Tiger Times Volume 52 Issue 4

Dear San ta, I wish for everyone to have a and enjo safe yable win ter vacat ion!

Sincerely

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Tiger Time s Volume 52 • Issue 4 • December 2 0

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2 Editorial

Oversexualization in the K-pop industry

Merry quarantine by

VIEWPOINT

Brian Ham & Eric Hwang editors-in-chief

Another month, another editorial—yet the words we write this issue are slightly heavier than usual, the product of agonizing days within official quarantine. For the past week, the two of us have had a special orange biohazard bag for our trash and masks to wear in our own living rooms. Every day, we submit a self-diagnosis to a government app at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and once in a while, a social worker comes by to make sure we are staying at home. We yearn for scant traces of fresh air and the shortest of outdoor walks.

For us and many of our fellow SIS students and staff, our first on-campus COVID scare burst our protective bubble. Almost instantaneously, the coronavirus pandemic ceased to be an abstract news story and transformed into a lived reality, vaulting into the tangible day-to-day drudging of our lives.

Yet, even within the daily confines of quarantine, it is easy for many of us SIS students to quickly lose grasp of the situation’s gravity and its immense, immediate, and very real danger to our lives. We are lucky enough to live in a country with an excellent healthcare and COVID contact tracing system, not to mention a society that truly believes in combating this pandemic together. Additionally, our school took immediate action in response to this situation, adding on to the already robust guidelines students had been adhering to throughout nine grueling months. All of this meant that even with the recent events, an outbreak was prevented.

This good fortune and these vigilant precautions, however, are prone to fostering a false sense of complacency and feeling of immunity.

It is easy, natural even, in these conditions for the virus to feel distant and abstract, almost as if the disease is just another daily news story about a serial killer in Busan who—while morbidly interesting—will never directly impact our lives. SIS’ recent situation, however, should not only serve as a reminder of the virus’ looming proximity, but also of its immense stakes.

Between the two of us editor-in-chiefs, we have grandparents with lung cancer and weak hearts.

If we ourselves contracted the virus, we could risk transmission to immunocompromised loved ones who would face mortal danger from an encounter with COVID. With this context, a close call with the virus can no longer be brushed aside so lightly and safety precautions cannot be disregarded so easily. We understand that after almost a full year of painstaking social distancing, it is natural to be tempted to start making plans for large gatherings and cut increasingly wide corners on safety guidelines. Even the two of us have battled the urge to rip off our masks or step outside of our quarantines for a run to the convenience store. Regardless, it would be foolish, not to mention socially irresponsible, to grow comfortable in our relative safety. As we enter the winter holiday season, a time usually marked by large gatherings and celebrations, remember that living in a low-infection area is not a mandate to trivialize COVID guidelines. If anything, it should be the opposite; after all, sticking rigorously to such rules is what produced these low-infection areas in the first place.

So, on behalf of the Tiger Times staff, happy holidays. Celebrate responsibly. Remember to leave out some hand sanitizer next to Santa’s cookies.

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

Objectifying individuals and endowing one with sexual qualities all fall under the definition of sexualization.

The expression consists of vast components, and occurs in everyday life, including an average trip to the grocery store or catcalling in the malls, restaurants. In order to combat this issue, it is necessary that we shed light on a field where sexualization is prevalent, yet often overlooked: the K-pop industry.

The K-pop business has been around since the early 90s, continuing to grow on an international scale as a cultural and economic phenomenon. With a larger audience involved with K-pop, the question of whether oversexualization has become a norm, and whether enough effort is being made to tackle the issue, arises.

Prior to the debut of a K-Pop idol, a contract between the artist and the agency is signed. The focus of the contract often includes many loopholes, creating stepping stones to oversexualization. Because aspiring idols sign the contract at a young age, they are vulnerable to exploitation, with many failing to inspect it thoroughly. Moreover, they are also more easily manipulated by their company; due to the fear that their contracts may be breached, they are compelled to comply with unjust and immoral decisions. This all snowballs into paving the path to oversexualization in the long term.

Prior to their comeback in 2015, Stellar, a K-Pop girl group, was unsuccessful and barely recognized. This

pushed the company to adopt inappropriate methods that would capture the public’s attention. The members were forced into revealing outfits, and although they initially refused to proceed with the photoshoot in minimal coverage, they were told that the outfits were intended for test shots. In addition, the group was pressured and threatened that rejecting the proposal meant that they were not complying with their signed contracts. However, contradicting its promises, the agency published the final poster of the members dressed in sexual clothing without their consent.

Other than contractual obligations, societal expectations also largely contribute to oversexualization. The beauty standards in South Korea heavily favor being thin and tall. To further enhance such features, in music videos, photo posters, and on filmed performances, it has become an evident pattern that individuals are portrayed in a particular manner that promotes sexualization by focusing on certain body features. It has long become a common expectation that companies have the responsibility to ensure that their trainees conform to the image norm by enforcing strict diets that limit daily calorie intake and mandating intense hours of practice at the same time. Girls’ Generation, a popular female group of nine members, had been managed and ordered to lose up to a certain amount of weight. The group later on gained the nickname “The Beautiful Legs Group,” coming

An unhealthy obsession over grades

Everybody knows the feeling of being stuck in an unfortunate situation: a point deduction for a stupid mistake. Most students consider achieving perfect grades to be the only way of building their future lives and opportunities, especially when it comes to college. Because of this belief, students at SIS are particularly competitive when it comes to their GPAs, obsessing over ultimately minuscule point differences and constantly comparing themselves with fellow students.

As a result, student reactions to diminutive flaws are quite varied. Some might cry over a point deduction, while others constantly curse themselves as failures.

It is certainly understandable to feel frustration and stress over unnecessary point deductions. Yet, excessive stress over grades may result in minacious consequences, either to students’ physical and mental well-being or to their grades themselves. Students should acknowledge that caring less about such petty details in their grades and prioritizing a healthy mental and physical state can ultimately be beneficial for their grades.

It would be an overstatement to say students are overly obsessed with their grades from the moment they are born.

The excessive competition, the intangible tensions among close friends, and the pressure to commit to prestigious colleges have unintentionally created students’ unhealthy obsession over grades, further aggravating tensions and duress.

To receive their desired grades, most students at SIS have made irresponsible and detrimental decisions. Skipping class, pulling all-nighters, and complaining to teachers are only some of the countless decisions that were made to reach their goal of a perfect score. Then comes the aftermath: regretting and cursing at themselves for not being able to reach their full potential or expectations after summatives, further damaging their self-esteem and replacing their optimistic mindset with a pessimistic one.

Yet, students must be aware of the drastic health consequences that follow severe physical and mental stress. While students may be familiar with minor health issues like catching a cold or

out with music videos and photoshoots that flaunted their legs purposely. Their legs have received an immense amount of attention, to the extent where a Japanese pornographic film focused on their legs has been made.

After incidents of oversexualization, the psychological damages artists face and their loss of bodily autonomy are a given. The basis of the negative effects begins with decreased self-esteem, increased body shame, and further extends to the development of sexual anxiety and distress, establishing a trauma that is bound to haunt one for years to come. To begin with, it is terrifying that one’s bodily integrity and autonomy is lost, especially when entrusted to an agency, but even more concerning that this oversexualization has now become the norm.

Why has it become an expectation that K-pop idols have to be sexualized?

Why does oversexualization have to be the prioritized method operated by companies in order to attract attention and gain popularity? Consider the irony. In a conservative society like South Korea, where people steer away from revealing clothes, look down upon those who dress ‘sexy,’ why are K-pop idols then dollified, taken advantage of, and oversexualized?

BY: Erin J Choi Sophomore, Reporter

enduring a severe headache, they must recognize that peripheral health problems can culminate into a parlous one, eventually situating them in a hospital bed after overstressing and failing to balance their health and grades. Along with a deteriorating physical body, students worsen their mental stability by engaging themselves in “negative self-talk.”

Rather than encouraging themselves to stay positive and learn from their mistakes, students often reprimand themselves for not trying hard enough. Once grades are announced and as students leave the classroom, the sound of mumbling phrases like “I am not worth it” or “I want to cry” are typical responses from students. Attacking one’s self-esteem and regretting a trivial mistake will only result in feelings of discomfort. After all, the students’ ultimate desire is to achieve the finest grade. But approaching it has been two different matters. Thinking in a fatalistic way will only hurt students, adding further mental burden rather than improving their grades.

Amidst their active participation in this over competition, students themselves feel the brunt of its impacts.

