Tiger Times Volume 52 Issue 8

Tiger Times May

Volume 52

Issue 8

ttonl.org

Editorial A complimentary roll call by

Brian Ham & Eric Hwang editors-in-chief

“By next May, when we are standing on the steps of graduation, we hope to have published a paper that pieces together shards of student life…of what it felt like to be a Korean international high school student growing up in the midst of a pandemic, monumental election, and whatever awaits us in the next ten months.”

So were the words written by two ambitious and starry-eyed editors-in-chief entering the cusp of their senior year, armed with vision but shrouded in uncertainty of the future of a physical, printed paper in a digital, COVID world. In our first editorial of the year, we talked about our hopes for the role Tiger Times might serve in the global community. In our aspirations, however, we neglected to mention the driving force that would allow us to turn our ideals into tangible change: the people of Tiger Times.

The paper could not have survived without Jiwon and Jenny’s unending diligence in managing the publication. The same goes for Eddie and Emily Oh’s impeccable handling of layout and graphics, which are fields, if the two of us are being honest, that we knew nothing about.

There were countless times when it seemed like meeting deadlines for finished issues were a lost cause, only for the two of them to miraculously present a finished paper to us the next day. Irene and Ashley were role models in their respective fields for incoming staff members to follow; Clara and Emily were reporters who we never had to doubt, serving as the reliable anchors of the layout and copy staff. Sunny and Katherine displayed a diverse range of skills in writing and design on top of being a constant veteran presence in discussions. Sarah was always fearless in her opinions and a master with words, and Jennifer You’s exceptional talent in graphics was truly something to behold this year.

No one realistically expects rookie staff members to contribute right off the bat, yet in a year when everyone had to become leaders of their own, the sophomores did not disappoint.

Skylar took on the daunting task of becoming a copy editor from her first very first semester in the publication. Rosa and Erin were often quiet, but in the best possible way: always waiting for the right moment to strike with something poignant and insightful. In direct contrast, Katie was often vocal: making sure a good idea never went unheard. The versatility of Jasmine and Hannah—simultaneously writing solid articles and designing layouts—served integral to the paper, and so were Alice and Jennifer Kwon’s de facto takeovers of the photography and video departments that visually took Tiger Times to the next level. Minjae literally trailblazed a new leadership position as the web’s design editor, while Jordan metaphorically lit the paper on fire with his impassioned viewpoint pieces. Isabelle’s extrovert energy was simply indomitable, and Jack matched her enthusiasm through his constant initiative and diligence during class.

Aimee and Rachel were our resident social justice warriors, and Woojune our staff ’s most eloquent general sports expert. Not to mention, who could forget Hugo’s baseball expertise that could be mistaken for an ESPN analyst’s work, and Bona, we are still in awe of your Statue of Liberty front page.

Last but not least, we would of course like to thank Ms. Grant, whose constant leadership, advice, and, perhaps most importantly, unending support for all of our endeavors, made our dreams of a more impactful, local Tiger Times possible.

Roughly 300 articles, 150,000 words, and exactly 100 pages later, the two of us have nothing to express but gratitude to the people that helped us materialize our lofty visions into grounded reality—the people who will undoubtedly continue Tiger Times’ irreplaceable niche in SIS. All 31 of you made our time at Tiger Times and Volume 52 of our publication a worthwhile and fulfilling pursuit.

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

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VIEWPOINT

A case for sharing vaccines

T

he wait is over: the COVID-19 vaccines are here. As major pharmaceutical corporations—Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna—seemed to approach the finish line of the vaccine race, we all indulged in the uplifting hope that the mass distribution of vaccines will soon end the unprecedented pandemic. This notion, however, was proved idealistic as the fight against the virus deteriorated into the fight for the vaccines. Though 840 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered worldwide, vaccinations within the United States is responsible for nearly 200 million of them. Efforts to share the vaccine through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) by Gavi—a global vaccine alliance—and UNICEF are currently in place. Yet, as governments begin scrambling to secure vaccines for their own citizens, global efforts have taken a back seat. People fail to recognize this, but as vaccines continue to roll out, the international community is at an important juncture. To ensure a swift, full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing vaccines is critical.

The largest issue with select nations— namely the United States, United Kingdom, China, India, Germany, and France— hoarding billions of vaccine doses is that the most vulnerable populations around the world fall under the radar. Poorer nations lack adequate vaccinations for front-line health workers, the elderly, and individuals with preexisting diseases. 130 countries have yet to give out a single dose

of the vaccine. However, protecting health industry workers is critical to securing a stable first line of defense against novel viruses. By preliminarily preventing large numbers of health industry workers from contracting COVID-19, countries can prevent a catastrophic spread without resistance. Moreover, the lack of vaccination for the highest-risk individuals are resulting in higher mortality rates for COVID-19 in poorer nations. As rich countries are securing excess numbers of vaccines to ensure extra security, the pandemic is at full force in other areas around the world, leaving countless countries and peoples severely vulnerable.

The rising international wealth gap is another concerning product of this problem. As of now, economically developed nations—consisting of 19 percent of the world’s adult population—have accounted for 54 percent of all vaccine doses purchased up to date. With the ability to secure large, lucrative contracts with pharmaceutical companies, wealthier nations simply face no competition against poorer countries in the vaccination race. Yet, the greater issue arises as these countries begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic through widespread vaccinations: the rich get richer.

The economic gap between high-income and low-income nations has already hit a historical high with the development of tertiary and quaternary economic sectors.

As the economic disparity exacerbates, the polarization creates a detrimental cycle limiting mobility within global society and

increasing class conflicts.

However, some contend that individual governments need to prioritize protecting their citizens before exploring options to share vaccines. All governments indeed have the chief responsibility to protect their citizens, but a degree of global effort to fight the pandemic is far more important. Namely, the European Union’s heavy restrictions on the export of AstraZeneca vaccines after experiencing dire shortages in vaccinations in March illustrates a misjudgment of prioritizing extra security for citizens over the global desperate need for vaccinations. These restrictions become devastating blows for nations without major vaccine production facilities or capabilities. Although finding a balance between adequate support for the global community and ensuring the safety of a nation’s citizens is not easy, ignoring the plight of developing countries is not the answer.

Nations must collectively realize the importance of collaborating to fight against COVID-19. Excess doses should go to those in dire need. Placing greater emphasis on the COVAX program under international organizations including the World Health Organization is essential to this global recovery process. Until all of us, not just my neighbor and myself, but the majority of individuals around the world are immune, the fight against COVID-19 is not over.

BY: Jordan Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Implications of Naver’s trending searches removal

Whenever one opened South Korea’s most popular search engine Naver, they were greeted with the weather, top news headlines, and most importantly, the ten most popular trending searches of the minute. Due to its accuracy and speed, trending searches helped citizens conveniently access real-time news. However, Feb. 25 marked a momentous decision as Naver decided to fully remove the feature. Now, instead of taking a brief glance at the trending searches tab for daily news, individuals must access hard news sites and look at headlines. According to Naver, this decision was made to give consumers a chance to find their news taste without the influence of trending searches. In a constantly evolving society, it is crucial to evaluate one’s own political stance through the development of one’s own opinion instead of being swayed by current public trends. However, although rational, the complete removal of the said feature has gone too far: the corporation should devise methods to alleviate such harms, but not wholly repeal the factor of convenience for users.

The justification behind this removal is legitimate, as it is undeniable that trending searches bring a myriad of harms to

the search engine. First, this repeal would signify an end to abusing the feature for marketing purposes. Companies and businesses tend to purposefully manipulate the searches to promote products and increase sales. Such behaviors divert the public’s attention from important news headlines, obstructing this feature’s entire purpose.

Because this was a trend that was becoming more frequent, the decision to repeal was not unreasonable. Furthermore, this would result in an end to using trending searches for politics. The most popular claim that exists regarding the reason for this change is the recent extremely polarized Seoul mayor elections. Severely contrasting political opinions led to increased efforts to manipulate the media and shift social trends to match their parties’ interests. This resulted in frequent fabrication of the trending searches by political parties, candidates, or even supporters during an ever so crucial election period. Among all, however, the most primarily noted harm of this feature would be its toxicity. Due to the feature’s timely nature, its circulation of information is extremely rapid, meaning that unsubstantiated, unproven rumors about public figures spread much more easily. These

malicious rumors spread without giving the public figures an adequate means of protection first, stripping them of their basic right to defend themselves. As the Korean public can be characterized by somewhat hasty judgement and reluctance to correct themselves and apologize, this especially increases harm toward such public figures.

