about COVID 19 and spread awareness to others as well. It was a valuable experience that I think more and more students could partake in.”

BY: Hannah Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

October 2020

Music festivals make changes

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mong the many changes that have taken place in SIS due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cancellation of musicals, concerts, and arts performances have had a profound impact on the school’s environment. Due to online and offline hybrid classes, music classes face difficulties in proceeding with their practices. In particular, it is hard to practice for a concert when practicing together is a key part of rehearsals. However, students are not able to coordinate with each other to create harmony. Furthermore, students attending class online having to do counterintuitive actions, such as rehearsing for an upcoming performance in their bedrooms, make the disconnection more pronounced.

“In terms of mapping the production out, nothing much was done,” said Shane Meiklejohn, drama teacher at SIS. “Only half of the students were on campus, so while the ones physically present focused on blocking—which is figuring out where everyone would position themselves—the ones attending class online focused on their voices. Their voices became more fantasy-like, suiting the purposes of this musical. We just have to wait if the performance would be streamed online, with a limited audience, or the full house. Ideally, having the full audience would provide better, more helpful audience feedback, but due to the circumstances, at least half the audience would be great.”

Concerts and music festivals

such as AMIS or NHF are either unable to be hosted or are unsure whether they can be hosted. With these uncertainties, students who have been practicing and devoting much of their time to prepare for such festivals are left in an ambiguous situation. Classes that are designed to prepare for big concerts or music festivals could not proceed and students who were not able to attend such music festivals last year due to the global pandemic were demotivated when informed about this year’s circumstances.

“It is definitely a bit discouraging to hear that you will not be able to perform,” said Hannah Kim (11), violist in HSO. “I feel most accomplished when we officially perform in concerts. The moments on stage with the crowd feedback and unity

SIS prepares for November production of “The Nutcracker”

Casted to act the main roles of the upcoming Nutcracker play, Justin Seo (11) and Eunice Lee (12) rehearse their lines for perfection.

Photo by Alice Lee

of our team are some of the most rewarding moments of my school year as a student musician. I feel rewarded for my hard work put into perfectionating my performance, but that will not be the case for this year.”

Whether that change is negative, neutral, or positive depends on the individual. Students who consider music as a big part of their lives would feel school life to be duller and less lively compared to the years with festive music-related events. However, to students who have absolutely no interest in music, this change might not even be profound enough for them to notice.

“Last year, everything was cancelled, but at least some of the students are back on campus,”

As autumn leaves start falling and winter approaches, the SIS drama department is making preparations for a winter classic: “The Nutcracker.” One of the most emblematic plays of winter, “The Nutcracker” promises to be one of the most intriguing SIS drama performances to date. Currently, the play is scheduled to be performed on Nov. 4-6, although the dates are not set in stone due to the ever-shifting pandemic situation.

The play was, in fact, originally scheduled for Oct. 27-29 before being delayed due to the re-expansion of COVID-19 in September and the shift to virtual learning. Given the steadily decreasing numbers of COVID-19 cases, it is likely that preparations will continue without much delay with auditions and rehearsals underway in order to recruit and gear up cast members for the play. While the pandemic situation seems to be improving, “The Nutcracker” play will be likely performed virtually via live streaming rather than with the conventional in-person performances due to the COVID-19 precautions remaining in effect. “The Nutcracker” is a school play, meaning all students, including those not currently taking drama, can sign up for the auditions and participate. Auditions have been held starting from October and rehearsals for dancers and minor roles have started following Chuseok. Considering the rigorous effort put into preparations for the play, “The Nutcracker” seems to be well on its way to becoming another masterpiece characteristic of SIS drama performances.

“We are putting in everything we have to put up the best performance possible this November,” said Jennah Yoo (10), a member of “The Nutcracker” cast. “The cast is doing a truly impressive job in preparing for the play.

We meet every Tuesday and Thursday after school and even on Saturdays for rehearsals. The asynchronous schedule does make preparations more difficult compared to last year since middle schoolers and high schoolers cannot readily collaborate but regardless, we are doing a great job as a team.”

First performed in Dec. 1982, “The Nutcracker” is a Christmas classic that has become one of the most popular winter performances with major American ballet companies obtaining over 40 percent of their annual revenue from “The Nutcracker” performances according to the New York Times. “The Nutcracker” plot is largely based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s fantasy story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” in which the main character, a little girl, makes friends with a nutcracker doll that comes to life on Christmas Eve to fight an evil mouse king.

The act begins in a Christmas party where an enigmatic toymaker, Drosselmeyer, offers a nutcracker as a gift for Clara, the main character of the story. Then at midnight, Clara wakes up to find an army of mice and the Mouse King marching about the house and poised to attack her. Miraculously, the Nut-

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said Michael Ganus, band teacher.

“Everyone is encouraged to move things back to normal. Although all music festivals requiring traveling have been canceled, we are seeing a new normal and even sports games are beginning to take place again.

We have plans for some festivals in the spring that involve recording the performance on stage and submitting it. Although these festivals are not as exciting as going to Europe, I think we are all just happy to see each other again. It is almost as if someone pushed the reset button and everyone has to start over again, but that is okay as long as we are all safe.”

BY: Sunny Lee Junior, Reporter

cracker comes to life and fights off the mice with its own toy soldier army. The mouse king, however, corners the Nutcracker amidst the battle and the weaker Nutcracker struggles to fight back the powerful mice king. At the last moment, Clara throws an object at the mouse king’s head, stunning the mouse and helping the Nutcracker claim victory, after which Clara, dazed by her witness of the fantastical events, drifts into a beautiful, magical winter world.

“I am really excited about the upcoming Nutcracker play,” said Fabian Roh (10), avid drama enthusiast and fan of “The Nutcracker.” “From what I heard from my friends in the cast, they are definitely devoting a lot of effort into perfecting the play. I have always enjoyed watching ‘The Nutcracker’ plays since I was a kid and I am sure the SIS cast can perform this masterpiece at its highest level.”

