Tiger Times Volume 52 Issue 3

Tiger Times Volume 52 • Issue 3 • November 2020 • ttonl.org

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GRAPHIC BY: Bona Suh

Investigative Feature

How Passionfruit grew from SIS to the world

Focus

Realities of pandemic-era food delivery

Global News

Presidential election to have lasting impact

Editorial

Investigating journalism BY: Brian Ham & Eric Hwang EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

As you flip through Issue three of Tiger Times, you may notice something different in our school news section. On page five lies a new, unique-layout article with a dedicated spread. With this addition, Tiger Times is proud to announce its newest inclusion in its line of recurring feature articles: the monthly investigative story.

Starting from our November publication onwards, every new issue of Tiger Times will strive to use investigative journalism to shed light on an often overlooked or underappreciated aspect of the SIS community, both on and off campus.

Whether it be a heartfelt personality profile about a graduating senior soccer team captain who fell just short of victory at the KAIAC tournament or an in-depth look into SIS’s impact on the local economy of Bokjeong, our investigation will dive into specific topics by garnering first-hand data, observations, and exclusive interviews. For instance, in this month’s article, our staff writer Rosa Suh (10) pulled back the curtain on how SIS alumni continue to impact communities around them after graduating. She interviewed Joanne Lee, a SIS class of 2018 graduate who founded a nationally registered nonprofit aimed at making social justice activism more accessible to bilingual Korean-Americans called Passionfruit. In the process, Rosa highlights how SIS students can leverage high school projects with humble origins into meaningful social movements and lifelong passions.

This begs the question, “in a field such as journalism in which unused space is worth its weight in gold, why sacrifice an entire spread for a single article?” The answer can be found in the subtle distinctions between a reporter and a writer.

Journalists are more than writers. For a reporter, writing out the words of a story is merely the final step of an elaborate process that includes deciding angles, hunting for information, and conducting interviews. In a way, our new investigative journalism program represents yet another stride toward fulfilling our vision for Tiger Times that we outlined in Issue one’s editorial: ensuring that the hidden stories within SIS receive a brighter spotlight and more extensive coverage.

Tiger Times is SIS’s history book, and we want this book to scratch deeper than the surface and record the nuances of our community in writing.

For pragmatists, our investigative piece also has tangible purposes beyond the historical and sentimental value of recording the subtleties of SIS’s community. Tiger Times is a rare platform where students can be heard by their community of peers and adult leaders alike. As such, our staff has a responsibility to use our platform for positive change, awareness, and empowerment of the SIS community, and we hope our new investigative pieces can help our paper strive ever closer to this ultimate goal. For instance, Rosa’s inaugural investigative story is more than a tale of an isolated activism project that blossomed into a post-graduation passion; it is a reminder to our peers that our high school initiatives DO matter, that we CAN channel our seemingly trivial teenage interests to eventually change the world.

Investigative journalism undoubtedly requires more effort than the average article, but the value of a written journey through a snapshot of our community is priceless. Objectivity is the gold standard for all journalists, but that does not mean all articles have to be devoid of emotion and color. In the future, we hope page five will become a unique cornerstone of our paper, an exclusive spotlight on an irreplaceable fragment of our school’s miniature society.

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

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VIEWPOINT

Death of teacher gives rise to free speech debate

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amuel Paty, a social studies teacher in France, was beheaded by a Muslim extremist last month. This act of terrorism came as a result of the teacher’s lesson on free speech during class, in which he showed caricatures of the prophet Muhammad, a sacred individual to followers of Islam. Prior to showing the arguably offensive images, Paty advised pupils to leave the room or look away if they may be offended. However, one student did not comply to instructions, and her father, angered about the lesson, posted a video of Paty on social media and called for him to be fired. Later that month, a Muslim teenager attacked and beheaded the teacher. It has since emerged that the killer had contacted the aforementioned parent prior to the murder, and that a number of Muslim students from the school had accepted payment to disclose Paty’s location.

Addressing the incident in a speech, President Macron promised for governmental actions against Islamic extremists to be intensified, although the French public has expressed its desire for even stronger regulations. They have also made calls to reform the country’s free speech policy, which limits the ability of teachers to mention religion in schools.

The approach to free speech—particularly in the context of religion—varies from nation to nation. For example, in the United States, neo-Nazism and other controversial beliefs are protected by the First Amendment, which honors the freedom of speech and religion for all individuals. Conversely, neo-Nazism is

branded as “hate speech” and is punishable by law in most European countries.

As evident by this contrast, there are a variety of interpretations of the extent to which self-expression should be considered freedom of speech.

What, then, is the line between free speech and hate speech? Is there such a thing? Should—as the First Amendment states—all forms of speech and expression be acceptable? The immediate conclusion may be that free speech should be guaranteed unconditionally: it not only protects the rights of individuals but also aligns with the democratic ideals that most modern societies are founded upon.

However, ensuring complete freedom of speech is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the First Amendment and other similar legal policies provide robust protections against government censorship and suppression, in turn ensuring the unfettered expression of individual opinions. On the other hand, the same clause guarantees the rights to express offensive and blatantly inaccurate beliefs, such as white supremacy, anti-semitism, and homophobia.

Ironically, the unconditional protection of free speech itself suppresses expression. Ideologies such as white supremacy create environments hostile to certain members of society who often have been historically discriminated against, and that makes it impossible for these groups to freely express themselves. For instance, if rampant homophobia promoting violence against the LGBTQ+ community is allowed to reign

unchecked due to unconditional free speech, a non-heterosexual individual is much less likely to feel comfortable openly sharing their sexuality. In this manner, protecting the expression of these ideologies ultimately undermines the goal of safeguarding the self-expression of all individuals, as certain belief systems suppress free speech in themselves.

As such, the communication of individual opinions should not be respected to the extent that it can violate the freedom and rights of others; our duty is to protect everyone’s free speech. That requires that we limit the definition of free speech to self-expression that does not promote baseless hatred. Certainly, people should be allowed to think what they want about any topic. It is merely the expression of these beliefs that should be banned, and that is why the freedom of speech, not the freedom of thought, is being restricted.

This debate is not only applicable on the nation level; smaller communities— the workplace, social groups, and even schools such as SIS—all have policies of a similar form. There are minute variations in these systems, but they generally tolerate a large degree of freedom of expression. As we move on from high school to college and beyond, we must adapt to these diverse understandings and interpretations of free speech, and speak out if the situation prompts us to.

BY: Jiwon Lee Senior, Paper Managing Editor

A grading dilemma It is difficult to imagine high school without rubrics. The often complex, cumbersome categories of summative assessments are effectively summed up in the one document. Rubrics also strive to ideally assess students on the same standards without deviancies, minimizing common frustrations for students, such as getting point deductions without understanding the reason, and for teachers as well, who want to be fair graders.

But rubrics are far from perfect, and just as any educational tools evolve, we must enhance this system for further academic excellence. Thus rise the questions: do rubrics set clear expectations? Do they truly foster student development?

The greatest concern expressed by students is the uncertainty resulting from the occassional vague wording of the rubric that individuals may interpret differently. In many classes, students are expected to provide “compelling” insights in an “effective” manner. While there are additional qualifications to clarify these expectations, a common complaint is that these ambiguous words describe perfection. Rubrics also use only subtly different words to distinguish scores: a score of “3” represents “sophisticated” ideas, while a score of “2” indicates “competent” ideas. These boundaries may be difficult to determine.

This confusion also burdens teachers, who frequently convene to grade papers together to ensure a collective understanding of these descriptions. Further, the rubric system may limit time and space for constructive feedback. When specific comments are not regularly included in feedback, students can only identify which areas they are lacking in by looking at grades for individual categories. However, since rubrics prioritize grading efficiently over thoroughly, students have fewer opportunities to understand how exactly to improve.

Many teachers agree that the current rubric system fails to foster a constructive environment for students, but they also note a vital point: not every expectation can be written on paper, and rubrics are not meant to guide every aspect of assignments. Students are responsible for heeding teachers’ verbal instructions and feedback rather than relying on rubrics. Ambiguities in wording may also be necessary and beneficial as students are encouraged to explore a diverse body of thought. As such, overly specific rubrics could restrict students’ scope of expression.

In short, rubrics are valuable assets that are flawed in promoting effective learning. To enhance the rubric system as a whole, teachers could provide more exemplary work before launching students into summatives. This would clarify the rubrics’ standards and establish clearer distinctions between different scores. Students could also allot more time to reflecting over strictly relying

on rubrics. Although looking forward is important, reflecting backward truly stimulates students to improve upon their work. As such, students should focus on revisiting past work and proactively ask for more detailed, individualized feedback throughout units.