Stress, competition with peers, and resultant distrust all contribute to their detrimental infatuation with grades. Students are the ultimate and greatest victims of this unhealthy obsession. While pressure can be an effective incentive to raise one’s grades, positive reflections or simply caring less at times––although it may be challenging––can be healthier for students’ own wellbeing and grades.

Making mistakes and accepting their consequences are considerable steps for students to realize that no one is perfect.

BY: Alice Lee Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times December 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 4 December 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 Rosa Suh Bona Suh Rachel Yoon Hannah Kim Sunny Lee 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: Colleges continue to deemphasize standardized testing within the college admissions process. Yet international school students continue to spend large amounts of time, effort, and money strenuously studying for these exams.

Students ought to spend their time more efficiently improving their course grades and fleshing out extracurricular activities.

How should students adapt to the changing college admissions process?

Why are students continuously spending large amounts of time preparing for standardized tests?

Turning away from standardized testing From freshman year—or often even as early as eighth grade—to senior year, international school students attend private academies nearly every weekend and break in preparation for standardized tests. Apart from the SAT 1, students also prepare for SAT subject tests, and from sophomore to senior year, students study for AP tests every May. Although standardized tests are becoming increasingly deemphasized with top colleges openly stating that SAT and ACT scores are not required nor recommended, international school students continue to expend large amounts of time and money preparing for these tests. Instead of preparing extensively for these standardized tests, SIS students ought to spend more time improving course grades and engaging in extracurricular activities they are truly passionate about.

During the 1930s and 1940s, many colleges began to require or recommend standardized test scores as part of their applications following the lead of Harvard University and the University of California. SAT and ACT tests took increasingly important roles within the college admissions, with the general perception that standardized tests were the fairest method for judging students, as they supposedly gave students from less fortunate backgrounds an equal chance at college admissions. In accordance with measures such as affirmative action policies that aimed to diversify the predominantly white, wealthy student bodies in colleges, the widespread implementation of standardized exams as part of the college application process slowly decreased the prevalence of racially homogeneous, often legacy-based college admissions. Aside from egalitarian purposes, colleges also placed increasing emphasis on standardized test scores because the average test scores of students were weighted heavily in official college

rankings. As a result, top colleges wished to bolster their rankings by admitting students with high SAT and ACT scores.

However, rather than providing individuals an equal chance to succeed, the development of a robust standardized test preparation industry has further tipped the scale in favor of the wealthy. College admissions procedures have acted as a catalyst exacerbating the wealth gap within society, with students from better economic backgrounds more easily attaining high standardized test scores, hence attending more selective colleges, and in turn working in higher paying jobs. A 2013 research paper, “Race, Poverty and SAT Scores,” published by Ezekiel J. Dixon-Roman, professor of Social Policy at University of Pennsylvania, and John J. Mcardle, professor of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, found students from high-income families to have significantly higher scores compared to their low-income counterparts. Another apparent problem with standardized tests stems from the fact that these tests require students to perform at their highest level under immense pressure. While some students excel under such intense conditions, others simply do not. Numerous studies have demonstrated that such inability to perform under high pressure does not accurately reflect upon one’s potential to succeed in college and subsequently in life. In light of these revelations, colleges have reversed their previous stances and utilize standardized test scores as a means to calibrate students’ academic performance.

Still, international school students continue to exhaust much time, effort, and money preparing for these exams. How can such counterintuitive phenomena be explained? For one, it is crucial to understand the extent to which international school stu-

dents and their parents are willing to invest resources to improve their chances at gaining admissions to elite colleges by even the slimmest margins. Regardless of whether or not schools require or even recommend standardized testing, students and parents believe high standardized test scores will serve to benefit their college application. Students and parents feel anxious because they believe that without top scores, they cannot get into their dream schools even though many of the elite institutions they vie for have explicitly deemphasized the importance of perfect standardized test results. Private academies, whose revenues greatly depend on the business of tutoring students for standardized tests, exploit this self-doubt—even though it may largely be unfounded—by employing clever schemes during counseling to further instill such insecurity and restlessness in students and parents.

However, students and parents alike must acknowledge the change in the college admissions system as it moves away from standardized test scores toward a more holistic process. A case in point is the opening statement in the admissions page of Stanford University, one of the world’s most prestigious universities: “at Stanford, we practice holistic admission. Each piece in an application is part of an integrated and comprehensive whole.” Top colleges prioritize looking for talented, passionate individuals with strong core values and decision making skills. Understanding that some four-digit test score cannot demonstrate all such qualities, top colleges look at various aspects of a student’s application. High test scores on their own may have gotten some students into top colleges in the past, but nowadays, such cases are the exception, not the norm.

Instead of spending long, strenuous hours at private academies preparing for standard-

ized tests, students could dedicate themselves to become better learners and critical thinkers rather than mastering standardized test taking skills. Specifically, students could use such time putting more effort into intriguing school projects such as the Era of Good Feelings Presidential Campaign Project in AP US History or the Potato Osmosis Lab in AP Biology, both efforts by school teachers to enhance students’ understandings of the class they are taking, and to a large extent, help them gain insight into subjects they wish to pursue in the future. As a means to experience the inner workings of society, students could also participate in internship programs, volunteer at laboratories, or engage in Model United Nations. Moreover, involvement in sports teams, the HS Orchestra, Ambassadors choir, and the school play can help students learn valuable teamwork skills and build enriching experiences.

In the wake of COVID-19, colleges have made drastic changes to their college admissions process with many colleges waving standardized test requirements. So far, the holistic college admissions system has proven to be able to successfully operate without students’ standardized test scores. College admission is turning an important corner, and the emphasis placed on standardized tests will only lessen as time goes on. As Charles Darwin once said, “it is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” To be successful, students need to recognize the changing trend and adapt quickly.

BY: Jordan Kim Sophomore, Reporter

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SCHOOL NEWS

News Briefs SIS Ambassadors perform at the Millennium Hilton Hotel

Continuing the annual tradition of traveling to hotels across Seoul to open festivities for the holidays, the SIS Ambassadors visited the Millennium Hilton Hotel on Nov. 16 to participate in the opening performance of Hilton’s Christmas season. Due to concerns regarding COVID-19, all members had to sing with masks on, which were specially designed by the National Arts Honor Society. As this year was the 25th anniversary of the annual Christmas model train, many other events were also prepared, such as an attempt to break the Guinness world record for the longest Stollen bread or a close-up version of the train usually locked in a glass display. Assuming that the virus dies down, the next performance of the Ambassadors will be on Dec. 18 at the Hyatt Hotel.

“I was rather disappointed when I heard that many performances outside of school were cancelled,” said Christine Yu (11), member of the Ambassadors. “However, the performance at Hilton was outstanding, COVID-19 protocols were closely adhered to, and I was greatly impressed at the entire sequence of events the Hilton had in store for their Christmas season.”

National Honor Society hosts late night On Nov. 13, the National Honor Society hosted their annual Late Night in the library. Compared to previous years, when the event was called a “lock-in” and students were allowed to stay overnight in the school, this year’s late night only spanned from 5 to 8PM. Nevertheless, students were able to engage in a multitude of activities which promoted cooperation and leadership, putting an emphasis on the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The night ended with dinner, and members greatly enjoyed the food provided. Although COVID-19 certainly posed a great concern to the executive officers and advisers—hence why they decided against a lock-in—they were still able to successfully organize a reflective and teamwork-fostering event for NHS members.

“At first, I was hesitant to go to the late night as I had concerns about a large group of students crowded in one area,” said Michelle Heo (11), NHS member. “However, that concern soon turned into hours of laughing and talking with my friends. It was certainly a smart decision to attend the meeting because it was a great experience to develop necessary skills.”

SIS once again hosts online forensics tournament

Only two weeks after the first forensics tournament of the year, SIS hosted an online tournament for the second time in a row. On Nov. 13-14, the fourth to seventh floors of the new building were filled with busy coaches and nervous students preparing and performing. Coaches made sure that COVID-19 protocols were being strictly adhered to like the last tournament, following the same rules such as reserving one room for one participant.

Given these efforts, students were still able to perform and debate to their fullest potential, learning much from this enriching experience.

“Because Mrs. Ganus has the system set up so well, I think it went as well as it did the month before,” said Leslie Gregori, coach of the speech team. “Although we are grateful for the judges that volunteer, I think we might consider evaluating how to best train judges to guarantee consistency as much as possible. Nevertheless, I am proud of my students.”

