Tiger Times Volume 53 Issue 3

Tiger Times Volume 53 • Issue 3 • November 2021 • ttonl.org

3 Extended Viewpoint Student Led Discourse

6 9 Student Spotlight Focus

Eating Disorders

Twinergy at SIS

layout by Katie Kim

2 Editorial

VIEWPOINT

Technology: a double-edged sword

Hierarchy in the hallways by

Jenny Seo & Emily Sung editors-in-chief

No eye contact at all costs. Rapid footsteps across hallways. Hours of overthinking a text before clicking “send” with trembling fingers on Facebook Messenger. The grade-level hierarchy has always been the fattest elephant in the room at SIS. Time and time again, students have been told that a rigid social hierarchy within the school community is harmful–– several often feel intimidated and patronized by upperclassmen. Of course, a caste system-like structure can never satisfy everyone; however, the rationale behind the traditional Korean age supremacy is an uncomfortable but sensible truth.

When we stroll through the so-called “senior lounges” today, the odd sight of groups of freshmen and seniors sitting directly across from each other greets our eyes. This is one of many examples that reflect the changing landscape of class culture particularly this school year. Underclassmen easily change to a more informal tone, actively voice their disagreements to club policies, and generally brush off words of advice. However, it is essential to realize that in school, there exist two distinct worlds: social and academic. Socially, a freshman and senior can bond over their mutual love over basketball, striking easy conversations or facing each other off on the same court. But place these two in the same club and we are left with a completely different picture.

The friendly senior who had passed the ball during practice the other day can just as easily give a strike to the freshman for failing to meet club expectations––and that would be completely acceptable.

In an environment where a certain distinction between roles is necessary, a hierarchy is essential. Take a missed deadline for a club assignment, for example. An underclassman conscious of their position as a member is more likely to address such issues in an apologetic manner and recognize their faults. However, an overly comfortable underclassman may be indifferent and unconcerned, dismissing their careless behavior with a “sorry I had a summative.” This affects the club as a whole, not only delaying the completion of certain projects but also instilling the notion to peers that upperclassmen executives can be disregarded.

Furthermore, it places an unneeded burden on the shoulders of upperclassmen who must fulfill their responsibilities in addition to overseeing inexperienced members. Most of those selected for executive positions carry rational justifications for being delegated such jobs and should rightfully be respected.

A complete blur of boundaries and a dismissal of hierarchy between these two general social groups, underclassmen and upperclassmen, is not ideal. On the other hand, of course, avoiding eye contact is completely irrational. Shuffling through hallways or fretting over short text messages is also so.

Rather, acknowledging that easygoing vertical relationships are more effective than unconditional requirements of horizontal friendships is imperative. A flow of healthy interactions from top to bottom of the pyramid, bottom to up, side to side, is what is needed in order to establish a community where a balance of respect and amity between all classes can coexist in both the social and academic worlds at school.

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

layout by Clara Lim

O

ver the past decade, society has seen immense developments and innovations in technology, incorporating more of it into peoples’ everyday lives for convenience. With computers used for storing data, large projectors for presentations, and phones for communication, technology has certainly helped us carry out work more effectively and efficiently. However, it is now influencing educational approaches around the globe in several ways, as more technology is used by students to study. In a way, this incorporation of technology in education is a double-edged sword: although it gives students access to a variety of resources, it can also be the primary source of distraction.

This can be observed in SIS where computers are regularly incorporated into the curricula of elementary, middle, and high school. Teachers rely on a variety of online platforms to give resources to study, track student assignments, or give collaborative work. Google Classroom is the main platform used to assign homework, and Google Docs is used for taking notes. Normally, schools would only allow students access to their computers for such tasks, restricting devices to educational sites only. However, SIS takes this a step further by requiring students to carry individual computers starting from fourth grade.

With this system, all students can comfortably use their computers and have access

to valuable educational resources, such as the school-provided E-library. However, what this system fails to realize are the harms of excessive access to technology, as it is not long until individual laptops become major sources of distraction. When given this technological freedom, many students choose to watch YouTube or play video games instead of actively engaging in class.

Because SIS does not have regulatory measures that prevent students from accessing such entertainment sources, it is difficult for teachers to completely prohibit students from going off-task during class time.

According to Chris Bracciano, AP Psychology teacher, using technology excessively also weakens memorization and comprehension skills even for students of the high school level. Studies conducted by York and McMaster University display how test scores are affected by using computers: their results showed that compared to students who took notes by hand, students who used their computers to study scored lower on tests. The surprising part of this experiment was that using technology could even cause a distraction to surrounding students.

Those who did not even use a computer but were simply seated next to computers also got lower scores. This proves the third-party harm of technology and how it may worsen the environment for other students as well.

The overuse of technology can be harm-

ful to future academic careers, as it can lead to larger problems such as procrastination or reduced competence in important communication skills. According to a research article published on Sciendo by Dr. Khadija Alhumaid, Assistant professor of Education and researcher in technology-enhanced learning at Zayed University, doing assignments online can deteriorate middle and high school students’ competence in reading and writing due to the reliance on applications that correct grammatical mistakes. She also states that online learning dehumanizes educational environments as it decreases social interactions between teachers and students, which worsens communication skills.

There are still benefits to using technology for educational purposes. It cannot be denied that its convenience gives students the access to use resources that would help in doing their work. However, in order to create the best learning environment for students at SIS, a balance between in-person learning and technology usage is necessary. One of the major problems of using computers is that it lowers concentration levels and undermines memorization. It would be significantly better if students practiced taking notes by hand, or try to read and incorporate offline sources. Teachers could also support students to do this by encouraging them to write down important points that they give throughout their presentations. Additionally, it would be helpful for students if they could have more time to have discussions in classes.

Incorporating activities that involve discussions, where students get to solve problems together and interact, would be able to help students in communication. If these new changes are implemented, students would be able to flourish during their academic careers and create a far better learning environment for everyone in SIS.

BY: David Kim Sophomore, Reporter

The golden ratio of praise and criticism We live in a never-ending cycle of feedback. Whether it is about our habits, test grades, social circles, relationship statuses, or attitudes, we always receive some form of opinion from others—particularly from our parents. This is necessary, of course, for maturing children need adults to attend to them. But considering the malleability of students’ brains, parental input has a much greater impact than one may expect. All too often, students are heavily swayed by each and every compliment, criticism, and commentary we receive. In this sensitive and crucial stage in our lives, it is necessary to ensure parental feedback supports a happy and fulfilling upbringing.

The question of the “correct” type of parental feedback is especially relevant in a place like SIS, where students are constantly under high pressure to make “correct” independent decisions. While every family varies, strict parents with high academic expectations, also known as “tiger parents,” are not an unfamiliar trope in SIS. It is not hard to find students complaining about the string of criticism they received the night before for choosing Netflix over test preparation or hanging out with friends after school for too long.

However, considering how Korea is a country with notoriously demanding educational standards, changing these existing dynamics of parenting may be a difficult task. But it is not necessary—let alone possible—to overhaul this culturally ingrained dynamic.

What we do need is an evaluation of one major factor that differentiates the types of parenting: the use of both praise and criticism.