To truly nurture active learning skills and maintain a practical grading system, both students and teachers are responsible for establishing a more constructive rubric system. Rubrics could include more space for extensive written feedback, helping ensure a fairer balance of standardized expectations and constructiveness. Further, students and teachers could collaborate to form a more uniform rubric language. Whether it is sifting out qualitative adjectives and grading more behavioral and quantitative aspects, promoting both student and teacher input into shaping new rubrics is key.

BY: Aimee Choi Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

November 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 3 September 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 Website Managing Editor Jenny Seo Production Editors Emily Oh Eddie Hahm

Layout Artists Ashley Kim Clara Lim Jasmine Jeong Copy Editors Irene Kim Sarah Ju Emily Sung Skylar Peck Hugo Lee

Reporters Rachel Yoon Rosa Suh Hannah Kim Sunny Lee Minjae Chun Jennifer Kwon Erin Choi Jordan Kim Katherine Suk Katie Kim Isabelle Lee

Bona Suh Jack Lee Aimee Choi Sally Lee Alice Lee Woojune Kim Jennifer You Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Viewpoint Feature: Reassessing LGBTQ+ education at SIS To what extent are students respectful toward those with different sexual or gender identities?

How can the school help heighten LGBTQ+ sensitivity among students?

Implementing LGBTQ+ inclusive education LGBTQ+ identities have long been considered taboo in South Korean society. In recent years, there certainly have been attempts toward normalizing such sexual and gender identities, including LGBTQ+ representation in the media. For instance, the Korean dramas “When You Love Yourself ” and “Moment at Eighteen” have each featured a homosexual character. Similarly, the popular show “Itaewon Class” included a transgender character. Some SIS students, too, frequently use their social media platforms to call out hateful behavior and uplift LGBTQ+ voices.

Nonetheless, Korea still has a long way to go in terms of being accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. Same-sex marriage remains illegal, and only a few months ago, the backlash after the COVID-19 outbreak at a number of gay clubs unveiled many Koreans’ anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments. The reality is that Korea’s heteronormative society is still prejudiced and insensitive, which is at times reflected by the environment at SIS. Though the majority of the SIS student body tries to be open-minded, some students may unconsciously express homophobic or transphobic attitudes. Often, the problem stems not from malicious intent, but from a lack of awareness. Because not many students personally know an openly LGBTQ+ person, they may not understand what actions are considered insensitive. For instance, cisgender students deadnaming a trans person (calling them by their pre-transition name) may not realize that they may be disrespecting the trans person’s identity.

Some students jokingly describe things as “gay” when they find them distasteful or refer to their friends as slurs that have a history of anti-homosexuality discrimination. At any rate, ignorance should not justify disrespect,

especially when it concerns a person’s identity, and such occurrences have raised the question: could SIS, with an LGBTQ+-inclusive sexual education program, help change anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes at school?

Because many schools’ sexual education programs reinforce heteronormativity, LGBTQ+ students are prone to feeling excluded, which, in turn, can lead to mental health issues. In fact, homosexual and bisexual middle and high schoolers are placed at a much higher risk of suicide than are heterosexual students, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Inclusion in school curricula can help reduce these rates since LGBTQ+ students will have their identities represented instead of cast away or condemned. Furthermore, LGBTQ+ education can guide students through discovering their identities. For instance, a student influenced by compulsory heterosexuality, through learning in detail about the LGBTQ+ community, may find a better label to express themselves. That being said, LGBTQ+ education is necessary for not only LGBTQ+ people but also for cishet students, as research has shown that when people obtain more knowledge regarding the LGBTQ+ community, they become more tolerant of people with different sexual or gender identities. As a result, cishet SIS students, too, can learn to be more accepting if they have access to LGBTQ+ education.

A common argument opposing the inclusion of LGBTQ+ education in schools is that it may go against the religious beliefs of some students. For example, the Bible is often interpreted as being anti-LGBTQ+, although this is, of course, disputed and up for individual interpretation. But regardless of whether one regards LGBTQ+ identities as

religiously disagreeable, LGBTQ+ people will always exist—and there is never an excuse for disrespecting another person’s identity. Therefore, all students, regardless of whether they are cishet, LGBTQ+, an ally, or unintentionally prejudiced, should receive LGBTQ+ education so that they can respect and even fight for LGBTQ+ people throughout their lives.

Currently, compulsory LGBTQ+ education at SIS only consists of a few information sessions about the LGBTQ+ community in the fifth grade health curriculum, in which I recall being taught what the five letters in the acronym “LGBTQ” stood for. However, my classmates and I never learned about other sexualities or gender identities, such as pansexuality, nonbinary, and gender fluidity, nor were we taught about addressing members of ths community with specific and empowering pronouns or how to act respectfully. There was no further mention of the LGBTQ+ community in other classes, and this continued throughout middle and high school. Those who transfer to SIS after fifth grade never receive this education, and even for those who received it, this method of education is not sufficient in fostering true awareness and sensitivity: to most elementary schoolers, LGBTQ+ is just another forgettable list of vocabulary terms and definitions rather than identities of real people.

Expanding the health curriculum to accommodate further learning on the LGBTQ+ community is a measure SIS can take to heighten sensitivity on this topic among students. Rather than concentrating the material in the fifth grade curriculum only to never touch upon it again, a more preferable method would be to spread out the curriculum and have middle school

teachers teach lessons to and hold mandatory discussions with their students. This could be done in a manner that would allow students to build upon their knowledge each year so that by the end of eighth grade, they would have sufficient knowledge to be an ally instead of being unintentionally offensive.

On the other hand, simply being able to recite memorized pieces of information on the LGBTQ+ community is not an indication of acceptance. Therefore, education would have to continue throughout high school. An ideal approach would be to include LGBTQ+ voices in the curricula of core subjects. SIS has already taken strides in helping students become more socially aware: students enrolled in English classes are required to read pieces by authors of color in addition to those by white writers. By the same token, the English department could incorporate works

by LGBTQ+ authors rather than adhering to a strictly cishet, heteronormative narrative.

Meanwhile, in social studies classes, more focus can be directed toward assessing the contributions of LGBTQ+ people to history, and during Pride month, teachers could teach their students about the Stonewall uprising. These methods would prevent students from simply tuning out information and instead encourage them to try to understand LGBTQ+ issues better.

In essence, fostering social awareness through educating students on the LGBTQ+ community is a measure SIS can take to produce a generation of respectful, accepting global citizens. After all, are we not all taught from a young age that the golden rule is to treat others how we wish to be treated?

BY: Skylar Peck Sophomore, Copy Editor

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SCHOOL NEWS

News Briefs New KAIAC sports rules established In response to the surge of South Korea’s COVID-19 cases, the KAIAC board has designed new health guidelines and precautions for student athletes to follow. KAIAC is requiring all students to wear masks in practices and games. Moreover, all people who participate in sports events are expected to receive a thorough COVID-19 screening process.

“Many sports rules have changed following the spread of COVID-19,” said Eric Kim (10), a varsity tennis player. “For example, making physical contacts like high-fives, help ups, and handshakes are not allowed. Instead, post game handshakes have been replaced with bowing to each other and giving elbow bumps.”

SIS beats KIS in Forensics tournament for the first time in five years On Oct. 16, SIS faced off against KIS in a Forensics tournament online. Both schools competed in all categories of the competition, which included speech and debate. KIS has regularly beat SIS, dominating in the speech portion of the tournament; however, this time, SIS was able to steal the lead as there were a number of participants who placed first in speech, including Aileen Kim (12), Emily Sung (11), and Sarah Ju (11). In debate, the SIS team took the lead in every category, which included Parliamentary, Public Forum, and Lincoln Douglas.

“It was great to see the work that all our teams put into each tournament pay off with a 1st place result,” said Jared Rock, one of the Forensics coaches. “Coming in second to KIS had become so expected that our win was a great, hard-earned reward for that work. I hope the excitement from that win leads to a more competitive season this year.”

SEOMUN goes online during COVID SEOMUN has been a leading MUN conference in East Asia for the past two decades, and it is the first time this conference has switched to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the SIS MUN club is hosting this year’s SEOMUN XXIII conference spanning from Nov. 20-22, members were responsible for coming up with new ideas to alter original SEOMUN procedures into an online format that could occur through Zoom.

“I am kind of nervous for this year’s SEOMUN conference because it is very different from the previous physical conferences I have attended,” said Yoonseo Kim (10), a member of the SIS MUN club, “But I think I am prepared because I participated in SKYMUN, which was also switched to an online conference due to COVID-19.”