The harms, however, are not enough to completely eradicate the feature, as the harms resulting from its repeal outweigh the previous harms. Primarily, the dissemination of information and the circulation of news are comparatively much less rapid and effective. For instance, an unexpected day of chaos broke out on March 23 when all Samsung phones broke down for a few hours, making users unable to open many apps.

Individuals had to physically visit Samsung A/S shops to be told that every phone was experiencing the same issue. Only after Samsung effectively tackled this issue were the people able to obtain this information online as the news slowly spread. This definitely would have been solved more efficiently with a trending searches feature containing keywords concerning this issue. This incident is not an outlier but rather a warning before a greater catastrophe occurs: if, say, earthquakes, fires, or other disasters were to occur in a certain region, citizens who do not engage regularly with news sites would not be able to easily access such information without the trending searches. Overall, this blocks the public from accessing essential news topics of the day, resulting in less news spread to the overall public. People will thus tend to stay disconnected from domestic and global events now that trending searches are gone, increasing the politically or socially uninformed portion of the population.

In the end, it is important to balance the effects of this feature by implementing measures to mitigate potential harms. Erasing it as a whole may be too radical of a solution; Naver must rather brainstorm methods to continue the rapid circulation of news while still lessening its potential abuses.

BY: Emily sung Junior, Copy Editor

Tiger Times

May 2021

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Tiger Times Staff

Tiger Times Tiger Times exercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation, and world. We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services, is obscene, libelous, or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.

Volume 52 Issue 8 May 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: As students prefer scrolling through pages of social media or play online games with friends, schools offer various courses that include such reading activities and assignments. Yet, students still find it difficult to independently read for fun.

Students should actively partake in independent reading, and schools should encourage students to navigate their interest in reading and ultimately guide them to independently read for pleasure.

What are the common problems or factors that keep students from reading for pleasure?

What can schools do to encourage independent reading among students?

Give Readers a Choice When I was a kid, my mother would take me to Barnes & Noble every Sunday morning so she could enjoy a cup of coffee while I read my books out loud to the dolls aligned on the bookshelves. We would spend hours reading and always ended up buying an entire series of books. Now, unfortunately, we are both too busy to enjoy a nice weekend of reading. I remember little beyond the title of the last book I read for pleasure and struggle to finish reading a book without resting in between.

I am not alone in this concerning trend.

The number of students reading for pleasure is continuing to drastically drop as students prefer scrolling through pages of social media or playing online games with friends. Schools offer various courses that include such reading activities and assignments. Yet, students still find it difficult to independently read for fun.

Many students do not consider the time they dedicate toward reading as pleasurable or relaxing. Reading for pleasure not only allows students to develop comprehensive skills and vocabulary but also exposes them to a world of imagination and relaxation where they can freely express their ideas and, perhaps, discover what they truly are interested in. Therefore, students should actively partake in independent reading, and schools should encourage students to navigate their interest in reading and ultimately guide them to independently read for pleasure.

Because of the well-known benefits of reading, teachers and parents strongly

encourage independent reading from a young age. For instance, Reading logs in elementary school that track the number of books students read and identify book levels for students provide a supplemental measurement of reading. As students advance grade levels, the school curriculum challenges students to analyze books assigned by teachers and adds additional analytical essays and inquisitive discussions. The resistance to reading develops during these stages.

These analytical reading assignments tend to strike students as a burden: after all, reading a book thoroughly while considering thematic analysis takes more time and distracts students from reading solely for enjoyment. Many students prioritize completing other schoolwork over dedicating a period of time to relax and read even though most are aware of the benefits of reading. In other cases, students may simply find a book assignment boring. While some students force themselves to complete the reading, many slack off because the subject of the reading piece does not intrigue them, ultimately becoming one of the reasons students do not read for pleasure. Such lack of interest in reading eventually ushers many to skip reading the book altogether, choosing to skim through short summaries and simplified notes on study-guide websites such as SparkNotes, Shmoop, and LitCharts.

While teaching students to read and explore a certain theme may enlighten students of the author’s deeper meaning

and their purpose behind writing the book, this prevents students from freely exploring the reading spectrum. Students should be given more chances to read nonfiction books, magazines, newspapers, poetry, as well as different topics. Yet, because certain books are firmly embedded in the high school English curriculum, such as classics or Shakespearean plays, there is a limit to possible solutions of changing high-school course books.

One fairly simple thing schools could do to encourage independent reading among students is to implement independent reading projects, similar to those in AP English Literature and Composition courses, in a broader array of classes.

Independent reading projects are meant to help students improve their reading and critical thinking skills by giving them a chance to read a book of their own choice.

Such projects give pupils an opportunity to choose from a selection of reading materials and build confidence in making their own decisions. When students have an opportunity to choose reading materials, they have more responsibility for their education and tend to make reading a priority. This does not mean students can read any material of their choice; they must read books according to their reading level and cannot rely on a teacher for support in comprehending the material, diverging from the standard analysis process students experience in English classes with chosen books.

In addition, administrations could pro-

vide more elective reading courses that allow students to delve into their personal choices. Because our school contains a diverse group of teachers, specifically English teachers who are passionate about different genres of reading, elective reading courses that target certain genres can encourage students to pursue their interests. For instance, a class that focuses solely on books about crime, war history, 18th-century literature, or Shakespeare will compel students to dedicate themselves to reading and mastering such genres.

In the end, it is necessary for students to remind themselves of the importance of reading for pleasure. Reading assignments might approach students as a burden, but reading can be one of the best sources of relaxation for students, allowing them to imagine themselves as fictional characters or learn fascinating facts in nonfiction books. Books stir emotions and spark thoughts in their own unique manner.

Ultimately, students should intently pursue making reading a habit specific toward their personal interests. As the number of students reading for pleasure steadily decreases, schools should provide opportunities to further enhance students’ interests in reading and encourage students to pursue independent reading outside of school.

BY: Alice Lee Sophomore, Reporter

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SCHOOL NEWS

Choir prepares for virtual concert in midst of COVID-19

News Briefs

I Photo by Katie Kim (10)

AP Research students present TED Talks

On April 30, seniors in AP Research will deliver 10-15 minute TED Talk-style presentations on their year long research projects. The students will present their findings in the auditorium, and people will be permitted to walk in and out of the auditorium as the students speak. This TED Talk format is a contrast from that of past years, which involved students creating posters and giving presentations on them. Moreover, this event will also be in conjunction with the annual AP Art Show, which showcases the work of students from three AP visual art courses.

“I felt like my students needed a real-life opportunity to practice their presentation and oral defense because that is actually part of their AP grade,” Rose Tyvand, AP Research teacher, said.

“The process of an oral presentation followed by a defense is typical of Western universities when any student is completing a dissertation, so I think this is a nice opportunity for them to practice. I am also excited about the content of their research projects. All of the 21 students have been working really hard all year long, and honestly, all 21 projects are well-researched and have interesting conclusions. We have something very interesting to share with the community.”

n March, following the undying spike in COVID-19 numbers, the choir department issued its verdict to hold a virtual concert. This decision paralleled that of the first semester during which the choir had been forced to pre-record versions of its songs and performances.

To this end, the choir began its official preparations for the upcoming online concert, including voice recordings, videos, and playing tests.

“The end of the semester is always a busy season for all of us,” Andrew Nam (10), Concert Choir student, said.

“That being said, when we are faced with having to hold online practices with the teacher and practice on our own, we often become despondent and doubtful of our abilities. This process of preparing for the potential concert has been impeded by recent outbreaks in the school, but I hope that we can again push through this.”

Since the situation is largely similar

to that of last semester, the preparations for the virtual concert also resembles that of the semester one. To record the audio component of the concert, students are grouped into separate voice sections, soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.