Psychologists and educational experts

have long debated the effectiveness of praise tests, such as conferencing with teachers or and criticism in enhancing a child’s upbring- reviewing past work, would be more valuaing. Generally, praise boosts children’s ble than simply expressing disappointment self-esteem and confidence, minimizes their in their “stupidity.” Judgmental, critical stress levels, and consequently allows them to language merely worsens conflicts between perform to their fullest potential. Criticism parents and students. can also serve as a source of motivation to Another possible direction is to lessen the better themselves. However, it holds the risk amount of feedback given overall, trusting of cutting down children’s self-esteem, not the students’ process of independent learnonly raising stress levels but also damaging ing and decision-making. Though a handstheir ability to trust themselves, which can off approach may seem irresponsible, it is an be a critical detriment to their young minds. opportunity to build greater trust and push Too much of either is poisonous. While students to think thoroughly when making the problem with too much criticism may decisions. Swedish parents are particularly be obvious, too much praise can promote an known for their de-emphasis on teaching inflated sense of accomplishment and pride, children the value of rigorous academic fostering arrogant attitudes. Or, on the other work: one factor considered to account for the hand, too much praise can unintentionally country’s high happiness ranking. Of course, pressure children to never falter. Neither however, Swedish society is starkly different praise nor criticism is completely “good.” The from both American and Korean societies, key is to find a healthy ratio between the two: where competition and educational stakes a job only possible through open, honest, and are higher. Hence, while there are clear limiconsistent communication between parents tations to large-scale changes in SIS families’ and children. dynamics, individual households willing to Both parents and children should be open make change can attempt to lessen the degree to having intentional conversations about of adult input on children’s decision-making. what method works best for them. Some There is no golden ratio of praise and students prefer receiving plenty of praise criticism. All parents come from different to minimize stress, while others find some backgrounds and belief systems, and all chilforms of criticism to be helpful in pushing dren have unique needs. With more regular them to achieve higher goals. Considering the communication and a mutually satisfactory psychological harms of criticism, parental dynamic, however, children will be able to criticism should always be constructive, serv- better their mental health and reach their full ing to guide the child to move forward with potential, and parents will be able to conimprovements rather than to shame them for nect with their children on a deeper level. their past actions. When a child has received subpar test grades, for instance, suggesting a BY: Aimee Choi realistic course of action to take before future Junior, Copy Editor

Tiger Times

November 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 53 Issue 3 Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editors-in-Chief Emily Sung Jenny Seo Website Editor-in-Chief Sarah Ju Paper Managing Editor Skylar Peck

Website Managing Editors Woojune Kim Jordan Kim

Graphics Editor Jennifer You Photo Editor Alice Lee

Paper Copy Editors Rosa Suh Rachel Yoon Katie Kim Aimee Choi Website Copy Editors Katherine Suk Sunny Lee Erin Choi

Production Editors Bona Suh Website Design Clara Lim Editor Minjae Chun

Layout Artists Yuzine Yi Junseo Lee Reporters Hannah Kim Jennifer Kwon Isabelle Lee Jack Lee Hugo Lee Bin Ma John Kim Katelyn Oh

Grace Lee Ian Park David Kim Paul Moon Daniel Shin Cherlin Kim Joseph Chun Jasmine Jeong Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Viewpoint Feature: At SIS, students are encouraged to engage in meaningful discussions with teachers, ask thoughtful questions, and explore ideas beyond the classroom setting. Yet, a growing number of students have regrettably shied away from seeking additional support during office hours and other time periods, all too often being influenced by a broad range of factors, including the stigmatization of “tryhards” resulting from the competitive atmosphere at SIS. SIS must implement appropriate measures to foster a more inclusive setting for students to ask meaningful questions.

What are the factors that deter students from freely seeking additional support?

How can SIS promote a more welcoming environment to facilitate student and teacher discourse?

Encouraging student-led discourse

A

t 9:20 a.m. every school day, SIS high school students fill the hallways as they file out of their first period classes with 30 minutes of office hours to spare—invaluable time to complete unfinished work, snack on food from the school store, interact with friends, or ask teachers questions before the start of second period.

Given the limited time, students often try their very best to make the most out of office hours.

But what exactly does it mean to make the most out of office hours? Ask any high school student about their whereabouts during the period and one will likely get different answers. For some, socializing with friends might be making the most out of the 30-minute time frame—in no other period during the school day aside from activity period do students have the chance to freely interact with anyone aside from those they have classes with.

For others, completing work or studying for an exam might be the best way to spend office hours.

While it may appear that a student’s choice of activity during office hours depends solely on where one’s priorities lie, a broad range of factors heavily skews one’s preferences, especially of those who have lingering questions to ask teachers. One of the most prominent factors stems from the competitive learning environment at SIS. We hear the word almost everywhere— from the hallways and in classrooms, the word “tryhard” permeates through SIS. Call it slang, a pejorative, a slur, or a misnomer, “tryhard” is not a word you will ever come across in everyday dictionaries, and for good reason. Found exclusively on Wiktionary, the derogatory term “tryhard” has commonly been used to negatively describe

highly ambitious students who are glued to their seats for hours studying for an exam.

More recently, however, the word “tryhard” has been associated with students who frequently ask questions. Such stigma has led many students to shy away from making inquiries, fearing that they may be negatively viewed by their peers.

It must also be pointed out that more often than not, those who use the term are often as ambitious as those who they label as “tryhards.” Nevertheless, negative views on those who showcase extraordinary effort are commonplace and can be attributed to the competitive environment to which the majority of students are acclimated. Pushing students to their fullest potential, competition breeds additional self-consciousness among those who often gauge their performance by comparing themselves to others. Such comparisons can help students track improvements, at best. But at worst, comparisons can have far-reaching consequences, leading some students to view others’ successes as confirmation that they are not as good as their peers. Such thoughts can deter students, who may feel that asking questions can come across to classmates as a sign of deficiency, from seeking help. As such, students may be tempted to forgo the opportunity to receive additional help and rather shroud themselves in the assurance that they perfectly understand classroom material.

The solution to the aforementioned problems lies in promoting healthy competition—one in which students respect each others’ efforts and learn together as one student body. To do this, SIS must address the existing stigma, which stems from students constantly comparing them-

selves to each other, against those who genuinely have many questions. Of course, all of this is easier said than done, yet with the right steps, students at SIS can expect a less stressful and more productive school experience.

To that end, SIS can implement student-teacher conferences, in which teachers approach all students individually on a monthly or weekly basis during office hours. Through this system, every student will be expected to ask questions or seek additional help, effectively removing those outliers who are unfairly labeled as “tryhards’’ for being one of the few students asking questions. This system will also allow students who are in need of help to receive extra guidance without being concerned about the perspectives of others.

Therefore, under this organized system, asking teachers questions will no longer be an activity that will need to be done out of the sight of other students.

Apart from the competitive nature within the student body, another factor that has led students to shy away from seeking help and asking questions lies within the current system of walk-in conferences.

Currently, many teachers allow students to simply walk into their classroom during office hours and ask questions. While these walk-in conferences are convenient, they can become problematic if more than one student wishes to speak with the teacher at the same time. There is always a possibility that the next person in line could miss their opportunity to ask a question, especially if a discussion between the student and the teacher lasts for a considerable amount of time.

To address the problem that exists within walk-in conferences, SIS can foster a freer

environment by ensuring easier access to student-teacher conferences. Through the use of sign-up forms, students can request time slots for meetings with teachers to ask questions and exchange ideas. Some teachers have already implemented this system, such as Jessica Terbrueggen with her English 10 and 11 classes. Students are quickly embracing this format to schedule meetings with Ms. Terbrueggen to discuss everything from specific questions to broader concepts or ideas related to the classroom curriculum.

This sign-up process is so effective since it not only helps to schedule meetings beforehand but it also allows teachers to prepare specific materials based on the topic of question the student indicates on the sign-up form. Ultimately, this system serves as a small but necessary nudge to encourage students to naturally engage in intellectual discourse that will steer them in the right direction to achieve deeper understanding while at the same time sorting out potential scheduling conflicts in advance.

Before anything, though, students must understand that learning exists not only within the set 80 minutes of one class period but beyond the time period as well.

Seeking additional help should no longer be viewed as an activity perused in the veils of secrecy, and students should more willingly feel invited to ask questions whenever and wherever they want. By implementing student-teacher conferences and incorporating sign-up sheets, SIS can help to address the existing issues that discourage student-led discourse.

BY: Daniel Shin Sophomore, Reporter

4

SCHOOL NEWS

News Brief

Spanish classes celebrate Día de los Muertos On Nov. 1-2, students in Spanish classes exhibited their colorful artwork in the atrium to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. On this day, families honor the souls of their deceased relatives.

Meanwhile, SIS students celebrated Día de los Muertos through different forms of artwork. Spanish I students painted clay skulls, called calaveras, while students in Spanish II and IV designed altares— colorfully decorated objects. Spanish III students created posters to commemorate famous Hispanic artists, and AP Spanish students made biographical videos on them.

“I commemorated Olga Albizu, the first female abstract painter in Puerto Rico,” Yuna Park (10), Spanish III student, said. “I tried to make my poster as colorful as possible, cutting out colored paper into confetti to make vivid borders around the pictures.