To put up a quality performance of such a famous, popular, and rather complicated play, the SIS drama department needs more actors to supplement its cast. “The Nutcracker” has over 30 characters including the supporting roles, and thus requires a much larger cast than most other plays. Moreover, “The Nutcracker,” due to it originally being a two-act ballet performance, requires a considerable amount of dancing and dancers to perform the play in its entirety. The play also requires stage fighters to act out the fighting scenes on stage, which is arguably a difficult task to perform in an orderly fashion while simultaneously preserving the excitement and thrill of the battles. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of dancers and actors willing to perform in “The Nutcracker,” possibly due to social distancing concerns aroused by the COVID-19 situation. On top of the slight shortage of performers, the likely performance of the play online via live stream may potentially reduce the dramatic vigor of the play. Nevertheless, the play is certainly on its way to impressing the SIS community with thorough preparatory measures and a devoted cast.

“Admittedly, there are fewer people in the cast compared to last year due to COVID-19,” said Shane Meiklejohn, drama teacher. “The asynchronous schedule is certainly an obstacle as it has obliged us to perform rehearsals and practices online until just before Chuseok, which is inevitably not as effective as in-person practices. But regardless, the cast seems very committed and enthusiastic about the play and I am confident that they will be ready to perform by the second or third performance. It is highly likely that the play will be recorded or streamed online without a live audience but I can assure that the play will be just as good as our other performances with our talented and committed cast.”

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

CANCEL CULTURE: Its Psychology and Aftermath Cancel Culture - The popular practice of withdrawing support for public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive.

WHAT LEADS UP TO

CANCEL CANCEL CULTURE CULTURE

WHAT CANCEL CANCEL CULTURE CULTURE LEAVES BEHIND

Cancel culture is a phenomenon where a large group of people criticizes the wrongdoings of a person or group until their reputation is permanently tarnished. Cancel culture is especially prevalent on social media as it is easier for people to collectively degrade a public figure within a short duration of time on the internet. Some examples include the criticism leveled at Bella Poarch for her Rising Sun flag tattoo, Korean Mukbangers for illegally advertising products without informing viewers, and many TikTok stars for hosting unsafe parties during the pandemic.

The most significant contributors to cancel culture are mob mentality and bandwagoning. These behaviors describe those that simply follow what others are saying without having their own rationale behind their stances. Even though many people criticize one another for canceling a public figure simply because everyone else is doing so, it is inevitable that people will jump on the bandwagon as it is in human nature to follow the crowd. The continuous criticism of an individual eventually negatively impact others’ opinions on that individual as well. This inevitable mob mentality then raises a question regarding the validity of cancel culture: is cancel culture a legitimate public call for accountability or a social bandwagon primarily driven by the desire to participate in popular trends rather than create meaningful change?

To help answer this question, we can take a look at the recent controversy on Tiktok that involved the painful history of South Korea. Bella Poarch, a famous “TikTok star,” revealed her arm with a tattoo of a Rising Sun flag in one of her videos.

The Rising Sun flag represents Japanese imperialism in the early 20th century, which was an era of brutal abuse and torture for South Koreans. South Korean netizens who saw Poarch’s tattoo were outraged by her ignorance of Korea’s painful history.

At first, netizens from all around the world criticized Poarch along with the South Koreans for her disrespect to Korean history. After the criticism spread like wildfire, Poarch uploaded a short apology video that simply said, “I’m very sorry if my tattoo offends you. I love Korea, please forgive

Cancel culture frequently takes place on social media, when people simultaneously decide to shun a celebrity for their actions. Through the development of technology and social media, cancel culture has become more prevalent over the last decade. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have played significant roles in this growing trend. To this day, cancel culture has notably impacted many celebrities in both South Korea and the United States, as well as society more generally.

One of the most significant impacts of cancel culture has been diminishing the individuality of celebrities. For example, Sulli, a South Korean actress, recently committed suicide after battling internet bullies for years. Sulli was severely criticized by the public after asserting her right to bodily expression and choice to fans. Following her “canceling,” Sulli appeared silently and tearfully on Instagram live and pleaded to her audience, “I am not a bad person. I am sorry. Why are you saying bad things about me? What did I do to deserve this?” In October 2019, Sulli was found dead by her manager, having committed suicide in her home.

In addition to Sulli, cancel culture has caused many other celebrities to struggle to freely express their opinions online when their views contrast with the public’s expectations. In some instances, cancel culture polices negative or insensitive content, but in other cases, such as in the example of Sulli, cancel culture can suppress legitimate expressions of voice that are not socially harmful to others. By suppressing legitimate expressions of voice among celebrities, cancel culture has greatly diminished opportunities to express self-identity. In consequence, many celebrities in Korean society are now failing to preserve their individuality and a positive self-image as a result. For instance, Hara-gu, a famous South Korean singer, also committed suicide in November 2019 after she failed to preserve her self-esteem from a wave of predatory comments in social media. Subsequently, there has been a growing voice that it is urgent to prepare a countermeasure against malicious comments. As mean comments have emerged as a social issue,

me,” with a heart emoticon. Korean citizens became even more offended by this insincere apology and continued to criticize her.

Although Non-Korean netizens initially seemed to agree with the Korean netizens once again, many suddenly started to accept Poarch’s apology. Korean netizens were offended by the non-Korean netizens for accepting the apology on behalf of Korea. Within a blink of an eye, Non-Korean netizens who supported the Korean netizens switched sides because others seemed to accept Poarch once again, demonstrating the mob mentality that results from cancel culture. This mob mentality sparked another separate fight among the netizens regarding the netizens’ actions. When the majority started canceling Poarch for her inappropriate behavior, everyone else, even including those who did not know what the Rising Sun Flag meant, followed in their footsteps.

When people started to accept her apology, even the ones who initially criticized her started accepting her apology in accordance with what the “mob” dictated. In this sense, many netizens technically ruined Poarch’s reputation and career just because others were hating on her and accepted her back because others were following suit. Even though the issue regarding Poarch is still controversial and ongoing, it exemplifies how mob mentality plays a significant role in dictating citizens’ actions.

Even though there may be a justified rationale for taking part in the cancel culture, it is impossible to ignore the important role of mob mentality in cancel culture. Such mob mentality takes place in all the perspectives present in the conflict and may even create new conflicts among the stakeholders. Although many people may disapprove of mob mentality, it is now perfectly ingrained within the cancel culture, and may even be inherently considered a part of cancel culture.