Subsequently, the files of the respective sections are compiled to create a singular recording that will be touched upon with editing technology. In regards to the visuals, students are dressed in concert attire, and through the use of cameras and drones, the program is filmed in the auditorium. These efforts will be put together into a product that will ultimately constitute the choir spring concert for the 2020-‘21 year.

“After communicating with multiple choir directors from other international schools, I reached a consensus that a virtual concert is the best possible option,” Whitney Meininger, choir director, said.

“I would be lying if I said I did not wish for a real concert, but unlike last year, we are

able to make full use of the auditorium.

The auditorium will allow for greater visual effects as well as better staging. I am trying to be satisfied with the current situation, but I hope that this will not be the case next year.”

Following in the choir’s footsteps, the strings and band departments are also laying out plans for their respective virtual concerts. However, unlike the orchestras that are held in large numbers, the relatively smaller choir will be able to practice in a more realistic and concert-emulating scenario. With the spotlight shifted to the upcoming concert, the school community looks to the choir for an alleviation of COVID-19 blues.

“The choir concert is certainly the one event to look forward to in the SIS arts community,” Sean Lee (10), Ambassadors student, said. “Furthermore, within this group of talented students, the Ambassadors will lead the virtual concert into one that should not be missed. I am confident that the other choir students are also looking forward to the concert.”

BY: Isabelle Lee Sophomore, Reporter

Mr. Rock’s seminars discussing meritocracy

AQT participates in international quiz tournament On April 10-11, the SIS Academic Quiz Team (AQT) took part in the 2021 High School Asian Championship, which was hosted by Seoul Foreign School. The first day consisted of five preliminary rounds; from there, the top two teams from each division advanced to the playoffs on the second day. The SIS A team was undefeated in the preliminary rounds and the playoffs but lost to Raffles Institution in the finals. Both the SIS B and C teams ranked fourth in their respective divisions after the preliminary rounds and played in a consolation bracket.

“The tournament was intense but a good experience,” Jihoon Kim (10), AQT member, said.

“Although the online environment was different from how the tournament would normally be held, I did not experience any significant setbacks, and I liked that I could conserve my energy by participating from home.”

KIS hosts online SKYMUN On April 10, KIS hosted the eighth iteration of SKYMUN. This year was the second time the conference was held virtually since the outbreak of COVID-19. Students joined the conference via Zoom and participated in their committee debates in a virtual environment. Unfortunately, this resulted in fortuities such as the opening ceremony being canceled due to technical difficulties. Nonetheless, students were able to actively engage in the conference and perform to the best of their ability.

“Although I had attended the same conference merely a year ago, this year’s SKYMUN welcomed us with new challenges in its technical difficulties, level of participation, and agendas,” Michelle Bok (10), MUN member, said. “However, at the end of the day, I was more than grateful to take away the valuable experience of being able to debate with more of the underclassmen in contrast to previous conferences and witnessing the SIS MUN club lead many of the debates during the conference.”

BY: Skylar Peck Sophomore, Copy Editor

Photo by Alice Lee (10)

Jared Rock, English teacher, hosted three sessions of the “Let’s Talk: Discussion on Meritocracy” seminar on March 23, April 6, and April 13 in his room M307. The seminar aimed to cover core concepts of meritocracy and to open discussion on different aspects of meritocracy. Session 1 focused on the origins and the evolution of the concept of meritocracy, session 2 addressed the limitations of meritocracy and its alternatives, and the last session delved into current discussions on meritocracy in relation to present meritocratic thinking and how schools relate to this system.

“I think meritocracy is significant because it credits people for their talent and the effort that they put into something,” Kelly Sung (9), a participant of the seminar, said. “Idealistically, it sounds fair and equal, but I think debate sparks from the idea that many people often do not have the same starting point. This, I think, is what makes the discussion on meritocracy so interesting.”

Outside of SIS, meritocracy has also been the subject of much recent debate, from increased public discussion and scrutiny of the role of standardized

tests in the college admissions process to more direct discussions of the implications of holding a meritocratic view.

Leading intellectuals have weighed in heavily, notably Michael Sandel with his 2020 book, “The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?”. During the seminars, the students evaluated this through real world problems, from populist politics as a response to ‘meritocratic’ elites to how this affects students. Some resources that were used for the seminar were “Meritocracy,” an overview by The School of Life: and “What is Meritocracy,” an Institute of Art and Ideas short overview of the origin and evolution of the term, presented by Richard Reeves.

“I think the seminars were really interesting because everyone was able to contribute their ideas on meritocracy and it was cool to see diverse perspectives on the issue,” Aileen Kim (12), another seminar participant, said. “I found the point on Rawls’s ‘difference principle’ interesting because it is used as justification for motivation, but I think it is questionable as it oversimplifies the role of motivation.”

Some questions that were brought

up during the seminar were about the benefits and limitations of a meritocratic system, the conditions a meritocratic system is viewed as a response to, how the concept of meritocracy has changed, and how students encounter meritocratic systems, beliefs, or justifications. Students also demonstrated an engaging discussion on inheritance tax and whether it is necessary based on the motivation behind providing for an offspring.

“I plan on breaking the final session into three topics for discussion: Universal Basic Income, Populist Politics, and Education & Schools,” Jared Rock said. “These are three that I think will be of interest, but students can come with their own topics and questions, or email them to me before the session to have them included in the slide show.

For each topic, we will discuss the role, limits, and effects of meritocracy and its alternatives.”

BY: Jasmine Jeong Sophomore, Layout Artist

Tiger Times

May 2021

April Showers bring May Sours

With the unpredictable circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the alternation between virtual and physical learning, the towering obstacles of school life have resulted in increasing levels of stress for students this time of year. However, as the semester comes to a close, academic pressure has also intensified within the high school community. Essentially, the roots of stress are different depending on the grade level, as the current freshmen are pressured by the academic rigor they would need to embrace next year while sophomores are anxious for their first AP exams taking place in just a matter of weeks. Lastly, juniors are overwhelmed by multiple AP classes, the stress of starting college applications, and the burden of being a senior next year.

“I was definitely more stressed due to the AP exams,” Sarah Yim (10), a sophomore who prepared for the AP Biology exam last month, said. “I think the biggest factor contributing to my stress was the wide range of content I needed to cover. I have never taken an exam that covers such detailed content, so studying and reviewing for the test was a new challenge for me. Time management was also

another challenge since I had to handle my school work, extracurriculars, and make time to study for the AP exam as well.”

School, homework, study for a summative, extracurriculars, sleep, repeat — this is a typical after-school routine for a high schooler at SIS. The bustling schedule of tests coupled with multiple hours of studying at hagwons leaves little to no room for students to manage their mental and physical well-being. In fact, many do not recognize the importance of mental health and tend to immerse themselves in a vicious cycle of eating unhealthy food, not sleeping, and not exercising. Specifically, sleep has been one of the major factors exacerbating the students’ stress levels. Most high school students at SIS sleep for an average of five hours a day, half the number of hours health experts recommend.

Consequently, sleep deprivation leads to brain exhaustion and some students are struggling to focus and concentrate in school.

“I feel like students are going through a lot of pressure these days, and a lot of them are seeking more support,” Carly Santos, high school counselor, said. “I

think to cope with stress, students definitely need more sleep. By getting more sleep, you will be able to concentrate, manage your emotions, and absorb information more efficiently. Additionally, I think balance is crucial when coping with stress. By balance, I mean making time for the things you like and need. For instance, making time to sleep, socialize with friends, and most importantly to do things you enjoy whether it is listening to music or going for a walk.”

Amidst the restless schedule, there is always an abundance of resources and activities at school with which students can seek to relieve their stress. First, reaching out to school counselors and teachers is an effective way to directly solve students’ academic concerns and pressure. Additionally, enhancing physical wellness by sleeping two or three more hours and eating a balanced diet can change the mood and perspective of the day. Finally, altering one’s mindset is the key to maintaining a stress-free lifestyle in the long run. Taking a moment to organize your thoughts and practicing mindfulness can reappraise the stressful mentality. Perhaps by looking past the sourness that this time may entail and

actively seeking out the sweet moments, we may collectively wind up in a better place.