BY: Emily Sung Sophomore, Copy Editor

SIS hosts first ever online SEOMUN

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ov. 20 marked the start of the first-ever online SEOMUN conference.

The opening ceremony was broadcast from the SIS auditorium to delegates, chairs, and guests worldwide. Committees jumped right into their sessions when the opening ceremony was over. The conference happened via Zoom. Whether attending at home or their respective schools, every delegate participated in the debates. Over the next three days, hundreds of resolutions were debated, hundreds of amendments were passed, and thousands of speeches and POIs were made.

“Initially, I was somewhat nervous about the online conference,” said Daniel Shin (9), MUN club member. “I was afraid that there would be technical difficulties, and there indeed were some challenges along the way. For example, it took time to adjust to the online setting,

such as using Zoom’s ‘raise hand’ feature. Sometimes, a delegate’s WiFi would disconnect mid-speech, creating a minute of awkward silence.

However, eventually, everyone in my committee became used to the setting, and I think that my chairs did a good job of leading the debate. The session ended with a fun Superlative and Gossip Box time, which rewarded us with laughter after a long and exhausting three days of debate.”

While it was initially mandatory for SIS MUN members to attend the conference on campus, coming to school became optional due to the increase in COVID-19 cases.

Despite such a change in plans, many SIS delegates managed to get “Best Delegate” or “Honorable Mention.” Daniel Shin (9), Michelle Bok (10), Katelyn Oh (9), Jordan Kim (10), and more delegates from SIS won awards.

Even those who did not receive any awards walked away with more experience and knowledge. However, this conference’s significance may lie in not the number of awards the club got in total, but rather the fact that the secretariats and advisors were able to make the event work. The team had to start over once when the conference online, an exhausting process.

Thankfully, the conference flowed smoothly.

“This conference presented us with numerous difficulties, but I believe we successfully met all of them head-on” said MUN advisor James Kowalski. “Since we decided in September to hold the conference online, there was a compressed amount of time for us to transition from the in-person conference we had originally envisioned. We had never experienced or planned a virtual international conference of this scope, so there was no

playbook to draw from. Overcoming the Great Firewall of China, constructing a feasible schedule for various time zones, figuring out how the approval panel was going to work, handling the opening the closing ceremonies, and spreading everyone out for sound privacy and safety reasons were just a few of many challenges we faced. Needless to say, SEOMUN became a huge part of our lives.

The secretariat and advisor team met at least twice a week since last January and coordinated with a dozen different offices on and off campus. All told, I am glad that it came together so successfully, and that the feedback we received from other schools was so positive. I am going to miss that very close bond our team had.”

BY: Sunny Lee Junior, Reporter

Music department holds virtual concerts

Photo by Jennifer Kwon (10)

This semester, SIS music ensembles will replace their usual in-person winter concerts with virtual ones. In order to prioritize the safety of the SIS community and to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols, the school decided to share pre-recorded performance videos with the school community. All SIS music groups, including Concert Choir, Ladies Choir, Advanced Band, Wind Ensemble, and High School Orchestra (HSO), will be running their concerts this way instead of performing in front of a live audience like in previous years.

“It is much easier than what happened in the spring,” said Julia Kim, HSO conductor.

“Everybody was online at that time, but now we can actually play in the classrooms. We are planning to do stage recordings in December, and hopefully, we can still do them. Nothing can replace a live concert, but maybe the virtual concert will give some happiness to the teachers and parents because the situation is so

difficult right now with COVID19. I think it is a nice way to share our music and do what we can do for the SIS community.”

Concert Choir and Ladies Choir began recording their songs for the virtual concert in November, while Advanced Band, Wind Ensemble, and HSO will follow in the last week of the semester. With the exception of wind instrument players, all students—including vocalists—are required to wear a mask during these recordings. Another change in the way the concert works is the lack of an interactive audience, about which some have voiced concerns. While it is true that it can be difficult for musicians to perform in an empty auditorium, it is important to remember that such measures are inevitable since safety must come first. Once the recording process is finished, all videos will be embedded in a concert program and sent out to students, parents, and staff.

“Our recording process went smoothly, despite the number of

extra steps that we had to take,” said Amelia Chung (10), Ladies Choir and Concert Choir member.

“First, we recorded our voices individually. After that, we had a drone film us performing some of our songs on the front steps. We will be putting together these two things for the final product.

Personally, performing like this was quite hard because we had to repeat the recording process multiple times. Moreover, I prefer performing for a live audience because it encourages creativity during the performance in ways that would be difficult to see in a recording.”

All members of music ensembles have been participating in rehearsals despite the COVID19 pandemic. Typically, this involves students on campus physically attending rehearsals and those at home participating through Zoom calls, but since it is difficult to perform in an ensemble without all members being present, there are certain days on which all members will

be on campus. For instance, HSO will be holding three full rehearsals before the concert. On these occasions, rehearsals are held in Tiger Gym 2 rather than in the band room so that students can practice social distancing.

“Last semester, I was extremely disappointed when I found out that the concert had been canceled,” said Yenna Ko (10), HSO and Wind Ensemble flutist. “We could not show our audience what we had practiced so hard for. For this upcoming concert, I believe it will go wonderfully due to all the extra time and effort we are putting into our rehearsals, even amid restrictions due to COVID-19. Moreover, I am excited to practice with and perform with the HSO members because the pieces we are playing are fun, making HSO enjoyable.”

BY: Skylar Peck Sophomore, Copy Editor

Tiger Times December 2020

INVESTIGATIVE jou r na l ism

A double-edged sword: The conjugation of SIS curriculum and hagwons The overbearing influence of hagwons on an SIS student’s schedule is a critical element of student life that may perplex an outsider. Despite the extensive hours that SIS students spend at these academics, hagwons remain unaffiliated with SIS, creating issues pertaining to the content taught at these cram schools. On one hand, hagwon learning may potentially facilitate SIS learning by providing additional support for students who remain confused even after school lectures by explaining complex concepts learned at SIS with more individual instruction.

On the other hand, hagwons may undermine SIS learning by replacing schools as the primary venue through which students learn new material. One may wonder, then, how exactly do hagwons impact student learning of the SIS curriculum?

In order to answer this puzzling question, eight student interviews and one school administrator interview were conducted. To guarantee full participation, all students were assured of complete anonymity.

During these sessions, an identical set of seven questions was asked to each student, while a different set was prepared for the administrator.

In the interviews, one highly consistent—although perhaps somewhat predictable—trend among interviewees was a lack of student initiative toward hagwon learning. In other words, students were not going to these institutions because they personally felt the need for additional learning. Rather, they were attending out of an obligation to parental figures. In most cases, parents seemed to be making judgement calls on whether the student needed extra help and thus should be sent to a hagwon. Unsurprisingly, a considerable number of the interviewees contended that, if not for their parents, they would not even consider the idea of attending these out-of-school academies. Moreover, because they were rather forced to attend academies, they completely lost interest in the subject itself, often resulting in a lack of interest even when learning the same concept at SIS. Ultimately, this pattern of involuntary extra learning often impacted certain students and their learning by hindering interest in the SIS curriculum.

“While it is true that I sought to receive better grades, it has never been my intention to attend certain hagwons or academies,” said one student who recalled attending several hagwons in the past. “For

instance, when I received my first failing grade in physics, I believed that I could overcome the challenge by simply studying harder by myself. This was not the case for my parents, who immediately found a hagwon for me to attend. However, while my grades did improve as a result, because the extra education was forced upon me, I did not enjoy learning the concept in the hagwon as well as in school.”

Aside from lack of motivation, another trend appeared when examining the reasons why parents sent students to hagwons. While one key cause, as mentioned above, was that students were struggling in certain classes, another common reason was that parents hoped that their children could preview all the content that would be taught later in school. An example scenario would be a student would solve AP Chemistry mock tests in the academies prior to taking the class, thereby gaining an edge over other SIS students when eventually taking the class in school.

“There is certainly an element of previewing for the hagwons I go to,” said one senior student. “To be honest, it does not make sense to put in extra money and time to simply learn materials that I am currently learning in school. A lot of the content I preview helps me understand ideas and concepts better when I’m learning it in school, since I am learning it for the second time. Also, because I get to practice utilizing the information multiple times, I make fewer mistakes.”