Mob mentality is something that we cannot avoid, as it is a phenomenon that occurs among a wide range of people, and, the most we can do is to simply accept its presence and be aware of such a phenomenon.

BY

Katherine Suk Katherine Suk

Korean internet companies like Naver have begun reinforcing a filtering system that automatically hides comments containing unpleasant profanity with artificial intelligence called “Cleanbot,” which is maintained despite public criticism, in an attempt to protect celebrities from excessive cancel culture.

Although cancel culture can sometimes get out of hand, when it does legitimately police reprehensible behavior, it can be an opportunity for celebrities to grow and learn.

Yoo Young-hyun, a member of the South Korean rock group, Jannabi, experienced cancel culture after his past behavior of school violence was publicly revealed. Yoo was accused of covering students’ faces with plastic bags and messing with others’ lockers. At last, Jannabi removed him from the group, which warned not only students but the rest of the society in Korea of the danger of school violence. Even though cancel culture is often seen negatively, it allows celebrities to learn from their past wrongdoings, which helps not only cancel culture’s targets but also the public in general. Acknowledging space for potential growth, celebrities have been able to position themselves more firmly within the values of social justice and learn to become more moral. For example, Tammie Teclemariam, a freelance food writer, posted about racial bias in a food media industry. After this sparked controversy on the internet leading to cancel culture, Teclemariam was able to learn from her mistakes and learn to more respectfully treat racial issues. Even though people who cancel the celebrities stay anonymous, the targeted celebrities now are able to realize the public’s disapproval of them and more actively learn from their flaws.

For Sulli, who simply encouraged individualism, cancel culture led to mockery by the public, pressuring her into suicide. Meanwhile, others were able to learn valuable lessons as they were able to look back into their past mistakes and actions. In this sense, while celebrities may sometimes be victimized by cancel culture, they are also able to use this experience as a chance to become more mature.

BY

Jack Lee Jack Lee

LAYOUT BY

Eddie Hahm

photos from AP Images, Fanpop.com, Getty Images, Facebook, Last.fm, WireImage, Shutterstock

8

GLOBAL NEWS

News Briefs

2020 election produces record number of early votes According to the United States Elections Project, a website that tracks voting data, approximately 4,000,000 ballots have already been cast for the 2020 presidential election as of Oct. 7. This is a much more favorable turnout compared to that of October 2016, when only 75,000 early votes were recorded.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many states are attempting to simplify the process of voting by mail this year. However, election rules vary from state to state, and each has its own regulations for who qualifies to take part in absentee voting.

“I believe COVID-19 is the primary reason why there has been an increase in the number of early voters,” said Morgan Miller, social studies teacher.

“This year, there has been a lot of emphasis on voting by mail instead of physically heading to polls. Americans have realized that since the mailing process takes some time, in order to receive results on election day without delay, voting early is essential.”

Researchers detect phosphine on Venus On Sept. 14, a team of international researchers announced the detection of phosphine in Venus’s atmosphere. Phosphine, a toxic gas compound identified by the chemical formula PH3, is an indicator of life because it can only be made industrially or by microbes that exist in oxygen-free environments.

Due to its unexpectedness, this observation has fueled excitement within the scientific community and has caused space agencies to prioritize gaining information about Venus when planning future interplanetary missions.

“While astronomers will need to conduct further research on this detection, discovering life on Venus may lead to revolutionary information that will ultimately be taught in classrooms,” said Sarah Yim (10), member of the SIS Science Club. “This is a scientific breakthrough that will help humans better understand the universe.”

Venezuela COVID-19 crisis Due to a surge in popularity through the release of songs such as DNA, Boy With Luv, and Dynamite, BTS has become a universal sensation; their fanbase, ARMY, is constantly expanding. On Sept.

23, the group delivered a pre-recorded speech at the 75th UN General Assembly. The message included encouraging messages geared toward young people who are struggling to deal with the COVID19 pandemic. This was BTS’s second time speaking at the UN General Assembly, as they spoke at the launch ceremony of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited program in 2018.

“I am proud of how globally prominent BTS has become because despite being from a small entertainment company, they have brought worldwide attention to South Korea—especially to our culture,” said Eunice Rhee (10), an avid ARMY. “I believe it is important for famous figures in pop culture to be given large platforms to speak on significant issues since when such platforms are used responsibly, they can help promote positive messages to many people.”

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Talks for TikTok and WeChat deals continue Over the past few weeks, President Donald Trump and various companies have been discussing deals regarding the ban of TikTok and WeChat, which are currently owned by Bytedance and Tencent respectively. Allegedly signifying a national security threat by collecting American data and sending it over to China, these popular social media apps have been deemed potentially harmful to the wellbeing of US safety as a whole.

“I think the move to block [TikTok] is just an attempt to punish China in this ongoing trade war between the US and China,” said Chris Bracciano, social studies teacher. “WeChat is a little more complicated; it is frequently cited as an essential communication tool for Chinese-American immigrants with their families back home, and the loss of this technology could make life harder for immigrants… If Chinese developers came up with TikTok, then they have enriched the world with that technology, and in a democracy, users should be free to choose to use it; there is no inherent reason why Americans have to use technology developed by American companies.”

In recent months, Microsoft has proposed to buy the app TikTok alongside Walmart, two giant US corporations.

Oracle, an American technology company, joined the bidding later. TikTok Global, a new US corporation, will be established

with Oracle owning 12.5 percent and Walmart owning 7.5 percent. Discussions have been in place since August, but it is evident that the deals are taking a long time due to unclear details. Bytedance is presently in talks with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS), a regulatory body that oversees all agreements. Trump has stated that if the deals are not complete

by Nov. 12, he has plans to ban TikTok completely in the US. However, the plans for TikTok Global have started to fall short on Trump’s list of priorities, as he has been shifting his focus to appointing a new Supreme Court justice and campaigning for his re-election.