“In my opinion, taking care of your mental health during such stressful times like this is of the utmost importance since damaged mental health will do no good when in the process of taking tests,” Brian Cho (10), a sophomore who studied for the AP exam last month, said. “Throughout this AP process, I have changed my mindset so that even the little things in life provide me with a great level of motivation which eventually helps me push through the stress. Something as small as watching a short clip of a YouTube video or a Netflix show has given me enough motivation to endure through the stressful test preparations. I know it may sound ridiculous, but such factors did indeed help me survive an AP course. I would encourage other students to reach out and study with their friends if they are feeling stressed and unmotivated.”

BY: Minjae Chun Sophomore, Reporter

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POLITICS

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Voting in South Korea: New voters, new systems In January 2020, South Korean students were able to make their voices heard when the voting age was lowered from 19 to 18 years old, empowering high school seniors to cast legal ballots. While some students have been jubilant about being able to express their opinions to the government and the public, others have been concerned about the sudden responsibility. Regardless of whether they are going to vote or not, they have been faced with the reality that they will soon be stepping into society. As a result, high schoolers, including SIS students, have been becoming increasingly interested in the voting systems of Korea.

In Korea, presidential elections are held every five years as a national popular vote, meaning the candidate who wins a simple majority of the votes gets elected. In addition to the presidential election, the parliamentary ballot, in which the 300 members of the National Assembly are elected, is held every four years. Of the 45 po-

litical parties in South Korea, two dominant parties hold the most seats in the National Assembly: the liberal Democratic Party of Korea and the conservative People Power Party. Voters are allowed to vote only in their designated districts and on election day. However, there are other ways of voting for exceptional cases. For example, there is residence voting for voters who are not able to physically go to the polls. These voters include people who have physical disabilities, work at a hospital, prison, or detention center, live far from a polling place, work as a soldier, or reside in a far-off island. The second method is early voting, a more common method that finds itself at the epicenter of many discussions today.

Early voting is a process that allows voters to vote before the scheduled election day. The implementation of this method brings many benefits to the elections in Korea. For one, early voting results in higher voter

turnout, meaning more people participate in elections. This enables early voting for people who may not have been able to vote on election day due to schedule conflicts, such as an important business trip or familial responsibilities,e. People who do not necessarily have plans on election day also seek to vote early because it is more convenient, as they do not have to vote in designated areas. Another important factor, especially in the current situation with COVID-19, is less crowding in the polls. The global pandemic raised concerns about elections as many people need to gather in in order to vote. If everyone in the entire nation were to vote on the same day, maintaining social distancing would be very difficult. Therefore, having a certain number of people vote in advance could significantly reduce crowding in polling places and help prevent the spread of the virus.

As much as there are benefits to early voting, some voters

have raised concerns about the procedure. One major concern is the safekeeping of the votes collected during early voting. According to the National Election Commission, the lack of security cameras outside the voting box on early voting days makes people nervous about what could happen to their ballots. In addition, a myriad of questions arise about what happens to the votes until the election day. Where are they held? Who is in charge of the votes? How do they plan on transporting the votes?

Another concern involves the unfairness of the distribution of information. Since early voting happens usually five days before the actual voting day, those who choose to vote early may not have access to information. For instance, an early voter may cast a ballot for a certain candidate only to find out two days later that the candidate was involved in a scandal. In that case, the early voter no longer has the ability to express

an opinion about that issue. This is the reason why some people suggest that early voting should happen only one day in advance or be abolished entirely. Along with the safekeeping concerns comes the question of whether it is acceptable for the campaigning time to become shorter due to the early voting.

Many are optimistic, however, that these issues will be addressed soon. Students are becoming more aware of what is happening in their country, opening up more opportunities for positive changes in the future. Democracy thrives when more people are engaged, and early ballots generate greater participation. Early voting, while imperfect in its current state, may provide policy makers with a tool to strive towards a more perfect democracy.

BY: Hannah Kim Sophomore, Reporter

America’s dilemma:

Balancing voting security and rights The 2020 US presidential election involved a series of controversial events that will be remembered as forewarnings of not only the deepening rift between political parties, but also the growing debate on voter rights and representation. A group of Donald Trump supporters rioted in the US Capitol in January, trying to stop the US Senate from certifying the results of the election that they claimed were “stolen” by fraud. The supporters also filed over 60 lawsuits in total, declaring hundreds of thousands of votes to be fraudulent and demanding election officials to illegally “Stop the Count.” Such dividing events have turned the attention of many Americans toward the democratic nature of their voting rights and representation, and in particular the question of which is the larger threat to democracy: election security or voter suppression?

Security concerns played a role in the 2016 election as well, when US intelligence agencies found that the Russian government had interfered with the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. In contrast to this foreign element, the main securi-

ty concerns of the 2020 election stemmed from within the country: the different types of voting that took place. As states began resorting more to mail-in ballots with the pandemic impeding outdoor activities, some encouraged this practice for facilitating the voting process for lower-income and disadvantaged communities, while others linked it with greater opportunities for voter fraud. This argument ultimately led to the numerous lawsuits. Among countless controversies surrounding the legitimacy of mail-in votes, including the optimum type of pen to use, one notable point of contention was that the decentralized American voting system allowed each state to make its own mailin-vote laws. The many discrepancies in mail-in-vote availability—with different states allowing them with a valid excuse, banning them altogether, requiring them, or permitting them without excuse—have created contrasting voting choices available to citizens of each state, complicating balloting procedures.

The variability of state laws also applies to voter regulation laws.

Ever since the Supreme Court in

2013 invalidated a key component of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, more states have passed restrictive laws on voter ID, registration, felony disenfranchisement, voting times, and more: changes that some believe are necessary for the security of elections. However, a common objection to these laws is that they suppress the voting opportunities of racial minorities, lower-income communities, and other often disadvantaged groups by imposing burdensome requirements. Texas, for instance, had two court cases in 2016 and 2017 that ruled that the state’s voter ID laws discriminated against Latino and African American voters. On March 25, the state of Georgia also passed a bill that required additional identity proof and removed drop boxes from certain locations, eliciting great disapproval from those whose eligibility and accessibility as voters were threatened.

The constant tug of war between achieving election security and simultaneously ensuring equal, fair voting rights for all has suggested the need for common ground between the two ideals.

Safeguarding both security and voting rights simultaneously may

seem paradoxical; the stricter the voting process gets in order to establish security, the more difficult it is for people to vote, especially for the younger, poorer, and nonwhite communities who, for instance, have less access to valid voter IDs. However, there has indeed been action taken to counter this. Most notably, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 was passed after the controversial election of 2000, when the close margin between Al Gore’s and George W. Bush’s votes required a recount. Because this problem was largely due to poor voting infrastructure that disqualified over 2 million votes, HAVA made major reforms, some of which made polls more accessible to minorities—especially those with disabilities—and allowed voters who are eligible but not registered to still vote. This act did draw criticism for complicating the registration process and putting pressure on technology to facilitate electronic voting machines, but it was widely considered a necessary attempt to achieve both security and wider voting rights.

The recurring, ever-growing threats of cyberattacks, voter ma-

nipulation, voter fraud, and suppression may make it seem impossible to implement a permanent system that resolves both security and voting rights. This dilemma has again forced Americans to consider which presents the greater danger: fraud and illegal voting or the repression of marginalized people’s votes. As both constitute a democratic atmosphere, the US continues to seek a balance that minimizes the compromise of either one. With future strategies that both strengthen security and limit suppression, citizens may hold renewed faith and confidence in the voting system despite the myriad of complex factors that influence its legitimacy. After all, though security procedures and universal voting rights were only incrementally added to the US throughout history, the voting system has consistently been on its way to secure the democratic principles that founded the US.

BY: Aimee Choi Sophomore, Reporter

8

GLOBAL NEWS

News Briefs

Ivies and top schools reflect historically low acceptance rates this year

After announcing record-breakingly low acceptance rates that dropped to low single digit percentages, this year’s Ivy League and top college admissions have proved competition to be ever more fierce. New test-optional policies, with some schools either going test-blind or no longer mandating ACT and SAT scores, have further encouraged students to apply for their colleges that may have previously felt out of their reach. This has resulted in a surge of applications, and subsequently, more competition. Furthermore, due to the system of virtual learning and financial concerns caused by COVID-19, many would-be undergraduates have decided to take a gap-year, causing the admission process for undergraduates and those graduating this year to overlap.