The preparation process for this year’s conference is quite similar to the original SEOMUN preparation process. Members of the SIS MUN club meet up

every Tuesday and Thursday to practice debating resolutions, making amendments, and giving impromptu speeches.

The only difference is that meetings are held online. On the other hand, the actual conference has more procedural differences from the original SEOMUN. For instance, when delegates are to pass notes to the chair or another delegate, they can privately message them on Zoom instead of folding a piece of paper and waving their hand in the air until an administration staff delivers it. Another difference is that delegates cannot have proper lobbying sessions.

Usually, during the physical conference, delegates have the opportunity to talk to each other rather informally and also decide how to separate themselves into different blocks, which are groups that delegates work in to write a resolution. However, for the online conference, delegates are divided into different blocks based on the agenda they choose to expand upon.

“Personally, I prefer having a physical conference because I get to meet more people,” said Michelle Bok (10), member of the SIS MUN club, “But I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both.”

One of the advantages of an online conference is that it conserves a lot of time. For example, note-passing among delegates occurs much faster than a physical conference because delegates simply have to send private messages on Zoom instead of waiting for the admin to go around the room to collect the notes and pass them along. The chairs also can send online copies of the finalized draft resolutions for the Secretariat to check instead of having the admin staff take a paper version of the resolution to the Secretariat’s office. In contrast, one of the most significant disadvantages of an online conference is that delegates do not have the chance to get to know each other. SEOMUN originally was a great platform that

Freshmen team up to play dodgeball as the sun sets on Freshmen Late Night.

Freshmen Late Night, an event dedicated to the Freshman Class each school year, was held on Oct. 21. Hosted by the HSSC, Freshmen Late Night is specially held for freshmen to grant them a source of entertainment in the process of transitioning into high school. The event was held after school as usual in the auditorium, providing students with various games and food. Due to COVID19, students were required to wear their masks for the entirety of the event in order to ensure safety. Despite the pandemic, the HSSC was able to organize many activities, such as dodgeball and a special scavenger hunt, in which the Freshmen Class could come

together and have fun.

“HSSC took into consideration the current factors of the pandemic and ways to still allow Freshmen to have a fun time,” said Min Chiang (12), member of the Senior council of HSSC. “We tried to carry on the annual activities that always start off Freshmen Late Night, such as the scavenger hunt and the prizes, along with karaoke. Also, due to the pandemic, we made sure that the students were able to enjoy the entertainment, but at the same time made sure that everyone was safe and kept the protocols.

Overall, HSSC worked together very well this year to organize this annual event successfully. ”

Photo by John Kim (9)

The HSSC organized party games such as scavenger hunts with Starbucks coupons as prizes, Mafia Game, karaoke night for the students to sing and dance together, and a game of dodgeball for the Freshman Class to enjoy as a whole group.

Along with these activities, the HSSC provided pizza and drinks for students. Freshmen were able to interact with their peers freely in Freshmen Late Night, taking part in the games and enjoying the food provided by the HSSC. “I had a great time with my friends during Freshmen Late Night,” said Seoyoon Son (9), member of the Freshmen Class. “I felt that I was able to enjoy many

activities, along with the food that was opened to us during the event. Some of my favorite activities were the scavenger hunt and dodgeball games, and it was a great chance for me to interact with many other students in my grade in a fun way.”

Although there were concerns about whether this yearly event should be held, the HSSC at last decided to host this event to provide the same special experiences for the Freshman Class this school year. Distancing and wearing masks during the entirety of the event was ensured among students who were attending Freshmen Late Night, but the council made sure that students could fully enjoy and participate in entertaining activities. Despite the concerns, the event was able to be carried out in a success with the inclusion of various activities, allowing the Freshmen to have an entertaining night.

“The event went really well this year,” said Nathan Warkentin, advisor for the HSSC. “It was our first major live event since the pandemic, and I think that it exceeded everyone’s expectations. We had a right amount of leisure time and the right amount of time for games. It was a nice event for students to release the tension, especially during this time. The Freshmen and Sophomore council members did a really nice job as well, and they were on top of all the preparations. They were really present throughout the nice, and very committed to helping the freshmen have a good time. Of course, some of the upperclassmen members offered help to the Freshmen and Sophomores, and the level of commitment of all levels of the HSSC was commendable.”

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BY: Jack Lee Sophomore, Reporter

BY: Jasmine Jeong Sophomore, Layout Artist

HSSC’s Freshmen Late Night ends in a success

Lower grades return to school With the Gyeonggi Ministry of Education’s permission to elementary school and middle school students to return to campus, Michael Colaianni, the head of SIS, instructed all students to come back to campus on Oct. 19. Following this new policy, more students began to take the school buses and more actively engaged in physical classes.

Being able to meet with friends and teachers in person, students in elementary and middle school have been provided with more diverse opportunities to socially interact with each other.

“I think the hybrid schedule is really difficult for most teachers,” said Whitney Meininger, choir director. “Especially for a class like choir, it is very tough not having consistent rehearsals or ever having the whole group in the same place to rehearse together. As a teacher of grades 4-12, even just this short time of having the elementary and middle school students back every day has made a world of difference in the progress we are able to make as a group.”

provided students with the rare opportunity to interact with other students from schools across different countries. However, as it is almost impossible to freely connect online, it takes away the rare opportunity to build relationships with other students. Regardless, everyone is looking forward to the success of this conference.

“Having worked with the SEOMUN Secretariat for nearly a year in preparation for this conference, there is no doubt in my mind that the conference will be a success,” said James Kowalski, advisor of the SIS MUN club. “I hope that our conference attendees will come away having grown as delegates and built relationships with like-minded students at other schools who care about MUN as a genuine pursuit of learning about the world and practicing the art of diplomacy.”

BY: Irene Kim Senior, Copy Editor

Tiger Times

November 2020

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The blossoming of Passionfruit: How SIS alumni built an international nonprofit

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Korean and Korean-American communities...A place like Passionfruit that integrates these cultures can be really helpful in developing solidarity and creating awareness of different systems of oppression, and later on, can create an alternate solution for them.”

Passionfruit is constantly collaborating with other organizations and movements to proliferate its message to a bigger crowd. Some prominent examples include the leaders of the Thai democracy movement, who Passionfruit interviewed for an Instagram post, and the Wellesley College KSA, who they are hosting a talk on feminism with in November.

Additionally, more established NPOs have reached out to Passionfruit, such as the Comfort Women Action for Redress and Education (CARE) organization in the US, which has offered to translate Passionfruit’s content regarding comfort women into other Asian languages.

Passionfruit’s goal is to continue expanding and gathering the interest of Korean netizens, while also retaining its fundamental principles.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, which put many of their plans for in-person gatherings out of commission, the organization remains confident that they can continue running the marathon by regularly producing high-quality content and adapting to cultural changes in Korea.

From its start at SIS to the future, Passionfruit hopes to continue steering Korean culture toward curiosity and empathy for social issues in Korea and around the world.

“I hope our viewers grasp the idea of ‘bearing fruit,’” said Joanne. “I want them to know that activism is not just a post on Instagram, but it is initiating conversations, signing petitions, donating to fundraisers, volunteering in community efforts, challenging unjust policies, and empowering marginalized voices.

There are myriad ways to bear fruit, so we strive to aid others in developing their own unique ways of action.”

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BY: Rosa Suh Sophomore, Reporter

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leads to extreme opinions that only grow stronger as they are seldom challenged. Determined to end this worrying trend, SIS alumni created Passionfruit to dispel misconceptions on social issues in the Korean public by providing them accurate information and resources to educate themselves. In doing so, they hope that they can de-stigmatize speaking out in public about these matters so that they can be more easily addressed.

“Our topics of discussion try to be as relevant and challenging to Korean culture as much as possible,” said Joyce Lee, Programming Director of Passionfruit and another SIS alumna.

“For example, we just did two weeks of content on feminism, which is a very contentious debate in Korea, especially because there has been a lot of high profile gender crimes. We wanted to bring these controversies into focus and discuss how feminism has been distorted as it has been imported to Korean culture.”

Although some of Passionfruit’s posts on these controversial topics have received comments from internet trolls, they have also fostered crucial conversations on matters that normally would be avoided.

The SIS alumni hope that this would normalize healthy debate on relevant issues in Korea and abroad so that their Korean audience will have more empathy for different cultures and movements outside the country. For instance, they are holding a conference in December for Koreans and Korean-Americans to discuss common issues in the same space, attempting to stimulate conversations in spite of cultural norms that value neutrality. As members of a distinct culture between Korean natives and Korean-Americans, Passionfruit aspires to use its unique perspective to build solidarity between the two and eventually help dismantle systems of oppression that plague them both.