“While I do understand President Trump’s desire to make TikTok a US-based corporation, I am confused about the reasons why,” said Hannah Kim (11), MUN delegate. “The concern that China is collecting US data makes sense to some extent, but I believe that it does not address the fact that by creating all of these policies around Chinese-owned apps and trying to make them US-based, it will only be a means by which more conflict can arise between already hostile nations.”

It is apparent that many of the basic factors making up the agreement are yet to be decided, but if the deal should pass, the US should brace for some amount of political disturbance. Trump and Oracle

have both stated that they would not like to approve the deal if TikTok Global has any form of Chinese involvement. On the contrary, the Chinese government has indicated that they would only like to move forward if ByteDance preserves its majority share. Also, considering that Oracle is a right-leaning company and endorses Trump, it is important to note the political implications of having such a major part of the US social climate be dictated by a company that is so connected to the state with their stances. If TikTok is banned, it would lead to not only an increase in hostility between nations such as the US and China but also between Trump and US citizens, knowing how prevalent of a position these apps hold on current social culture.

“I am not entirely sure what will happen in the future regarding these apps,” said Yoonseo Kim (10), user of TikTok. “While I do hope for the deal’s approval for content creators on the app and user enjoyment, the deal is not as planned as it seems.

While some may believe these are only social media platforms that hold no significance, in the digital age, apps such as these are major contributors to the sharing of ideas, whether that be about personal connections or politics.”

BY: Sarah Ju Junior, Copy Editor

Jo Doo-soon to be released soon On Dec. 11, 2008, the inhumane actions of a man drove a nation into shock. His name was Jo Doo-soon, and his widely publicized crimes—kidnapping, raping, beating, and resultantly causing irreversible damage to the internal organs of an eight-year-old child—easily places him in first place on the list of most sickening criminal in modern South Korean history.

The fact that he was only sentenced to 12 years in prison, despite 18 previous felonies for which he was jailed, is another source of revolting astonishment.

“Instead of adding up the jail sentences for each of their legal violations, Korean law usually assigns criminals the punishment for whatever single heaviest law was broken as part of their crime,” said Albert Hong, avid follower of South Korean politics and law. “This is partially why Jo was only sentenced for 12 years in prison, and a lot less for his previous felonies. In fact, this is not his first sexual offense; he was previously punished for kidnapping and raping a woman, but was only jailed for three years as a result.

What is even more ridiculous than this, however, is that Jo was sentenced to two years in prison for murdering a man.”

With less than two months left before his release, public fury has once again been ignited over not only Jo’s absurdly short sentence, but also his desire to move back into the neighborhood where the victim’s family resides, roughly 500 meters from her apartment. Controversy over the Korean law that forbids the release of uncensored pictures of criminals has also taken the forefront of hotly debated topics, with many expressing fear over their inability to identify Jo making them his potential victims.

“I believe that the public has a right to know what Jo Doo-soon looks like,” said Evelyn Hur (12), a student of roughly the same age as the victim. “Despite living nowhere near Jo’s intended place of residence, I am already afraid of him being released. I cannot imagine what the victim and her family must feel like, knowing that Jo will be moving in practically right next to them and being powerless to stop him.”

While much of the blame over Jo’s imminent release has been placed on the judge who had sentenced him, this anger is misdirected; Korean law requires judges to reduce sentences should the perpetrator be intoxicated while committing the crimes, and often has inappropriately light punishments for sexual offenders. Jo fits both criteria—the entire legal system is at fault here. In fact, 12 years was a historic sentencing for any criminal at the time; the legal norm for rapists was seven years, while 10 years for murderers. Public outrage over this incident has brought about some change, however, with sexual assault laws regarding children being strengthened as a result.

“A 12-year sentence for such a heinous crime being a surprising exception seems very concerning,” said Steven Nave, social studies teacher. “Being sentenced for two years for murdering someone and having no legal repercussions for his history of sexual assault is also astonishing.

Had he gotten a longer sentence or stayed in jail, this crime would not have hap-

pened. Another aspect I was surprised about was that being drunk decreases penalties, because I thought that it would instead be increasing them. This is a serious issue, and one that I believe should extend to the political sphere; it should be part of politicians’ platforms, and something that is brought up in every presidential or local debate.”

Although Jo will be required to wear an electronic tag for seven years as part of his release conditions, this mechanism only serves as a weak barrier between him and potential victims. There are no restrictions on where he can go, and this flimsy device is easily destructible, with no way to stop Jo should he decide to take it off. Despite adamant protest, nothing can be done about this; the public is legally powerless to protect themselves, and more specifically the victim and her family, from Jo’s possible relapse into criminal behavior.

BY: Jiwon Lee Senior, Paper Managing Editor

Tiger Times

October 2020

Supreme Court’s feminist icon RBG passes away at age 87 The world mourned the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, after she passed away on Sept. 18 at the age of 87 after a long fight against cancer. Appointed to office in 1993

by Bill Clinton, Ginsburg served as the oldest member of the court’s liberal wing in recent years, consistently delivering progressive votes on major controversial social issues currently, same-sex marriage, voting rights, health care, affirmative action, immigration, and abortion rights.

“I think personally, RBG was obviously an icon in the field for women and gender equality,” said Jessica Terbrueggen, English teacher. “I know she was not perfect, and many people claim so as well, but as a woman, I believe she did so much for women and moved us forward. RBG was a champion for gender equality, and at a personal level and as a nationwide level, it is certainly a big loss.”

Ginsburg, also referred to as RBG, was the champion of race and gender equality, paving the way for equal rights for women

and allowing her to become a feminist and liberal symbol in the Supreme Court. Beyond her accomplishments as a Supreme Court justice, RBG’s legacy can be noted back to when she worked as a litigator in the 1970s with the American Civil Liberties Union, allowing her to leave a significant mark on the US by taking part in forming the lives that many Americans are able to live today.