“I suspect that some students out there will be discouraged by what they’ve read about this spring,” Kelsey Edwards, the college counselor of SIS, said.

“Given that nearly all institutions have indicated that they will continue to be test optional or test blind, I think highly selective institutions will continue to receive substantially more applications and we can anticipate acceptance rates remaining low for a while.”

American states formally recognize Hanbok Day American states have been embroiled in disputes over Korean and Chinese culture, starting from a few months ago when China accused South Korea of stealing cultural heritage such as the Korean traditional dress hanbok. Such false assertions have pushed Korean American high school students to fight back and instate an official Hanbok Day in America. The Asian American Youth Council (AAYC), a youth organization which strives to represent the Asian American body in the United States, announced that the state of New Jersey will recognize Oct. 21 as Hanbok Day. This is the first time Hanbok Day has been formally established in a foreign nation, and the AYYC revealed that they will continue to promote Hanbok Day to be instituted in other states.

“When I first heard of China claiming that Hanbok originated from their culture, I was quite angry,” Sophia Eu (11), who celebrates Hanbok Day each year, said. “I was pleasantly surprised to see Korean students in America fighting for South Korean cultural heritage and being successful as they created Hanbok Day in certain states.”

Investigating the Seoul and Busan elections

Last year, positions held by the Democratic Party became vacant as the mayors of Seoul and Busan were involved with sexual harassment scandals. As a result, South Korea’s conservative opposition won the mayoral elections in Seoul and Busan by a landslide this year. This victory was also fueled by the public’s outrage at President Moon’s decision to increase housing prices and at the Democratic party for failing to stabilize the real estate market and land speculation scandals. Consequently, a great number of people have turned their backs against the Democratic Party and vented their frustration in this year’s mayoral election.

“Before the election, I somewhat predicted the results,” Eric Lee (10), avid watcher of JTBC news, said.

“I think that scandals and how the public feels towards decisions made, can heavily affect the results of an election. This year’s election clearly reflected anger and concerns, as the majority switched to supporting the conservative party.”

BY: Erin J. Choi Sophomore, Reporter

Amazon workers vote not to unionize

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n a labor battle of unprecedented events, Amazon workers voted against having Amazon’s first unionized warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama.. Out of almost 6,000 eligible employees, the fight between Amazon and workers ended with a final count of 1798 against the union and 738 with the union. The fight sparked earlier this year when warehouse workers approached the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union to possibly join and receive support. This led to the process of unionization, with a vote being needed to settle whether workers would be moving forward. Although the voting officially started on Feb. 8, the vote was not counted until t April 9.

“I’m not entirely familiar with the situation for Amazon workers, but I believe they are doing so to ameliorate the working environment or conditions or protesting some form of injustice they experienced,” Brian Cho (10), AP US History student, said. “Labor unions and the ability to unionize justify the sense of unity and togetherness that workers feel when they share or experience an injustice in the workforce.”

Throughout history, warehouse workers have tried to unionize in the US, often falling short of victory. This specific battle was the most important in decades. With Amazon being one of the largest private employers in the US, the union push was a surprisingly difficult feat. The last labor conflict with

Amazon was in 2014 when a warehouse in Delaware tried to unionize, but this also failed to reach enough votes. Unlike the last few elections, this one was full of controversies between Amazon and the workers. The company tried to dissuade its employees, adopting the phrase “Do without dues.” There were even cases of immoral external pressure placed on workers by Amazon, with some workers reporting receiving texts discouraging them from joining the union. Moreover, the mailbox needed for workers to send in their votes was conveniently placed next to the warehouse, inside of an Amazon tent. The pressure of having to make such an important decision in front of the employer was met with discomfort. Amazon rejected any accusations of intervention, but the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union has requested a legal hearing to the National Labor Relations Board about whether or not the results are a product of tampering.

“I think it was surprising to a lot of people, not just the result and the resolve to unionize, but the decisiveness and the margin of the vote,” James Kowalski, APUSH Teacher, said. “What we take for granted today, such as a 5 day work week, workers compensation, 8 hr work days, and more, those things were all fought for by unions. It’s easy to forget the gains labor unions have made historically. They’ve helped to normalize the working conditions that

we have now. The relationship between management and workers doesn’t have to be hostile—it can be positive.”

Amazon was not necessarily unable to compromise as it had made concessions in the past. For instance, it offered a $15 minimum wage, a form of health care, and other benefits. Still, the result of the vote was surprising after seeing that the workers had support and attention from all over the nation.

This included President Joe Biden himself, who commented that the right to unionize belongs to the people and that is a decision that should be made free from overbearing employers.

“I did hear that the workers were often subject to terrible, dehumanizing conditions, but I didn’t realize the full extent until very recently,” Eunie Choi (10), avid Amazon shopper and student, said. “It was unfortunate that they couldn’t get unionized because it would have brought a lot of good change and precedent for workers across the country. I think that if the consumers were to put more pressure on large brands such as Amazon to improve their working conditions and allow for workers to unionize, they could help the workers and unions against corporations that care more about production and speed than human rights.”

BY: Rachel Yoon Sophomore, Reporter

Supreme Court sides with Google in decade-long legal dispute against Oracle On April 12, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled in favor of Google in its decade-long, multibillion-dollar battle with Oracle. The case was opened in 2010, when Oracle sued Google for copyright infringement over the development of Android, a mobile operating system. Oracle’s argument was based on how Google had used 11,500 lines of Java code when creating Android.

However, SCOTUS ruled that this was not copyright infringement because Google utilized “lines of code that were needed to allow programmers to put their accrued talents to work in a new and transformative program.”

“I understand the reasoning behind the lawsuit because Google did utilize portions of Oracle’s product to create Android,” Andrew Park (10), Android user, said. “However, Android has

grown into a universal mobile operating system that people such as myself cannot live without. Since Google did not use Java code with malicious intent, I agree with SCOTUS’s verdict.”

This is not the first time Google has been involved in legal trouble. In October 2020, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Google of holding an illegal monopoly within the fields of online search and advertising. Unlike this previous legal matter, the Google v. Oracle case largely focuses on the specific code Google copied, which is part of an Application Programming Interface (API), a tool that allows programmers to utilize prewritten code to create new programs.

“Java code allows people to be creative when working on backend development,” Eric Lee (10), coding

enthusiast, said. “The language itself is a lot more flexible, and coders are expected to create structures that are usually pre-established in other languages. Thus, Java code is a popular language among professionals—not high schoolers. Decompiling, the process of re-running an existing code into a higher-level program, stands on a very fine line between illegal and legal activity. A lot of copyright problems arise due to this fine line.”

To determine if Google’s limited use of the API is fair, the Court examined four factors per the Copyright Act’s fair use provision: purpose and character of the use, nature of the copyrighted work, amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole, and the effect of the use upon the potential market. The court refused to make a decision on the central question that Google had raised of whether the Java code was copyrightable in the first place. Nevertheless, under the assumption that it was, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the majority claiming that Google utilized the code in a fair manner.

“The Google v. Oracle court case ran on for as long as it did because determining the boundaries of copyright law is a meticulous process,” Morgan Miller, AP Economics teacher, said. “It is hard to differentiate between copying and building off of existing material. I think many powerful corporations are going to fight the case verdict because it makes their intellectual property more accessible. However, I believe that SCOTUS made the correct decision since sharing knowledge can lead to various positive developments.”

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

May 2021

9

New executive order takes steps on gun control Without a doubt, the United States is the leading country in the number of civilian-owned guns. Moreover, the relatively low restrictions placed on buying and owning guns has contributed to the increasing number of gun violence cases around the country. Notably, there were approximately 14,400 gun-related homicides in the United States in 2019, and the numbers have only been climbing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, as marked by the recent shootings in Atlanta and Indianapolis. These statistics point to the possible necessity of revisions in gun control measures, with general public opinion also in consensus with this fact. Biden’s recent executive order, which aims to decrease the number of untraceable guns in use, serves to address this situation.