“Because we’re bilingual, we have twice as much reach to engage in,” said Joyce. “Inherently the people we reach are very different from people from just one language or another. As Korean students studying abroad, we are exposed to the dynamics in both

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Among a sea of Instagram social activism accounts, one page wishes to stand out from the rest. Passionfruit is a nonprofit organization founded by SIS alumna Joanne Lee in 2017 that targets both a Korean and international audience to expand the discourse of social issues in Korea. As summarized in its motto: “find your passion, bear fruit,” Passionfruit strives to create content that will foster meaningful change.

“A point we want to focus on is translating words into actions,” said Joanne, the Executive Director of Passionfruit. “We view our content as a gateway for introducing individuals to different issues and grassroots organizations, but awareness and knowledge are only the first steps. By laying the groundwork for action and using our platform to introduce ways for further engagement, we hope to push people out of their comfort zones and into something beyond Instagram.”

Passionfruit was born during Joanne’s time at SIS, when it started as a fundraising campaign for refugee women shelters in Itaewon. Although the organization was never an official SIS club, it was highly influenced and informally integrated into the SIS community. For instance, Passionfruit had its start selling custom hoodies to SIS’ GIN club, through which the budding operation was able to raise one million won (approximately $900) for the women and sow the seeds for something bigger. Now, Passionfruit has blossomed into a registered nonprofit organization, with over 25 administrative members from Princeton, Cornell, Korea University, and Yonsei, that help the organization craft Instagram posts that are uploaded twice a week covering a variety of social issues in both Korean and English.

Why does Passionfruit incorporate both Korean and English? Unlike the western world, where both conversations and mindsets on sensitive topics tend to be unrestricted, such actions are discouraged in Korean society, which deems it unsuitable to put private thoughts into public scrutiny. This lack of discourse leads to misunderstanding, which in turn

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FOOD DE

THE REALITIES OF PAN

Delivery services addressing COVID-19 BY

Emily Sung

With just a click of a button and a three-day wait, the product of one’s dreams can be delivered right to the doorstep, and plates of delicious, precooked meals can be sent to individual families without having to exit the house. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has limited opportunities to eat out or shop in-person, highly developed delivery services have seemingly made life easier for all—excluding one specific group of people. Workers of these delivery companies, going from door to door delivering boxes or plates, have generally been overworked, underpaid, and often exploited by their employers of renowned enterprises. Unfortunately, instances of the aforementioned phenomena are occurring with increased frequency and intensity in recent months due to a global pandemic locking individuals in their homes and causing greater demand for such services.

According to the Chosun Ilbo, usage of delivery apps and services increased by 25 percent from the last week of July to the first week of August. Especially during a global pandemic, delivery services have become essential to en-

hancing quality of life during periods of self-quarantining due to reduced access to physical stores and restaurants. The door-to-door system of delivery has thus offered a convenient solution, resulting in skyrocketing usage.

With more thought, however, this system poses several concerns for society. Deliverymen reach hundreds, sometimes thousands, of customers each day, and often greet individuals without masks in front of their doors. With few opportunities to wash their hands or follow extra sanitation procedures, delivery workers start off towards the next house. This repeats an innumerable number of times every day, automatically putting countless people at risk if the deliveryman has symptoms or a positive test. This was the case in the Bucheon branch of the Korean delivery company Coupang. Contrary to other branches of Coupang such as Goyang, which took preliminary steps for the prevention of a mass infection, the Bucheon branch simply chose to partly ignore the issue. When a second wave of the pandemic was on the rise in South Korea due to a breakout among Itaewon

clubs, a deliveryman unfortunately tested positive. This spread to hundreds of other deliverymen in the same branch, and once the word leaked that this mass infection was indeed true, many citizens grew fearful. Even after the mass infection in the company, however, corporate authorities did not take measures to prevent a further spread. As a result, Coupang was sued by the Common People’s Livelihood Countermeasure Committee, who were concerned regarding the lack of safety precautions taken in the Bucheon branch. The plaintiffs claimed that workers were sharing safety gear without proper cleaning, undermining their entire purpose. The lawsuit also alleged that Coupang never implemented adequate sanitation measures during door-to-door deliveries and the working process. Indeed, it was factually proven that the Bucheon branch had an immensely high risk of exposure to COVID-19, as the virus was found on the safety uniforms and walls of the building. Additionally, hundreds of workers commonly dined together in confined areas without masks, not to mention that those with confirmed

cases were permitted to work instead of being self quarantined or treated in a separate hospital. This negligence highlights the possibility of delivery companies posing a public health threat during the COVID pandemic.

Furthermore, an increased demand due to the virus has also led to a myriad of consequences ranging from an increase of plastic waste due to single-use plates and utensils from food deliveries to severe overworking of delivery laborers. For instance, 14 delivery workers have died because of overwork during the pandemic, many being heads of families attempting to earn money for daily sustenance. It is thus apparent that although national economies and delivery companies themselves heavily benefit from increased patronage due to COVID-19, there are significant consequences that accompany these economic benefits.

Although it is natural to wish for the quickest delivery possible, the question of workers’ rights, especially after knowing that their risk of infection increases for every door they open, must be kept in mind.

ELIVERY

NDEMIC-ERA DELIVERY

Delivery services addressing workers’ rights BY

Erin J. Choi

South Korea continues to amend and modify its labor laws; yet, to what extent are the modifications effective enough to protect all workers? Currently, the South Korean Employment and Labor Laws cover the structure of a mandatory employment contract for both fixed-term and part-time employees, holidays, annual leave, minimum wage, maternity leave, worker dismissal, retirement system, and employment rules. With the rise of platform labor, however, new perceived violations of workers’ rights have surfaced in the delivery service industry, leading to calls for amendments to the social safety net.

South Korea has a vast network of platform labor, which is an industry that addresses its service through intermediary platforms including mobile apps. Delivery workers employed via apps are referred to as “platform agents.” The nearly 540,000 platform agents in Korea sign a contract with their respective delivery company, but they work as freelancers. Unfortunately, there are many flaws tied to this operation as it is easy for platform

firms to conduct dishonest dealings due to loose policies and loopholes regarding the business and its relationship with platform agents. Freelance members are not protected by labor laws since they are not formally acknowledged as workers by law. As a result, even basic policies such as minimum wage rules do not apply.

Despite this lack of protections and the fluctuating income of their gigbased labor, platform agents are obligated to pay agencies a commission as high as 20 percent of their salary.

Additionally, in 2018, less than half of platform agents were reported to have employment insurance, and this blind spot would deny these workers access to unemployment benefits.

Furthermore, several companies incorporate “managers” in their system intended to “supervise” the laborers and their duty schedules. This creates an excuse for agencies to avoid labor contracts and the responsibilities bound to such legal agreements.

These legal loopholes used by delivery agencies have placed the safety of platform agents at risk. A reporter

from the JoongAng Ilbo, Lim Seongbin, recorded his experience of working as a delivery laborer. He was able to complete three deliveries within two hours, but because platform agents are paid per task rather than by the hour, he only earned 14,500 won, which is 2,200 won less than Korea’s minimum wage as of 2019. As a result, agents often rush to complete each task to maximize their income, jeopardizing their safety by speeding through the streets with their motorcycles and increasing chances of accidents. Even if accidents do occur, the platform workers have to cover their own insurance and be responsible for their safety.

In response, at the beginning of October, unions representing delivery workers signed an agreement to establish measures that would provide minimum protections to such laborers including evenly allocated workload, insurance, and an employment contract. Although only a few platforms have committed to the new agenda, the agreement is bound to positively affect roughly 75,000 workers.

The wildfire effect of the coronavirus has spread to delivery enterprises, posing another threat to workers’ rights. With the demand for packages soaring because of the pandemic, delivery laborers have been exempt from the 52 hours of work per week law, as they are forced to overwork and handle heavy loads. As the poor management of workers continues to take a toll, many delivery companies have vowed to make modifications and pledged to establish insurance and reduce workloads for their workers.

Although adjustments are bound to be made, the question of whether firms are taking enough initiative to combat the coronavirus while at the same time, striving to protect workers rights, must be kept in mind.

layout by

Eddie Hahm

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GLOBAL NEWS

News Briefs

Two women win Nobel prize in chemistry Graphic by Emily Sung

On Oct. 7, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna were awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in chemistry for creating CRISPR-Cas9, a method that has the potential to alter the DNA of various organisms. The system will allow scientists to edit specific genes in DNA, eradicating possible errors in the sequences that may lead to different diseases.

“CRISPR/Cas-9 is a very important tool in the field of genetics,” said Rose Tyvand, AP Chemistry teacher.

