Tiger Times Volume 52 Issue 6

E BT TTER OGE THER Tiger Times March

Volume 52

Issue 6

ttonl.org

2 Editorial Better Together by

Brian Ham & Eric Hwang editors-in-chief

As the annual SIS Pi Day celebration came to a close, the two of us felt something we never thought we would feel when watching school administration get pie in their faces: sadness. Along with this strange emotion came the clichéd realization that this spelled the twilight hours of our high school years: the last home game, the last club meeting, and eventually the last step on this campus.

With that being said, is this going to be another editorial filled with glittering generalities about high school, one of many long lectures and emails you will receive about how we should “enjoy the good times?” We hope not. Even as we enter the twilight years of our SIS experiences, we have not forgotten the sheer frustration that ensues when, faced with a slew of summatives and parental expectations and a never-ending avalanche of club activities, an adult simply tells us to “relax” with little elaboration, a misguided attempt at empathy that leaves an unfortunate, bitter aftertaste.

Nostalgia is a powerful drug, and even the most harrowing of experiences can seem fond through rose-tinted glasses. However, although specific episodes may qualify—8 a.m. APUSH tests and Spanish reading exams come to mind—the holistic high school experience is not so black and white. In particular, the class of 2021’s experience has been made unique, as all things have been throughout the past crisis-filled year, by the ever-present demon lurking in contemporary society’s closet: COVID-19. Last Friday’s abrupt cancellation was a cruel reminder that the physical SIS community will not last forever, that every day we spend on campus is overshadowed by the anxiety and uncertainty of whether we will be allowed to step foot within this building the next.

After all this reflection, we have some thoughts on what a physical, on-campus day at SIS really means. For most students, and even ourselves at times, the instinctual reaction is to complain. Being in-person means losing an extra hour of sleep, open note tests, and the opportunity to doze off a little during first period without being caught immediately. We will miss the naps during work study and being able to take classes in pajamas.

We aren’t here to tell you to suck it up, intentionally ignorant of our own senior privilege that allows us to be dismissive of valid concerns. That being said, however, we do think that there are some overlooked aspects of on-campus SIS life that are taken for granted. The physical proximity of being on campus with peers accentuates the communal nature of our experiences. When we are on-campus, our individual struggles to stay awake during first period becomes a shared fight, and every late night spent studying for a test in a difficult class becomes a shared struggle. As we host in-person club meetings, we can see that, on a fundamental level, all grade levels share similar tribulations. As we chat with friends in lounges and lunchrooms, we realize that we are not alone in our high school trials, and in this knowledge, there lies great comfort and strength. When SIS is together in-person, we transcend a collection of individuals: we become a community.

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

VIEWPOINT

Withdraw the academic paper, Ramseyer

H

arvard Law School professor John M. Ramseyer’s scholarly journal article, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” sent shockwaves through the world in February. The controversial article painted comfort women, young women— primarily from Korea and China—who were subjected to sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese military during and after World War II. Ramseyer’s paper, however, characterized these women as “prostitutes” that willingly signed contracts of employment to engage in sex work.

Strong academic criticism and protests ensued as 2,400 scholars around the world condemned Ramseyer’s inaccurate depiction of comfort women. To ensure that future generations are correctly informed of these atrocities and that the paper does not detract from the movement for serving proper justice for the surviving victims, the academic world ought to pressure Ramseyer into retracting his paper.

Among the criticism made by scholars on Ramseyer’s article, the lack of concrete evidence Ramseyer provides to support his striking claim is the largest one. Ramseyer’s key argument is that comfort women were sex workers that voluntarily contracted with Japanese Imperial brothels, contrary to the widely-accepted fact that they were coerced into sexual slavery. Ramseyer writes, “prostitutes have followed armies everywhere, and they followed the Japanese army in Asia.” However, an investigation

Give us a chance The blooming buds of early spring are accompanied by many worries for SIS high school students, including those regarding AP course selection.

All across the school, students have been conversing with their counselors and friends about which AP courses they should take during the 2020-’21 school year. SIS’ strict AP restrictions contribute to the stress surrounding AP course selection; students who take four APs in junior year or five APs in senior year need to schedule a work study or study hall period. Additionally, many courses are only open to certain grade levels or those who have completed prerequisite subjects. Every year, students complain about these restrictions, which raises the question: are SIS’ AP restrictions working as intended?

The justification behind the AP restrictions is that they ensure students do not overwhelm themselves with coursework. Given the competitive nature of high school and the general conception that taking more AP courses helps students achieve better results in college admissions, this logic does have merit. After all, AP courses are intended

prompted by Professors Andrew Gordon and Carter Eckert of Harvard revealed that Ramseyer’s paper failed to provide any proof of Korean contracts signed by comfort women in either written or oral form. In an official statement published on Feb. 17, Gordon and Eckert stated that they “do not see how Ramseyer can make credible claims, in extremely emphatic wording, about contracts he has not read.”

Ramseyer merely cites sample employment contracts signed by Japanese “bardmaids,” or prostitutes, drawing a parallel to those purportedly signed by comfort women.

Scholars including Yuji Hosaka, professor of political studies at Sejong University, suspect Ramseyer’s work has been influenced by the Japanese government. Ramseyer, who grew up in Japan, received the Order of the Rising Sun award in 2018 for “extensive contributions to the development of Japanese studies in the U.S. and the promotion of understanding toward Japanese society and culture.”

Why does Ramseyer’s misrepresentation of comfort women deserve such particular attention when fake news is already extremely prevalent? “The fact that it’s by a Harvard professor gives it a degree of prominence and respectability,” said Tessa Morris-Suzuki, Professor of History at the Australian National University. Ramseyer’s article holds credibility simply from its association with the university, and the scholarly article may greatly detract from

to serve as opportunities to showcase academic interest in topics relevant to the future major of students, not trophies to collect.

However, SIS’ mandatory work study or study hall period policy does create conflicts. For instance, mandatory English courses force juniors to set aside a quarter of their schedule, and the mandatory work study or study hall forces students to lose yet another valuable class slot. Due to credit fulfillment requirements, students are left without much freedom when deciding how to fill what remains of their schedule.

It is no secret that a majority of SIS students are extremely passionate about academics. Their objections toward the school’s AP restrictions display that they not only care about their grades, but they also genuinely care about the quality of their education. Motivated students should be allowed to take more AP courses without constraints. Experts have expressed the same opinion. “I understand why schools are saying ‘We don’t want kids to kill themselves,’ but most of the students [taking many AP courses] are self-driven. These are

the years of efforts to reimburse and bring justice to comfort women. In addition, the purveyance of inaccurate information, especially from scholarly sources, adds to already existing concerns about the fake news epidemic. The extent to which Ramseyer’s article will impact the way future generations are taught of the atrocities committed against comfort women is unknown. However, if the academic world allows Ramseyer’s article to continue to gain traction and publicity, papers supporting Ramseyer and further suppressing the voices of victims will arise; such a case will definitely involve real consequences.

Any scholar holds the academic freedom to express his or her views on a topic.

However, they simultaneously have a responsibility to publish claims that are grounded by solid evidence. Society in turn holds the responsibility to criticize any lack of scholarly ethics. Hence, not only should Ramseyer’s article be heavily criticized, but journals must also refrain from publishing Ramseyer’s work, and a formal plea requesting the retraction of his work must take place. Academia holds this responsibility to ensure the next generation is correctly informed of the wrongdoings of the past to prevent future atrocities.

BY: Jordan Kim Sophomore, Reporter

bright, motivated kids,” Todd John, the founder of an independent counseling firm named College Admissions Partners, said.

That being said, the leadership team’s valid reasoning behind these AP restrictions—to not overwhelm students—cannot be ignored. As such, if it is implausible for AP restrictions to be removed, they could be revised. For example, the school could implement a designated trial period for students who desire to take more than the school’s recommended number of AP courses without a work study or study hall period. Under this system, students who have the academic history and teacher recommendations that prove they can handle such a challenging schedule would be allowed to bypass the mandatory work study or study hall policy and try taking more than two AP courses in sophomore year, three in junior year, or four in senior year. After the trial period, students would schedule a meeting with their counselor to evaluate their stress levels and the state of their grades. If the meeting indicates that they are capable of handling large amounts of coursework, students would be permitted to continue with their current schedule.

Administering a trial period would let particularly ambitious students take four or five AP courses without a work study or study hall period, while not adversely affecting the overall academic performance of the student body.

It is important to find a bridge between the leadership team and student body’s perception of how to handle AP restrictions. No system is perfect, and neither is the one proposed above.

Nevertheless, hopefully, compromise will be a step in the right direction.