“RBG was my lifelong role model, as well as an inspiration to countless other women who aspire to work in law and politics,” said

Rachel Lee (12), avid supporter of Ginsburg. “Ginsburg fought for all types of genders as she worked to dismantle the patriarchy, whether it be fighting for women’s rights with the ACLU or challenging legislation that discriminated against widowers. And as she defended Americans of all backgrounds in the courtroom, she was an amazing daughter, mother, and grandmother, as well as a fierce woman who, even after battling cancer, hit the gym more often than I do. Although I know I will continue to rewatch the RBG documentary to remember her

legacy, I hope that the replacement for SCOTUS is a person truly worthy of filling the Notorious RBG’s shoes as a feminist icon.”

Many Americans were concerned about the replacement of Ginsburg, particularly due to numerous achievements she was able to make for Americans and the possibility of those developments to be drawn back. As the National Public Radio reported, Ginsburg opened up to her granddaughter that she wanted her replacement to be appointed by the next president. President Trump has recently appointed Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative, as the leading successor of Ginsburg’s position.

Barrett’s nomination has caused opposing perspectives, regarding how this nomination is favoring conservatives, while liberals and women especially are in fear of the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned since the debate about abortion rights continues.

“There was of course an outpouring of grief of the liberal icon on the Supreme Court,” said James Kowalski, history teacher.

“The unfortunate thing is when Ginsburg was alive, although politically charged issues came into the court, the issues were not as polarized as they are today.

It is unfortunate that rather than celebrating her accomplishments, they are polarized, basically having political shouts. I think that she certainly became a figure and advocate for women in terms of their rights and what they can do with their own bodies. She was the sharpest, legal-minded justice in the century, and framing her along those issues is a disservice to her legacy.”

BY: Irene Kim Senior, Copy Editor

O

n Oct. 24, 1945, almost immediately following World War II, the United Nations (UN) was founded. A union of 51 countries, its main purpose was to maintain international peace and security among the UN nations after a long period of war and disorder.

With its mission statement being “the maintenance of international peace and security,” the UN consistently provided humanitarian aid to people in need and alleviated tension between nations. Some of the noteworthy accomplishments made are providing food to 90 million people in need, implementing approximately 70 international peacekeeping missions, and protecting human rights through utilizing pre-existing and UN-made declarations and treaties. The UN ultimately succeeded in symbolizing peace around the world

75

years ago, today…

BY Katherine

Suk

and still continues to do so 75 years later, today.

Ever since the creation of the UN, there have been many positive changes in the world. In 2020, there are no world wars, significantly fewer international threats, fewer people starving, more minority groups with guaranteed human rights, and decreased nuclear tension among nations. Although it cannot be said that the UN is the sole cause for all the improvements mentioned, it is certainly true that the UN has taken an active role in making these advancements possible. Just by looking at the resolutions regularly passed by UN committees such as the Security Council, General Assembly, and Economic and Social Council, we are able to see how the UN is consistently attempting to promote international peace and security.

However, although the world has undergone major improvements compared to the time before the creation of the UN, countries still face many international challenges.

In particular, in 2020, there have been many incidents that had the potential to trigger a large international catastrophe. For example, the US and Iran had a major conflict, in which the US imposed sanctions on Iran, which Iran strongly opposed.

Consequently, Iran attacked the US forces in Iraq, which worsened the relationship between the two nations. The US also declared a technology competition with China, another event that has prompted the rise of multinational hostility. These incidents go against the mission statement of the UN, “the maintenance of international peace and security,” and rather trigger unrest

9

among nations. Peace and security are still not fully achieved in the status quo.

The status of international relationships improved a lot in the last 75 years, but there is still a long way to go. There seem to be continuous sparks that may lead to a wildfire of catastrophe. Just like the goal of the creation of the UN, the world needs to consistently strive for international peace. As international relationships change, we need to adapt to new solutions. A new international organization may be founded, new policies may be made, and new treaties may be signed. In the year 2095, 75 years from today, what will the world strive for?

10 SPORTS/LIFESTYLE COVID affects football contracts SIS football lovers are highly disappointed with lack of professional soccer matches in recent months due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Soccer leagues have been canceled for a long time, but they are slowly moving to restart their season. However, this is making some people concerned about the safety of the athletes.

Currently, most companies are allowing their employees to work from home to avoid crowded areas and high-risk environments. However, if the season begins, most sports athletes do not have any option, although many of them prefer not going back to the field due to safety reasons. Physical contact is inevitable when players are on the field, which makes the transmission of viruses easy.

This affects football contracts between players and clubs, as it changes registration period and a few clauses in order to protect the players. It is detrimental to athletes’ worker status and rights, since the impacts of coronavirus include lack of contracts and reduced salary.

“I am not sure if forcing players back on the field is the right choice,” said Jennifer Shin (11), a varsity sports player. “The current COVID situation affects school sports as well, because varsity players have to come to school everyday for practice even on days we are scheduled to do online learning. I think safety concerns will play a big role for players at

professional leagues in deciding what to do with their sports contracts. However, I feel like some players, practically, will not have a choice because having a contract with a team and being involved in as many games as possible may have a tremendous impact on their career, especially for the less competent players.”

As FIFA and other soccer organizations attempt to reschedule games previously canceled due to the pandemic, many have questioned whether player contracts will be extended for the expanded season. Many athletes will not be under contract with a specific club after June 30, the typical expiration date for most contracts. This affects not only the clubs, since they are likely to lose a lot of money, but also the players themselves, as it is ambiguous whether players are obligated to play for the rescheduled matches with their former clubs. Moreover, this especially affects non-star or bench players, since they do not have strong job security compared to the famous highest ranked players. These players must constantly be on the field due to concerns regarding their record and money, and are thus left with no other options but to play despite increased risk. The player transfer registration period will also be extended. However, the soccer transfer market is currently suppressed due to the limited budget of clubs due to the pandemic.

“I feel like athletes are being severely harmed by the change in sports leagues and their contracts,” said Wonju Lee (11), a varsity soccer player. “I understand that player associations are going through financial deficits, but it is still their responsibility to protect their players. Fewer professional contracts is threatening athletes’ job stability, thereby hurting their labor rights. Especially since it is unclear what will happen with the pandemic, there should be a way to subsidize sports clubs, so that athletes do not have to suffer economically.”

Although sports teams are still in their process of figuring out how to go through the current crisis, there are attempts from various sports sectors to continue the season while minimizing the negative impact on players and associations. In order to ensure safety of athletes, they are implementing strict safety protocols.