“While many Americans may wish for changes in the current gun control laws, gun rights activists pose a strong argument when they argue that the right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment,” Albert Hong (12), anti-gun supporter, said.

“I personally feel as though the Constitution is somewhat outdated, given that it was written almost 300 years ago when there was much more wildlife and general threat to life on a daily basis. The circumstances are simply so much different in the current day compared to when the Second Amendment was written, making revisions to gun laws necessary.”

Biden’s new executive order restricts the number of “ghost guns” in use by reinforcing background checks and allowing for the Justice Department to seize these types of unauthorized guns. To make a ghost gun, all that is required for a person to do is to purchase an assembly kit, which does not require a background check and therefore cannot be traced. Almost 40 percent of all guns seized by authorities in Los Angeles, a city where curbing gun violence is a perpetual challenge, have been ghost guns.

“When I think of gun violence, one of the first topics that come to mind are school shootings,” Michael Cho (12), high school student, said. “School shootings are somewhat joked about—for example, the song ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ refers to one such school shooting and has become an internet sensation. While this comedy culture makes fun of a terrible trend, it also served to show how regular these types of news are

to us now, to the point where the public has become desensitized to gun violence.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen the highest-ever spike in US gun sales since the FBI began collecting data 20 years ago, largely as a result of fear of social disorder and the possibility of established institutions such as the police and the central government eroding over time. While Biden’s new executive order allows for some degree of crackdown on the use of unauthorized and untraceable guns—and also does not require approval from the Congress to be legally implemented—many people argue that it is not nearly enough to curb the rate with which gun violence cases are increas-

204

On April 15, 1817, Thomas H. Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc founded the first-ever American school for the deaf in Hartford, Connecticut.

This special institution, the Connecticut Asylum, now operating as the American School for the Deaf, consists of diverse curriculums specially designed for those without hearing. The initial purpose behind the establishment of this educational institution was to provide equal educational opportunities to minorities in society. Gallaudet and Clerc wanted to promote the idea of equal chance, better education, and a better future for all.

The establishment of this educational institution was of great significance for those who previously were deprived of many freedoms. It

ing in the United States. For even modest new gun control measures to be implemented, the president requires approval of the Congress. However, the harsh reality is that there are not nearly enough votes in Congress for pro-gun control laws to be passed. The future, for anti-gun supporters, seems somewhat grim.

“While I am not personally against gun control, I could probably say that the majority of my state’s residents are,” Steven Nave, previous Tennessee resident, said. “The biggest argument that pro-gun supporters make is that ‘a good person with a gun will stop a bad person with a gun,’ but the incidents in which this happens is

miniscule; there is only one story I remember having read in which a shooter was stopped by a passerby with a gun. Therefore, I feel as though it is unwise to base one’s entire philosophy on the gun control issue on a situation that rarely happens, especially considering if you weigh that against all the mass shootings that have happened in the United States in the past 10 years or so.”

BY: Jiwon Lee Senior, Managing Editor

years ago, today…

BY Katherine

Suk

indicated a growing sense of respect and inclusion of people with hearing loss by opening a gate to a world with equal opportunities for education. Throughout history, disabled people had to endure severe discrimination, abuse, and disrespect from both people in their local communities and national legislation. Hence, this academic institute served as a turning point in changing the world into one where all groups could live in one society without one party being excluded and disadvantaged.

Currently, the status of opportunities present for people with disabilities is dramatically different than in the past. There are 200 programs of study for those hard of hearing to choose from, 53,155 reported residential schools for the blind, and

countless more organizations and voluntary services for people with disabilities. The world is making great progress in cultivating a more inclusive world for the disabled.

However, more efforts are necessary at the social level; in other words, the mindset of the public must change. For instance, there are still people that take advantage of the disabled. From those who scam them to those who steal from them, offenders are more likely to target disabled individuals, who are more vulnerable to such crimes.

There are also many services that disregard such minority groups.

For example, many online applications are uncomfortable and sometimes impossible to use for disabled people. People without

such disabilities need to make a bigger effort to change the current social stigma regarding disabled individuals. Accommodating and respecting their differences in daily social interactions is necessary to achieve true equity for the disabled.

After the establishment of the first school for the deaf, it is undeniable that the world has come a long way, making both legislative and social changes for the people who are hard of hearing. However, we still need to work more on the social changes and the general mindset of the people regarding disabled individuals. A world that respects all minorities with inevitable differences is the idealistic world we should all try to strive for.

10 SPORTS/LIFESTYLE Lil Nas X swept into a series of controversies

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ontero Lamar Hill, who goes by the name Lil Nas X, is a 22-year-old American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Listed as one of the 25 most influential people on the Internet in 2019 by Time Magazine, the popular young artist rose to fame through social media as his country rap song, “Old Time Road,” that went viral in 2018. Recently, Lil Nas X has been entangled in a series of controversies regarding the release of his music video “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” along with his shoes designed in partnership with MSCHF. Despite the heated responses, Lil Nas X’s new single has garnered great support from his fans, and has also retained its ranking of second place on the Billboard Global chart.

“I see many social media influencers and artists easily getting affected by scandals or contro-

versies they are involved in,” Francisco Choi (11), active social media user, said. “I was shocked to see Lil Nas X being able to face the controversies without letting it negatively affect the ranking and result of his music, and I think that this has much to do with his strong fan base.”

On March 26, Lil Nas X released his new single “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” and immediately became the subject of religious-based controversy. The music video emphasizes Lil Nas X’s message that he is unable to conceal his true identity, and depicts the artist interacting with demons and the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

The video also conveys an explicit scene of Lil Nas X performing an overtly sexual dance with Satan, which generated complaints from religious and conservative figures.

In response to the conservative

mockery and criticism, Lil Nas X defended his music video by arguing that he will not cater his work to a certain audience by making his music appropriate or to try to satisfy all people.

“I have been a long time fan of Lil Nas X’s music and respected him as an artist,” Eric Kim (10), avid fan of Lil Nas X, said. “However, I do think that his new music video was bound to receive criticism from religious people, as it was rather graphic and explicit. At the same time, I do see what Lil Nas X argued, because after all, it is his choice to decide the type of content and music he wants to put out.”

Just a few days after the music video release, Lil Nas X found himself caught up in yet another scandal that fueled even more backlash. On March 29, Lil Nas X launched his “Satan Shoes,” which he created in collaboration with

the company MSCHF. The limited edition black-and-red sneakers, which feature a bronze pentagon down the lace of the shoes, an inverted cross detail, and a drop of real human blood extracted from workers at the MSCHF art collective, sold out in less than a minute.

The controversy surrounding the shoe surfaced because the design of the sneaker was based on a Nike Air Max 97, despite Nike having no relation with their production. As a result, Nike claimed trademark infringement on the unauthorized shoe, and obtained a temporary restraining order against MSCHF within a week of initial sales. The two companies have reached an agreement through which MSCHF has agreed to buy back the sneakers from customers at the original price. Furthermore, the shoes also attracted criticism from religious and political individuals, includ-

Show Review: Attack on Titan Season 4 *Spoilers for those who have not watched season 1,2,3* “Attack On Titan'' Season 4 follows a world set four years after Season 3, in which the Eldians, the inhabitants of Paradis Island, are now engaged in a brutal and bloody war against the Marleyans, a human race that has been largely shrouded in mystery. However, in contrast with the past few seasons, Season 4 gives introspection into the lives of the people of Marley, who had been previously painted as antagonists by the main characters and whose perspectives were largely neglected. Zeitgeisty, heart-pounding, and bloody, the culminating season of “Attack on Titan”provides a thrilling experience to the viewer that is not only visually and aurally stunning but deeply meaningful with its underlying allegories on war and conflict.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have access to the new season because I would need English subtitles, which are currently not out right now,” Megan Lee, AP Literature teacher and avid viewer of the anime, said. “But when I am eventually able to watch it, I will be very excited to.”

One aspect that the season particularly excelled in was plot development. Since the season was largely delivered from the perspective of the Marleyans, fans who had watched the previous seasons were essentially walking on uncharted territory.