After all, both the school and student body have the students’ best interests at heart. Now, it is a matter of taking the diverging views on AP restrictions and extracting the best of both sides.

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

March 2021

3

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 6 March 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 Hannah Kim Copy Editors Rosa Suh Sarah Ju Emily Sung Skylar Peck Hugo Lee

Reporters Rachel Yoon Bona Suh Sunny Lee Minjae Chun Jennifer Kwon Erin J. Choi Jordan Kim Katherine Suk Katie Kim Isabelle Lee

Irene Kim Jack Lee Aimee Choi Alice Lee Woojune Kim Jennifer You Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Viewpoint Feature: In recent months, the racism against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) has been increasing steadily. Factors such as the pressure of the pandemic to preconceived notions and generalizations of Asians have enforced harmful trends. We must be able to recognize the all forms of racism, including microaggressions and physical attacks, to make a difference and create a safer environment for AAPI.

Why has racism against Asian Americans increased?

How is an unresolved history of xenophobia still affecting Asian Americans?

The plight of Asian Americans Last month, a 52-year-old Asian woman was attacked by a random, unidentified man in broad daylight. The man threw a box of spoons at her and shoved her into newspaper stands, leaving the woman with over a dozen stitches on her forehead. The incident alone made my heart nearly stop. Then I read the location, and I fell into an even deeper pit of despair; this had happened in Flushing, Queens in New York City, just neighborhoods away from where I used to live in a neighborhood called Little Neck.

The location of the attack especially shocked me because the community in question had been fairly Asian-dominated; I had grown up with the Chinese market around the block, the corner store run by an old Asian couple, the close-knit group of Koreans at my school, and countless more Asian influences. I could not understand how such hatred could be happening in the place I remembered so vividly as a “safe space.”

Ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the US has been on the rise. Fear and anxieties concerning the coronavirus have been weaponized by many Americans, harming the image of AAPI across the country and giving xenophobia a platform to become rampant in American society. Hearing the COVID-19 situation branded as the “China virus” is now quite a common occurrence, especially in conservative media. The number of hate crimes has also been climbing, evidenced by weekly horror stories like a 64-year-old Vietnamese woman getting robbed in California and a 61-year-old Filipino man being assaulted with a box cutter in New York. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), racially motivated hate crimes against Asian Americans jumped by 1,900 percent in New York City

alone last year. Major cities with a large demographic of Asians have also been experiencing this phenomenon, including Oakland and the Bay Area in California.

Of course, it would be incorrect to say that the virus is the sole cause of this discrimination. Yes, it is true that it was used as a justification of “misplaced anger.” However, xenophobia has always been present in American society. It has heightened through the course of recent years, but bullying and racism against the AAPI community had been normalized before the pandemic, through microaggressions and isolation from other minority groups. Many Asian students in the US have experienced bullying through remarks like “eating dog” or “having small, slanted eyes.” Both of these are examples of seemingly harmless “jokes” that are actually used to normalize such discrimination and pass it off as friendly banter. This is exactly the kind of behavior that keeps xenophobia well and alive in society. These jokes, whatever intention they are made with, are still harmful and push a racist norm onto Asian Americans, making it seem acceptable to say such things.

Another cultural phenomenon that has been weaponized against Asian Americans has been the “model minority” myth, which has long depicted Asian Americans as a hardworking racial group and an example of what other racial minorities in the country should strive to achieve. The phrase itself originates from the New York Times in 1966, when it was used to describe Japanese-Americans after World War II. Since then, it has been used as a label to make generalizations and target the AAPI community.

Although it seems like a compliment, in reality, the model minority myth harmfully downplays and dismisses the racism

that Asians in the country face while also separating them from other groups of minorities, like the black, Latinx, and Native American communities. It successfully drives a wedge between groups so that Asians can be used as an “example” of what minorities can supposedly achieve, thereby dismissing the unique obstacles that other racial minorities face. The logic surrounding the myth is that since one minority group can elevate themselves to this quality of living, the other groups should not complain or argue that they can not be successful. Essentially, Asians are often used as “proof ” that minorities are no longer oppressed in today’s society, and those minorities who fail to keep up are simply “lazy”, completely disregarding the racism that makes it harder for all minorities to have the same opportunities.

While the diversity in the Asian American community allows for a multitude of cultures, socioeconomic statuses, quality of education, and other factors, the “model minority” myth confines them all into one stereotype. It specifically outlines Asian Americans as academically exceeding and high-income individuals who are able to stay within the upper limits of society, which further dismisses the struggles of Asian Americans who do live in poverty and face race-specific forces that keep them there.

No matter the degree of severity, microaggressions such as these enforce these hurtful generalizations. Behavior like this should be regulated or at least attempt to be subdued. And while these occurrences may seem like a world away from us SIS students, attacks against the Asian American community will hurt us as a whole. It is an accurate representation of how quickly the narrative can be spun to hurt and attack us in a time of vulnerability. No matter how

unimportant or irrelevant it may seem now, this will be our reality. It is not hard to imagine those of us who are planning to go to college in the US will experience some kind of discrimination.

So what does this ultimately mean for Asian Americans, both around us and in other countries? It is evident that there is still much to be done, but there are steps to be taken. For one, we must spread awareness in whatever ways we can to inform those around us of what is still happening.

Although that may sound like an exhausting effort into a cause that will not bring direct change, it is a priority to educate our fellow classmates in order to protect AAPI and be alert. The more people who know of such motivated crimes, the fewer excuses people will have to hide their blatant racism. Knowledge in times like these is always power. The theme of awareness also coincides with the need for more media coverage. By utilizing the reach of national media outlets, more people will learn about the rising xenophobia and the devastating effects of racism against Asian Americans.

To see these baseless attacks against Asian Americans still occurring in the US can make it feel hopeless. It is especially harder when the victims who have been hurt by this terrible trend are innocent, their only fault being their resemblance to a certain racial group. Unjustified violence targeted at the AAPI community is neither acceptable nor fair, and they deserve a place in American society in which we can, at the very least, peacefully coexist with other citizens.

BY: Rachel Yoon Sophomore, Reporter

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SCHOOL NEWS

News Briefs

SIS AQT receives results from tournament

On Feb. 20, the SIS Academic Quiz Team (AQT) participated in a virtual quiz tournament hosted by KIS. Members had to adjust to new procedures due to the online component, such as learning a different way to buzz to answer the questions. Despite such changes, members demonstrated competitive effort; the SIS A team ranked 3rd with seven wins and two losses, and the SIS B team ranked 4th with six wins and three losses. Moreover, Edward Lee (12) from the A team ranked 1st in the individual standings, exhibiting outstanding performance.

“Our individual results continue to be the best in the league, but we did not get the highest in team standings, which was different from previous tournaments,” Kimberly Alden, adviser of the AQT, said. “We are in a building phase right now because we are still reflecting on our performance this tournament. There were definitely places we identified that we have to develop.”

28th BEIMUN conference holds virtually

Photo by Alice Lee (10)

On Feb. 25-28, the 28th annual BEIMUN conference was held online for the first time. Although students frequently experienced technical difficulties with the online platform, including the implementation of Microsoft Teams, participants were able to cooperate with one another to tackle multiple issues relating to the theme of the conference: “discourse in a fragmented world.” Members debated on a wide array of problems affecting the world, in particular those resulting from the complex effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference ended successfully with several delegates from SIS winning the “Most Diplomatic Delegate” award.

“Although it was online, I still enjoyed the conference as I got the chance to interact with a lot of people from different schools,” Bin Ma (10), second-year MUN member, said.

“BEIMUN was similar to other conferences this year in that the conference tried its best to bring the delegates together from multiple countries in the most effective way. I definitely made the most out of the conference even though there were frequent technical issues throughout it.”

Korea’s NHD contest releases results

The annual National History Day (NHD) contest announced its winners on Mar. 2. With the theme of “Communication in History: A Key to Understanding,” participants focused on topics ranging from technological developments to miscommunication in important historical events. Since this year’s contest was held virtually, teachers judged students’ projects on a new, online platform and did not interview the students regarding their project, unlike past years. SIS students showed active participation in the contest, with six entries from SIS winning either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in different categories, including both group and individual submissions.

“Besides having to work with my teammates mainly through video calls, the process of preparing for NHD this year was pretty much similar to previous years,” Sarah Yim (10), one of the winners of the group submissions for the NHD contest, said. “Since there was no in-person judging session this time, it was also my first time not having to prepare for that. Looking back, this contest was a great experience, and I feel proud of my results.”