Overall, celebrating Día de Muertos allowed me to know more about this figure by experiencing Spanish-influenced culture.”

SEOMUN XXIV inspires hope

On Nov. 5-7, members of the MUN club participated in the 24th annual SEOMUN conference. Hosted virtually

by Korea International School, this year’s conference was held through Zoom, similar to last year’s. SIS participants went to school on Saturday, Nov. 6 to participate in the conference while staying at home for the other two days.

With the theme, “A Ripple of Hope,” SEOMUN XXIV focused on nations’ paths forward despite heavy events appearing in recent news. Based on former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy’s Affirmation Address from 1966, which emphasized the significance of an individual’s act of courage, this theme attempts to engage members to stand up for their solutions to global problems without fear of being silenced.

“Having lived with COVID-19 for a couple of years now, I think this theme is entirely appropriate,” James Kowalski, MUN club adviser, said. “It is important to remind ourselves that in any challenge we face, we should remain optimistic and look at long-term solutions that we can all be a part of. This message really comes through beautifully in this conference.”

Despite the continuation of online conferences, this year was not without exciting changes. SEOMUN XXIV wel-

Clubs host activities to celebrate Halloween From zombie historians to Mr. Potatohead to Squid Game pink soldiers, SIS students and staff showed up at the green top to attend the GIN Halloween Carnival on Oct. 29 after school. Students tested their limits by surviving a spooky haunted house in the basement. Students also participated in face painting and watching horror movies in the fitness room. On the same day, the HSSC hosted a dress-up contest at the high school building rooftop. Some eye-capturing costumes that received the highest votes from the contest were No-Face from “Spirited Away,” Alice in Wonderland and her bodyguards, Show Me the Money participants, and Teletubbies. Additionally, students who showed up in costumes received a handful of delicious candies at Cartnivore if they said “Trick or Treat!”

“We held the contest outside on the rooftop near Cartnivore so that we can integrate the event with the Cartnivore trick-or-treating activity,” David Lee (9), freshman council member, said. “The HSSC wanted to try something different from last year’s Halloween event, and we were successful!”

Winter sports season begins With the return of a new sports season, the swim, cheerleading, and basketball teams are revamping school spirit. The swim team welcomed Carly Wessels, high school aquatics teacher, as the new coach.

Tryouts for swimming, originally in the spring sports season, took place starting Nov. 2. On Nov. 9, varsity and JV cheer team coaches looked for cheerleaders to dance under fast beats. Meanwhile, varsity boys and JV boys and girls basketball team coaches emphasized on gameplay skills during the tryouts on Nov. 9. Varsity girls basketball tryouts were on Nov. 5 and recruited only 10 members, compared to the team of 12 last year. In addition, the basketball and swim teams selected team managers, who are responsible for recording players’ statistics, filming games, helping with drills, and managing equipment.

“My goal for this basketball season is to not only break my personal records but also contribute to the team’s victories,” Andrew Park (10), varsity basketball player, said. “As a small forward, I possess many important skills such as dribbling, passing, and shooting. Instead of relying on just my height, I want to focus on improving my skills.”

BY: David Kim Sophomore, Reporter

layout by Yuzine Yi

Photo by John Kim (10)

comed a new committee, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which focuses on ensuring the safety and human rights of refugees around the world.

“I feel thrilled to be joining a new committee because it will be a totally new experience for me,” Eddie Chu (10), UNHCR delegate, said. “I am hoping to learn more about the various innovative ways to provide refugees with basic necessities even during these chaotic times. I am also looking forward to meeting new people who have the same interests as I do.”

Though online conferences offer more comfort, they come with distinct setbacks. Several delegates expressed disappointment in reduced opportunities to have physically engaging debates and valuable interactions with students from other schools.

“Although it is unfortunate that SEOMUN is being held online again, most delegates and chairs still tried to perform to the best of their abilities as if it were an in-person conference,” Yoonseo Kim (11), member of MUN club, said.

“For me, the best part was interacting with new delegates from both SIS and other schools, even though it was done through screens.”

Overall, members demonstrated strong performance in this year’s con-

ference. According to Mr. Kowalski, this success can be partly attributed to freshmen members’ solid build-up of skills under the “excellent leadership” of senior members and executives.

Having debated through computer screens many times, most senior members have grown used to this otherwise abnormal experience. Senior members such as Michelle Heo (12), a chair in one of the committees, reflect on their overall high school MUN career and take away invaluable memories and lessons.

“It feels surreal that four years have already passed, and I’m a senior in MUN,” said Michelle. “My MUN journey was like a rollercoaster. I still remember feeling super intimidated as a freshman, or really embarrassed when almost everyone voted against my amendment. But the bright side was the sense of achievement that came with passing each resolution, making new friends, and most importantly, searching for solutions to pressing issues with other delegates with a common passion.”

BY: Aimee Choi Junior, Copy Editor

SCHOOL NEWS

#RelatableStress: the recipe for a social media detox Yellow, pink, black, and sometimes blue.

These are the colors of the portals that students enter to escape their realities, through a couple of swipes and a click, into a much more colorful, exciting world.

Yellow for Snapchat, pink for Instagram, black for TikTok, and blue for Facebook. It is perhaps even more difficult to find students who do not know how to open these applications with their eyes closed than those who do. Students have become so addicted to social media that their brains have evolved to require a scroll down any of these apps to thirst their quench for momentary relief and ecstasy.

Yet, because so many students are inebriated in their momentary respites from their harsh realities, they fail to recognize the detrimental effects of social media. Many studies have commented on social media’s negative impacts on students’ mental health, ranging from rather meager ones, such as lower levels of concentration, to more severe ones, such

as the development of eating disorders and depression caused by negative body image.

Due to such consequences, many experts recommend participating in a social media detox to separate, at least momentarily, from these harmful effects.

It is undeniable that going on a detox from the perspective of a teenager highly addicted to social media is an immense challenge.

However, many who have tried the social media detox for longer than a month often report that they experienced more feelings of happiness and better concentration. In fact, they were even able to discover new hobbies that they could engage in instead of staying on social media 24/7.

The first step for students to go on a social media detox is to become aware of their habits. After identifying and recognizing what applications they are likely to use more and at what time they significantly tend to use them more, they should devise a plan outlining alternatives they can spend their

5

By Jasmine Jeong time on instead of scrolling.

The next step is perhaps the most difficult step in the detox process. Students should deactivate their accounts and delete social media applications from their devices. As F.O.M.O (Fear Of Missing Out) is also a legitimate concern of many students, they should inform their friends and family to rely on text messages or other platforms such as iMessages or Kakaotalk that are solely meant for communication. By telling other people about their plans, they garner a higher sense of accountability to stick to their plan.

After deleting all the applications, students should try to brainstorm what alternative activities they can engage in to replace the time they spend on their phone, while also feeling entertained. This brainstorming process can help students discover new hobbies and interests that are unrelated to social media. For instance, students should try rekindling their love for books that they used to relish as a child.

The final step is to stick with their goals.

The first three days of the detox will probably be the most difficult as they have to disassociate themselves with the habit that has been deeply ingrained into their system. However, after this brief battle, many students will report positive effects, such as feeling happier and having a boost in their self-esteem.

HSSC re-hosts Assassin

From Oct. 18 to Nov. 9, the High School Student Council hosted Assassin, the first competition of its kind to be held since 2018. This event, which featured club representatives, gave participants the opportunity to win free lunches for their whole club or receive individual prizes of film cameras.

“It was really exciting to see an event from

three years ago brought back this year,” Ryan Chen (12), senior council member, said.

“When I saw people taking photos to assassinate other students, I could not help but feel a bit nostalgic.”

To enter the competition, club members first filled out a google form, indicating which club they would be representing. After the

club member’s picture was taken by an HSSC member, the individual was assigned a target through email.

Contrary to what its name suggests, Assassin’s participants employed non-violent tactics in order to win. In order to assassinate their target, competitors had to take a selfie with their targets at school outside of mandatory

classtime; then they needed to directly message the HSSC through Instagram or email to get credit for their “assassination” and receive their next target. The winning title for the competition was given to the last competitor standing and the individual who had the highest number of “kills.”