“Many scientists regularly rely on CRISPR to identify genes, cure genetic disorders, and much more. Since 1911, several women have already won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. However, it is wonderful to be alive during a time when it is no longer a concern that women’s contributions to the world of science might be overlooked or credited to another individual. Although Dr. Charpentier and Dr. Doudna are women, it is extremely important that the scientific community first and foremost recognizes them as scientists. Receiving the Nobel Prize affirms that this is certainly the case.”

US Department of Justice files antitrust lawsuit against Google

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n Oct. 20, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Google of holding an illegal monopoly within the fields of online search and advertising.

Additionally, states such as Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, and Texas, are joining the lawsuit as plaintiffs.

“I find myself predominantly using Google software on a daily basis,” said Hyeonseo Park (10), frequent internet user. “Not only is Google the default search engine on my devices, but is also convenient because it provides direct access to G-Suite programs, applications that I use on a daily basis for school. Also, as an art student, I often find myself using Google’s advanced search engine functions, such as reverse image search to discover reference images.”

Google processes around 90 percent of global online searches and makes approximately $160 billion in annual sales. This is partially due to its widespread usage and contracts with various partners. The DOJ is largely concerned with Google’s longterm agreement with Apple, which

requires the search engine to be the default—and de facto exclusive—on Safari and other Apple search tools.

Furthermore, Google dominates searches on Android, which powers almost nine out of every 10 smartphones globally. This is not DOJ’s first conflict with a technology conglomerate. In the 1990s, it accused Microsoft of holding a monopoly in the personal computer software market.

“Google will need to prove that it is not a danger to the US search engine and online advertising markets,” said Morgan Miller, AP Economics teacher. “However, there is substantial evidence backing the DOJ’s accusation. Regardless of whether Google maintains a majority share of the markets through nefarious means, it is undeniable that it is investing money into having its systems be the default service on devices. Moreover, Google gains a portion of its revenue by selling user data to advertisers, and the DOJ may desire to regulate such measures.”

Although US government representatives claim that Google is a monopoly, Google states that this lawsuit is “deeply flawed.” Many tech

In recent weeks, COVID-19 vaccine developments have encompassed new discoveries and research made by scientists. Companies such as Pfizer and Moderna Therapeutics are working night and day alongside various universities and governmental organizations to produce a working vaccine. In fact, on Nov. 9, Pfizer developed a possible vaccine and it may apply for emergency authorization in the third week of November.

“COVID-19 has resulted in a situation where people’s income, homes, and lifestyle are all negatively impacted, and there is still a sizeable number of people that will still refuse to act for the greater good of others,” said Eugene Lee, biology teacher. “The COVID19 vaccine should be renamed to ‘hopes and dreams’ because it is heralded as this panacea that will lead the world to hold hands and like a cure of all of the economic and social problems—this is the exit strategy.”

Nigerian SARS protests arise

BY: Sarah Ju Junior, Copy Editor

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Flu shots linked to number of deaths in South Korea

COVID-19 vaccine development continues

Over the past month, Nigerian citizens have been erupting in protests over the brutality of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). A police force originally implemented to keep serious crimes and armed robberies under control, SARS has now come into the spotlight of extreme police brutality. Recently, SARS officers shot multiple peaceful protestors in Lagos, only further spurring the negative sentiments citizens had about the current state of violence within the country. Due to the overwhelming use of force in the protests against these special troops, the Nigerian government has issued a statement saying that they will disband the unit.

“I think the SARS protests in Nigeria are representations of turmoil between corrupt governmental forces and the public,” said Sean Kim (11), MUN delegate. “I definitely think it is a shame to witness such a happening. An institution that is supposed to be protecting the lives of innocent civilians is the one posing a threat to them. I believe it is a good choice they made to disband the unit. This is very reflective of a lot of governments currently that do not care for the good of the people, especially within the COVID-19 pandemic.”

critics have revealed the controversial nature of the lawsuit. While some say that trends in technology are inevitable, others are greatly concerned about the dangers posed by Google’s surge to dominance in the past decade. Adding on, people have begun to notice a pattern; the lawsuit is consistent with the efforts the US government has made to scrutinize “big tech,” corporations that are powerful within the technology industry. These efforts have reached states such as New York and Colorado, who are proposing to launch their own investigations into the issue of Google’s monopoly.

“I believe it is too much of a liability to have one corporation controlling the internet,” said Jihoon Kim (10), technology enthusiast. “The internet is where we conduct most of our daily activities, and having a single agency to look over what we do is risky. The damage that can occur from a security breach would be astronomical, especially since a company like Google stores a large amount of personal information. The data that Google possesses can possibly be abused by the corporation or a black-hat organization.”

In the final week of October, nearly 80 people died in South Korea after receiving free flu shots distributed by the government. To combat the upcoming flu season in the winter months, the government has provided free flu vaccines and encouraged citizens to take it. However, it was discovered that the government-issued flu shots had problems, as roughly five million doses were kept at room temperature instead of being refrigerated during transportation. Although the distribution of these flu shots were immediately stopped, there were still several people who took the shot and died afterwards.

“When I heard about the deaths, I was very concerned for the people who took the free vaccine,” said Ashley Choi (10), a student who paid to receive the flu shot. “Although the government provided free vaccines, we decided to pay to avoid crowds.

I think this is a problem that can affect all of us, because people that

are now scared to be vaccinated may decide not to take the shot and end up becoming sick.”

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the deaths of 72 out of the 83 people were not related to the expiration of the flu vaccine. However, much of the public is skeptical of these reports due to a rising number of deaths. One such example is the case of a 17-year-old boy who died a few days after taking the flu shot. Though it was later reported that he actually committed suicide and his death had no correspondence with the flu vaccine, the trust that people had in the government became damaged. In addition, concerns for the elderly have also increased, as the majority of the people who died due to the flu vaccine were in their 70s or 80s.

“The way a vaccine works is you are injecting either a dead version of the pathogen or part of the pathogen’s identifying protein to stimulate an immune response in your body,” said

Rose Tyvand, a science teacher. “So if you inject someone with a version of a virus that has been in room temperature, the structure of the protein could have denatured, meaning that the person might not have even a primary immune response. That is why vaccines that have been exposed to room temperature might not work.

If I understand, most of the people who died had underlying health issues, such as having diabetes, heart issues, and old age. So although there appears to be a statistical correlation between the vaccine and the deaths, there does not appear to be any data that confirms the vaccines were the cause of the deaths.”

Despite the sudden surge in deaths, the South Korean government is still urging its citizens to take the shot, as the vaccine is expected to not only prevent people from catching the flu but perhaps even contribute to reducing COVID-19 cases. According to the government, the vaccines are now safe to take; however, health authorities suggested that people who have bad health conditions should make sure that they are in good condition before receiving the shot. Regardless of such reassurances, the public anger and concern about this situation have yet to subside, and many are now hesitant to take the vaccine.

“Although I have been reassured by the government that the vaccines do not have any problems, I am still quite concerned about getting vaccinated this year,” said Fabian Roh (10), a student previously planning to be vaccinated. “I think many people are also avoiding going to hospitals due to increased risks of contracting COVID-19 there. Therefore, I am planning on waiting for this issue to settle before deciding what to do. However, I do not think this is an issue as big as the COVID-19 problem that we have right now.”

BY: Hannah Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

November 2020

2020 presidential election to have lasting impacts With Joe Biden poised to become the 46th president of the United States, experts have been weighing in on the significance of his victory in the 2020 election. Not only does Biden have starkly contrasting character traits, appeals, and experiences from Donald Trump, but he also possesses greatly different ideas on domestic and foreign policies. Moreover, Biden’s election acts as a critical chess piece in the complex power struggle between the Republican and Democratic party.

Biden will also face the challenge of leading the nation through an unprecedented pandemic currently in the midst of its third wave. Consequently, such factors render the 2020 election a crucial turning point in history that demands attention.

“I have been paying very close attention to the election,” said Andrew Nam (10), an avid follower

of US politics. “Strong voting movements prevailed leading into the election. Moreover, I could see that many citizens recognized the importance of the election, shown by the significantly higher voter turnouts compared to previous years.”