BY: Aimee Choi Sophomore, Reporter

Change and continuity of AP recommendation forms

S

IS generally has a set number of AP courses students are allowed to take each year: one as a sophomore, three as a junior, and four as a senior. The former guideline outlines the basic AP restriction system SIS operates on, and students are to apply for AP recommendation forms prior to the course selection process in the last week of March. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there has been limited time to meet with teachers regarding AP courses in contrast to previous years. Consequently, AP recommendation forms have now taken an online format, with pre-recorded information screencasts sent out to all students.

“The change to online forms has been driven by the unpredictability of the COVID-19 reality,” said Gray Macklin, the AP coordinator and assistant principal. “The old system of getting signatures from teachers in person requires that students and teachers be present. Given the circumstances there are no reasonable expectations that can be, to make sure every student could meet their teachers was unrealistic. The reason the change is going to stay—even when things become back to normal—is because it demands a lot less time for students to get

it done.”

Regarding the recommendation forms, the overall course requirements are divided into three sectors, in which student performance will reflect the recommendation they receive.

Strongly recommended students are actively participating in class, whilst reflecting consistent and timely completion of formative work, maintaining a grade of 94 percent or higher, and rarely retaking assessments. Students that receive a “recommend” are generally those that display decent—but not excellent—performance both during class and their work, and those who receive a “conference” are required to conference with the teacher before gaining approval to take the AP course. Some students who fall under the “conference” category may also be strongly discouraged by their teachers from taking their AP course of choice in the next school year.

Evidently, the final judgment teachers is based on the student’s comprehensive behavior and production throughout the year.

“There are many pros and cons to the online recommendation forms,” said Katie Lee (11), a rising senior. “because there is so much time between the form requests’ due date and the actual course

selection date, students are still not sure what courses they want to take next year. Although there is the flexibility to appeal to any courses, some students choose not to request certain courses and later suddenly find that they want to take the course. This becomes an issue because they do not have a teacher signature, and therefore are unable to take the course. Also, the online forms make it harder to conference with teachers, and there is a lot of uncertainty. However, the upside is that the procedure is more comfortable while continuing to be an interactive process.”

The standard recommendation procedure requires a printed document with physical signatures, but with registrations changing to online formats, students were able to submit forms at home. Different Google forms were sent out by subject, and students were required to select their current teacher and click the course(s) to request a recommendation. Certain AP classes are reserved for 12th grade students, and are clearly labeled to prevent students other than rising seniors from mistakenly signing up for them. Similarly, appeal forms—which allow students to request to take more than the restricted number of AP

Photo by Minjae Chun (10)

All grade levels return to school

After over a year of both complete virtual learning and hybrid learning, all four grade levels in the high school have now returned to school in-person due to the decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases in Korea. Online learning had its benefits; for instance, many students were able to sleep more and reduce their stress levels. However, while the school tries to make virtual learning as effective as possible, teachers and students had naturally faced difficulties with adjusting to the pandemic, with students having a number of complaints about how tests were crammed into the in-person school days and how the hybrid schedule was confusing at times.

Not only that, it was challenging for teachers to create engaging activities because the virtual setting limited the scope of interactive learning possibilities.

“I think loneliness is the hardest part of attending an art class

at home,” Hanna Kim (11), an art student, said. “At school, I am able to talk with my friends while creating art and that sometimes brings inspiration. At home, there is not a wide range of materials available, which limits the types of art that I can create. Furthermore, since there are so many distractions, I do not concentrate on my art as hard as I do in an art room where the environment is suited for you to focus solely on your artwork. It was such a hassle to bring my artwork home and bring it back to school every two days, but now I can work on my artwork at school, which I am very much looking forward to.”

On the other hand, some students—in particular those who had become accustomed to the hybrid system—found the news unfortunate. While being able to sleep more during the virtual days, students were also able to come to school during the on-campus school days and

interact with their friends and teachers. Many also reported having reduced stress levels after switching to the hybrid system because the workload was not as burdensome as they could save commute time. Students also liked the fact that they did not have to wear masks every day.

Fully coming back to school, however, will remove such benefits of virtual classes.

“The workload during virtual classes is much less burdensome for students compared to it during in-person classes,” Hannah Kim (11), SIS student, said. “For example, I was able to finish homework during work study, which is my first period, because it was essentially a free period at home. There are definitely benefits to going back to school such as being able to meet with friends and concentrate better in lecture-based classes.

However, I can not concentrate during office hours or lunch when

courses—have been switched to an online platform. As before, students are allowed to sign up for as many AP courses as they would like and then make their final decision after receiving recommendation results. However, another major change this year in this holistic process is that all AP teachers have collected online feedback from current students in the course in order to provide detailed information and personal advice to future students.

Students were required to give honest insights, and this new system allows students to grasp a crystalized gist of the course, and establishes a swift and effective process when finalizing what AP courses they will take.

“I believe selecting AP courses based on your areas of interest is important because it can show colleges your passions, as well as demonstrate academic rigor in those areas,” said Clara Yim (12), a soon-to-be alumna. “I also think choosing the right number of AP subjects during your course selections is critical because you do not want to overload yourself in your junior and senior years when you have other extracurricular activities going on at the same time.”

BY: Erin J. Choi Sophomore, Reporter I go to school in-person and that leaves me with more workload to finish at home. I think the hardest part of going back to school is the fact that I have to work harder at night and wake up earlier the next morning to catch the school bus.”

Coming back to school has undeniable benefits. Teachers do not have to schedule summatives so that they will match the day students are on campus, which means that tests will be more spread out for students. The spring sports seasons will take place, gifting seniors a normal season for their last experience as high school athletes. With increased club activities, sports games, and extracurricular activities in general, school spirit may be revitalized. The school is trying its absolute best to take all the necessary precautions, such as the implementation of divided lunchtimes: freshmen and sophomores will eat together and juniors and seniors will eat at a separate time.

“It is much more enjoyable to teach while the students are here,” Niko Lambert, AP Biology teacher, said. “You can feel disconnected from students when you teach through Zoom.

Whether the students are understanding the content is much more detectable in-person. When in-person, students are more likely to ask questions during classes, activity periods, or office hours. Not to mention how much more hands-on activities get if conducted at school because students get access to the resources and get to ask me questions right away. Lastly, the enthusiasm students bring help foster a better learning environment.”

BY: Sunny Lee Junior, Reporter

Tiger Times

March 2021

F E AT U R E A R T I C L E New students welcome the implementation of peer mentoring program

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t the start of every year, a number of students set foot in SIS for the first time, ready to begin the next phase of their academic journey. They will undoubtedly feel somewhat anxious—as all new students around the world do—about acclimating to their new environment, but adjusting to SIS presents some additional, unique challenges. Not only does the school have high academic standards, but there are also Korean peculiarities that students from abroad may not immediately understand. Though most eventually figure it out, the student body and school in general have much to gain from expediting the process of integrating new students into the school community.

Since many new students often come from overseas, they add to the cultural diversity of SIS and provide valuable insight during discussions or projects. Furthermore, new students may have a bright, outgoing character that is suppressed by the fear of seeming rude or insensitive.

Helping those students feel comfortable at SIS as soon as possible may aid them in unlocking their true personalities.

Noting these benefits of assisting first-year students, the school decided to implement a Peer Mentor Program for 2021-2022 school year.

In the program, new students will be assigned to more experienced peers, who will provide extra opportunities for studying or socializing.

A survey of students who were new to SIS this year found enthusiastic support for the prospect of the Peer Mentor Program, thus it will likely be a great chance to foster a supportive and welcoming environment at SIS. In response to a questionnaire, new students revealed various difficulties in adjusting to SIS. According to the results, managing the workload was the biggest challenge. Students mentioned that the amount of homework and assessments at SIS exceeded what they had in their previous school. They also divulged that it took several months, usually three to six, to feel at home. That may not seem like a very long transition period, but a few months is more than enough time to fall behind on schoolwork.

In terms of whom new students

relied on while making their transitions, half of them believed that they adjusted to the school on their own, while a smaller number of respondents cited assistance from family members or fellow students as the primary reason behind their acclimation. In some ways, this is encouraging because it proves that students have the necessary resources to succeed on their own.

On the other hand, there are many issues that can be resolved much more easily and quickly with the assistance of mentors. One survey response mentioned that the toughest adjustment was getting used to the cultural elements at SIS, namely the relationship between upperclassmen and underclassmen. A mentor through the new Peer Program could inform their mentee about Korean cultural norms, helping the new student avoid any awkward misunderstandings.

At the moment, new students do not have a central figure, such as a peer mentor, that they can seek out should they require assistance.