While each episode introduced a wealth of information, such as new characters and settings, it did so in a way that did not overwhelm the viewers. Another strength of the season was its portrayal of the ambiguities of war. By shifting perspectives from the protagonists to focus on their opposition, the viewer increasingly realizes that the Marleyans were not the monstrous villains that the Eldians and they themselves had previously believed them to be.

Rather, they are human beings with a warped sense of justice and morality, heavily influenced by the propaganda and misinformation spread by their own government.

This uncomfortable reality draws

an important lesson that has perhaps reigned true far too many times in human history: that the true enemy of war is not a person nor a single body, but systems of bigotry that play people against each other.

“When I was watching the show, I felt very conflicted,” Hyeonseo Park (10), long-time fan of the “Attack On Titan” franchise, said. “Both the Eldians and the Marleyans do not seem to recognize how little they know about the other side or how similar they are to each other. It almost feels

like they are both fighting for no reason at all.”

As with any other show, Season 4 also has its own fallouts. For a project that was produced under a tight time frame of eight months, the quality of the animation is phenomenal. However, as a consequence of the short preparation period, the action sequences often come across as rigid and lifeless, as the animators placed an over-reliance on CGI effects.

The season also could have been better off without many of the montages depicting the history

of the Eldians and Marleyans.

These scenes, while important for the audience to understand the context of the war, make the pacing feel slower and the show unnecessarily lengthy. Despite these shortcomings, the season is still incredibly enjoyable to watch.

When viewing, it is recommended that the audience starts from the first season as there are exciting plot twists and character reveals that simply would not be as impactful if one were to delve into the show cold.

“I think I prefer the first and

ing Evangelical pastor Mark Burns, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who described the sneakers as “evil” and “heresy.”

“My first thought when I heard of the shoes was that the sneakers were not going to do well,” Jeon Hana, avid consumer of Nike, said. “Especially because Nike is my favourite shoe brand, I found this particularly more offensive. By copying off another company, the product is going to lack authenticity, and I think that if something is not original, there is a limit on how well it can do. At the same time, I was not surprised when I heard of this controversy, as many companies copy ideas that are not theirs and lack much creativity.”

BY: Erin J. Choi Sophomore, Reporter

second season of ‘Attack on Titan’ more than the fourth,” Amelia Chung (10), anime enthusiast, said. “I just find them to be more stirring and action-packed. But, I also found season 4 to be absolutely amazing. I was especially happy because my favorite character, Levi Ackerman, had some great scenes. I look forward to seeing what this show will have to offer in the future.”

BY: Bona Suh Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

May 2021

Tokyo Olympics moves forward as planned Despite uncertainty and concerns created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olympics International Committee has decided to hold the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as scheduled. The Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled for 2020 but were postponed due to safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the committee has decided to move forward with the summer Olympics, compensating for the continued pandemic by adopting stricter measures of social distancing to minimize the spread of the virus. Ahead of the games, Yuriko Koike, a Tokyo government official, asked residents to avoid nonessential trips and practice social distancing. She also asked bars and restaurants to close at 8 p.m.

“I am impressed by the recent pandemic preventive measures in Tokyo,” Wonju Lee (11), an avid fan of sports, said. “Japan had ineffective COVID preventive measures during the earlier stages of the pandemic, which led to increased cases in the nation. For example, the self-quarantine policy was not enforced, and there were not enough masks to distribute to the people. The measures that they recently implemented to stop the spread of COVID will definitely be

helpful in ensuring safety for the athletes participating in the Olympics.”

The Tokyo Olympics will attempt to undertake innovative initiatives to evolve and expand upon past Olympic games. There are new sports making a debut in the Tokyo Olympics, such as skateboarding, surfing, breaking, and sport climbing. Moreover, there will be fresh twists added to existing Olympic sports as well. For instance, there will be three on three competitions for basketball in addition to the conventional five-on-five rounds.

In addition, cyclists will be allowed to participate in BMX freestyle and perform tricks of their choice.

“The new changes that are about to take place are very interesting,” Morgan Davis, high school counselor looking forward to the Olympics, said. “Sports that are not admitted in the Olympics tend to earn less recognition from the people compared to other sports. I think the introduction to the new sports will not only be a fresh reform to the conventional sports line-up in the Olympics but also an opportunity for people to gain interest in a more variety of sports.”

The mascot of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics is Miraitowa, which is a cartoon-like character covered in an

indigo blue pattern. Its name originates from the combination of Japanese words “mirai,” meaning future, and “towa,” meaning eternity. There has been controversy regarding the initial version of the Olympics logo which was created in 2015. It was accused of plagiarism and thus was replaced with the current logo, which is a harmonized checkered emblem.

The current version of the logo looks like a jagged soccer ball with a hollow center, with several sizes of triangles blended together to form a circle.

“I think the mascot and the logo well represent the upcoming Olympics,” Angela Kim (11), an avid soccer fan, said. “I heard that the mascot intends to represent a wish that the Tokyo Olympics will bring a future of everlasting hope for everyone in the world. I think this idea of well-being for everybody captures the spirit of the Olympics well because the Olympics are events that aim to provide an opportunity for people in different countries to unite and harmonize.”

BY: Clara Lim Junior, Layout Artist

11

Texas Rangers open season with full audience

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n March 10, the Texas Rangers, a Texas-based Major League Baseball (MLB) team, opened its home stadium to accommodate up to 100 percent of their seating capacity, making them the first MLB team to do so since the start of the pandemic. This was in response to Texas governor Greg Abbott’s announcement that he would be removing the state’s mask mandate as well as opening up the Texan economy to 100 percent. The news came as a surprise to most people, and the full opening of the Globe Life Field, the home ground of the Rangers, has brought forth national attention.

“The MLB reopening honestly came as a total shock to me,” Hana Jeon, passionate baseball fan, said. “I personally did not think such an event was possible, but I am overjoyed. The baseball stadium provides a different atmosphere when it is full or not, because the chants and loud laughter are crucial parts of the game. As a baseball fan, I recognize the amount of change this is and how exciting baseball games could be once again.”

Since the stadium opened in the midst of a global pandemic, Texas state officials necessitated a set of protocols to be followed in all games.

Although the mask mandate has been removed for Texas, a face covering was necessary to gain entrance in sports stadiums. Furthermore, the Rangers revealed plans to maximize seating capacity at their final two exhibition games, but to permit only distanced seating after opening day. These regulations sought to address the 45,500 COVID-19 deaths that have occurred since the

beginning of the virus in Texas while also reopening the Texan economy.

“As a person that has followed MLB since the start of childhood, I was extremely pleased after hearing the news about the Rangers opening to maximum capacity,” Sean Lee (10), MLB fanatic, said.

“However, I also understand the need to follow pandemic protocols in order to prevent dire consequences that will prevent the opening of other teams. I really hope that the virus is contained effectively during these games because failure to do so would mean that the stadiums would have to reflect upon the increasing numbers.”

With the Rangers pushing through with its promises to seat a full audience, other sports teams have started to consider the matter with great caution. Texas teams such as the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns are looking over their plans to follow in the Rangers’ footsteps. As COVID-19 continues to influence the lives of Americans, people are hopeful to see drastic changes being made in the sports industry.

“I think this certainly goes beyond the MLB,” Eric Chang (10), all-around sports fan, said. “A true sports fan would be absolutely delighted by the recent announcements as it will allow for more flexibility in other aspects of life. Even though I am overjoyed by MLB news alone, I am more excited for changes in the NFL and NBA.”

BY: Isabelle Lee Sophomore, Reporter

Hit or Miss: Yankees acquire Rougned Odor On April 6, the New York Yankees made an unexpected move of trading two of their outfield prospects, Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers, to the Texas Rangers and acquiring the Rangers’ second baseman, Rougned Odor in return.

But was this puzzling move a hit or miss for the Yankees and the Rangers?

Overall: Hit for Yankees, Miss for Rangers After a relatively active offseason in which they re-signed their star second-baseman, DJ Lemahieu, and signed former Cy-Young winner Corey Kluber and 29-year-old pitching phenom Jameson Taillon, the Yankees made another major move. Just a few days into the 2021 season, the Yankees acquired Rangers second baseman, Rougned Odor, as a part of a trade with the Texas Rangers. In return, the Rangers received minor league outfield prospects, Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers.