Throughout the campaign, President Trump and President-elect Biden made their vastly different policy views clear. Regarding health care, Trump stated numerous times that he seeks to terminate the Affordable Care Act. Having already gotten rid of the individual mandate, Trump professed that he would provide an alternative health care plan to replace Obamacare should he be elected to a second term in office. On the contrary, Biden professed his fullfledged support for Obamacare and stated that he seeks to reinforce the Affordable Care Act with a public

option so that more individuals have access to government-funded healthcare. On the issue of criminal and racial justice, Biden staunchly advocated for more rehabilitation programs rather than jail sentences for minor drug offenses and promised to get rid of mandatory minimum sentences. Trump, however, not only consistently advocated for the strict enforcement of laws on drug dealers, but he also supported rehabilitation and minimized sentences through legislation such as the First Step Act. With regards to immigration, Biden showed his strong conviction to provide a pathway to citizenship for members in the Dreamers program.

On the other hand, Trump articulated that he does not oppose legal immigration, but condemns illegal immigration, commonly through the southern border.

“The US presidential election not only impacts US citizens, but people all around the world,” said Hana Jeon, math teacher and Canadian citizen. “We all recognize the importance of this election, and we are all paying close attention to any developments.”

For the past several years, Democrats have been desperate to regain executive authority in the 2020 election as the power balance has gradually shifted in favor of Republicans. In the 2016 presidential election, despite losing the popular vote, President Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by winning key swing states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania by under one percentage-point. Republicans have also been shifting the power balance in the judicial branch of the government under President Trump

by appointing three conservative Supreme Court Justices, which has broken the balance between liberal and conservative judges in the highest court of the nation.

In the legislative branch, with a Republican majority in the Senate, Republicans have been able to pass legislation regarding tax cuts and other conservative domestic policies. Hence, such power struggles between the Democrats and Republicans have rendered the 2020 presidential election even more critical, especially for the Democrats.

“One of the most difficult and interesting aspects of learning US history is understanding the complex relationship between parties,” said Eric Chang (10), US history student and American citizen. “When Republicans took the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate during Trump’s presidency, a power shift was evident. Knowing that the Democrats have been grinding their teeth ever since 2016 and have waited for the 2020 presidential election as an opportunity to win back power, I understand the true importance of this election.”

Finally, COVID-19 is far from over in the US. Confirmed cases have spiked yet again, reaching 100,000 people a day, and the pandemic is undergoing a third wave. Many individuals, including numerous Republican voters, have criticized Trump for his inadequate response to the pandemic, and Trump’s failure to lead the nation under such dire circumstances was a key to Biden’s victory. Despite Joe Biden’s victory, however, the only definite conclusion from the election was that the US is divided. Joe Biden has won the election, yet only a weak mandate has been given to the Democratic president-elect. Biden did not win in a landslide victory as predicted by some pre-election polling, highlighting the continued red and blue political polarization that will persist when Biden takes office in January.

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

161

On Nov. 24, 1859, Charles Darwin first published his famous book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. From natural selection to genetic inheritance, the book introduced the world to the theory of evolution and how all living things originated from a common ancestor.

Even before the book was published, there had been continuous speculation on the origin of living creatures among scientists. The origins of life was one of the great mysteries of theology and science.

However, many of these previous theories were controversial and scientifically unreliable. Darwin, therefore, was the first person to create a theory with robust scientific

years ago, today…

BY Katherine

Suk

reasoning, and his work was so significant and revolutionary that it has become a mandatory topic in most educational institutions.

Ever since Darwin’s book was published, humanity has unlocked many unsolved mysteries as we strive in our quest to gain increasingly greater knowledge about our world.

For example, in September this year, a group of scientists discovered phosphine, a chemical byproduct of life, in the atmosphere of Venus. This discovery has the potential to solve another mystery that has existed for hundreds of years: the existence of life in space. In this manner, humanity is constantly advancing in its scientific explorations, finding answers, and generating more questions about

the world.

Nevertheless, we still face many unsolved problems and mysteries in science. Scientists are still largely clueless about what makes up the matter all around us; humanity has yet to discover the most fundamental atomic particle beyond the quark. Is time a one-way road? Where does antimatter go? Does a theory of everything exist?

As of November of 2020, we are not entirely sure how COVID-19 came to affect humans. Just by knowing its origin and its cause, we may go a step closer to finding the cure for this virus. Similar to the situation with COVID-19, solutions to mysteries are going to act like a stepping stone for humanity to tackle diverse

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issues and create a better world.

While we are certainly more knowledgeable in the scientific realm than we were 161 years ago, we still have a long way to go. Humanity is still in danger of a deadly virus, many scientific theories and concepts are imperfect, and life beyond Earth is yet to be certain. Nevertheless, just like how Darwin’s book allowed us to advance in our scientific discoveries, the mysteries in our world are interconnected. Every small step we take will provide a basis for greater discovery. In the year 2181, 161 years from today, what scientific mysteries and obstacles will humanity have conquered? What will we still have yet to discover?

10 SPORTS/LIFESTYLE Mnet launches Show Me the Money 9 On Oct. 16, Mnet Entertainment launched Show Me the Money 9.

This program has attracted much attention from people ever since Mnet dropped two official teasers.

The first teaser featured Changbin and Swings, while the second teaser featured Wooseok of Pentagon, D.Ark, and more rappers.

Show Me the Money, a South Korean rap competition TV show in which contestants compete in a series of hip-hop challenges until a single winner is crowned, began airing on June 22, 2012. The ninth season of the popular show was originally scheduled to be aired in early 2020. However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and its quarantine protocols, the show was delayed to October.

“I have watched the previous seasons of Show Me the Money,” said June Choi (11), a fan of the show. “Until a couple years ago, watching rap performances was not easy in South Korea because hip hop was not a mainstream music genre. The recent development of South Korean hip hop is highly interesting, because it is different from American hip hop. Korean hip hop has its own unique style in many areas, including lyrics and beat. I am excited to watch many more compelling performances in

Show Me the Money 9.”

Show Me the Money 9 consists of 4 teams of judges: Dynamic Duo and BewhY, Paloalto and Code Kunst, Zion.T and Giriboy, and Justhis and GroovyRoom. This season marked the greatest number of applicants in the show’s history, with roughly 23,000 people signing up for an opportunity to participate in the show. Applicants include participants from another rap competition TV show, Mnet’s Highschool Rapper, as well as new contestants. The winner will receive the title of Young Boss and 100,000,000 won in cash. In addition to this, the show will fund through the winner’s music activities for a year, which is estimated at 400,000,000 won.

“Participants from Show Me the Money 8 applied for this season,” said Eunice Yang (11), a viewer of the show. “I was surprised to hear that people like Swings, Mckdaddy and D.Ark, who are already well known, are participating in this season again.

I feel like this season is going to be intense because there are many competent participants trying to be the 'Young Boss'. It is interesting to see that despite the change that COVID-19 protocols brought to the competition system, com-

petitors are expected to keep physical distance from each other, and they are assigned to smaller groups than usual to avoid creating crowded areas.”

There has also been much drama surrounding the television program, including participants unnecessarily criticizing each other. Due to the nature of competition, a participant needs to be significantly better than others to proceed to the next round. This need to prove their superiority has created an atmosphere of disrespect toward other competitors.

Moreover, there has been an incident where five contestants were accused of illegal (marijuana) drug usage, for which they were kicked out of the program. Addressing this event, the Show Me the Money producers announced that footage of accused contestants would be edited out of future airings. The artists’ agency has also apologized to the public and Mnet Entertainment for the inconvenience that the participants have caused and promised to improve oversight of their personal lives.

BY: Clara Lim Junior, Layout Artist

COVID-19 hits the movie industry Amidst the conflicts constantly plaguing the international community in 2020, various multiplex companies have been struggling to make profits. Along with a 70 percent decrease in the number of movie viewers compared to last year, the costs of maintaining theaters have been continuously rising with rent and the extra fees for necessary Covid-related preventive measures. Many of the top movie screening companies have made efforts to remedy the con-

tinued net loss. On Oct. 18, CJ CGV, the multiplex company with the most theaters in Korea, increased its ticket prices from 12,000 won to 13,000 won in hopes that it would make up for the loss in revenue. Lotte Cinema, CGV, and Megabox have all been rescreening famous classic movies such as “The Notebook” to fill their seats and keep profits up. However, these solutions have been insufficient, with CGV resolving to close 30 percent of its theaters to save

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quarantine work fees, screening fees, and more.

“As a fan of movies, I go to movie theaters to maximize the pleasure of watching films,” said Rachel Lee (11), a movie fanatic.

“However, with masks on, I have to take off my mask every time I want to take a sip of my drink or eat popcorn, and there is still no guarantee that I will not catch the virus during the time I take off my mask. Also, sitting apart from my friends or family makes

the experience less enjoyable.

Above all, I do not find the movies that are currently screening fun.

Hopefully, if this situation settles down, higher quality movies will be available to watch.”