However, some other student interviewees expressed negative responses toward hagwon learning and shared the belief that hagwons may be pointless. Learning at hagwons may help students score with summative assignments and make it easier to digest difficult content; however, it simultaneously increases reliance on hagwons so much that it leads students to be unable to study outside of hagwons after the hagwon session. On the contrary, when these same students recalled experiences in which they had to self-study for a course without hagwons, the lack of a hagwon safety net forced them to take personal initiative. This led students to study harder than they would have with the comfort of a hagwon, ultimately leading to higher grades when studying without the academies. In contrast, those who remained solely dependent on hagwon learning from day one expressed concerns that when it

comes time to learn independently in college, they would not be able to do so.

Regarding this cultural phenomenon of hagwon learning, the SIS administration explains that there are both positive and negative aspects. While there is a line of academic integrity that students and parents alike should not cross, hagwons are considered to be a great resource that should be employed if necessary. Especially in a country such as South Korea where hagwons are ubiquitous, taking advantage of the available means to succeed, the administration emphasized, should not be censured. Nonetheless, when enrolling in hagwon classes that pre-teach SIS materials, it is important to take into account that students frequently lose interest in subjects they are learning a second time and often grow lackadaisical when the content is later taught in school. Since it is human nature to yearn for novelty, the repetition of content often leads to a lack of concern toward school learning itself.

“My concern lies with the fact that often, previewing classes may limit students’ willingness to engage in learning when they are in the actual class,” said Gray Macklin, high school vice principal. “Since students have already covered the information of a class in a hagwon, they may think that they don’t have anything to learn in the class and disengage. When that happens, school becomes little more than a place to confer grades. I think it is very important that students understand that previewing the content of a course is not the same as taking the course. Education in a school context is about interacting with teachers and classmates. If previewing content interferes with that, then students should not do it, but only they are in position to know what is best for them in this case.”

Whereas improper implementation of the hagwon system remains, it is true that if done properly, it could work for the sake of students.

Some students are already recognizing the significance of hagwons when combined with student effort, while others are not using these institutions as a proactive solution for additional help. Since hagwons are so deeply integrated into SIS culture, people must recognize the ways in which they could maximize their resources in a healthy manner.

BY: Isabelle Lee Sophomore, Reporter

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1.

The cultural gap in holiday economics

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas. For Americans, they mark the beginning of intense shopping sprees and irresistible discounts, yet these financially lucrative and culturally riveting holidays fail to excite shoppers in Korea to the same extent. This is not anything new: holiday consumerism has been absent in Korea for as long as most can remember, despite attempts made by businesses and firms to revolutionize Korea’s holiday commercial spirit in recent years. As such, while winter holidays are noted to have a significant annual impact on the US economy, their economic value in Korea has yet to reach these stratospheric magnitudes.

Economically, holiday consumerism in the US has been constructive in a number of ways. One of its chief benefits can be best exemplified in the creation of jobs. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, base employment rates in 2019 had a boost of 7 percent from 2018 as a result of holidays. With growing rates of consumer spending, companies have also gained the confidence to hire more employees in hopes of receiving an even greater financial gain. Glassdoor reports that by Sept. 9, their website had 755,208 jobs enlisted, a 4 percent increase from

the number of jobs during the same period in the previous year. Holidays in the US also give companies the potential to garner stronger sales. According to The Balance, each Black Friday shopper spent an average of $1,047.83 in 2019, with $729.1 billion in total sales in the market. This was a 4.1 percent increase from 2018’s Black Friday, which saw $700.7 billion in sales.

On the other hand, Korea does not experience this share of benefits as they do not have robust holiday consumerism.

Holidays like Christmas are celebrated in Korea just as they are in the US, but the influence they have on the economy is close to minimal. Even holidays that are specifically unique to Korea, such as Pepero Day and the Korean New Year, bring forth little economic change annually. The same goes for other profitable celebratory events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which also receive less recognition in the nation. For Korea, this means that the country rarely experiences the economic benefits that are often associated with various holidays in America.

While little to no holiday consumerism seems present in Korea, the country has, in fact, made past attempts to gal-

vanize spending spirit. In 2019, the nation launched the Korea Sale Festa, a sale event that would last for the first 22 days of September. Supported by the government and partaken by 600 online and offline businesses alike, this nationwide program was one of the country’s large scale attempts to emulate Black Friday.

Unfortunately, the Festa generated lukewarm responses from consumers, many of whom did not find the discounts attractive enough to open up their wallets and make hefty investments. Meanwhile, companies felt that the government was pressuring them into offering large discounts and feared that the festival would drain their revenue. The development of holiday consumerism in Korea has also been obstructed by poor stock preparation and web management. In November 2018, Tmon, a Korean e-commerce company, offered a 78 percent discount for an LG electronic laptop in a flash deal.

However, Tmon had only 10 laptops listed on their website, and the thousands of consumers who had flocked to the online marketplace felt cheated by the exaggerated offer. That same month, WeMakePrice, another e-commerce company, promoted a 50 percent discount for Apple’s Airpods. Unfortunately, upon ar-

riving at the site, consumers were once again met with disappointing results as they experienced an array of technical issues, rendering the product unpurchasable.

With these past failures in mind, will holidays in Korea ever reach the level of significance that they have in America? In hopes of reversing the economic damages caused by COVID-19, the government has issued a call for nationwide sale events to occur. Hence, this year’s Korea Sale Festa will compose up to 1,633 companies, the most ambitious plan to date. Likewise, major grocery stores, like Emart, Lotte Shopping, and Homeplus will offer up to 50 percent off on various groceries this November. As these events are still ongoing, it remains unclear whether they will lead to the prodigious economic changes that the government desires. Nonetheless, perhaps these growing approaches to emulate American holidays point to a future of holiday consumerism for the nation.

BY: Bona Suh Sophomore, Reporter

2. To appraise holidays With Christmas rolling just around the corner, holiday cheer is near. It will not be long before we see white sheets of snow coating the streets, Christmas trees lining the interior of shopping malls, and Mariah Carey’s famous Christmas song hit the charts once again. Time spent with friends and family eating eggnog or kimchi and everything in between is a remarkably special way to wrap up the year.

With the three weeks given to us at the end of each year to relax in between semesters, it is essential to realize why the break exists in the first place. We often do not consciously process the importance of celebrating various holidays in our lives, but holidays largely relate to a sense of identity and culture.

For instance, Christmas is not only the day Jesus was supposedly born, but it is also about religious empowerment, strengthening bonds between Christians worldwide. This is the case for many different holidays as well. Apart from proving to be a grounding sense of identity for a particular religion, holidays also strengthen national identity and culture. By normalizing social interactions and centering a unified society around shared values, they create a special mem-

ory for people in one large community, bolstering a sense of belonging. They are principally about experiencing happiness and spending time with loved ones, a time where people can come together to forget about their busy day-to-day and celebrate life in general.

For example, Kwanzaa, an African-American holiday, also celebrated at the end of the year,is greeted by black people throughout America, across many religions. Via this holiday, black culture,, is celebrated through the appreciation of African heritage and unity throughout the week of Kwanzaa. Therefore, holidays, aside from being a great time to exchange frivolous gifts, play a significant role in solidifying individual identity as well.

Despite their importance, many holidays are not often recognized to be as meaningful as they truly are. Take holidays such as Ramadan and Hanukkah, for example. Unlike Christmas, they are not as celebrated worldwide. Why is this the case? The answer is that humans arbitrarily prioritize some holidays while devaluing others, as our modern society is heavily dependent upon instilled Western, Christian values. While there are 2.3 billion Christians and 1.8 billion

Muslims in the world, the extent to which Ramadan is culturally ubiquitous does not come close to the global recognition of Christmas. It is not because of the overpowering number of Christians that Christmas is arguably the most global holiday, but because of the fact that society’s values rely on and glorify Western Christian principles over other cultures. These cultures are thus often depreciated in the public eye, although they are not any less valid or special than the holidays that Christianity offers.

This unbalanced prominence of holidays undermines the importance of holiday cheer and acceptance that is a common theme worldwide during the month of December.

This is deeply reflected in our own lives as SIS students as well. Students are dismissed for holidays that are decisive to our identity as Korean-Americans but often fail to fully recognize the importance of celebrating them. It is therefore valuable to ponder which holidays we should truly have time to reflect upon and celebrate as a multinational school community, especially considering that we consist of various cultures melding together. We, as a school and as global citizens, must understand the impor-

tance of holidays because of their implications to our culture, identity, and history. SIS students are particularly vulnerable to falling into a pattern of forgetfulness about our roots and identity because of the sheer amount of exposure we have to various cultures and traditions. As people who may struggle with our own characters due to a conflicting belonging between two cultures and two nationalities, it is even more paramount for us to be accepting and appreciative of the various holidays and cultures that shape not only us as individuals, but also different communities in the world as a whole.