Though there is an orientation at the start of the year and periodic counselor meetings, it is hard to grasp the subtleties of school life from those sessions. Teachers may not be as familiar with the school’s culture as students, and even if they are, it can be intimidating to approach them with personal questions. Currently, the most effective strategy employed by new students seems to be a mix of befriending peers and individual experimentation. “Many students in SIS were very friendly so I became friends with them easily, helping me feel comfortable,” one new student said. “I tried different methods of organizing work including a to-do list that included all my homework, projects, meetings, and all their due dates,” another new student said. Still, without a systematic method of helping new students, there are limitations to how quickly new students can adjust because it can take months to find a suitable means of organization or supportive friend group.

In response to these issues, the counseling department launched the Peer Mentor Program. “While tutoring a student, I realized that underclassmen can receive help from upperclassmen in many

aspects, not just within academic boundaries,” Sunny Lee (11), who first suggested the idea of the program, said. “Students who come to SIS in 9th grade may have a hard time adjusting to the environment and would benefit a lot from an upperclassman giving them advice based on their own experiences.”

Under normal circumstances, it would be exceedingly difficult for new students to forge a relationship with an upperclassman, since it is hard enough fitting into one’s own grade. However, through the new program, first-year students forge a relationship with someone who can guide them through everything from club applications to AP course selections. Morgan Davis, HS counselor, further reinforced this point by saying, “Peer Mentors will help students who would benefit from having an experienced student to guide and assist them through the school year.”

Though SIS does not admit a staggering number of new students each year, implementing the Peer Mentor Program can have profound effects on the school. Not only does it lessen the pressure on teachers and counselors to monitor new students’ progress, but it also provides the Peer Mentors with a leadership opportunity to pass on all of their knowledge. It also helps all other students because they will be able to connect more easily with new students. Most importantly, it creates a much more welcoming environment for incoming students, fostering an increasingly helpful atmosphere for years to come.

BY: Woojune Kim Sophomore, Reporter

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Attack De on

Aung San Suu Kyi: democracy behind bars A pillar of democracy in Myanmar, Nobel Prize winning Aung San Suu Kyi has led the country to an equal share of both light and plight over the past decades. As the daughter of Burma’s independence hero Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi has worked in a variety of contexts, most notably sparing the Burmese from the grasps of totalitarianism. From her protest against the Socialist Programme Party—the military regime that ruled Burma from 1962 to 2011—to her controversial handling of the Rohingya crisis and now her detainment during a recent military coup d’etat, her work is a juxtaposition of both democratic principles and resurfacing authoritarianism.

After achieving independence in 1948, Myanmar faced new challenges as the armed forces revolted in 1962, leading to a period of military rule from 1962-2011. During this time in Myanmar history, Aung San Suu Kyi began her non-violent struggle against the military regime and her advocation for the implementation of democratic ideals and human rights in her country. Due to these endeavors, over the course of two decades, Aung San Suu Kyi has been imprisoned almost 15 times, through detainments and house arrests. Despite opposition, however, her struggles proved successful when in 2011, Myanmar es-

caped its previously despotic ways as Aung San Suu Kyi rose to power. Since then, Myanmar and the Burmese have developed a longing for industrialization and democratization under the guidance of Aung San Suu Kyi. Despite her often admired work for democratization in the past, Aung San Suu Kyi has faced criticism for her government’s demolition of entire Rohingya villages and their replacement with refugee camps and government buildings. Following this prolonged period of discrimination and violence, the Rohingya people were given no choice but to flee to refugee camps in Bangladesh. As a result of this mishandling of the Rohingya crisis, the nation’s perception of the leader was greatly altered. By excusing genocide and openly censoring media during the crisis, not only was the once-popular leader branded a pariah, but the nation of Myanmar was also labeled by some as repressive and undemocratic once more. Critics bashed the leader for abandoning her promises of democracy and failing to take a stronger stance on the paramount issues of combating racism and ethnic conflicts. Amnesty International, the very organization for which Aung San Suu Kyi was the Ambassador of Conscience, rescinded its highest honor from the jaded Myan-

mar leader, although she still retains her Nobel Peace Prize.

Apart from the ongoing backlash Aung San Suu Kyi is facing over the Rohingya crisis, her newest dilemma is the most recent military coup that has overthrown Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) Party. After an election in which Aung San won by a 70 percent landslide, the military-backed opposition, also known as the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), declared election fraud. In response to these claims, the election commission denied the USDP’s requests for a rerun of the election, reasoning that there was no substantial evidence to back these allegations.

In recent weeks, the military party has led a coup to overthrow the NLD party and Aung San Suu Kyi. General Min Aung Hlaing, de facto leader of the military party and Myanmar after the coup, has declared a year-long state of emergency, during which the USDP may seek to undo the efforts of Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratic figures. Ever since the start of Myanmar’s transition to democracy, the USDP has opposed the idea of a non-junta government. Since Myanmar has democratized to an extent, further continuation of this period of state of emergency will most likely re-

sult in civil unrest and revolt against the regime from citizens in support of the NLD party. Nonetheless, the unresolved election fraud accusations may provide a pretext for an elongated period of totalitarian control of Myanmar as the USDP will continue to assert its stance on another election.

During these next few pivotal months of Myanmar history, Aung San Suu Kyi, the “bulwark against return to military power,” and her supporters all across the country will fight for justice in Myanmar. While violence may currently cast a shadow over the hopes of Myanmar’s citizens, many hold out hope that Myanmar’s younger generation—which is more accustomed to Aung San’s vision of democracy—will present a strong opposition to the military regime’s potential return to totalitarianism. Although the country is at a crossroads between returning to its old ways of autocratic rule and its novel adoption of fair elections, global citizens hope that the USDP and NLD can negotiate to reach a conclusion and once again spur the revival of a progressive Myanmar.

BY: Isabelle Lee Sophomore, Reporter

emocracy For us SIS students—young people residing in South Korea and receiving an American-based education—totalitarianism is not a topic that often crosses our minds. After all, democracy seems to be ubiquitous, at least in our immediate surroundings. In the context of the larger world, though, this is not the case. The world saw a rise in the number of democracies in the direct aftermath of the Cold War. However, democratic backsliding has escalated globally in more recent years, and while many backsliding nations remain democratic in principle, rising totalitarianism is becoming more threatening. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, governments—both fundamentally democratic and totalitarian ones—have grown increasingly controlling.

Many democratic countries have implemented COVID-19 preventive measures that, while not necessarily indicative of a comprehensive shift toward totalitarianism, are more controlling than the norm. In the majority of countries, governments are strengthening their disease surveillance systems to trace those who have come into contact with the virus and take necessary actions to curb its spread. While it is arguably an effective strategy in that it successfully monitors the spread of the virus, contact tracing has been criticized for violating people’s privacy. Additionally, governments of democratic nations have man-

Layout by Clara Lim

dated entry log systems that involve citizens sharing their contact information and location with the government and have released information on individuals with COVID-19 to the public. However, the increase in government control has manifested differently in non-democratic countries.

In other, more traditionally totalitarian nations, leaders have been using COVID-19 as a stepping stone to heightened totalitarianism. For instance, government programs and apps designed to assist in flattening the curve go further to limit citizens’ internet freedom. One Russian governmental contact tracing app has the ability to not only view its users’ locations but also access personal information including phone call logs, thus infringing the privacy of personal data. Similar systems exist in Ecuador and Pakistan, both of which are technically republics but have exhibited totalitarian tendencies. Ecuador’s program extracts personal information from its citizens, in addition to effectuating video surveillance; yet, the government does not disclose to the public what purpose the collected data serves. Meanwhile in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), originally an intelligence agency whose primary goal was to counter terrorism, was converted into a contact tracing system. Although this change in itself is not an issue, there exist accounts of ISI workers going so far as to eaves-

COVID-1984: era of control

drop on private phone calls, which is undeniably a violation of privacy.

The pandemic has also prompted a surge in government censorship. Over the past year, the internet saw the proliferation of fake news with regard to COVID-19. While the ideal course of action would have been to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation, some authoritarian governing bodies— including the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—have instead encouraged it.

Amidst speculations concerning the origin of the virus during the earlier months of the COVID-19 crisis, the Global Times, a newspaper controlled by the CCP, published content falsely claiming that the novel coronavirus had been brought to Wuhan from the US. This was not an isolated incident, and several more instances of government-spawned false information followed. When citizens attempted to expose the government’s dishonesty, the CCP further demonstrated suppression by imprisoning them.

What might increased totalitarianism give rise to? In essence, totalitarian societies can render individual citizens powerless. They upend democratic ideals such as popular sovereignty and undermine individual freedoms, as demonstrated by totalitarian governments’ restrictions on the freedom of the press and internet freedom; thus, they can prevent the protection of individual rights and allow for political repression.

Throughout history, societies under totalitarian regimes have posed threats to humanity: a particularly salient example is Nazi Germany, which directly promoted mass genocide through the Holocaust and ultimately caused one of the greatest tragedies known to modern history.