Moreover, they decided to allow postponement of games if a team fails to bring a minimum of seven members on the field due to the virus or travel restrictions. The recent change in sports contracts is in order to be more flexible with the modifications of 2020-2021 game rules, but its effects seem to have both pros and cons.

BY: Clara Lim Junior, Layout Artist

Fall sports season continues with strict regulations After weeks of concern for the possible cancelation of the fall sports season, SIS athletes were immensely relieved by the confirmation of a regular season.

With a new hybrid school system incorporating both virtual and in-person classes, volleyball, tennis, and cross country athletes have engaged in regular practices, but these practices have followed many strict regulations enforced

by KAIAC. A major difference from last year is that practices are not mandatory, and those who have virtual classes on a certain day can choose to arrive at school on their own before practice begins. Students must also wear face masks throughout practices, minimize physical contact with teammates, and avoid sharing belongings like water bottles in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

“I think this new system of practice is better than expected,” said Erin Kim (11), varsity volleyball player. “I initially believed that since only some of us come to school each day, it would be difficult to conduct normal practices.

However, our team is able to practice volleyball effectively because of our great commitment. I am relieved and more than satisfied just by the fact that we can hold

Junior varsity volleyball player Yenna Ko (10) listens carefully to coach's words for the forthcoming game.

Photo by Alice Lee

practices in the first place.”

Games and tournaments with other schools are being held, though without the frequency of previous years. Games would normally begin early September, but due to delayed tryouts and tentative practice schedules, the first games were held early October this season. KAIAC tournaments for all sports are also planned, but the AISA tournaments are canceled, disappointing many athletes’ hopes for trips to Busan, Japan, China, and more. Like practices, these games are strictly regulated in that no spectators are allowed on the bleachers, and athletes must try to social distance whenever possible. The audience must also watch games through online live stream videos. These rules elicited disappointment among athletes who feel that spectators’ cheers and bonding interactions with teammates are the highlights of game days.

“One thing I’m glad about this tennis season is that we don’t need to wear masks during games, unlike other sports,” said Eric Kim (10), varsity tennis player. “I miss many aspects of last year’s games, though.

We can’t have the usual handshakes after games, we can’t sit next to each other on the bus or socialize easily, and most of all, we can’t visit Beijing for the tournament. It’s sad to me that our team will be missing out on most of the fun.”

Along with regulations and changes in practices and games, other side effects have emerged.

Teammates experience fewer

moments to get to know one another due to the discouragement of physical interaction.

This has limited a major aspect of school sports: building unique memories with teammates by spending time together after practices and games. Athletes have also resorted to public transportation more frequently, especially when arriving at school on virtual days.

Generally, although students are exposing themselves to a higher risk of COVID-19 by being part of a team and using more public spaces, they are adjusting themselves by keeping a positive attitude to make the most out of the unusual season.

“Overall, I think the cross country team is doing a good job handling a very challenging season,” said Jennifer Kurbel, cross country coach. “Despite the face masks while running and inconsistent practices because of the rotating schedule, the majority of our runners are working hard and making the best of the situation.

Several runners have stepped up and attended practices on their off-campus days, and some new leaders are emerging in the group, which is exciting to see. So, yes, it is a difficult and unusual season, but we are extremely grateful that we still get to compete.”

BY: Aimee Choi Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

October 2020

More students use iPads and tablets In recent months, many SIS students and teachers have adopted iPads as educational supplements to SIS’ traditional one-to-one laptop system.

Although iPads and tablets are electronic devices that have been around for several years now, in the most recent year or months, there has been a surge in the number of students using tablets. In many cases, students are using tablets as means of taking notes and editing documents that are necessary for classes.

Furthermore, many teachers have also recognized the efficiency of using tablets instead of laptops and have begun using them to teach students with more effective methods.

“I find it kind of uncomfortable to take notes on computers because if you want to highlight or draw something, it’s pretty limited,” said Claire Lee (10), a student using tablets. “You can’t be creative in your notes or write in the style that you want. With tablets, if the teacher wants you to submit in handwritten form, you can work directly on the PDFs and get really creative with it. Although I wouldn’t say

that tablets helped me perform better academically, taking notes and tracking my schedule has been way easier for me.”

There are several reasons why students are starting to use iPads more frequently.

Many people have said that with tablets, there is more freedom in taking notes, documents can be edited directly, and has easier accessibility. In addition to these benefits, some people even think that tablets could bring back the value of handwriting. Throughout years of using computers and keyboards, students of this generation have become more accustomed to keyboards rather than using their hands to write.

“I decided to purchase a tablet for the class so that I could annotate work that’s coming in,” said Megan Lee, english teacher. “I’m so used to having paper in front of me that it was rather stressful to navigate the digital component of online learning. I think tablets are very functional; you can take notes, they’re all in one place, and it’s easy to draw. I can also rearrange and change my notes

so that it makes more sense and gives me a little more time to work through the information and process it.”

With the increasing trend of iPads, some people raise the questions of whether tablets could replace laptops. If these changes were to happen, students would be able to study more efficiently and effectively.

However, many others think that there are functions of laptops that cannot be replaced with tablets. Hence, tablets may remain as important supplements to the existing laptops.

“I saw some of my friends and other students using iPads during class and I thought they were pretty effective,” said David Kim (9), a student that does not use tablets. “For some classes, the teacher requires you to take notes by hand and using iPads takes less time and effort.

Still, while I think more and more students are going to start using iPads, I don’t think they’ll completely replace computers.”

BY: Hannah Kim Sophomore, Reporter

11

COVID-19 precautions restrict sports activities

O

n July 21, NFL players and fans brimmed with eager anticipation of summer football, only to be met by shocking news: the NFL had canceled its preseason. With the COVID-19 crisis showing no signs of improving, professional sports around the globe have imposed strict precautions despite mounting financial pressure. In an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus, professional sports leagues such as the NFL are eliminating preseasons and school athletics are enforcing separate grade level attendance that are collectively affecting all facets of sports.