Perhaps we can collectively take some time to reflect on how this holiday cheer may apply to more areas than Christmas. After all, if giving thanks is such a prominent part of the holiday season, we should all aim to be more appreciative of the various cultures that shape our global community.

BY: Sarah Ju Junior, Copy Editors

Photos from Ketchum,CNBC, and Quartz.

Layout by Ashley Kim

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GLOBAL NEWS

News Briefs

SpaceX and NASA collaboration successfully to launch four astronauts into orbit

On Nov. 15, the first operational Dragon crew missions conducted by SpaceX took place. Along with astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, Siochi Noguchi, and Michael Hopkins, the Crew Dragon spacecraft, called Resilience, was successfully launched with the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Resilience is expected to dock at the International Space Station utility hub Harmony. Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, expressed his full interest and hopes for the program to lead to many new scientific discoveries in fields including human space travel, life in space, and space resources.

“This scientific discovery will result in many more breakthroughs in the future,” said Sunmin Lee (11), a member of the Science Club. “By getting more space samples, we may be able to apply it to our world or perhaps we can even find new life in space. Once the data about the astronauts in this mission is collected and analyzed, space travel for the public may be made possible in the future.”

South Korea imposes fines on people who fail to wear masks On Nov. 13, the South Korean government enacted a new policy that mandates a 100,000 KRW fine for those who do not wear masks in public. Although taking them off for a short duration of time or to eat or drink is permitted, if an individual does not wear a mask for an extended period of time, they are required to pay the fine. The government has expressed its hopes that this new policy will help prevent the further spread of the virus in the country following its third wave.

“After the mask policy went into effect, I can definitely see how everyone on the streets is now wearing masks consistently and constantly,” said Yuzine Yi (10), an avid follower of the COVD-19 situation in South Korea. “It makes the use of masks more important and serious. I have also found myself being more aware of whether I am wearing my masks properly. As can be seen from both my firsthand experience and my observations of the general public, I think the new policy is quite effective.”

Blockbuster Asia Pacific trade deal On Nov. 15, all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade agreement designed to create an economic partnership between the members. The enactment of this agreement is expected to eliminate a range of tariffs on imports within the next 20 years and bring economic and diplomatic benefits to the participants; it has garnered interest from around the world for this very reason.

“When I first learned of RCEP, I was surprised,” said James Kowalski, AP US History teacher. “Although it was years in the making, I had not heard of it before it was announced. My understanding is that RCEP was largely spearheaded through ASEAN leadership; if that is the case, it will do much to make it the Asian counterbalance to similar EU-led trade coalitions in the west. From every angle, RCEP is an important step toward bringing not just East Asian, but also South Asian and Pacific economies, close together.”

BY: Katherine Suk Junior, Reporter

Aftermath of the 2020 US presidential election

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ith the highest voter turnout rate since 1968, the 2020 US presidential election has garnered substantial interest, both at home and on the international stage. Due to a historic rise in mail-in ballots, it took an unprecedentedly long time for all the votes to be counted and the victor to be publicly announced. However, it had become rather obvious in the following days that Biden was the president-elect. Although media sites began to call the election and the vast majority of the general public acknowledged Biden’s victory, one group has stubbornly refused to accept the results of the election: Trumpian Republicans.

“It is hard to believe that the results of the presidential race are being contested in the United States,” said Albert Hong (12), Forensics club member. “A presidential candidate denying the election results is absolutely unheard of, and Trump’s baseless claims and a substantial number of his followers believing in them shows how politically and socially divided America currently is.”

There is little evidence to substantiate Trump’s denial of the election results and his claims of “mass voting fraud.” The President has claimed on Twitter that nearly 2.7 million Trump votes were deleted or switched to pro-Biden ballots. These statistics and claims, however, are unfounded. The report Trump cites to support his 2.7 million mis-

count claim does not exist, and election officials from both parties have expressed confidence in the security, integrity, and accuracy of this year’s election count. Aside from sweeping claims of voter fraud, President Trump has also filed a plethora of smaller scale lawsuits across the country challenging irregularities in ballots—raising lawsuits to dispute even singular ballots—and attempting to delay the official certification of voter counts in politically unfavorable areas. Most of these lawsuits, however, have been quickly dismissed by courts due to a lack of evidence, and even if Trump were to prevail, the lawsuits would not overturn nearly enough votes to seriously challenge Biden’s current lead.

“Unless the entirety of America was against Trump being reelected, a machine could not erase such a large number of votes,” said Edward Lee (12), History Club member. “This is obviously fake news, and Trump likely knows this too. I believe the only reason that Trump is doing this is to justify the reason he has lost to his followers, and thereby portraying himself as someone who had unfairly lost an election due to the wicked, backhanded, victory-stealing opposition. However, this type of attitude is nothing new for Trump. During his four years as president, he has made many shocking, radical decisions, such as utilizing the White House as part of a political rally, and

leaving the NATO Summit early.”

Despite Trump’s defeat in the 2020 American presidential election, he will likely continue to have considerable influence in the country’s politics. Prior to his term as president, Trump was a well-known public figure, appearing in multiple television shows and movies. With a considerable financial empire and a large group of loyal followers ready to support him, Trump’s influence on American society and the international community will not cease. Moreover, it is also possible that Trump will run for a second term in the 2024 presidential race. The results of this year’s election are likely to be only a short-term respite from Trumpism and a temporary victory for the Democratic Party.

“I was recently listening to a podcast about how people’s morality heavily influences their initial perceptions of political issues, and that this usually governs their approach to these issues despite what evidence might tell them,” said Mindi Harman, registered Democrat. “These moral differences are one underlying reason for the current division in America. Every person who has stepped in the Oval Office knows about this divide, and we need a president who works to unify the people, not divide them.”

BY: Jiwon Lee Senior, Managing Editor

Pfizer and BioNTech declare 95% effective coronavirus vaccine On Nov. 19, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German drugmaker BioNTech declared that their vaccine for the coronavirus was 95 percent effective. They are currently preparing to file for emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start distributing the treatment. Given that most vaccines take years to develop, many scientists were astonished at how quickly the two companies developed theirs, especially under the limitations created by the pandemic. Others were less impressed, arguing that the evidence was inconclusive as the news was released in an article and not a peer-reviewed medical journal.

“I believe it is still too early to tell whether or not the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is a well-suited candidate,” said Anna Kim (10), an AP Biology student. “Even if their vaccine does make an acceptable candidate, the finalized version will most likely not make it in time to prevent people around the world from contracting the virus for several months, possibly years.

But I would say that the 95% effectiveness rate is a promising start.”

BioNTech first began developing the vaccine in January and partnered with Pfizer in March. By July, they had struck deals with Japan, Canada, the UK, and other countries to supply them with vaccines. Perhaps what makes the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine seem so favorable is its pioneering use of mRNA technology, which allows for faster testing and evaluation than traditional vaccine methods.

Even so, this method has also come under skepticism due to its steep costs and dubious long term effects.

“I believe that the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine’s mRNA technology seems convincing in theory, but when put into action, I am not sure if it will be effective,” said Jennah Yoo (10), a student interested in the medical field. “Although scientists may have found the general genetic sequence of the virus, I doubt if it will be exactly the same among all viruses, as genetic coding is case-sensitive—one mistake in the gene could lead to a mutation. If

the vaccine is to be utilized in the future, health authorities would have to consider various external factors, like the age, race, and gender of the receiver, in order to make it universally effective.”

In the likely chance that the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine will be approved by the FDA in the coming weeks, the next question is how it will be distributed.

According to Pfizer, at-risk groups like the elderly and those with preexisting medical conditions will be prioritized over the general population, however, this may be hindered by the vaccine’s disadvantages, such as its fragile storage situation: it needs to be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius in specialized suitcases, unable to stay refrigerated for more than five days. Furthermore, unequal distribution to developing countries and rural areas may cause further delays, and subsequently, more cases and deaths. Despite these difficulties, doses for 15-20 million

people are expected to be created by the end of the year, although when the world will reach herd immunity—a point where a sufficient percentage of the population is vaccinated so that the virus does not spread further—is still up in the air.

“I am not sure when we will reach herd immunity, which is something many scientists are trying to figure out right now,” said Niko Lambert, AP Biology teacher.