While it is expected that strict governmental measures may be necessary to rein in the pandemic, it is likely that at least some of this control will extend beyond COVID-19. In several cases, COVID-19 has allowed governments to strengthen their control over their citizens under the pretense of combatting the virus, and issues such as government surveillance and the suppression of free speech that have exacerbated during the pandemic are liable to continue. This course of events will be of utmost significance to countries whose political structures regularly fluctuate between democratic and autocratic.

Though it remains a question to what extent the pandemic-heightened totalitarianism will persist after the situation deescalates, perhaps COVID-19 is not the only virus that must be fought during this period of uncertainty—perhaps the rise of totalitarianism is another, equally pressing malady.

BY: Skylar Peck Sophomore, Copy Editor

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GLOBAL NEWS

News Briefs NASA landing on Mars and first recording Graphics by Sarah Ju

Initially launched on July 30, 2020, NASA’s rover Perseverance landed on Mars on Feb. 18. NASA stated that its objective is to search for signs of biosignatures of rock samples in ancient Martian environments, which would assist in discovering whether life ever existed on Mars. Equipped with 23 cameras, two microphones, and three antennas, the rover will collect necessary data and directly communicate with Earth.

“Scientists now understand that Mars was once ‘Earth-like,’ meaning that there were oceans, lakes, and flowing rivers early in its formation,” Peter Alden, AP Environmental Science teacher, said. “Consequently, Mars could have harbored life in the distant past or there might be a faint chance that life still exists on Mars. In addition to understanding the inorganic components of the Martian soil and atmosphere, studying potential biosignatures gives us valuable information on how to survive on Mars were we to establish a colony there.”

New York district attorney’s investigation of Donald Trump continues with more evidence On Feb. 22, the Supreme Court granted New York prosecutors access to eight years’ worth of financial documents from former president Donald Trump and the Trump organization. This decision has opened more opportunities to investigate whether Mr. Trump has engaged in any illicit activities. While tax evasion is the primary topic of the investigation, there have been some claims of insurance, tax, and banking fraud, all of which are also being investigated by the New York county district attorney.

“I’m aware of the issue regarding Trump’s tax scandals as it has been on the news quite frequently,” Andrew Park (10), a follower of the news, said.

“I’m curious to see how the new evidence plays out as it took quite a while

for the prosecutors to persuade the Supreme Court to grant them access to the evidence.”

The investigation, led by Cyrus Vance, the Democratic district attorney of Manhattan, began in 2018. For 18 months, the New York county district attorney’s criminal investigation had been requesting the Supreme Court for access to Donald Trump’s financial documents. Trump had refused to hand over these documents for a long period of time, but the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the New York district attorney. Trump initially tried to challenge the Supreme Court’s ruling by claiming that the ruling was unconstitutional and that it was issued in bad faith; however, the Supreme Court rejected the argument and proceeded

Korea to start administering vaccines

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced that health authorities will begin to vaccinate staff members and hospital patients under the age of 65. Government officials are planning to distribute two types of drugs: Pfizer and AstraZeneca from the University of Oxford. As of Mar. 6, the government has distributed 314,656 doses. According to the Korea Herald, Korea will vaccinate 1.3 million people

by March, 9 million by June, and 33.25 million in the following months. The government is also planning to install 250 vaccination centers for handling vaccines that are harder to store and transport.

“Specifically in South Korea where the government does an efficient job providing medical service to the citizens, vaccinations will be very helpful in response of COVID-19,” Hannah Yoo (12) said. “Many citizens, starting from the older generation and down, will get the vaccination which allows the mitigation of the virus spreading. COVID-19 has slowed down the economy, instigated a social fear, and led political tensions with countries, so the vaccinations will act, not only as a medical counterattack, but a spark of hope to the depressed country. I am glad that vaccinations are out because it will help slow down the spreading, and soon, help COVID come to an end.”

Israeli-Palestinian conflict leads to late COVID innoculation for Palestinians The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has recently sparked more territory disputes between Israel and Palestine. As the conflict continues, their collective efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 is dwindling. Following limited corporations in administering affections, there has been an unbalanced distribution of vaccines. According to the Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), it is 60 times more likely to have COVID-19 vaccines in Israel than in Palestine, making Palestinians more vulnerable to the spread of infections.

“I do believe that ‘vaccine diplomacy’ could be a powerful vehicle for reducing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians,” James Kowalski, AP Seminar teacher, said. “Granted, vaccines don’t solve the underlying friction that has been ongoing for generations between the two sides, but they could prove helpful in sparking a renewed commitment and dialogue toward a mutually agreeable and lasting peace.”

BY: Jack lee Sophomore, Reporter

to grant the prosecutors access to new evidence. The additional findings evidence suggested an increased possibility that Trump might have committed other crimes.

“I think that the new evidence will have a positive impact on the investigation because more evidence essentially means that there is more possibility of creating transparency within the government,” Bryan Lee (10) said. “However, I acknowledge that there is still a chance that the evidence does not point to substantive results.”

The new evidence can help prosecutors delve into different investigative theories. For example, some assert that Trump may have not only been involved with tax evasion but also with insurance, tax, banking fraud, and even more. The prosecutors are also looking into whether Trump manipulated the property value of real estate to obtain financial benefits for himself. For instance, he might have inflated real estate property value to get loans or insurance benefits. As he no longer has protection of the status of a president, he can be charged and punished if there is tangible evidence that clearly indicates that he has engaged in illegal activity.

“Unless the investigation leads to a conviction on criminal charges, it’s doubtful that it would deter Mr. Trump’s ability or inclination to run for president again,” James Kowalski, APUSH teacher, said. “I’m afraid that speculative political commentary on the findings of the investigation would be just that: speculative. We’ll have to wait to see.”

BY: Jasmine Jeong Sophomore, Layout Artist

Texas faces blackout and Ted Cruz receives criticism

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n Feb. 15, Texas experienced one of its worst blackouts in decades. Traffic lights flickered off, houses lost electricity, and the snowstorm left residents in the cold with no heating. In areas like Wharton, Brazoria, and Galveston, more than 90 percent of the locals had no power. Other areas were luckier, especially the northern outskirts of Texas. However, according to USA Today, about 3.3 million Texans had no electricity for several hours.

Although government officials stated that the reason for the power outage was frozen wind turbines and solar panels, investigators reported that the true cause was actually frozen natural gas lines.

“I think the Texas state government is receiving such harsh criticism because they failed to react to and resolve the problem quickly,” June Choi (11), a Government and Politics student, said. “Especially considering that this kind of incident has already happened before in 2011, and they were unable to do anything then as well, more people are angered by this issue.

The federal government has already instructed the Texas government to renew their power grid, so although they do not have to follow the orders of the national government, they should listen to the advice and pay more attention to the state’s energy.”

Ted Cruz, senator of Texas, also caused a huge public uproar on Feb. 18 when he took a trip to Cancun, Mexico with his family while some Texans were still without any power.

Cruz said he was “trying to be a good dad” by taking the family vacation but was unable to avoid heavy criticism.

Due to the uproar, Cruz had to return from Cancun early and called the trip “a mistake.” Although Cruz has now returned to Houston, the public still harbors animosity toward the senator.

Many think that it was negligent of both the state and Cruz to not take any action despite knowing that a huge storm would hit soon.

“My immediate reaction when the power went out was that it would just come back on,” said Susan Schwartz, a Texas resident and Ms. Megan Lee’s mother, who was affected by the power outage. “But as the day wore on, it became apparent that it was not going to come on. Luckily, I had plenty of groceries and some firewood to keep warm. When we got really cold, we started the car up and sat inside with the heater running. Walmart was a madhouse when I drove there for emergency generators, and the shelves were completely empty.

Now everything has pretty much returned back to normal, but there are still parts of Texas that are still without water or under the restrictions of

boiling their water.”

Not only did the snowstorm have political impacts, but it also entailed personal devastation for many Texans. For instance, an 11-year-old boy died due to the freezing temperature. He tried to stay warm under the blankets, but in the harsh snowstorm, the blankets did little to keep the child warm. In addition to the young boy, more than 70 people died during the blackout, most notably 64 people in Travis County alone. Although power has now returned back to all households in Texas, significant damage has been done to not only the people but also to businesses, because no one was able to get to work.

“I think that climate change may have also had an impact on the outage because it is correlated to a natural disaster,” David Mun (10), an AP Environmental Science student, said. “The government could have looked for better infrastructure to hold these resources because this calamity happened as a result of not only the government’s lack of care but also a climate disaster. So I think the government should strive to create policies that would reduce the rate of greenhouse gas emissions.”