“The NFL preseason is a pivotal stepping stone to the regular season,” said Timothy Munro, physical education teacher. “True, the preseason does pose risks of injury but it also helps people ease into the regular season. No matter how much an athlete works out in the offseason, practicing the actual sport is a different type of training that only the preseason can provide.”

The cancellation of the NFL preseason is one of the first in NFL history, yielding both winners and losers.

Teams with solid rosters, such as the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers, were spared from potential preseason injuries and all returned with their mostly intact, stellar 2019 rosters. The preseason has always allowed emerging rookies to compete with seasoned players for a place on the roster. The cancellation would eliminate potential competition, effectively securing veteran players a position on the roster. Conversely, emerging rookie players now have very few opportunities to prove their worth as the preseason is where most rookies first display their potential.

Without the preseason, bottom of the roster free agents will also need to wait another season for a deal without the preseason to distinguish themselves. Most noticeably, regular season injuries are more frequent since players do not have the preseason games to warm up. School sports are also affected by COVID-19 measures on preseason practice sessions.

Devoid of a preseason, players now

have fewer opportunities to interact with their teammates and warm-up for the regular season, with freshmen and new varsity team members taking the heaviest blows.

“The cancellation of the preseason in the NFL definitely had a huge impact on the quality of the games,” said Samuel Hong (10), avid fan of the NFL. “The plays are noticeably sluggish and key players get injured easily.

A season without the preseason certainly comes with consequences.”

In addition to canceling the NFL preseason, strict COVID-19 regulations are having a broader impact on athletes, notably the two-week quarantine policy. Premier League soccer players have been held back from returning to the field after their vacations. As many key players were quarantined upon their return to the UK, practice games, critical for warming up and fostering camaraderie, were canceled. Other policies like no in-person attendance regulations have had serious financial repercussions. Without ticket revenue, many teams have suffered, with some clubs like Manchester United accumulating over 429 million euros in debt according to The National. School sports are also reeling from the strict COVID-19 regulations. Students are required to attend school separately according to grade level, which means intramural practices become difficult. Although after-school practices are held, they are optional, meaning full teams will rarely assemble for practices.

This could translate into poor team chemistry as younger players are deprived of opportunities to interact with older teammates.

“Now that practice is optional, there is a noticeable difference,” said Daniel Kim (10), member of the cross-country team. “Everyone in the team is still committed to the sport but the team is somewhat looser and less coordinated since we rarely run as a full team with the asynchronous schedule.”

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Reporter

That Theater Nerd

D

ue to popular demand, “Hamilton: An American Musical,” was released as a film to Disney+ on July 4. Now, people can watch the historic musical without paying $200 for a ticket or traveling to theaters during a global pandemic.

If I had to use a single word to describe “Hamilton,” I would use “groundbreaking.” Simply put, the show pushes the boundaries of conventional musical theater by mixing hip hop, rap, R&B, pop, and Broadway-style music to create a dynamic, unique soundtrack. Written by, composed by, and originally starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, the production uses only songs to tell the complex tale of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton’s life, focusing on his journey out of poverty and his

“Hamilton”: the revolutionary musical

role in the American Revolution.

Within the musical, Hamilton is portrayed as an intelligent man who is driven by his desire for political power. However, his selfishness ends up blinding his judgment, ultimately causing his political downfall and demise.

During the opening number of the musical, titled "Alexander Hamilton," the entire cast gathers to provide the audience with a dramatic synopsis of Hamilton’s early life. The song begins a cappella and steadily layers various orchestral instruments to create a climactic buildup. Hamilton then encounters Elizabeth Schuyler, who becomes his wife, and her sister, Angelica Schuyler. "Helpless," the lighthearted tune that Elizabeth sings when she falls in love with Hamilton at first sight, directly contrasts with "Satis-

fied," the tragic solo Angelica sings to express her unreciprocated love for him. Nevertheless, among the soundtrack's many songs about love, there are tunes such as "What’d I Miss" and “The Room Where It Happens,” which are both jazzy songs about political ambition. The musical ends with "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story," a number during which the full cast gathers again to summarize what happens after Hamilton is shot by Aaron Burr—his longtime political rival. It further informs the audience about Hamilton's lasting legacy in American history.

Before the musical’s off-Broadway premiere at the Public Theater in January 2015, the world first caught a glimpse of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s brainchild in 2009, when he performed

“The Hamilton Mixtape” for President Obama at the White House. Although this initial performance had been met with laughter, the full production was instantly met with positive reviews. Six months after its premiere, “Hamilton” officially opened on Broadway and began performances at the Richard Rodgers Theater. Since then, the musical has opened in Chicago’s CIBC theater and London’s West End theater, become one of the world’s highest-grossing musicals, completed two world tours, gained a cult fandom, and won 11 Tony Awards—including Best Musical. However, the musical has also been subject to criticism because of its historical inaccuracies. For instance, critics claim that the musical romanticizes Hamilton’s stance on slavery and

fails to mention that though he outwardly opposed the concept, he bought and sold slaves. “ H a m i l t o n” remains renowned for its brilliant soundtrack, intricate stage pieces, and diverse cast, which combine to create a theatrical masterpiece. The musical is a must-see for anyone even slightly interested in American history and modern music.

Furthermore, to add depth to the story, Lin-Manuel Miranda consistently connects the theme of “time” to pivotal moments in Hamilton's life. This central theme resides with the audience after the performance concludes.

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

12

SMALL TALK

Intersecting Identities Aimee Choi & Rachel Yoon

Colorism x Women: Is it really a “preference”?

E

urocentric features have long been regarded as the beauty standard for women all across the globe, and light skin has become one of the most desired features. Lighter skin is attributed to positive connotations that make a woman seem gentle, kind, and affluent, while darker skin is attributed to negative connotations like aggression, lack of education, and poverty. Mainstream media representation has generally supported these notions, and as a result, those without naturally pale skin have lost confidence or gone to great lengths to change their appearance, ultimately harming their own self-image and inevitably perpetuating colorist “preferences.”