“For a lot of the vaccines coming out now, including those from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, you would have to look at when they will be available for people to use.

Moreover, the logistics behind distribution can be challenging; the Pfizer vaccine is especially fragile. Health authorities and governments also have to spread millions of these vaccines to all parts of the world, which will be difficult as well.”

BY: Rosa Suh Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times December 2020

Hong Kong pro-democracy legislators resign in defiance

On Nov. 11, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed a resolution that gave them the power to dismiss politicians who support pro-democracy ideals, refuse to acknowledge China’s sovereignty over Hong Kong, and call upon foreign states to intervene and cause a threat to national security. Soon after, the Chinese government immediately disqualified four pro-democracy lawmakers: Alvin Yeung, Kwok Ka-ki, Dennis Kwok, and Kenneth Leung. Mere hours after their removal from office, the 15 remaining pro-democracy legislators in the party also stepped down in protest of the forced removal of their four colleagues. There were originally

19 seats filled by pro-democratic members in the 70-seat legislature, yet this recent change has caused all of them to leave by either resignation or dismissal by the Chinese government.

“I think everyone in Hong Kong has lost hope for democracy now,” said Dominic Yang, a college student residing in Hong Kong. “The public obviously hates the new government, but there is honestly nothing we can do. I never realized that my rights to freedom of speech and expression would be taken away in my lifetime, yet that is the unfortunate reality.”

Hong Kong originally developed its legal system based on the “one country, two sys-

On Dec. 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched an infamous surprise military strike on Pearl Harbor. A fledgling world power hoping to expand their power and territory, the US, who had recently made plans to move the US Pacific Fleet from California to Pearl Harbor, were seen as a threat to Japan. Thus, the country launched an attack on Pearl Harbor in an effort to prevent the United States from increasing their naval base in the Pacific. The US was largely unprepared for this surprise attack, and as a result, nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes were destroyed.

Moreover, casualties were great, with 2,403 sailors, soldiers, and civilians killed and approximately 1,000 people injured.

In order to prevent sudden attacks like this from happen-

79

tems” principle, where it aimed to balance both Chinese and British influence over its government. Hong Kong was granted its own legal system, rights to freedom of assembly and free speech, and the development of multiple political parties following the handover of the city from British to Chinese rule. Based on the Sino-British Joint Declaration, Hong Kong was to be under the control of the “one country, two systems” principle and maintain some level of political freedom until 2047 without Chinese intervention. However, the Chinese government is actively restricting the British parliamentary system and criminalizing the secession and collusion with

foreign states, pushing for Chinese dictatorship by dominating control over the entire municipal government and removing politicians that are seen as a threat to their control.

“The resignation of these representatives demonstrate how hopeless the current situation is,” said Michelle Bok (10), a member of the MUN club. “I understand that the process is quite complicated, but I think Hong Kong will ultimately become one of the ill-fated countries under the rule of the Chinese dictatorship.”

There is much conflict surrounding the issue as the NPCSC had originally ruled that four of the resigned pro-democracy lawmakers could stay in office until the new election date, yet the NPCSC has also taken away their chances for re-nominations in their promises to block government legislation and Chinese intervention. The Chinese government also pointed out that the legislators had advocated for Hong Kong’s independence, soliciting foreign intervention, refused to recognize Beijing’s exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and expressed objections to the implementation of the national security law. The Legislative Council is now dominated by pro-Beijing lawmakers, and the mass resignation of the pro-democracy lawmakers seems to be marking the end of Hong Kong’s last forums for open democratic debate.

“I think it is quite unfortunate that the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement failed, especially as it had inspired and propelled so many other movements like Black Lives Matter,” said Ginna Schultz, world history teacher, “But I think the failure of this movement serves as a reminder of how easily governments can abuse their power to take away the rights of their citizens.”

BY: Jasmine Jeong Sophomore, Layout Artist

years ago, today…

BY Katherine

Suk

ing again, many changes and improvements were made by military forces around the world. For example, bases were strengthened in order to ensure that if another attack occurred without warning, soldiers could immediately act upon it to prevent great damage.

Many peace organizations such as the United Nations were formed in order to prevent future harm.

Peace treaties and agreements such as the Paris Peace Treaties were signed to prohibit devastating attacks among countries around the world.

Due to these efforts, it is certainly true that the world has been maintaining a more peaceful state among countries compared to the past: military strikes significantly decreased in number and there has not been another world war in the last 75 years. Countries that

were once in a violent war are now attempting to recover their relationship, such as South Korea and North Korea.

Although military defenses in the world have been largely improved, humanity continues to face many surprising attacks.

These incidents do not only appear in the form of military strikes; they come from society and nature as well. For example, consider the COVID-19 pandemic. Without any forewarning, this deadly and contagious virus swallowed the entire world. At the moment, we do not even have an effective cure, nor have we been very effective in implementing precautionary measures to prevent large-scale infectious outbreaks.

We are in a more stable and peaceful world compared to when Pearl Harbor was unex-

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pectedly attacked by Japanese forces. However, there is always a possibility of new surprises.

The world needs to look at these future concerns and start creating solutions to these possible harms starting now. When Bill Gates predicted a pandemic in his Shattuck Lecture in 2018, barely any action was taken to prevent the problem. The world recognized Gates’s prediction after encountering COVID-19, but it was too late. Gates even expressed his concern by remarking that “it is sad that this took a Richter-scale 9 earthquake to wake us up.” We should not solely focus on resolving the current problems, but also prepare for future crises as well. In the year 2099, 79 years from today, what will the world face.

10 SPORTS/LIFESTYLE COVID-19 affects testing and outlooks as the semester closes

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his year, COVID-19 has dramatically changed the lives of SIS students and faculty alike. The leadership team created many in-school safety policies and restrictions so that students could continue with school life while protecting themselves from the virus. Students have stated that the long-running pandemic has made their lives much harder, not only for the student athletes, but also for everyone wrapping up their first semester. Uncertainty regarding schedules of both formative assignments and summative assessments seems to make students anxious. Furthermore, students are feeling isolated during online learning, because they are not able to communicate with peers.

“The two days rotation of being on and off campus is difficult for student athletes,” said Ashley Seong (11), a varsity cheerleader.

“Since we have practice from every Tuesday to Friday, we need to be on campus almost every day. We do not have an option to miss practices because they are mandatory to have a successful season and have satisfying results for upcoming competitions such as KAIAC. Being an athlete is definitely harder compared to last year, since we also need to wear masks while practicing, making it more difficult to breathe. Moreover, cheerleaders are not allowed to do stunts this year due to COVID-19 protocols, which was somewhat of a disappointment for us.”

Despite the hardships that everyone has faced, the first semester is heading toward an end and grades will soon be finalized. As any usual semester of any normal year, midterms are coming soon.

This year’s skills-based exams are going to be different from prior years, as they are scheduled to

continue for eight days as opposed to the normal four. This extension of the testing period was made to allow students to take all exams in-person. Students take tests in two subjects per day, so it takes four in-person days for each person to complete his or her full array of assessments for all eight subjects.

Due to the alternation of Orange Days and White Days, it takes a total of eight days for everyone to complete a total of four in-person school days and thus finish their exams. However, there is still an uncertainty as to what will happen to students on virtual days when they are not taking their skills based exams.

“I do not like the idea of having eight days of skills-based exams,” said Jennifer Shin (11), a student preparing for her upcoming skills-based summatives. “The longer the finals week is, the more exhausting it becomes. I person-

ally prefer being done with all testings faster, because it is less burdening. The fact that we need to cope with testing for eight days makes me stressed. However, I understand that we have no better options due to the limited number of people that are allowed to be on campus at a time.”

Due to the fact that this school year is full of confusion with an unprecedented school system, it may be stressful for both teachers and students. The leadership team acknowledges that the unfamiliar environment of this school year may cause students to suffer from anxiety and nervousness.

They advise students to schedule a meeting with their counselors and teachers to consult their difficulties.

Counselors have been actively sending emails to check in with their students and help them with stress management, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a posi-

tive atmosphere at school in order to fight through times of hardship.

“Counseling departments try to frequently check in with students,” said Morgan Davis, a high school counselor. “We know that high school is a stressful time for many students. In times of COVID-19, relationships with peers and academics can be even harder. Although talking about stress and frustration may not be the most comfortable conversation for many students, it is crucial to open it up with trusted people.

Due to the changed schedule and policies of being on campus, we are holding virtual meetings so that students can easily approach their counselors. They can always email us and stop by our office to schedule a meeting as well.”