BY: Hannah Kim Sophomore, Layout Artist

Tiger Times

March 2021

Close scrutiny follows Biden administration’s new policies After one of the most contentious elections in US history, the 2020 presidential elections came to a close with the victory of President Joe Biden. Inaugurated on Jan. 21, 2021, President Biden has received the blessing and support from millions of people across the US. Especially after such a chaotic election, the public had hoped the new president could patch together a divided country with new and improved policies. Two months have passed since Biden’s inauguration, and his every action has been followed by close examination.

“President Biden has a heavy burden to meet the expectations of the public,” Angela Kim (11), Forensics debater, said.

“The importance of his first few months in office cannot be ignored, especially when presidential reform is urgent. I personally believe the majority of Biden’s first steps

are leading America towards the right path as they adequately reflect current social trends and campaign promises in terms of COVID-19, climate change, discrimination, and more.”

In some areas, Biden has taken decisive action to fulfill his many campaign promises. To this end, Biden has overturned countless decisions made by the previous administration. Most notably, Biden officially planned to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, a 2015 United Nations agreement created to combat global warming and other environmental threats. This action clearly rebuked former president Donald Trump’s withdrawal and matched the urgency Biden showed in addressing climate change on the campaign trail. Additionally, Biden implemented multiple new COVID-19 related policies, signing a $1.9

trillion economic relief bill to aid Americans impacted by the pandemic and nationwide mask-wearing measures. By setting July 4 as the date that will mark “America’s independence from COVID-19,” President Biden is actively initiating vaccination plans and prevention measures, demonstrating to the public that this pandemic is indeed not to be taken lightly. These efforts, along with many others including a lift on abortion restrictions, a creation of migrant children facilities, and a repeal of Trump era anti-immigration legislation, exhibit President Biden’s swift action to make good on the values of his candidacy.

“President Biden is under great pressure by American voters to enact policies according to his campaign promises that drew people in especially during such unstable times,” Sean Kim (11), MUN del-

egate, said. “He is in the process of repealing controversial actions and creating new ones to suit the shifted socioeconomic trends, implementing presidential orders that are generally supported by the public.

However, it certainly cannot be said that all his actions perfectly align with both his promises and social expectations.”

Many of President Biden’s policies have been met with some level of disappointment from the American public. This most noticeably shows in his policies involving immigration, primarily his deportation of hundreds of Jamaicans and Haitians despite his former promise to halve deportations for his first hundred days in office.

Additionally, he reopened a detention facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas, which the Trump administration had used to detain migrant children and families—quite the opposite of what he promised during his campaign. Although his administration claimed that the facility would not serve the same purpose as it did for Trump, his actions say otherwise: it has been revealed that the Biden administration was taking unaccompanied migrant children to detention facilities, prompting public backlash.

In addition to his immigration policies, some of Biden’s plans for minimum wage, criminal justice reform, and others have not been initiated yet, or have been criticized as unrealistic.

“Although it has become a fevered ritual for Americans to judge incoming presidents on their ‘First Hundred Days,’ it must be noted that they are still primarily in the process of staffing their administrations at that point, so we risk judging an incomplete picture in motion,” James Kowalski, AP US History teacher, said.

“This particular transition was also more politically turbulent than usual, further complicating our ability to assess. Still, there is an argument to be made for how well a president can confront a moment of crisis, as we find ourselves in the midst of more than one. If we are to evaluate this administration’s performance at all right now, it should be there.”

BY: Emily Sung Junior, Copy Editor

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On March 11, 1918, Spanish influenza reached America and spread like wildfire, especially among World War 1 soldiers. On this day, 107 soldiers fell ill at Fort Riley, Kansas, and the pandemic continued to spread until one-quarter of the entire US population was infected by the virus. This influenza resulted in over 500,000 deaths in the US and almost 22 million deaths around the world toward the end of 1920. Overall, Spanish influenza marked one of the deadliest pandemics in history.

To put the situation in a more familiar context, we are currently facing a pandemic worse than the Spanish influenza pandemic. With over 117 million worldwide cases and 2 million deaths, COVID-19 is an ongoing crisis for all places across the globe. It is evident that viruses have been one of the deadliest threats

years ago, today…

BY Katherine

Suk

to humanity throughout history, always bearing significant harm. For example, our humanity encountered smallpox, Ebola Virus, SARS-CoV, and many other viruses in the past.

One thing to keep in mind is that all of the viruses we previously faced are still present now. Even the roots of the Spanish influenza are still present today, after 103 years.

Although science has now developed a way to cure and prevent its spread, the fact that these viruses still linger does not change. Considering this fact, to the question of whether the coronavirus is going to ever end, the answer is most likely no. Like other viruses that existed throughout history, COVID-19 will most likely remain for a long time.

While the sources of COVID-19 may not be entirely eradicated, steps may be taken to mitigate its

effects in the future. The Spanish influenza pandemic, which lasted for around two years, was only mitigated through the discovery of a gene-based vaccine. It is historically proven that vaccines are the best way to fight a pandemic and prevent it from further spreading in the following years; thus, we should be following the same method for the COVID-19 pandemic. First and foremost, inventing a stable and globalized vaccine is going to be the most important stepping stone to stay safe from this coronavirus.

Although a stop-gap vaccine has been already invented, more research can and should take place to create a more stable one that could be utilized for the vaccination of future generations as well. Next, there should be annual vaccinations similar to what is currently being done for influenza

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viruses. Finally, people should accept the fact that coronavirus is not going to completely disappear from this world and the only way to end this quarantine life is through the proper vaccinations. We need to learn from history and learn from what our ancestors did with the similar problems we face today.

History is like our textbook of solutions to the problems we face now and will face in the future, and it is imperative that we continuously look back at it and build on it. With this pandemic, it is essential that we analyze the trends of the past and apply them to our modern days.

While a world without any COVID19 cases may be impossible, we can dream of preventing this virus from becoming another global pandemic by taking precautionary measures such as annual vaccinations.

10 SPORTS/LIFESTYLE Seoul Fashion Week begins online

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eoul Fashion Week has returned once again in virtual fashion. The 2021 fall-winter fashion week will be live-streamed from March 22-27 at various landmarks in Seoul and will feature a total of 45 designers: 28 established designers who will present the Seoul Collection and 17 rookie designers from Generation Next. Amidst the pandemic, Seoul Fashion Week continues on to grant designers important opportunities to showcase their hard work and passion.

“Seoul Fashion Week is always an exciting event,” Chloe Lee (10), student model, said. “The show is probably the most well-known in Korea. It always captures the unique fashion culture of our country, and it is always fascinating to see designers create new, fashionable clothes every year.”

With the first show being held

in 1987, Seoul Fashion Week indubitably boasts a rich history. Since then, fashion week has been a biannual event, with a show in March and October. Every year, the Seoul Metropolitan government organizes the show, helping to facilitate the growth of the fashion industry within Korea. Notably, the Seoul Collection, featuring the most renowned designers participating in the fashion week, is widely considered the most prestigious fashion show in Korea and features the highest caliber of fashion designers. Beginning in 2000, the Seoul Collection has come to represent the apex of the Korean fashion industry. Seoul Fashion Week, with continued improvements, aims to become one of the five most prominent fashion weeks worldwide, accompanying the New York, Paris, London, and Milano fashion weeks, through

strategic business operations.

“Virtual mediums pose challenges, but they also bring new opportunities,” Hana Jeon, algebra teacher, said. “Though I would wish to attend the Seoul Fashion Week in person, a virtual show has advantages of its own. Not only do we all get a great view through Youtube, but the organizers also seemed to have maximized their creativity to adequately adapt to the new virtual environment.”

Seoul Fashion Week has not capitulated to the pandemic, and beginning in the spring-summer collection held in October 2020 has been held online. Despite some drawbacks, the virtual platform has given numerous benefits to Seoul Fashion Week and the fashion industry in general. In the upcoming fashion week, various landmarks of Seoul will be featured as runways, a unique feature only

available due to the show going virtual. Furthermore, all viewers will be able to watch the event from “front-row seats,” allowing audiences to view the models and the clothing from optimal angles. So far, the virtual medium has proven to be a success. In the October Seoul Fashion Week, across five days, over 670,000 viewers attended the show via YouTube. Seoul Fashion Week holds high hopes to attract an even greater audience in the upcoming show.