While puzzling, the move was more of a hit than a miss for the Yankees. While

the Yankees infield is one of the most robust in the MLB, boasting AL batting champion DJ Lemahieu at second, homerun leader Luke Voit at first, and very solid bats in the form of Gleyber Torres and Gio Ushela, the recent injury of Luke Voit left a void in the Yankees’ infield. The acquisition of Odor would fill that void in the infield by shifting Lemahieu to first base and putting Odor at second. Considering that Luke Voit will be out for the season after he opted to take knee surgery, Odor would provide a temporary solution in the infield throughout the season. Although Odor hit a mere ten home runs in the shortened 2020 season and led the league in strikeouts in 2019, he still has some promising potential as a power-hitter considering his 30 home runs in 2019. Amidst the winning culture and new environment of the New York Yankees, there is a high possibility that his raw power can be used to shape him into a capable slugger who can replace Voit throughout the 2021 season.

The move is also a great hit for the Yan-

kees financially. The bulk of the 27 million dollar contract left on Odor’s contract will be paid by the Rangers and the Yankees are essentially paying no money for their new acquisition. The only price the Yankees had to pay for acquiring Odor was trading away their minor league outfield prospects, Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers to the Rangers. However, both Cabello and Stowers are mediocre prospects with Cabello being an 18th ranked prospect within the Yankees and Stowers is not expected to develop beyond a backup role. Overall, the Yankees essentially acquired Odor for practically nothing and filled a gap in the infield.

For the Rangers, the trade is a clear miss. Although the Rangers seemingly lost hope in Odor blooming into a potential star by designating him for assignment, Odor was still a valuable bat for the struggling Rangers team who could deliver reliable power to the weak Rangers’ offense. Additionally, while it is true that the Rangers received prospects they needed for rebuilding their strug-

gling team in the Odor trade, Cabello and Stowers are not quality prospects that can be relied on to help with their rebuilding process.

Financially, the trade is an even greater miss for the Rangers as they are paying the bulk of Odor’s 27 million dollar contract—despite him being a player who no longer plays on the team.

All in all, the trade has a lot of positive aspects for the Yankees as they have found a potential temporary replacement for Voit with the acquisition of Odor and traded only two mediocre prospects for him. On the other hand, the Rangers have given away Odor for almost nothing all the while being held responsible for paying what remains of Odor’s contract and receiving only two below-average minor leaguers in return; this trade, therefore, is an overall miss for them.

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

12

SMALL TALK

DEEP_FRIED_INTERNET THE RISE AND FALL OF

PEPE THE FROG

Frogs are noble creatures. However, the world’s most famous green frog may not even be a real one, but rather an internet sensation named Pepe. Pepe the Frog made his first appearance in “Boy’s Club,” a 2006 slacker comic series created by Matt Furie, which chronicles the adventures of four teenage anthropomorphic roommates, one of whom is Pepe. One particular phrase made by Pepe, “feels good man,” caught the interest of thousands of users on 4chan, an imageboard website similar to Reddit that allows users to explore their interests through various boards, eventually becoming viral.

Pepe’s journey to stardom began in 4chan, where

Culture x Race: To appreciate, not appropriate

The Kardashians wearing cornrows.

Katy Perry dressing up as a geisha for a performance. Beyonce embedding Indian culture in a music video. Karlie Kloss wearing a Native American headdress on the runway. Countless other incidents like these in the past decade have evoked controversies regarding cultural appropriation. But what exactly is this term, and why is it a problem?

Cultural appropriation happens when a dominant-culture group adopts the culture of a non-dominant group, often leading to the loss or degradation of the culture’s meaning. Whether intentional or not, cultural appropriation “occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take it for themselves,” Amandla Stenberg, an African American actress, explained. Appropriation can highlight racial inequality, reinforce racial stereotypes, or ignorantly change the original meaning of a cultural symbol.

Cornrows and other styles of braids have long been both an important part of black culture and a major topic regarding cultural appropriation. Stemming from African origins, these hairstyles have allowed black people to protect their natural hair while creatively expressing themselves. However, while black people have consistently been discriminated against and stigmatized for wearing them in public settings, non-black people who wear cornrows do not have to deal with such discrimination and are often even praised. For instance, Giuliana Rancic, a TV host, said the dreadlocks of Zendaya,

he gained immense popularity in the platform’s /b/ board, its most popular channel and the birthplace of many legendary memes. His popularity continued to soar as he was introduced to other online venues such as 8chan and Reddit. First known as the “feel good frog,” Pepe’s facial expressions were altered to convey a range of emotions, with these variations of Pepe having names, such as the “feels frog” and “angry Pepe.” Pepe’s influence reached the market as well as users created “rare Pepes” which could be bought and sold like trading cards. At one point, Pepe became one of the meme world’s most recognizable faces.

But as Pepe became more well known across the Internet, he also caught the attention of political groups who began to use him for more insidious purposes. During Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, Pepe became a symbol of the alt-right and white supremacy, receiving both recognition from prominent right-wing politicians and condemnation from Trump’s Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, whose campaign categorized him as a “symbol associated with white supremacy.” Things took a turn for the worse when some neo-Nazis adopted him in Nazi propaganda, prompting major media outlets to report that Pepe was a hate symbol: a claim that was later supported by the Anti-Defamation League. With this, Pepe turned from an emblem of fun to one of hatred, dividing people along ideological lines. Devas-

rosa suh n bona suh

tated that his character had been twisted into a symbol of hate, Matt Furie killed off Pepe in his comic.

The demonization of Pepe can seem puzzling to many. How can a harmless-looking frog be turned into a Nazi motif ? More broadly, how can a meme have such a deep impact on real world politics? As the Web expands, so does the sway of Internet culture in real life; it has seemingly seeped into every crevice of society. It only takes a viral post to cause ripples outside the screen. The Internet that Pepe was born into is no longer a place where people can escape from real life, but one that actively influences how we live.

Despite his canon death, Pepe remains an iconic meme still utilized by many across the world. Although his legacy was tarnished by individuals aiming to turn him into a political symbol, to many, he still represents a fond memory created on the Internet. At the same time, he is a warning of how Internet culture can have unintended real world consequences, how something as simple as a picture of a smiling frog can sow ideological rifts. And to those outside of the Western audience, Pepe can signify something entirely different; for instance, Pepe was used by protestors in Hong Kong as a pro-democracy symbol. These disparate and often contradictory interpretations of Pepe show that ultimately, there is no one meaning to a meme (or anything, for that matter). How you interpret Pepe is up to you.

Intersecting Identities Aimee Choi, Rachel Yoon

a black actress, seemed to “[smell] like patchouli oil,” while describing those of Kylie Jenner, a white celebrity, as “edgy.”

The recent “fox eye trend,” in which people used makeup or photo edits to mimic slanted eyes, further exemplifies these disparate perceptions. While many Asians have experienced stereotyping and discrimination for the shape of their eyes, the trend makes this shape fashionable and desirable on non-Asians, trivializing the racism Asians have faced. Such blatant contrast of attitude is an unfair result of cultural appropriation.

Still, it is unclear to many what precautions to take to avoid appropriating others’ cultures. Acts like blackface or insulting comedic imitations of a culture are obviously at fault, but it is more difficult to discern whether less conspicuous acts are appreciative or appropriating of a certain culture. This brings up the question: what is the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation? Simply put, appreciation is to give credit, to respect and understand the cultural significance, and to show a willingness to learn rather than simply “taking’’ meaningful practices. The first step is to avoid wearing cultural styles as costumes or fashion items and rather wear them in appropriate contexts, such as in a traditional wedding or the country from which the style originates.

As the world continues to globalize, culture inevitably evolves and blends, blurring the once-sharp boundaries between different ethnic and racial groups. Hence, it is more relevant than ever to be able to appreciate, not appropriate, different cultures as they reach new heights.

photo of the

month

Photo by Jennifer Kwon (10)

Keenly jotting down notes, Allison Lee (9) brainstorms new club ideas for the upcoming school year.