“At first, we came up with various mechanics of elimination like tagging stickers or shooting water guns,” Seungkyu Han (11), junior council member, said. “However, we thought that selfies were a more effective form of elimination that would allow students to be acquainted with others they were unfamiliar with while adhering to COVID-19 precautions. During these trying times, this non-contact elimination method seemed most fitting.”

Assassin, however, was much more than just another school event. Rather, it was an initiative to boost school spirit by allowing clubs to participate in friendly competition. It was also intended to encourage students of different grade levels to interact with one another and give students a well deserved break.

“One of the major goals of the HSSC is to bolster school spirit,” Emily McClintock, HSSC advisor, said. “Many students are very stressed and focused on summatives, so we thought that Assassin could lighten the mood and heighten school spirit, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also thought that Assassin could allow different grade members to interact and become more familiar with one another, which is another goal that the HSSC is trying to accomplish.”

As COVID-19 regulations become more lenient, there is a likely chance that the competition will continue next year.

“When Assassin started, it was great to see so many people taking selfies of themselves and expressing interest in the competition,” Kris Son (10), sophomore council member, said.

“I think the competition has influenced our school community by allowing club members to be more active. Seeing how many people are enjoying Assassin, I hope that the competition can happen next year as well.”

BY: Bona Suh Junior, Production Editor

Unrealistically slender Korean culture

By Katelyn Oh

The desire to be slim has overtaken Korean society. It is commonplace to see people discussing the latest dieting tips or debating the most effective weight loss tactics. The situation is salient among adolescents in Korea; teenagers, particularly females, have shown to desire a more slender figure, even if they are underweight. According to a 2020 Ministry of Education report on the health of adolescents, over 45 percent of girls and 23 percent of boys in Korea have attempted to lose weight.

There is no doubt that weight loss can be healthy. With a lifestyle that incorporates persistent daily exercise and eating habits, healthy weight loss can be achieved, resulting in physical benefits such as increased strength and decreased risk of illness. But the story takes a turn if the weight change is managed via an unhealthy route and tarnishes perceptions of the body. Characterized by extreme, restrictive diets and the fear of gaining weight, severe eating disorders arise when an individual’s sense of self-worth becomes overly linked to physical appearance. Eating disorders, ranging from anorexia or bulimia nervosa to binge-eating, cause significant physical and psychological harm stemming from extreme hunger or fullness. People who have eating disorders often experience dissatisfaction with their appearances, resulting in low self-esteem and confidence. According to Dr. Yuli Kim of the Academy for Eating Disorders, it is estimated that one in four Korean women in their teens and twenties suffer from eating disorders.

Although eating disorders are caused by a complex interaction of psychological, biological, and environmental factors and thus do not emanate from one definitive cause, toxic Korean culture certainly contributes to the prevalence of these disorders. Unhealthy beauty standards, originating from the long-standing “feminine” beauty ideal, are accepted as a fair standard for comparison, thereby pressuring teenage girls to stay fit and even underweight. Advertisements recommending cosmetic products and plastic surgery are ubiquitous in Korea, and beauty products that supposedly help reduce body fat and suppress appetite are promoted by models who are slim and thus considered conventionally beautiful. Furthermore, by showing severely underweight Korean celebrities under a positive light, the media reinforces the skinny ideal and convinces young adults into fallaciously believing that thinness is equivalent to attractiveness. Celebrities’ reinforcement of these standards, however, is likely unintentional as they too are pressured into adhering to ideals

in order to succeed in the industry. Korean model Sora Choi revealed that after drinking only water for five weeks because of a comment on her “bloated” body, she passed out more than ten times a day and felt as though someone was scratching her with sandpaper whenever someone touched her. Her health was a mess, but people praised her for her beauty.

Fat-shaming is remarkably normalized in Korea. As the most likely reason behind the unparalleled severity of eating disorders in Korea, being overweight is treated like a disease, and many perceive the cause to be mere laziness and a lack of self-care.

With this widespread fallacy, people feel that they must lose weight to feel accepted in society and avoid social ostracization.

In response to such standards, adolescents find it almost inevitable to resort to restrictive dieting for greater and faster weight loss. Since the reveal of K-Pop singer IU’s extremely restrictive diet plan where she would eat one apple, one sweet potato, and one protein drink a day, countless reviews and success stories of this diet have been shared on social media, encouraging people to partake in the activities that led to her bulimia nervosa diagnosis. With news reports explaining “celebrity diets” in detail and the media equating thinness with beauty, people struggle to avoid the pressure to be thin and conform to the unhealthy majority.

Nonetheless, eating disorders remain taboo in Korean society. The cultural stigma denies its ubiquity and therefore makes it difficult to change the status quo.

An eating disorder is difficult to confront on its own, but with the wall of negative Korean stereotypes reducing the disorder to a mere diet, many refuse to seek treatment for healthy recovery.

If Korean society does not seek ways to a healthier and more inclusive community, this plight is bound to persist.

나 로

코

도근 어 있 관리

좀

역시 여자는 살좀 빼야 이쁘

이 ㅠ 다 얇 무 너 허리

뱃살 아예 없어

키는 안 큰데 말 라

랐네 몰 건 큰 키 에 문 때 몸

다리 완전

Unrealistically high price of social distancing: the impact of COVID-19 on eating disorders

By Hugo Lee

지 하

트 홈

어서 부럽다ㅠ

데.

겠는

이쁘

이쁘다

빼도

쁘지

살만

근육 너 무 남자 같다 좀 하자

.

라서 비 율 좋다 네 마른복근 멋있네

전 길어

The COVID-19 pandemic has cost millions of lives and caused clear economic and social repercussions. These repercussions, in turn, have led to a sharp increase in those suffering from poverty, causing many to starve to death.

But unbeknownst to many, the pandemic has also caused financially stable people to starve, or more precisely, starve themselves.

Even more surprisingly, the outbreak may have prompted people to overfeed themselves. Following the pandemic outbreak, an alarmingly high number of people have been going to hospitals–not because of COVID-19, but because of eating disorders.

Eating disorders are behavioral conditions that disturb a person’s healthy, normal eating behavior due to distressing thoughts and emotions such as an obsessive desire for an “ideal” body or the inconsistent availability of food. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, eating disorders are a prevalent problem that affects 28.5 million Americans at some point in their lives. In addition, eating disorders are one of the fastest increasing mental disorders, with the total affected global population jumping from 3.4 percent to 7.8 percent from 2000-2018. However, COVID-19 has taken eating disorders to a new level. In many hospitals, admissions for eating disorders have more than doubled after the pandemic hit.

Why is this so? On the surface level, it seems that eating disorders are not physical disorders and seem to be a far cry from the pandemic. The answer most likely lies in the strict enforcement of social distancing that indirectly makes individuals more prone to developing eating disorders by increasing isolation, time spent indoors, and food insecurity.

Although the pandemic’s physical implications are certainly pronounced, the pandemic’s social implications have had the most widespread effects on people’s lives. As a result, mental problems affected by social conditions may skyrocket after pandemic outbreaks. Social distancing, as much as it has prevented the spread of COVID-19, could have had the exact opposite effect on eating disorders. By increasing social isolation, COVID-19 may spur depression, anxiety, and stress. Negative emotions have a strong correlation with eating disorders and are seen to be key predictors of early onset of eating disorders. Although the exact relationship is unclear, negative emotions most plausibly cause eating disorders by prompting individuals to binge-

eat to relieve their stress or starve themselves as a byproduct of it. When this binge-eating or self-starvation becomes a habit, it develops into an eating disorder. Considering that global cases of depression have skyrocketed by 53 million cases and anxiety by 76 million following the pandemic outbreak, it is unsurprising that eating disorders have followed suit.

The pandemic’s economic implications may also be playing a role in the sharp spike in eating disorder cases following the outbreak.

After the pandemic shut down businesses, many people have lost their jobs, leading to a sharp rise in poverty. In 2020, over 97 million people suffered from COVID-19 induced poverty with the number still high in 2021 at approximately 77 million people. Poverty is heavily associated with food insecurity as it often creates unfavorable conditions where food is not readily available—in fact, poverty is the most common cause of food insecurity.