Many long-awaited sequels and movies, such as “Avatar 2,” “Black Widow,” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” have pushed their release dates back to 2021 to avoid this period of inactivity, leaving many fans disappointed. However, this may be the best choice for movie producers. There have been many difficulties with filming new movies during the pandemic, and significant amounts of financial support are required to perfect a film, making it necessary for movie producers to maximize profit. In September, Sony Pictures, one of the biggest entertainment companies, officially announced that they would not release any big budget films until after the pandemic is over. However, if a string of major movies are postponed, another concern rises: the possibility of an excessive overlap of movie releases when the pandemic settles down and movie theaters start running normally.

“I do not think there will be a ton of competition caused by the influx of movies coming out,” said Francisco Choi (11), a Marvel fan. “Movies such as the ‘Avatar 2,’ ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,’ and ‘The King’s Man’ all have different target audiences.

Additionally, since a lot of movies have a loyal fanbase, I doubt one film will have a significant advantage or a disadvantage in terms of producing profit. Since there will also be an increase in the number of people who go to the movie theaters after this situation settles, it will all balance out.”

In the second and third week of March, North America experienced the biggest box office drop since 1998. It was also predicted that the global box office would lose 5 billion dollars as a result of the pandemic. On top of this huge loss in the global box office, COVID-19 has also made movie financing more burdensome because of the increased health security and insurance costs.

Limited budgeting could lead to reduction in big blockbuster movies or diversity in movie content in general. On the other hand, the number of Netflix subscribers grew by 16 million during this period. As a result, some say this lockdown might catalyze a historic, monumental shift in the film industry in terms of the type of content that gains popularity.

“I personally love big-scale blockbuster movies,” said Pablo Lee (11), a student who often watches movies. The larger scale of the action scenes is what distinguishes TV shows from movies.

However, I also think to some extent, it is fortunate that this pandemic is changing the movie industry because the audience will be exposed to a variety of different movies. If blockbusters are the only movies that make huge profits, the diversity of movies will become extremely narrow. If audiences get used to watching independent movies and short films, a new era of the film industry will open up and the general culture will change. Change should not always have a negative connotation.”

BY: Sunny Lee Junior, Reporter

Tiger Times

November 2020

Play-by-play: KAIAC Volleyball Game On Oct. 31, the SIS varsity boys volleyball team secured a victory over the Dwight School of Seoul (DSS) Lions at the volleyball KAIAC tournament hosted at SIS. After suffering a bitter loss against the Taejon Christian International School (TCIS) Dragons the day before, the team was determined to secure a win in the losers’ bracket. As a result, the highly motivated Tigers were able to make the most of their second opportunity in the KAIAC tournament.

The first set began with high energy and a nervous atmosphere, with both teams desperate to advance to the quarterfinals. The Tigers had a slow start, with Dennis Choye (12) slamming down a beautiful spike down that, unfortunately, landed out of bounds. The uneasy tension continued as both teams traded points back and forth. However, after a spike hit by Xavier Kim (11), the Tigers slowly built up momentum by

earning three consecutive points from a spike, block, and strong toss. As the Tigers led the latter half of set one, Andrew Hahm (10) slammed two continuous spikes, successfully earning two points for the team. As a result, the first set of the match ended with a Tigers victory as John Lee (11) and Jordan Kim (10) successfully defended the Lions’ attacks with well-timed blocking.

Starting the set by earning the first point with a spike, Dennis once again hyped up the Tigers to win the following set. Compared to the first set, the Tigers were more motivated and energized as continued attacks led to successive points. As the Tigers began to increase the score gap between the two teams, Youn Hwang (12) smashed another spike, boosting the Tigers’ team morale. Continuous blocks

by Youn and Jordan were also successful, frustrating the DSS Lions. However, a sudden mistake in blocking an attack led to a shift in momentum in favor

Listening to Coach Coward, the Varsity Volleyball Team carefully goes over their game plan.

of the Lions, with successive SIS spikes failing to land home and long rallies ending with the Lions taking the point. The Lions had narrowed the score difference as the Tigers continued to miss attacks and defensive plays. However, another strike

by Dennis allowed the Tigers to take the lead and momentum once again. Following John’s powerful spike, the Tigers won the second set with a score of 25-20.

The varsity boys volleyball team was able to win their second opportunity of playing in the KAIAC tournament after two successful sets against the DSS Lions. Although the match started with nervous tension due to the match being part of the losers bracket, the Tigers were able to successfully claim victory and prepare for the upcoming quarterfinals held the same afternoon.

BY: Alice Lee Sophomore, Reporter Photo by Jennifer Kwon

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Choi Ji-man shines in MLB postseason, regular season

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illions of Koreans held their breath as Jiman Choi walked up to the batter’s box in Game Two of the 2020 World Series, the first at-bat by a Korean hitter in World Series history. But instead of hitting a bomb, Choi trotted back into the dugout without taking even a single pitch after a Dodgers pitching change, concluding the historic at-bat in a rather disappointing manner. Despite this disappointing World Series debut, the 2020 season as a whole was a stellar prime season for Choi in which he dazzled in the defensive department, dominated Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, and managed to consistently get on base in high stakes postseason games. Choi is now well on his way to becoming one of the best Korean hitters in MLB history.

“Choi is certainly not like Choo Shin-Soo in his prime or Kang Jong-Ho in his first season in the big leagues,” said Samuel Hong (10), devout fan of the San Francisco Giants. “But he is by far the most disciplined at the plate out of all the Korean hitters in big league history and his dominance over Gerrit Cole, the best pitcher in the game, is truly astounding.”

Ever since he found a place with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, Choi has settled into the renowned Rays franchise as their dependable cleanup hitter. This regular season, Choi managed an above-average .331 on-base percentage (OBP) thanks to his high walk rate. This high OBP has carried on into the postseason where Choi posted a .412 OBP over 17 games, making him one of the OBP leaders in the Rays’ postseason roster. Throughout the World Series, many of his walks have translated into runs. The most critical run came in Game Four of the World Series when Choi scored on a three-run home run by Brandon Lowe after getting on base with a walk, giving the Rays a one-run lead over the Dodgers. However, his plate discipline did not stop him from

showing off his slugger potential.

While he hit only three home runs in the 60-game regular season, Choi hit two home runs and posted a total of eight runs and four runs batted in (RBI) during the postseason.

“Choi is who I call Mr. October,” said Sean Lee (10), avid fan of the MLB. “He hit two-thirds the number of home runs he hit in the regular season in the postseason. It is almost as if the postseason is a performance-enhancing drug for Choi.”

While Choi has demonstrated remarkable plate discipline and consistency during the postseason, his most impressive feat this season was his performance against Gerrit Cole, one of the best pitchers in the entire league. In 2020, Choi hit 8 for 12 against Cole with an impressive .667, by far the most successful hitter against Cole out of all MLB players.

This top-of-the-league performance against Cole carried into the postseason in which Choi hit a two-run home run off Gerrit Cole’s 96 mph heater in Game One of the American League Division Series. Choi’s performance against other MLB pitchers have admittedly been far from stellar, but his dominance against Cole marks a potential first step in his path toward future stardom.

“Admittedly, 12 at-bats is a slightly small sample size for determining whether Choi is truly dominant over Cole,” said Timothy Munro, physical education teacher. “But with his superb performance against arguably the best pitcher in the league, I think Choi has great potential to dominate other pitchers and earn a name in the big leagues, especially if he is given more chances to prove himself against lefty pitchers.”

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

That Theater Nerd

A

s winter slowly approaches, the beloved Christmas fairytale “The Nutcracker” arrived at SIS in the form of a play. Originally a ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, “The Nutcracker” has recently garnered public attention for its adaptation into a movie franchise. In the production, Clara, the protagonist, is surprised by her godfather on Christmas Eve with a nutcracker. Overnight, the nutcracker comes to life and fights the mouse king and his henchmen.

Clara and the nutcracker then travel to the Land of Sweets and encounter the Sugar Plum Fairy. This well-known tale has been brought to life by Shane Meiklejohn, SIS’ drama teacher, and a handful of dedicated middle and high school students.

“I wanted to put on a play that was very family-oriented,” said Mr. Meiklejohn.

“I had been searching for a fantasy tale when I suddenly remembered watching the Nutcracker ballet last Christmas. My memory of the performance was so wonderfully positive that I made the decision to direct the enchanting, nostalgic story

Reviewing SIS's Adaptation of “The Nutcracker"

of ‘The Nutcracker.’ However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not everything went according to plan. First, the cast initially had to have rehearsals online, which was an interesting process. Second, although I really wanted to include elementary students in the play, there were restrictions on interaction between students from different grades. Third, we had to stream the play online. Even after people watch the play virtually, I want them to feel joyful and satisfied. I also want them to have that warm, festive feeling—the same type of feeling you get on Christmas morning.”