BY: Clara Lim Junior, Layout Artist

Teachers and students spend a pandemic-ridden Thanksgiving break

Photo by Alexey Gaev, Pexels

Thanksgiving break at SIS took place from Nov. 26-29, as usual, but with unusual changes. Unlike the lively and festive atmosphere in the past years, this year’s break started out quietly with all students and many teachers in their homes taking online classes. The pandemic has not only affected the school life of students and teachers but also the holidays that many were looking forward to. However, several people saw this as an opportunity to rest, especially after stressful weeks of school and fluctuating coronavirus cases. This year, the SIS community used the short holiday to pause and de-stress.

“The pandemic has, for most of the time, trapped us in our home,” said Anna Kim (10), a student that returned from the Thanksgiving break. “Especially since there was a third wave of the coronavirus, we had to be more careful and cautious about our actions. After my family and I moved to Korea, we did not have a single traditional Thanksgiving feast with turkey and mashed potatoes at home. That didn’t change this break and we just had home-cooked food and spent time together with my family.”

Unfortunately, with the current global pandemic, teachers and students were unable to travel overseas this year to gather with their families. This meant that those who do normally celebrate the holiday were limited to do so in Korea, which posed various difficulties. For instance, one of the main dishes that people eat during Thanksgiving is roasted turkey, but since few Koreans eat turkey, trying to buy the unique poultry was a challenge in Korea. However, many enthusiastic Thanksgiving celebrators found ways to spend time with their family such as visiting restaurants that sell Thanksgiving dishes or creating their own feast with ingredients available in Korea.

“Although I did not travel or see family, the couple days off were nice as we start to prepare for skills-

based exams,” said Steven Nave, a history teacher. “For the past three years, I was living in America, so everyone celebrated Thanksgiving by eating a lot of turkeys and being lazy. It is a little weird to be here and not see parades and football games.

I spent Thanksgiving this year just relaxing and eating pizza since turkey is not very easy to find, and I cannot cook anyway. I originally planned to travel to Busan, but since COVID has reemerged I did not think it would be wise to leave the city. I know a lot of teachers had plans to travel and ended up canceling. While it is frustrating, I understand that if we are ever going to get it under control we must make some sacrifices.”

In the past, Thanksgiving was a day on which Americans celebrated the harvests of the previous year.

Nowadays, it has become a day for families to get together to give thanks for anything positive that happened, have feasts, and sometimes practice religious services.

Many believe Thanksgiving to be important because it is a day that encourages people to feel grateful for the things that they have, which many people may fail to do within their day-to-day lives.

“Since Thanksgiving is not a Korean holiday, I did not get together with my family to celebrate,” said Hyeonseo Park (10), a student who enjoyed the Thanksgiving break. “Normally, I would have gone outside to hang out with my friends but due to coronavirus, I decided not to go out. So instead of gathering with a lot of people, I just stayed home and rested, especially since we had a long and stressful week of school. Although I do not celebrate Thanksgiving, I was thankful that we have all managed to stay safe and survived through most of this year.”

BY: Hannah Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times December 2020

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A new perspective on the 2020 KBO South Korean soccer players test positive for COVID-19 Recently, Tiger Times reporters Hugo Lee and Jack Lee shared an interview with Shim Jae-hak, a former hitter and current baseball commentator. The podcast, primarily discussing the 2020 KBO Korean Series, has been translated and edited for clarity and brevity below.

The new players are one of the aspects that make this year’s Korean Series rather special and different. What do you think about the rookies and young pitchers in Doosan Bears and NC Dinos?

To begin with, Koo Chang-mo and Song Myung-gi from the NC Dinos both won a total of nine times at the pennant race.

Because of this, the two players have proven themselves as starting pitchers, and I believe both players have full potential in becoming representative players in the KBO. Every victory both pitchers claimed stacked up to NC Dinos’ final win. Despite Doosan’s loss, Kim Min-gyu and Lee Seung-jin from Doosan Bears have concluded the season as an impressive bullpen and closing pitcher, and it appears as though they will help Doosan achieve desirable results in the future.

Could you explain how much of a burden Doosan hitters would have faced had they played against veteran catchers like Yang Eui-ji? Especially since he was Doosan’s main gunner until two years ago?

Certainly. Yang Eui-ji won the Korean series whilst both being in Doosan and NC. I believe you could view the situation as a metaphor by comparing a catcher to a motherly figure. It is as if a mother (Yang Eui-ji) helped to shape her family (Doosan), and after knowing everything about the members (players) and how things worked in the family, she left to join another (NC). Although he was both a friend and camarade, as Yang Eui-ji joined NC Dinos with prior knowledge about each strength and weaknesses of the Doosan players, it would have been a great burden to the latter.

During the regular season this year, the earned run average of the bullpen pitching in NC Dinos and Doosan Bears ranked fifth and fourth respectively. However, in the Korean series, the bullpen pitching from both teams became the determining factor to which

team would claim victory.

Overall, how much of an important role did the bullpen have during the Korean series?

During the postseason in particular, bullpen baseball becomes highly crucial. The battle between bullpens can also be viewed as a physical fight: the reason why NC’s bullpen strived in comparison to Doosan’s was because they had only played six games. They had plenty of time to rest, rebuilt their stamina and strength before going into the league. On the other hand, Doosan’s bullpen continued to play throughout the semi-finals, and the cumulative fatigue eventually caused the bullpen to be depleted by the time they entered the finals. NC’s bullpen was at an advantage, and one can see it as a contributing factor to their victory.

We would like to thank Shim Jae-hak for lending his professional expertise and offering his unique insight into the baseball field. To see the full interview, check out [ttonl.org] BY: Erin J. Choi Sophomore, Reporter

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s of Nov. 15, six players and a staff member from the South Korean national soccer team tested positive for COVID-19 during their stay in Vienna. The team had been overseas to prepare for friendly international matches. Just days before, four players tested positive, including forward Lee Dong-jun, midfielders Kwon Chang-hoon and Hwang In-beom, and goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo. Later on, two players who tested negative at first, Kim Moon-hwan and Na Song-ho, tested positive for the virus. Following the confirmations, infected players received the necessary care and took the required precautions.

“This incident definitely shows that the sporting world is not completely safe from the influence of COVID-19,” said Jihoon Kim (10), an avid soccer fan. “Even with regular tests, many players are still getting infected and that goes to show how much more precaution we need to have in both the players’ and our daily lives.”

The players and staff members have rented out the entire floor of their hotel and will be effectively quarantining for a period of 10 days.

In the meantime, the Korean Football Association (KFA) has released statements with a basic outline of how future games will be carried out and discussed plans with both the Mexican Football Federation and the Austrian Football Association.

Additionally, there has been news regarding sending the players back home to Korea on a plane, but this has yet to be confirmed.

“It appears everything was done to ensure that Korean soccer players were able to travel and stay in Austria under reasonable isolation,” said Timothy Munro, high school physical education teacher. “It would then be easy to trace movements that enabled those four players to contract the virus. If those players violated any team rules with regards to local/team travel restrictions while in Austria, then they should be held responsible.

During our soccer unit, we followed school protocol by wearing masks throughout classes. There has been no trace of COVID between winter players at any school in a month of close contact activity. Perhaps the mask should be "the norm" until COVID no longer presents a threat to people. I feel confident that a mask on while playing, and only removed to catch a deep breath when the ball is away from you is reasonable, doable, and extremely safe.”

This news might come as a shock for many soccer aficionados because it may negatively affect the soccer team’s performance. Again, it opens up the question of COVID-19 in South Korea and how it has been handled by the government. The number of cases in the country showed a steady downward trend in the last few months but has recently demonstrated a rapid increase as people have gradually become lax about following pandemic protocols. The way that the soccer team will be able to handle the virus will be representative of Korean sports industries.

Sports teams reporting cases of COVID-19 is nothing new, as many teams have had instances in which they had to shut down training facilities and stop practice indefinitely.

However, it is the first South Korean sports team to find themselves in this situation facing the pandemic, and it will therefore serve as a precedent for other South Korean teams should their players also become infected.

“There was always the risk of getting infected, and it was just a matter of time,” said Shawn Yoon, a longtime fan of the soccer team. “I definitely think that it is unfortunate, but as the national team, it’s their obligation to keep giving their best and practicing together. I just hope it won’t affect the rest of the team’s performance too much and that the players get better soon.”