Like women of many other Asian countries, Korean women often follow the trend of favoring pale skin over their natural skin colors. Not only do they regularly compliment those with pale skin, but they also buy countless cosmetic products designed to whiten the skin or undergo skin-lightening procedures at clinics. Celebrities, especially K-Pop idols, prioritize presenting light skin for a “pure” image, contributing to the mindset that the lighter the skin, the more favorable.

Meanwhile, idols with darker skin commonly carry the reputation of being “exotic” and “fierce,” suggesting that although darker skin is represented, it is often sexualized or fetishized to the point where it is not respectful nor appreciative.

This media “preference” for lighter skin in women is globally prevalent as well, especially in workplaces that also reflect media representation.

Colorism, with the stereotypes it attaches to skin colors, undoubtedly affects the job interview or auditioning process, and people of the music and movie industry exemplify the disparity. The representation of different races has tremendously improved in recent years, yet the vast majority of popular public figures are comparatively lighter-skinned than the true population of women of color; Beyonce, Cardi B, Zendaya, and Zoe Saldana, to name a few, are such examples. While these women are more than deserving of their successes, the unequal ratio of faces we see reflects the unequal opportunities and privileges given to darker-skinned women.

Failing to get rid of these deeply rooted perceptions is extremely dangerous to both individuals and society as a whole. It first alarmingly throttles any appreciation for diversity in beauty.

Although it should be obvious that achieving a single definition of beauty in such a multicultural society is impossible, this common “preference” for light skin seems to impose itself as a universal standard. As a result, women of color who grow up in an environment where light-skinned women are commonly favored in personal relationships, jobs, and media are more prone to consider themselves to be not enough, and a harmful, unhealthy self-perception is thus likely to emerge.

Colorism within society’s perception of women merely adds to the already burdensome beauty standards and restricted opportunities women have access to in today’s patriarchal society.

Eurocentric beauty standards confine the ability to which these women can express themselves, creating a frame of perfection into which a diverse population cannot fit. This “color preference” that our society so passively accepts as the norm has long burdened the personal, social, and vocational growth of dark-skinned women. To truly get closer to a more accepting world, it is essential to get rid of this harmful colorist attitude of women masked under the name of “preference.”

counterpoint

point

Emily Sung & Sarah Ju

Affirmative Action…

… is a policy first introduced by John F. Kennedy as a component of numerous civil rights approaches targeted specifically toward eliminating de-facto discrimination. By taking an individual’s race into account when filtering through college or career applications, affirmative action lays a pathway for increased representation and educational opportunities for disadvantaged minorities, hypothetically ensuring that one’s demographic does not act as a handicap to admissions or employment. However, this policy has been the subject of controversy for decades, as others argue that solely the factor of academic merit, not race, should play a role in the college admissions process. This therefore raises the question: is affirmative action justifiable? ...highlights racial disparities:

Although affirmative action is a beneficial mechanism for minority representation in colleges, it eventually comes to bite colleges in the back. Affirmative action operates from an arrangement that prioritizes groups of minority applicants rather than those from more privileged racial backgrounds in an effort to promote diversity and provide opportunities. However, this causes harsh backlash toward students who get accepted, as other individuals tend to have hostile sentiments towards minorities being assisted by affirmative action, claiming that because of a higher standard of excellence in their academic qualifications, they should be admitted to universities over those with less impressive assets on their resume. The fact that certain minority students are indeed less qualified is demonstrated by the higher dropout rates from the students admitted through affirmative action. According to the Atlantic, individuals who were admitted through ordinary admissions processes tend to attain higher grades and ranks. Additionally, it states that “the student who would flourish at, say, Wake Forest, instead finds himself at Duke, where the professors are not teaching at a pace designed for him.” Therefore, affirmative action ultimately results in more prejudice and tensions between races.

...places students of other races at a disadvantage:

Systemic racism is certainly a pressing issue and mechanisms must be implemented to combat the extensive discrimination towards African Americans in the US. However, affirmative action is a problem-solution mismatch from the most fundamental level.

Regardless of the various consequences of the policy, the most basic fact that a number of applicants are cut in order to admit a group of under qualified minorities is unjust. The fact that white and Asian Americans are being cut from schools because of their race is unfairly benefiting African Americans at the expense of others.

Especially in the case of Asian Americans; they are also a minority in the United States and are subject to economic and social disadvantages, yet are outside of the affirmative action beneficiary subjects.

According to Business Insider, Asian Americans, on average, must score 450 points higher than black students on their SATs in order to be considered for the same spot in college admissions. Policies such as affirmative action, which are unfavorable toward more privileged races like Asians and white people, albeit aimed to reduce the effects of racism, ultimately are not adequate means to combat the institutional racism in America.

...diversifies the college environment: With affirmative action policies comes the necessary diversity that any community needs. This is especially important considering the fact that affirmative action applies to a college community, which fosters the growth and education of future generations that will lead our culture, society, and economy. Allowing for interaction between people of different races, upbringings, and economic classes broadens students’ mindsets and creates far more open and accepting attitudes. While college is a place to explore the educational avenues open for students and learn more about one’s selected major, it is also a place to socialize and develop a greater sense of character. Without the purposefully selected integration that affirmative action policies provide, it is extremely difficult for students to get the same experience of understanding different cultures and backgrounds. ...provides more opportunities: In addition, affirmative action provides more opportunities for students who would otherwise never have the access to the best quality higher education. Due to systemic racism that prevails in the United States, minorities such as black and Latinx people inherently do not have the same amount of privileges that other races may have. In predominantly rich white neighborhoods are rich schools with a better capacity for academic achievement and a more competitive environment that drives students to attain more educational success. Furthermore, wealthier students have more access to outside help such as rigorous academies or helpful tutors.

On the contrary, many black Americans today still face the adverse effects of the historical policy of redlining and the Jim Crow laws that persisted following the repeal of slavery, suppressing their access to the best education possible that would set them on the path to prestigious colleges. Therefore, affirmative action is implemented in order to promote social mobility and attempt to close the gap between the originally privileged and originally disadvantaged. It allows students to explore education based on not their unfavorable economic status or race, but based on their individuality and eagerness to learn.

photo of the

month Adjusting her mask with bold red nails, Aimee Choi (10) shows off the spookiness of halloween coming up.

Photo by Alice Lee