While I was unable to get the true play-watching experience through a video of the performance, I was able to see the entire stage at all times due to the camera’s position: a bird’s-eye view which allowed me to observe every detail of the production. The minimalist set design helped place focus on the performances of the characters. The Christmas tree that reappeared whenever the setting shifted back to Clara’s household was extravagantly decorated with intricate ornaments.

Additionally, I was thoroughly impressed

by Eunice Lee’s (12) vocal projection in her role as Clara. I was able to hear every word she said and could sense the passion in her acting. Furthermore, the chemistry between the younger and older cast was impeccable. The closeness of the cast was displayed by the genuine smiles on their faces during the dance sequences.

Aside from the acting and the camaraderie between the cast, my favorite aspect of the production was the costumes. The garments that the actors and actresses wore were absolutely top-notch. The Snow Queen’s dress was made of iridescent fabric that glimmered and shifted colors from a light purple to green. The beautiful dress made Hannah Son (12) look like a real fairy and was very suitable for her character. The candy canes, Alma Tyvand (8) and Ian Park (9), wore large red and white suits that were extremely eye catching. Clara’s father, played by Jane Kim (11), wore a black tuxedo with long coattails that almost dragged on the floor.

This small detail was well-thought out

and matched the snarky personality of the character. Hannah Yoo (12), who was both Clara’s mother and the Sugar Plum Fairy, was also in charge of the costumes and definitely has an excellent eye for choosing patterns and designs. The costumes enhanced the play-watching experience by bringing out the individual qualities of the characters.

“The Nutcracker” contains prevalent themes, such as love, family, and childhood innocence. The occurrence of a classic “Christmas miracle,” is very heartwarmingly depicted in SIS’ production.

I was astounded by the overall level of acting the lead actors demonstrated. Furthermore, the younger cast members displayed great enthusiasm when delivering their lines. Watching the play made me even more excited for this year’s Christmas. Thus, I send my virtual applause to the director, the cast, and the crew for their exceptional work.

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

12 SMALL TALK Intersecting Identities Aimee Choi & Rachel Yoon

Disability x Class: A cycle of oppression

Despite progress in raising awareness about people with physical disabilities, much of societal norms continue to lead to discrimination. Many hold stereotypes that those with disabilities are incompetent or intrinsically inferior people, despite the completely unsupported nature of this notion. Stigma is amplified by the lack of representation in the media, for mainstream movies or shows support the ostracization of the disabled by casting mostly non-disabled people. These hardships are especially worsened by class distinctions or financial states. A higher position in the socioeconomic hierarchy opens more doors for people with disabilities to help themselves in a world that fails to assist them.

One of the more known correlations between physical disabilities and class is that having disabilities brings a higher chance of experiencing poverty.

Workplaces especially contribute to this phenomenon. Many employers, for instance, may not be experienced in supervising a disabled person in a job that requires physical work. Facilities in workplaces also generally favor non-disabled employees, for not all buildings contain features that make the place accessible to the disabled, such as ramps and specially equipped bathrooms. During interviews, employers may also be subconsciously influenced by the stigma that people with disabilities are incompetent. According to the Bureau of Labor Force Statistics, in the US in 2019, the employment-population ratio from ages 16 to 64 stood at about 30.9 percent for people with physical disabilities, as compared to the 74.6 percent of those without disabilities. This dangerously large margin between the employment rates of two groups indicates that the stigma and lack of access to facilities that disabled people undergo undermine their financial opportunities. Threatened by the industry that was built by and for non-disabled people and that holds an “apartheid by design,” as professor of urban planning Rob Imrie says, people with disabilities are put at a great disadvantage in finding a fortune.

In turn, poverty can also heighten the chances of acquiring physical disabilities. In the current US healthcare system, which has commonly charged patients extremely high costs for treatment, it is difficult for the common person to receive necessary healthcare without falling into debt. If an individual has a genetic condition, accident, or any factor that requires treatment to prevent the development of a disability, but cannot afford necessary measures to further prevent it, they are often prone to acquiring disabilities under insufficient care. Because poverty can also prevent people with disabilities from hiring care-takers and extra help, taking care of oneself and achieving everyday tasks become burdensome and oppressive.

Especially in the US, one’s material possessions and economic class can buy wellbeing. By failing to recognize this inequality, we as a society perpetuate a general cycle where impoverished people fall vulnerable to physical disabilities, become associated with unjustified stereotypes, have fewer educational and vocational opportunities, and fall deeper down the economic ladder. Looking at the future, we must focus on accommodating the needs of all. Spreading awareness about disabilities would secure progress, but actually addressing the inequalities in public facilities is crucial to provide more equal economic paths. To keep disregarding such a large margin of people is to deny them rights they were promised as a citizen of the modern world.

counterpoint

point

Emily Sung & Sarah Ju

Animal testing…

… has been an underlying debate in the field of animal rights and ethics for years, but has recently been further pushed into the limelight due to discussions around the development of a vaccine for COVID-19. An estimated 26 million animals are used every year for testing medicinal and cosmetic products which require the assurance of safety and effectiveness before being released for human use. This process is necessary not only for the confirmation that these products are fit for commercial use, but also for expanding medical research and developing new vaccines. However, due to the inhumane process of animal testing, many concerns have arisen about animal rights and morality

… is necessary to ensure safety of vaccines.

...is unnecessary for scientific and commercial success.

… contributes to expansion in the medical field.

...is unethical because it takes away the value of life.

When a disease without a cure threatens the lives of many, finding the potential cure is an utmost priority. Because safety must be secured, testing vaccines on animals is crucial. Without the usage of animals in the process, scientists or medical researchers will not be able to know what disastrous side effects the vaccine might bring, and precautions must be taken to prevent the worst-case scenario. Additionally, alternative testing mechanisms are simply not available, because the human body is a complex, intricate system with multiple connected organs: methods such as testing the vaccine on an individual cell are not as effective as they do not display the effect on the nervous system or other interrelated processes. Animals, such as mice or chimpanzees, contain similar genetic makeup to humans, making them the safest decision for a trial run of the vaccines. If ethics regarding animal testing was such a momentous issue, the culinary meat industry must also be called under question. It certainly is not clear why killing animals for culinary purposes is justified but doing so for saving human lives is not.

According to the California Biomedical Research Association, “nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from research using animals.” Indeed, cases mirroring that statement can be observed in history, such as research on cows contributing to the creation of the smallpox vaccine, monkeys having a similar effect on the polio vaccine, and multiple other examples including but not limited to cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, and tuberculosis. If tests were run with alternative methods, future discoveries of this sort would not be able to happen. Furthermore, animal testing can also expand to medicine in the realm of animals. The animals who would originally have died due to animal diseases such as rabies or leukemia actually have benefited from injected vaccines as it had the same effect on animals as it did on humans. The existent possibility of curing animals in addition to saving human lives is a mutually exclusive benefit that cannot be attained if animal testing is banned.

There are countless experiments that have alternatives to animal testing, yet scientists simply continue to exploit animals for efficiency. According to Cruelty Free International, an organization fighting for animal rights, half a million animals unnecessarily suffer from avoidable tests each year.

For instance, chimpanzees are often used as experimental subjects for human usage of products due to their close genetic association with people. However, despite this close genetic proximity, the National Academy of Medicine has discovered that most biomedical and behavioral research on these animals is avoidable and unnecessary because there are no areas of research in which chimpanzee use is particularly crucial. Additionally, animals often endure cosmetics testing to ensure product safety from various corporations.

However, these companies voluntarily use animals when there are better available alternatives such as learning from scientific literature, raw material safety testing, or consented human testing. With these alternatives, businesses may stop exploiting animals for their own financial gain and begin to be more conscious of their harmful actions.

Despite the effectiveness of animal testing that many corporations argue for, it is important to realize that animal testing is simply unjust. Firstly, the animals themselves cannot verbally consent to any form of experimentation, and it is extremely unethical to take advantage of and capitalize off of valuable lives, whether humans or not. Innocent animals are constantly being killed for the personal commodities of people. Regardless of the possibility of reaping medical benefits from animal testing, we, as humans with a higher sense of consciousness, are morally obligated to take care of animals rather than exploiting them for personal profit or gain. In short, the utilitarian viewpoint of the assets animal testing would bring to humanity is compelling. However, attempting to justify but ultimately immoral because animal rights should never be violated in the first place.

“We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals”

—Immanuel Kant

photo of the

month Sophia Eu poses like a flower for the Dia De Muertos decoration.

Photo by Alice Lee