BY: Rachel Yoon Sophomore, Reporter

That Theater Nerd

D

id you know that there are 525,600 minutes in a year? If you were already aware, chances are you have listened to “Seasons of Love,” a song from the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “Rent.” Loosely inspired by Giacomo Puccini’s opera “La Bohème” and written

by Jonathan Larson, the plot of “Rent” revolves around a group of struggling artists living in Alphabet City, a neighborhood located in Lower Manhattan’s East Village. The lives of a majority of the characters—Roger, Mimi, Tom, and Angel—are affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic that began in the 1980s. Thus, they live knowing that death is imminent.

The rock opera includes a soundtrack that beautifully depicts emotions surrounding love and loss that stem from the bonding experiences that the characters face.

“Rent” is the perfect musical for those who want to reflect on how much they have grown due to the turbulence of 2020.

The musical begins on Christmas Eve in 1989 as two broke roommates—Mark,

“Rent”: Tackling Everything Taboo

a filmmaker, and Roger, a rock musician—struggle to stay warm in their ramshackle apartment. The two, alongside their fellow residents, burst into singing “Rent,” an aggressive song about how they are unable to pay this year’s rent.

The frustration that they feel is powerfully portrayed by Mark’s loaded lyrics and Roger’s raspy, rock vocals. As he sings, Roger first meets Mimi, an exotic dancer and drug addict who lives below Mark and him. A spark of romance begins to form as the two interact. However, Roger forces himself to kill the spark because he knows that his diagnosis with HIV/AIDS will prevent them from having a normal relationship. Unlike Roger, who lets his HIV/AIDS diagnosis dominate his outlook on life, Angel, a cross-dresser who goes by both he and she pronouns, tries to not let her condition define her. On the same Christmas Eve, Angel meets Tom Collins, Mike and Roger's friend who is a gay professor teaching at New York University.

The two instantly connect to form a happy

relationship that is described in the sweet lyrics of "I’ll Cover You," an upbeat duet that uses a house as a metaphor for their love. Tom, influenced by Angel's positive mindset, attends an HIV/AIDS support group meeting. The members of the group then begin to sing “Will I,” a tear-jerking choral piece that emphasizes how HIV/ AIDS has prompted them to appreciate their lives and live as if there is no day but today. While Tom and Angel's relationship progresses, the rent issues that the tenants of Mark and Roger's building face continue to escalate. However, these struggles cause the tenants to come together and form unbreakable bonds.

The success of “Rent” resulted in the play winning four Tony Awards (including best musical), and being performed in theaters worldwide. In August, “Rent” was brought to D-cube Arts Center in Seoul, but it received an underwhelming response due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the muted response, however, the arrival of “Rent” to South Korea neverthe-

less marks a significant step forward in Korean media’s depiction of taboo topics such as addiction, LGBTQ discrimination, suicide, and HIV/AIDS, all of which South Korean society traditionally shies away from addressing. Because South Korea is a very conservative country, it is refreshing to see such an explicit musical being openly promoted.

“No day but today” is the mentality that the characters in “Rent” embrace as they carry out their daily routines together.

Watching the musical allows us to reflect on whether or not we are truly happy with the status quo. The camaraderie between the artists is almost enviable, and the true meaning of family is shown by their supportive, tight-knit relationships.

Therefore, all dreaming bohemians should hurry to rent “Rent” on YouTube if they are searching for a touching musical to watch on Christmas Eve. BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

12

SMALL TALK

counterpoint

point

Emily Sung & Sarah Ju

Globalization…

…is the process by which businesses, ideas, and information expand internationally and begin to have a global influence. In an increasingly interconnected world, society is globalizing on a much more rapid scale than it did ever before. It promotes and increases interactions between different regions, but is harmful to individuality and small businesses.

In considering the steps for the future by which we base our next actions, we must consider whether the benefits of globalization outweigh its harms.

…helps the spread of information and technology.

In a world where nations connect through hybrid technology, access to innovations help nations further development and internationalization. However, impediments exist for less economically developed countries (LEDCs) that lack the skills and budget to support advancements. Globalization permits more economically developed countries (MEDCs) to aid LEDCs and their development by sharing preexistenting practices and inspirations. Kenya recently saw the introduction of a new mobile banking system thanks to the economic assistance of MEDCs. Compared to an individualistic system in which countries are only concerned with their own nation, an interconnected system with symbiotic relationships contribute more to the development of the world as a whole.

…promotes free trade.

Globalization is the greatest proponent of free trade as it allows nations to become more connected and interdependent, increasing the overall reliability of trade. Free trade is largely beneficial due to reasons such as comparative advantage: different nations have lower opportunity costs than their partners that specialize in other fields, allowing them to sell at lower prices for higher profits. Further, increased exports spurred by free trade nearly always result in the creation of jobs and economic growth, significantly improving economic welfare for most countries. Additionally, increased trade and interference promote competition, which prevents monopolies and incentivizes domestic industries to lower prices and tailor to the customers’ needs.

POC x LGBTQ+

Allyship for queer people of color

Among the many issues that the globally prominent Black Lives Matter protests called upon, one was the question of whether the LGBTQ+ community should be included in people of color (POC)’s fight for justice. While it is common for people to support the cause of either POC or the LGBTQ+ community, some show disapproval for those who fall under both categories. As a result, POC in the LGBTQ+ community undergo more discrimination and threats than their white or cisgender counterparts. This leads to the question: is it valid to choose who to support within a community? Can you truly call yourself an LGBTQ+ ally if you exclude POC and vice versa?

To begin with, POC within the LGBTQ+ community face greater, more frequent setbacks in everyday life. According to a 2015 US Transgender Survey, 20 percent of black transgender people were found to be unemployed and 38 percent in poverty, while only 10 percent of their cisgender counterparts were unemployed and 24 percent in poverty. Similarly, 21 percent of Latino transgender people were unemployed and 43 percent were in poverty, while only 7 percent of their cisgender counterparts were unemployed and 18 percent were in poverty. As exemplified by such statistics, those who belong in a minority group of both race and sexuality evidently experience more substantial challenges in life.

Despite these disparities, POC in the LGBTQ+ community are not provided adequate support. While some people advocate for either cause, fewer

...exploits cheap labor markets

Seeking to make more products at a quicker pace, large globalized corporations look for ways to maintain profits and quick pace. As a result, businesses often resort to unethical forms of work such as child labor. Additionally, the quality of products may decrease due to the lack of pay and limited experience. Moreover, developing countries will continue to remain at their current state rather than developing new self-sustaining industries, especially as citizens will simply find it more efficient to find low-paying factory jobs for globalized foreign companies, resulting in a vicious cycle of impoverishment. It is evident that the globalization of businesses is not beneficial to both the quality of businesses’ products or the quality of life for exploited workers.

...will result in a lack of local businesses.

With a growing mindset for gaining profit from globalized businesses, the economy will start to run without the help of various local businesses. As large companies continue to expand, small business owners will have difficulities continuing their livelihood. Supporting local businesses is incredibly important for a myriad of reasons, including a better sense of community, improved environmental footprint, money circulation, and the driving of new ideas and innovations. Both the economy and the social climate will have a hard time advancing with the uniformity of large corporations. Especially during a global pandemic, supporting the growth of small, local businesses is more important than ever.

Intersecting Identities Aimee Choi, Rachel Yoon

support both. A prime example is how some active supporters of POC refuse to include the LGBTQ+ community in their activism. Some LGBTQ+ allies have condemned groups of POC for using violence as a method to fight for racial justice.

While there are many reasons people may use to justify exclusive support, the POC and the LGBTQ+ community are inseparable by cause and history.

Activists of both categories have made tremendous progress in furthering both causes. For instance, the Stonewall Rebellion, the movement created Pride Month, was led by Marsha P. Johnson and Slyvia Rivera, two transgender women of color. Queer and black Bayard Rustin furthered the modern Civil Rights movement. Activists continue this legacy today: two of the three co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement are queer. As these activists have not been restricted to one cause, not supporting either of their identities would mean invalidating their efforts, progress, and hardships as a whole.

Sexual and racial minorities face greater hardships than their cisgender, heterosexual, or white peers, which is why supporters of the two communities must work together. Refusal to provide active support for both communities cannot sustain meaningful activism, as it will result in the invalidation of a part of someone’s identity.

Our responsibility, therefore, is to move forward as a society that accompanies all needs, regardless of whether one is a racial minority, sexual or gender minority, or both.

photo of the

month SEOMUN Secretariat members prepare for their first online opening ceremony.

Photo by Alice Lee