Although it is widely believed that eating disorders are a problem of first world countries and wealthy individuals, in reality, eating disorders are strongly associated with food insecurity. In order to compensate for the scant availability of food, people suffering from food insecurity engage in binge-eating, overeating, and other compensatory behavior such as intentionally skipping meals and practicing strong dietary restraints. Collectively, constant repetition of such behavior leads to eating disorders in the long term. The vulnerability of the impoverished to developing eating disorders is especially prevalent among children. According to a study by Duke University researchers, 17 percent of children with food insecurity displayed signs of significant eating disorders whereas only 3 percent of children in the stable group exhibited eating disorders. By increasing poverty and food insecurity, the pandemic is putting more people at risk of developing eating disorders.

Eating disorders are a prevalent disease affecting many, but what makes them especially destructive is their strong ties with social and economic factors. From social isolation to food insecurity, the number and types of factors that affect eating disorders are myriad, consequently increasing people’s susceptibility to them. More alarming is how poorly understood eating disorders are. Popular myths, such as the notion that eating disorders are a first world problem only affecting the wealthy, are preventing proper assistance for the poor. With the many economic and social reverberations of the pandemic, the consequences of these misconceptions and the strongly interconnected relationship between social or economic factors and eating disorders may be more pronounced.

Layout by Yuzine Yi

8

GLOBAL NEWS

Nuri rocket launches technological development in Korea

O

n Oct. 21, in Korea, Nuri-ho, the first domestically made rocket, launched at 4 p.m.

By projecting the 200-ton rocket, Nuri-ho, into space, South Korea became the seventh nation to launch such a mammoth rocket.

Because of the significance of the Nuri’s launching, it attracted a lot of attention in the media, and the people of Goheung, South Jeolla Province came out on a sunny day to watch the Nuri rocket lift off.

History was made.

The mission of the rocket was to send a satellite, weighing 1.5 tons, into space at approximately 600 to 800 km above Earth. However, 698 km into space, the mission did not succeed. The rocket’s third stage–the third power thrust for the rocket–burned out a little too fast and because of this, the dummy version of the satellite

failed to stay in orbit.

“I heard there was only a 30 percent chance of it going off successfully. The fact that it managed to go so far despite the abysmal success rate is impressive, especially considering that this is our first launch. Therefore, it is impressive that it managed to reach the later stages of the mission so smoothly before it failed,” Eric Hwang (12), a student that got interested in rockets after seeing the news of Nuri-ho, said.

Despite the overall failure of the mission, President Moon emphasized a bright hope for Korea’s space program and the series of future tests on rockets.

By 2030, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute expects a crewless spacecraft to land on the moon demonstrating the extensiveness of Korea’s rocket project.

“With Corona” brings normalcy

T

he South Korean government officially launched the first phase of the “With Corona” policy to regain a sense of normalcy while keeping the number of cases down. This policy was implemented Nov. 1.

The policy permits openspace facilities and stores to be open for 24 hours, replacing the previous 10 p.m. curfew. In areas with higher risks of infection, like gymnasiums, bars, and clubs, proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test are required for entrance.

The plan will be carried out in three phases at six-week intervals.

The “With Corona” policy was first introduced in September and had been set to be implemented in October. However, due to another surge of cases and a subsequent stage four lockdown, the government postponed it until November.

“To be honest, I do not think socializing will change because there have been people going out before the policy was implemented,” Seungkyu Han (11), student who lives in Gangnam, said.

“Plus, most adults are vaccinated, so they are usually together in groups of five to six, going against current social distancing regulations.”

Many small and after-hours businesses have struggled with financial instability because of the curfew. In May, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups said that small-business owners lost 1.3 trillion won, or $1.14 billion, in revenue from COVID-19 restrictions.

This policy might slowly allow them to regain security without risking the spread of the virus.

“Even though our business is bigger than others, there have definitely been obstacles because of COVID-19,” Mina Lee, tile manufacturer and business owner, said. “Starting last year, people were not able to visit the store in-person, leading to less outreach and project opportunities. The new regulations from the ‘With Corona’ policy might help relieve businesses from this

layout by Hannah Kim

serious limitation.”

Even in the SIS community, previous social distancing restrictions meant that the high school had to make adjustments for its student body. The “With Corona” policy might allow for a more “normal” high school lifestyle.

“We are already moving in that direction,” Gray Macklin, vice principal, said. “One of the most important reasons we keep the underclassmen and the upperclassmen apart is that only one side is almost fully vaccinated. If 100 percent of our student body is vaccinated, it will help with the social distancing rules in place.”

Large school functions and other extracurricular activities have been taking the necessary precautions. For instance, the performing arts department has had to modify concerts in order to keep up with distancing guidelines. However, concerts may start looking different once the “With Corona” policy kicks in for SIS. “We are hoping it will relax the number of people allowed to be in the auditorium so we can have live performances again,” Whitney Meininger, choir director, said. “It would be exciting to bring those performances back, especially because it is the performing arts.”

As for sports, the recently finished fall sports season was quite limited; many hope that the winter season will have more in store for athletes.

“We have been ready to participate in KAIAC competitions all year,” Mr. Macklin said. “Hopefully, [the policy] will let the other schools fall in line and let us have a winter sports season too.”

With these new regulations in place, Koreans will hopefully be able to live a life that is closer to “normal.”

BY: Rachel Yoon Junior, Copy Editor

Furthermore, the Nuri rocket represents a positive step forward for Korea’s independence from the United States’ space technology in monitoring their neighboring country, North Korea.

“From hearing that the previous one exploded, in the sense of being able to launch successfully, this project could be seen as a success.” David Bonar, AP Physics teacher, said. “Korea has a capable market that could achieve such a feat. Any advancement in aerospace should be useful for technological development, despite faster development of commercial aerospace flights.”

According to the Global Innovation Index of 2021, Korea is fifth in terms of having the most innovative economy, and with a great reputation in technological development, future develop-

ment of spacecraft and exploration of space is a goal that Korea expects to reach.

By experiencing the drastic changes in Korea, it would have led the elderly population, who used to see the Apollo 7 and other rockets from western nations, to be amazed to see a similar feat in their home country. While for future generations, the stigma that Korea is still way behind other nations disappears with a boosted pride to witness history be made in Korea.

With the nearly successful launch of the Nuri rocket, President Moon expects the dawn of a new “space age.” The Nuri Rocket will be going through four more launches until 2027 to test its reliability.

“Although Korea’s rocket technology is currently not as

advanced as those in countries such as Japan, China, and the US, I believe Korea will develop rapidly.” Eric Kim (11), AP Physics student, said. “Within a couple of years, I am confident Korea’s rocket technology will be on par with other countries.”

Although unsuccessful in fulfilling its mission, this launch marks Korea’s impressive entrance into the space race; Korea’s future in space seems to glow brighter than ever.

BY: Saewoong Ian Park Sophomore, Reporter

Whistleblower reveals Meta’s secrets

Frances Haugen, a data engineer and scientist, exposed thousands of Meta’s confidential documents at the beginning of September.

The documents revealed that Meta—Facebook’s new name—was harming teenagers’ mental health, spreading misinformation, and prioritizing profit over inhibiting misinformation and protecting the users’ private information.

“Meta has a history of putting profits before safety,” Marc Montague, IT coordinator, said.

“They have agreements in certain countries like India, Pakistan, and Nepal where certain cell phone providers have Facebook pre-installed. Since many people do not have other ways to get news, they would get most of their news from Facebook—which does not always provide accurate information.”

Haugen, a former Meta employee, revealed her identity as a whistleblower on Oct. 3, in an interview program called “60 Minutes” by CBS News. In the interview, she confessed that Facebook deliberately chooses to show users content that would incite strong emotions, like anger, to make them stay on the platform. In addition, Meta’s own research showed that the app’s algorithms caused young women to lose confidence in their own bodies and fall into depression.

“By taking the users’ network, Facebook basically organizes its posts according to the type of media, popularity, or recency,” June Jeong (11), AP Computer Science

student, said. “It is also based on the users’ relationships and interactions within the platform while also collecting data like IP addresses and profile information. The data is then used to include more ads that the user might find interest in, which in turn profits Facebook by allowing it to sell more advertisement spaces to companies. ” The aggravation of this problem, Haugen pointed out, is the dismissal of Civic Integrity, a program that was intended to control misinformation and threat to election security, after the 2020 election. According to Haugen, this act meant that misinformation and hate would spread on the platform once again, putting users in danger.