“Fashion is going in a new direction, and watching the Seoul Fashion Week, the ever-evolving event shows that our country is not going to be behind,” Seungkyu Han (10), a fashion enthusiast, said. “The Next Generation show is definitely an exciting element within the fashion week. Making room for the next generation of fashion designers is extremely

TSC hosts a 3v3 tournament for varsity basketball For the second year in a row, the KAIAC board has officially cancelled the vast majority of the high school basketball and cheer season due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding social distancing restrictions. Due to the winter sports season being abruptly cancelled, Tiger Sports Council (TSC)—a club at SIS that hosts numerous events throughout the school year and works to promote school spirit and SIS student athletes—worked in connection with the Athletics Department to host a 3-on-3 coed basketball tournament for junior and senior varsity basketball players during the last week of February.

“Mr. Ames, the head of the Athletics department, had first suggested the idea that we host a tournament to provide the basketball team with at least a mini tournament before the season ends,” said Ashley Seong (11), an executive of TSC. “We proceeded to plan a 3v3 tournament, and had the basketball coaches chose the teams for us. We purposely decided to make the teams co-ed in order to make the games more interesting, interactive, and fair.

Mr. Ames, being both the TSC advisor and the head of the athletics department, helped us put together the bits and pieces, and led us to a successful tournament.”

TSC initially aimed to host a larger tournament to include more athletes and establish a similar environment to a regular basketball tournament. However, in order to adhere to COVID-19 protocol guidelines, the games were required to be kept short, so teams of three were made instead. Teams were organized equally with divided offensive and defensive players to ensure different defensive matchups and skill sets. Teams rotated around the court in a systematic schedule designed prior to the tournament, as Tim Munro and Morgan Miller alternated as the referees, with Nicholas Baik (11) keeping score of each game.

“The significance of the 3v3 tournament was seeing as though

we had our season cancelled without any inter school competition, we wanted to provide the varsity players with at least the opportunity to have a competition that was within the rules of COVID-19 restrictions,” said Jonathan Ames, the sports and activity director. “I think the tournament went well and the players enjoyed it a lot, but it would have been nicer to have more fan support out watching the games. I still think we can do more for basketball in the spring, and hopefully plan a teacher-student basketball game.”

Final rounds were held in which four teams played against each other, determining the final rankings. Team 1, consisting of members Eddie Choe, Evan Kim, Christine Kim, and Maeve Gerhard placed first, and was awarded with a plaque. Furthermore, prizes of food—choco pie, chicken, or ordered lunch— were given to first through third places.

Students were encouraged to watch the games in person, as the tournaments were held during activity period. Due to the rotational orange and white schedule,

freshmen and sophomores were unable to attend the games in person. However, a maximum of 50 people were allowed in the gym at one time, providing plenty of seats for juniors and seniors to watch. For those who had clubs, or were not at school, the games were live streamed in the hallways, with updates posted on TSC’s social media pages.

“I was disappointed to see that my last high school season ended without a single conference game,” said Claire Kim (12), varsity basketball player. “However, playing

important if we wish to stay ahead of the fashion game.”

The most unique aspect of the Seoul Fashion Week is undoubtedly the Next Generation show.

The Next Generation is a program designed to grant crucial opportunities to up-and-coming fashion designers to be featured in prominent shows like the Seoul Fashion Week. In the upcoming March fashion week, more rookie designers have been selected than in October, with 17 rookie designers compared to 10. The fashion industry of Korea holds a bright future and the Seoul Fashion Week demonstrates the special aspects of the Korean market which continue to evolve year after year.

BY: Jordan Kim Sophomore, Reporter

in the 3v3 coed tournament really gave me a valuable experience to make enjoyable memories with my teammates. I really enjoyed playing competitively against different players at our school, as it is a rather rare opportunity, and I think it was a great way to end the season. I hope that this 3-on-3 tournament continues in the future!”

BY: Erin J. Choi Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

March 2021

Tokyo Olympics moves forward with safety regulations The Tokyo Olympics, which were originally planned to take place in 2020, are now only a few months away from their opening ceremony. After a year of delay due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Tokyo Olympics will take place from July 23 to Aug. 8. However, there are still concerns regarding the ongoing pandemic; the Olympics may not only risk the safety of the athletes but also possibly cause another global wave of the pandemic if held without being cautious. While the organizers have released a virus rulebook on Feb. 23 in response, concerns have continued to be voiced.

“It is hard for me to believe that the Olympics are actually going to happen,” Morgan Davis, an avid sports follower, said. “I have seen how professional sports organizations like the NBA handled their events along the way. Players had to stay in the hotel, coaches could not leave the designated areas, and fans were not allowed. However, since the Olympics is a much bigger event than NBA games, maintaining bubbles will be hard. I think some regulations on the rulebook may be unrealistic or counterintuitive. I cannot imagine any sports events that allow the audience

but ban them from cheering.”

There are debates regarding whether or not athletes traveling to Japan this summer should be vaccinated. The organizers announced that it is not required for the athletes to get vaccinated in order to participate in the Olympic games, reasoning that those working in medical fields should be prioritized on waiting lines ahead of Olympic athletes. However, some countries such as India have announced that all of their athletes will be vaccinated before traveling to Tokyo.

“I am strictly against athletes taking priority in vaccination,” Olivia Lee (11), a big fan of sports, said. “Although I understand that the Olympics is a huge event which grabs attention from people worldwide, vaccines should be served first to the higher-risk populations and those in the medical fields. I have not heard anything from the South Korean government about the vaccination of athletes, but they announced that they are going to fully support the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, as it is an opportunity for better international relations with other countries, including North Korea.”

Despite these controversies, the torch relay signaled the beginning of the Olympics on March 25. However, there were strict restrictions to the event. For instance, although spectators were allowed to line the route, they were required to wear a mask while social distancing. They were also strictly banned from cheering. While it seems like the Olympics will involve many safety regulations, whether foreign fans are to be permitted in the Olympics is undecided. Despite limitations, countries around the world are looking forward to this big event.

“The torch relay might worsen the situation regarding COVID-19,” Ariel Ahn (11), an avid sports watcher, said.

“I am very excited for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, but I think we need to minimize physical contact for the safety of all, including the players.

The torch relay involves interaction between people in different countries, which makes the transmission of the virus easier. I also think foreign fans should not be allowed to visit Tokyo, as there is a possibility of another global second wave.”

BY: Clara Lim Junior, Layout Artist

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“WandaVision”: Setting the bar for future Marvel shows

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n Jan. 15, Marvel released its long-ant i c i p at e d show “WandaVision” on Disney+.

Spanning across nine episodes, “WandaVision” picks up where “Avengers: Endgame” left off and provides a basis for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”

As indicated by the show’s name, the main characters are Wanda Maximoff—also known as the Scarlet Witch— and her lover Vision.

Marvel fans were initially confused by the concept of WandaVision, considering that Thanos kills Vision in “Avengers: Endgame.” However, after watching the first episode, viewers realized that Wanda had created her own “bubble of reality” in Westview, New Jersey, while grieving the loss of Vision. Wanda’s bubble is a sitcom-based world for Vision and her to live inside, with each episode parodying a different decade of sitcoms. The show’s conflict begins when S.W.O.R.D, a government intelligence agency, infiltrates the bubble.

Interestingly, the show does not present a clear villain until the end of the show. Due to the suspense, fans came up with numerous theories on who was the mastermind behind the troubles in the bubble.

“I started watching ‘WandaVision’ because my sister suggested that we watch it together,” Anika Kurebayashi (9), a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), said.

“My favorite element of the show is that every episode has a different theme. Also, the graphics change from being in black and white to color as the show progresses. On a heavier note, mental illness is a subject depicted in ‘WandaVision,’ as the audience can see how

Wanda’s emotional trauma is making her unstable.”

Wanda has been scarred

by Vision’s recent death, her brother Pietro’s death, and the murder of her parents. The feelings of grief that accompany the loss of a loved one come crashing down on her all at once. Her pain morphs into an urge to control. Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Wanda, brilliantly conveys such intense emotions. Olsen’s facial expressions are extremely versatile, and viewers can see the pain lingering in her eyes whenever her character is forced to confront the truth.

Nevertheless, Olsen’s amazing acting is not showcased in the initial episodes, in which the sit-com-style jokes fall flat and the characters seem to lack personality. Nevertheless, the dramatic nature of the later episodes make up for the lack of action in the first few.

Additionally, characters such as Captain Monica Rambeau, Agent Jimmy Woo, and Doctor Darcy Lewis effectively bring the wider MCU into “WandaVision,” making the show more intriguing for MCU fans. These characters do not feel forced into the narrative, and their presence thickens the plot.

“I recommend ‘WandaVision’ to those who keep up with the MCU because the show contains many unexplained character references and plot connections,” Brian Cho (10), lover of everything Marvel, said. “I am planning to watch future Marvel shows such as ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and ‘Loki’ because they tie in with the larger MCU.” BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Hit or Miss: Fernando Tatis Jr. signs long-term contract with the San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the top shortstops in baseball as of 2021, possessing excellent contact ability, power, and defensive agility. Recently, the San Diego Padres signed the 22-year-old to a record-breaking 14-year $340 million contract, stirring much excitement among Padres fans. But was this signing a hit or a miss for the Padres?

Overall: Hit Fernando Tatis Jr. is the clear-cut face of the game of baseball going forward. Only turning 22 this year, Tatis is one of the youngest players in all of Major League Baseball. Yet his fame and prowess at the plate already far surpasses the vast majority of MLB players, and Tatis can be seen as the epitome of a five-tool player, possessing all the five tools of power-hitting, contact-hitting, base-running, fielding, and throwing central to success in the game.

Starting with his offense: Tatis’ batting is off the charts. He undeniably possesses immense power. His average exit velocity of 95.9 mph is the fastest in the MLB and

his hard-hit rate (the percentage of batted balls that were hit at an exit velocity of 95 mph or more) also tops the league at a whopping 62.2 percent as of 2020. Tatis also had the most barrels (well-hit balls of an exit velocity of at least 98 mph and launched at a certain launch angle depending on the speed of the ball that are more than 50 percent likely to be a hit) in the league in 2020, indicating his prowess at maximizing the launch angles of his batted balls and delivering powerful hits. These outstanding power metrics have translated to tangible results as well; in 2020, Tatis hit an impressive 17 home runs in the shortened 60 game season, placing him among the ranks of the MLB home run leaders.

But his immense power does not mean Tatis falters in the contact department.

Last season, Tatis hit a batting average of .277, well above the MLB average of .245. Tatis has also maintained excellent discipline at the plate, posting a .366 on-base-percentage (OBP), far surpassing the .322 league average. Tatis is clearly at the top of the league in terms of both

power and contact ability.

Next, Tatis brings top-tier defense along with his impressive offense. Tatis regularly makes astounding plays at shortstop ranging from dive-catches to jump-catches. His powerful arm does a more than sufficient job of delivering the ball to first base and finishing the plays. Defensive metrics prove Tatis’ remarkable skills with the glove. In 2020, Tatis achieved a remarkable seven outs-above-average, a metric measuring how many more outs a player has saved compared to the average player at his position, placing him second only to Cody Bellinger.

Finally, Tatis completes his package for the Padres with impressive speed. Last season, Tatis recorded a sprint speed of 29.4 m/s, placing him comfortably in the top 10 fastest players of the MLB. Unsurprisingly, Tatis managed 11 stolen bases, placing him ninth in the league in the category.

Evidently, Tatis is one of the best players in the game. But what about his extremely small sample size? Tatis has not even played a full MLB season yet, leading to

many claiming that his potential is not yet justified and that such a long-term contract is an unwise decision by the Padres. While a small sample size is an important factor to consider with most breakout rookies, Tatis is a different story. Tatis led the league in multiple categories—both offensively and defensively—including in advanced metrics like barrel rate. Tatis is also a rapidly improving player, especially in defense. In 2019, Tatis was one of the worst fielders in the MLB; he posted a terrible -13 outs-above-average and committed 18 errors over the course of a mere 84 games.

In 2020, however, he made a massive jump to seven outs-above-average, making him one of the best fielders in the game. Given this rapidly improving trend, Tatis seems as if he will only get better in the future.

The Padres needed to secure a reliable fivetool player, and a 14 year contract extension with Tatis was exactly what they needed, and definitely worth every penny.

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

12

SMALL TALK

DEEP_FRIED_INTERNET SIMPS:

CHIVALRY OR CREEPINESS? You click desperately on the notification on your screen: your favorite content creator has just uploaded a video! You like the video before it even starts and keyboard smash your love in the comments, hurtling compliments in hopes of being noticed by your ultimate idol. Then, you notice something. A single reply: “SIMP.” “Simp” is defined by the Urban Dictionary as “someone who does way too much for a person they like.” In most cases, simps will engage in this behavior with a celebrity, whether it be for attention or even in hopes of attaining an intimate relationship. The word, used primarily in social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, and most notably, Twitter, has been used to describe a variety of behaviors on the Internet, from obsessive stalking of (usually female) Twitch streamers to casual admiration for school peers.

The history of the word “simp” is surprisingly old: it has been used since the early 20th century and gained popularity with rappers from the 1980s to the mid-2010s, who used the term to describe and criticize men who were too “soft” with their lovers.

Following the dawn of the World Wide Web, “simp” remained a niche word adapted by internet trolls as

Race x Adoption: Two worlds under one roof

While adopting a child is one of many admirable acts in society, several factors determine the true consequences and nature of the adoption. One of them is race. As transracial adoptions become more prevalent, multiracial and multicultural families face unique challenges—especially in cases where white adoptive parents raise children of color.

Issues resulting from these adoptions have raised the questions: does the assimilation into a family of a different racial background negatively affect a child’s development? To what extent should parents preserve the child’s ethnic culture?

Both the children and parents of transracial adoptions face challenges. For one thing, children in transracial adoptions may be brought to a community where racism and discrimination are more severe. In such cases, parents have a duty to protect and teach their children about injustice, which is certainly not the easiest task. For instance, Robyn Wells, a white mother in Chicago who adopted an Ethiopian son, stated in Time Magazine that “at no point in the process of considering transracial adoption did [she] think [she] would have to teach [her] son how to stay alive,” during a time when cases of police brutality against black people grabbed the media’s attention.

Being brought into a brand new world, transracially adopted children can also face difficulties connecting with their ethnic culture and identity. They may easily be overwhelmed by the pressure of juggling two different cultures while also feeling excluded from both their parental and personal backgrounds. In some

a derogatory term until it exploded into mainstream slang in late 2019 on platforms like TikTok. So how did the term “simp” become internet slang?

The term’s popularity likely results from the fact that it is commonly used as a chain word. Meaning that if one individual were to comment “simp,” others who see the comment would reply to them with the term too, creating a long chain. This gives the word much exposure, thus enabling it to become an internet fad. Similarly, the word has also been passed around through memes, which are known to be trendsetting and easily diffusible. For instance, a popular comic parodying a classic Vine shows two women in a lightsaber battle, one shouting, “All men are KINGS!” while the other states, “If he breathes, he’s a SIMP!” As shown by the video’s comical nature, “simp” has popular appeal to Gen Zers who use it to tease others lightheartedly. Unlike the word’s previous users, many Gen Zers see “simp” as a funny meme rather than a serious insult.

However, like with everything, simp culture has had both positive and negative fallout. It has helped establish boundaries between celebrities and fans by becoming a codeword of sorts for calling out predatory or unsettling behavior online. But it also discourages individuals from expressing their interests openly, often reinforcing toxic masculinity by forcing men to refrain from acting affectionate. Other times,

rosa suh n bona suh

it confuses the respect one may have for women with fetishization and degrades men who try to treat women on fair grounds. These misappropriations have led Twitch to ban the word “simp” on its platform.

It is noticeable that simp culture has been disproportionately utilized against men more than women, raising the simple question: why? Like the term’s modern-day usage in rap, men are usually the ones to call other men simps. What are the intentions of these men? Is it discomfort at seeing blind admiration for female celebrities? Or is something steeped in prejudice, like disgust at showing women respect?

While we may never truly understand why some use “simp” as a genuine insult, we can ensure that we do not. Simp culture can be humorous and lighthearted, as it is for many Gen Zers, as long as it remains a joke.

Intersecting Identities Aimee Choi, Rachel Yoon

transracial adoptions, physical differences between parents and children make it difficult for the child to feel like they “belong”; for instance, some white parents may not know how to care for black children’s hair. Other barriers include differences in food traditions, clothing styles, and other basic cultural activities, which can result in the children feeling distant from their original culture and experiencing identity crises.

Despite this, transracial adoptions have positives. They help normalize diversity and richer cultural experiences within the family, helping our society separate itself from adherence to homogeneous, ethnically distinct family structures. However, adoptive parents have certain responsibilities in ensuring these positive potentials are met. They should not enforce the idea that “color does not matter,” but rather acknowledge racial differences and act accordingly. It is also crucial for them to not believe that they are “saving” the children as this feeds into the white savior complex.

There is sometimes a foundation of the white savior complex in transracial adoptions. It is important not to foster this idea but rather to help the children of color reconnect with their culture while also exploring the parents’ worlds.

Mutual exploration should be at the core of these adoptions, meaning that parents should work to accommodate the identities of their children. This way, as both parents and children learn about each other, cohesive home life can unfold, making transracial adoption a more meaningful experience.

photo of the

month

Passing balls to one another, Doyun Jeong (10) and Javier Diaz (10) start warming up for their first game of the season.

Photo by Alice Lee