As a consequence of this action, she brought up the Jan. 6, US Capitol Insurrection, where supporters of former president Donald Trump gathered and attacked the Capitol.

Facebook did not deter some users from organizing the attack on the platform and posting extremist photos and texts.

In response, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, said that Haugen’s claims were “just not true” and “do not make any sense.” He pointed out that if Meta truly did not care about the users, it would not have created a research program led by the industry on this issue in the first place. However, after Haugen revealed the documents, Meta lost $47 billion in its market value and lost millions of users.

“I do not think this financial loss is significant enough for Meta to make changes,” Morgan Miller, AP Economics teacher, said. “Government regulation is probably the only thing that can stop Meta. And in order for that to happen, it would be important for countries like the United States, Korea, or countries from EU to limit what Meta can do to the users in their nation.”

So far, Meta has not made any significant changes to its policies.

It did, however, change its company name from Facebook to Meta.

Though the official reasoning for the change is that the previous name did not reflect everything that the company does, some think that it is an attempt to recover its brand image.

“I think that our school students need to be extra cautious solely due to the reliance on social media teenagers in general have,” Samuel Hong (11), student who researched user privacy, said. “Typically, teenagers are more oblivious and more ignorant to the implications that the collection of user data has on their individual privacy and we need to spread awareness so that our privacy can be protected and so that we don’t get violated.”

BY: Hannah Kim Junior, Reporter

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

9

SIS twinergy: living with a friendly parasite

Twins are something of a mythical species to the general public.

Some believe that twins have superpowers like “twin telepathy,” the ability to communicate with each other with their minds, while others think that they regularly exchange identities to skip unpleasant situations. Unfortunately, these rumors are false.

Even though skipping summatives by disguising as your twin sibling may be tempting, most twins cannot actually pull it off.

“Twin telepathy is honestly nonsense,” Erin Choi (12), fraternal twin to Ethan Choi (12), said.

“When people ask that we have a planned answer so it makes us seem like we have it. In reality, other than our similar personalities, I would say that there is no special connection.”

Despite this, it is true that twins are unique. Although most twins at SIS are fraternal, meaning that they share the same amount of DNA as regular

siblings, experiencing all of your failures and milestones hand-inhand with someone else is a distinctive event.

“My life has probably been both subtly and explicitly affected by having a twin in innumerable ways,” Philip Ham (11), fraternal twin to Andrew Ham (11), said.

“One that I can think of is having mutual friends. I can vaguely remember that during elementary school and even middle school, we always 2had playdates or sleepovers together. If one of us was going somewhere, the other sort of naturally tagged along.”

Additionally, the age-based hierarchy of many sibling relationships is not as present between twins, making twins view each other more as equals.

Due to this, they have less inhibitions about being honest with each other.

“Even if it is just one or two years, I think an age gap makes a big difference,” Ethan said.

“It creates a clear younger sibling-older sibling dynamic. It is a lot different if we are the same age, because we do not have to worry about addressing each other with honorifics or such.”

In a school like SIS, where academic competition runs hot, being a twin can give certain advantages in the classroom too. Students are constantly struggling through all-nighters, balancing multiple AP classes, and searching for the next open opportunity to stand out to colleges. Having an extra boost is always welcome, even if it is simply emotional support from someone who understands your struggles and knows which brand of tea you drink to stay awake at 2 a.m.

This is not to say that being a twin is a gift from God. There is nothing extremely extraordinary about siblings who happened to be born at the same time, no supernatural bond tying twins

together. Many of us lead separate lives, especially as we grow older and are pulled into different directions. What does exist, however, is an intuition honed over many years that allows us to understand each other without words.

“When one of us takes a test first, we might just have a simple interaction asking, ‘Was the test hard?’ and that is it,” Philip said.

“I guess the general, overarching ‘theme’ between us is that we are not super dependent on each other.

We do not really ask each other many questions or study together or anything like that. Even when we are playing sports together, we do not say much to each other except for an occasional ‘nice shot’ or just ‘nice.’ But even if we do not discreetly communicate or have any major interactions at school, I suppose we still have some kind of ‘silent connection.’”

As a twin myself, I can relate to many of the experiences described by the interviewees.

Along with being asked at least once a week whether I have twin telepathy and being confused for my twin by people who have known us for years, the “silent connection” is also present in our lives. My twin sister, Bona Suh, one of the production editors at Tiger Times, has been one of the few constants that have persisted through moving across schools and countries. Like two bickering yet friendly parasites, we stuck around for each other whenever our lives were uprooted. Although I cannot wait to get away from her in college, it is undeniable that the bond we share is no mere friendship, but an iron link forged from countless shared experiences. Perhaps this is the real superpower of twins.

BY: Rosa Suh Junior, Copy Editor

10 SPORTS & LIFESTYLE 'Squid Game' encourages socioeconomic change in South Korea

O

n Oct. 20, thousands of working-class citizens filled the streets of Seoul, protesting against the rampant economic inequality that grips the South Korean economy and demanding better working conditions. Instead of wearing conventional clothing, however, many of these protestors wore pink tracksuits and black masks with various geometric shapes printed onto them.

Although this may seem like an odd choice of attire, these outfits were not chosen arbitrarily. Rather, the protestors were imitating the clothes worn by characters in the hit Netflix series “Squid Game” that has recently taken the international community by storm. The show certainly seems to have struck a chord with the country’s working-class citizens.

“I think the main purpose of ‘Squid Game’ is to show how money plays a role in human nature,” Aaron Kim (10), ‘Squid Game’ fan, said. “At the core, the show is really an analogy for wealthy people using the poor for their own selfish gain, and it was interesting to see how that was shown throughout the story.”

Despite Korea’s rapid economic growth in the 1990s, the poor benefited comparatively less than the wealthy, leading to immense economic inequality. South Korea currently has the second highest income gap in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and a poverty rate of 17.4 percent. This problem is exacerbated by Korea’s household debt crisis, as housing costs skyrocketed to over 100 percent of the country’s total gross domestic product, burdening the middle class and forcing them into competition for employment.

“If you compare Korea to other developed economies, the situation seems pretty bad,” Joon Sung Kim (10), Korean economics enthusiast, said. “A significant portion of the younger generation is living off of

low incomes and going through a lot of trouble to get jobs because of the economy’s painfully competitive environment.”

These issues clearly show the inspiration behind the series, with director Hwang Dong-hyuk mentioning in a CNN interview that, similar to the main characters of “Squid Game,” he was raised in a poor neighborhood and has experienced many financial difficulties.

The massive popularity of “Squid Game” has shed light on these often hidden aspects of Korea’s society, which are now being more recognized by people including SIS students.

“I already knew that South Korea has a huge gap between rich people and poor people,” Hanjoo Lee (10), Korean citizen from an upper-income household, said. “But looking back on 'Squid Game,' I was still able to learn a lot about how difficult the lives of working class citizens are.”

Foreigners have also received more insight on Korean society since “Squid Game” reached the no.

1 spot in 94 countries around the world. In addition to the spread of Korean culture, many have begun to reflect on the economic situations and increasing wealth disparities in their own countries, realizing that their situations were also being represented by the show.

This global attention and support has motivated people to advocate for better working conditions and rights, and many remain hopeful that these changes will lead to a more equitable society.

“I believe that it is important for influential media platforms like Netflix to shed light on social issues,” Aaron said. “I hope this trend will continue to encourage people to protest against inequality and compel the government to reform the economy, as it would improve the future of Korean youth.”

BY: Junseo Lee Sophomore, Reporter

Hit or Miss:

LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts leans heavily on three man starting rotation for postseason Going into the 2021 MLB postseason, the LA Dodgers were clear favorites for the World Series title. Indeed, the Dodgers had spent an MLB record of $260 million on its 2021 payroll, exceeding the luxury tax and clearly displaying their intentions to win it all. Like many expected, the Dodgers rolled past the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card game and inched past their rival San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series (NLDS). However, their much anticipated postseason run came to an abrupt end in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) when they lost the series 4-2 to the Atlanta Braves.

Throughout the postseason, manager Dave Roberts had relied heavily on a three-man rotation composed of elite arms Max Scherzer, Julio Urías, and Walker Buehler and even used them in the bullpen. Did this have anything to do with the unexpected loss? Was Roberts's decision to lean heavily on his three-man rotation a hit or miss for the LA Dodgers?

Overall: Three-man rotation was a hit, using them in the bullpen was a miss.

The three-man rotation, as absurd as it sounds, was essentially the only feasible option available for the Dodgers. At the start of the regular season, the Dodgers had boasted arguably the best starting rotation in the entire league consisting of Clayton Kershaw, Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler, Julio Urías, and Dustin May. However, Kershaw and May suffered season-ending elbow injuries while Bauer was suspended for sexual assault, leaving the Dodgers with only two reliable starters in the form of Buehler and Urías. In an attempt to address their starting rotation holes, the Dodgers executed a daring trade at the trade deadline with the Washington Nationals

New chapter opens through eternal

An academy award-winning director, an epic cast including Angelina Jolie, and the first Korean Marvel superhero Ma Dong Seok, and simply the value of being a Marvel movie seems to give the audience a confident nod that the movie will be epic.

However, what if it was epic for an

layout by Junseo Lee

unexpected reason?

I excitedly went to the cinema for the first time in a while to watch “Eternals” after watching “Avengers: Endgame” two years ago. This made the day I stepped into rows of chairs and a mega screen filled with high expectations. As the lights dimmed and my heart raced, the movie took off—but instead of the familiar Marvel action scene hook, paragraphs scrolled up the screen. It was fascinating and unlike Marvel.

Right off the bat, the movie seemed to declare that it would not be the traditional Marvel movies you would expect it to be.

With a documentary-like camera angle, dozens of sunsets between the scenes, and great use of cinematography to convey a mythological ambiance, Chloé Zhao, the director, was able to plunge the audience into the Eternals’ adventure. Her attention to detail was evident as she made every time travel and complex relationships among the heroes to be crucial to the plot.

Ten divine beings, known as the Eternals, are demigods sent by the Celestial Arishem, creator of the universe, to go to Earth and fight off the deviants, creatures ravaging on Earth and threatening humans. After completing their mission in wiping out the deviants from Earth, each Eternal is set off by Ajak, the communicator between the Eternals and Arishem, to live their own lives and explore Earth.

Thousands of years have passed for the Eternals and from this point on in the film, each character’s life is put into spotlight. For example, Sersi, played by Gemma Chan, is an Eternal who can manipulate matter.

In the 21st century, she now lives a casual life working at the National History Museum and discovering the world of the internet. Kingo, played by Kumail Nanjiani, an Eternal who is able to shoot off beams from his hands lives in disguise as a famous Bollywood actor. Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry, is a gay Eternal specializing in manipulating machinery. After seeing humanity

for Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner. Even despite these trades, however, the Dodgers rotation still had a gaping hole in the no. 4 spot in the postseason rotation.

Frankly, there were no reliable starters to fill in the no. 4 spot. The most logical candidate was righthanded starter Tony Gonsolin, but he had put up very inconsistent numbers during the postseason and was suffering from shoulder fatigue, constantly placing him on the injured list throughout the season. A fatigued, inconsistent starter obviously has no place in a postseason starting rotation.

Considering the poor status of the only available everyday starter, Roberts simply did not have one to fill in the no. 4 spot.

However, Roberts's use of his three starters in the bullpen was an obvious mistake that may have cost the Dodgers their postseason run. True, the Dodgers bullpen was tired from pitching multiple innings every fourth game, but the deep bullpen always had some reliable arms available in the form of Blake Treinen and Joe Kelly who could have handled the innings just as well.

One of the most critical pitching changes of the postseason came in Game Five of the NLDS. In the bottom of the ninth with the Dodgers leading the San Francisco Giants 2-1, Dave Roberts decided to put Scherzer on the mound after just three days of rest to secure the win. The decision worked out in the short term with Scherzer earning a save and leading the Dodgers to the NLCS, but it came at a hefty price. The fatigue of pitching on three days' rest caught up to the 37-year-old veteran who was prematurely removed in Game Two of the NLCS after just 79 pitches over four innings because of “dead arm,” a condition where a pitcher’s velocity drops dramatically

use his machinery for mass destruction, he hides his powers and marries to have a family. Thena, played by Angelina Jolie, was once considered the most skilled warrior with the ability to form weapons out of thin air.

But as she loses control of herself by a mystical spirit, she attacks people indifferently. Gilgamesh, played by Ma Dong Seok, the toughest Eternal, volunteers to take care of Thena when they disperse. While all the Eternals are waiting for Arishem to send them back to Olympia, the deviants' reappearance leads to their reunion to fight the deviants once again, leaving behind their peaceful life.

Chloe Zhao, the director of Eternals did a fabulous job portraying the individual characters’ emotional struggles and integrating a cast with actors of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds, but by doing so, it partially sacrificed the storyline. A lot of confusion of the new terms such as Celestials, Deviants, and numerous others introducing the new world resulted in a muddled storyline that

due to accumulated fatigue.

Matters only turned south after Scherzer’s removal. After going deep into the bullpen, Roberts decided to use starter Urías to get the last six outs of the game and protect the 4-2 lead. From almost every perspective, the move was unjustified and absurd. Not only was Urías pitching on just three days' rest but he had also exceeded his career-high innings mark by over 100 innings in the 2021 season and had substantial fatigue accumulated in his arm.

The only possible justification for the move is that Urías has a good bullpen record, but this was when he was not a full time starter.

More alarmingly, the Braves were familiar with his pitches as they had already faced him twice in 2021 and many times in the 2020 postseason. Unsurprisingly, the fatigued Urías gave two runs on three hits, surrendering the lead to the Braves who went on to walk-off the game in the ninth inning.

The repercussions of this over reliance on starters for bullpen work carried onto Game Four of the NLCS. Because of the heavily accumulated fatigue after his bullpen appearance in Game Two, Julio Urías had a catastrophic start in Game Four, allowing five runs over just five innings, leading to a demoralizing 9-2 blowout loss. Now down 3-1 in the series, the Dodgers lost the series in Game Six, suffering an unanticipated early elimination that failed to meet their World Series expectations.

Using elite starters in the bullpen helped secure an important series victory in the NLDS—it came at the price of an even more important NLCS victory and World Series title.

BY: Hugo Lee Junior, Reporter

was all over the place.

It seemed like the movie went down the road of valuing the artistic side of films and forgetting about the entertainment purpose of the films.

While the movie ran for over two hours, more than two-thirds of the movie focused on individual characters’ lives as the story goes back and forth between the BC and AD settings. Dragging the action scenes until the very end led some actionthirsty Marvel fans to find the action scenes to be too bland to be epic.

The less emphasis on giving the audience a break away from reality may come as a disappointment. However, on the bright side, it shows Marvel’s attempt at promoting diversity and a new representation of heroes.

For those open to these changes, this is the Marvel film for you whether or not the storyline was on point.

BY: Saewoong Ian Park Sophomore, Reporter

MULTIMEDIA

DEEP_FRIED_INTERNET Neopronouns: a new spectrum of identity On Oct. 20, a TikTok video went viral on r/Cringetopia, a subreddit dedicated to cringey material found on the Internet. In the video, two teenagers explained that they go by “demon” pronouns, meaning that they want to be addressed as “dem/demon/ demonself ” in subject, object, reflexive pronouns, respectively. In response, the video received thousands of mocking comments that ridiculed the decision to identify oneself as a demon before it was removed for violating the subreddit’s guidelines by commenting on gender politics.

In recent years, pronouns outside the traditional “she/her” and “he/him” have made big steps toward mainstream acceptance. Previously cisgender public figures, such as singers Sam Smith and Demi Lovato, came out as nonbinary, announcing that they go by “they/them” pronouns. In addition, many websites now offer a variety of pronoun options when asking for the user's gender.

What has not entered the mainstream are neopronouns: third-person personal pronouns that go beyond “they/them.” Neopronouns are highly personalized, often borrowing words from animals, plants, or supernatural beings (such as demons).

Examples include “fae/faer/faeself ” and “pup/puppy/

pupself.” While neopronouns have existed for centuries—for instance, the pronoun “ou” was used in a sixteenth-century English dialect as a gender-neutral indicator—the use of noun-based neopronouns like “dem/demon/demonself ” started in the early 2010s on Tumblr.

Recent discussion has sparked even more on platforms like TikTok, possibly due to the pandemic forcing more people online to interact with others.

Surprisingly, much of the response to neopronouns has been hostile, with many questioning why people would use such pronouns seriously in the first place.

Even many members of Gen Z, who have shown to be more accepting of unconventional gender identities and pronouns compared to previous generations, have taken issue with neopronouns.

So why is this? Why have “they/them” pronouns been accepted into the mainstream while neopronouns remain an anomaly?

Unlike most other pronouns, neopronouns are not usually used to describe one’s gender identity (although sometimes they are used in conjunction with gender pronouns like “she/her”). Instead, they are more of a creative, lighthearted expression of one’s personality; for example, a person may choose to go by “clown/clowns/clownself ” because they like harlequin dolls. Neopronouns are popular with neurodivergent individuals, especially those on the au-

Creative Writing Piece:

The Last Call “Please,” she sobbed, a small tear stinging its way down her cheek. Deaf to her words, the sea of strangers rushed out as quickly as they had flooded the scene, the way they had done so many times before. The few that noticed the huddled mass on the floor convinced themselves they were too busy, while most simply did not care.

But everyone ignored her.

They all knew her, remembered her to be the sea or something similar of little importance to them. Over time, anyway, she had merged into the gray background, and soon they could not be bothered. . . to them, she had always been there that way—just a grimy, faceless figure without a name on the streets. They didn’t even know she could breathe.

But she could feel herself suffocating, drowning beneath her own waves. It’d only been a few decades, yet she was nothing like she had been before. Her hair was murky and gray and her skin adorned with bloody plastic shards, a twisted sort of jewelry.

She stood there hunched alone, watching the tide of humans pass by.

Unseeing. Unfeeling. Amidst the din, she was lifeless except for her eyes that desperately scanned the crowd.

“Help,” she whispered. Her hands trembled as she reached out for the human next to her, only to be carelessly swatted away. She cowered as another net flung itself up in the air—almost tantalizing as it shimmered—but came crashing down on her, and she felt the fishhooks dig in, devouring her flesh. Frantic, she

tried to tear off the cuffs that had entangled itself round her wrists, but a flurry of waste battered her down.

Another cigarette butt, another washed out wrapper, another clouded glass bottle.

She couldn’t see, but she knew they could. She tried to reach out again, groping around blindly, but there was no one. Where were they?

Surely they would help her, surely they wouldn’t ignore her . . . but as the clack of their shoes faded in the distance, she felt her heart sink.

She collapsed onto her hands, feeling the acrid burn of the black sludge on her skin, staining it as dark as ink.

She caught her reflection in the darkness, only to see nothing but nets and dull plastic where turquoise had once blossomed. Echoing radars paralyzed her in her tracks as the ringing in her ears grew louder and louder, leaving her in a daze.

It had never been like this. Never this bad. She’d always been able to muster enough strength to take another breath.

Surely they didn’t know what they were doing to her, what they were doing to themselves. That was what she whispered to herself, but each time the black sludge stung her, each time another bag gripped at her neck, she questioned herself. The tide of trash was overwhelming, battering her with jagged shards again and again. She was helpless, trapped, as she watched herself unwillingly break down the pieces of plastic into deadlier shards, spelling her own demise.

Then one day, when the final ship

rosa suh

tism spectrum. In an interview with the New York Times, several neurodivergent people said that using neopronouns help them explore their gender identity and express themselves in ways that traditional pronouns do not.

However, to most people, whose pronouns describe just their gender, it may feel strange to use pronouns for more ephemeral things like interests. Especially in the current political climate, where debates about gender identity and sexuality are just emerging, people may feel unsure about what should be considered “valid” or not. For instance, in the same New York Times interview, a transgender man said that neopronouns undermine transgender rights because they elevate objects and animals to the same level of importance as gender identity, something trans people have fought fiercely to defend.

Whatever side one may stand on this discourse, it is clear from it that the available avenues for self-expression have grown. People are increasingly experimenting with their identity in ways that would have been heavily frowned upon just a few decades ago.

Now, although criticism still exists, there are safe spaces online where people can express themselves freely, no matter how controversial their identity may be. Perhaps this is one of the biggest strengths of the Internet: a place where anyone—even people who connect with demons—can be free.

Grace Lee tipped over, coating her mouth and innards with the sludge she’d learned was called oil, she was gone.

This time, she didn’t bother trying to brush back the slivers piercing her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered, her posture hunching as her will to live slowly ebbed away.

She closed her eyes. There was nothing left now, nothing she could do to stop her dirty waves from crashing on the dirtied sands of the once-pristine beaches.

The humans soon began to take notice of her absence. They wailed, pleading for her to return.

But they were too late. *

*

*

Halfway across the world, a curious toddler held a dull conch up to her ear before dropping it half-heartedly on the sand. Her mother was wrong; the sea didn’t call.

She didn’t hear or see those aquamarine seas, the crystal clear waters that her mother had claimed swept the beach clean in a whoosh. There was no swaying dance with the silver moon—only the rustling of a thousand tin cans, the tinkling of metal scraps.

Tentatively, she prodded the shell with her foot before picking it up again. The delicate shell had managed to survive the fall, and she held her breath as she tried again, pressing it up against her ear.

There was only silence.

11

12

SMALL TALK

That Theater Nerd.

‘Waitress’: serving it up on Broadway “Waitress,” the only current Broadway musical with an all-female creative team, has been met with applause from critics all around the world—and rightfully so.

The musical tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a young waitress who finds herself pregnant while trapped in an abusive relationship. At the start, Jenna’s husband Earl Hunterson enters the diner where Jenna works and takes her tips, giving the audience a taste of his terrible personality.

When Jenna eagerly tells Earl how quickly one of her pies sold out, he remarks that she is “no Sara Lee” and then leaves. Becky, who is another waitress at the diner and Jenna’s friend, says that Earl is “not worth staying married to.” Ignoring the painfully obvious, Jenna comes to Earl’s defense, mentioning that he has been struggling lately. Jenna then gets back to work, baking pies as a form of escape.

The audience is soon introduced to Dawn, a control freak who is also a waitress at the diner; she reads her online dating profile to Becky and Jenna, and they tell

By Katie Kim

her to post it. An anxious Dawn sings “When He Sees Me,” a brutally honest confession that hits the audience with a wave of relatability. The song, which happens to be my favorite in the show’s soundtrack, accurately depicts how people tend to project their own insecurities onto others and how the prospect of uncertainty stops people from pursuing what they want in life.

I initially did not understand why Jenna was still with Earl. He is clearly a selfish man with a fragile ego and severe anger issues. However, when Earl sings “You Will Still Be Mine,” everything falls into place. The lyrics indicate that Jenna is not in love with Earl but with the memories they share. Therefore, it is not surprising that she is swept off of her feet when James Pomatter, her married gynecologist, flirts with her.

Because Earl is easily detestable, Jenna’s affair with James does not seem as immoral as it should. Duets like “It Only Takes a Taste” to “You Matter to Me” are sweet and romantic instead of distasteful and cringey. However, the audience is constantly reminded that Jenna and James’ relationship is inherently wrong and that they are just two lost souls grappling in the dark for comfort.

It seems as though whenever Jenna is happy, Earl manages to burst in and ruin the moment. After a friend’s wedding (guess whose), Earl confronts Jenna about the money she has hidden in the couch. Desperate to escape unhurt, Jenna lies, telling him that she was saving it for the baby. Earl, being a master manipu-

lator, attempts to make Jenna feel guilty for hiding the money and takes it all. Jenna is then forced to abandon all hopes of buying herself and her baby a new life.

The rawest and most real song from the soundtrack, “She Used to Be Mine,” comes right after this scene.

This solo sung by Jenna documents exactly how it feels to be lost in a world where nobody hears or sees you. As she clutches her stomach, Jenna reminisces about the innocent, happy girl she used to be. This is when the audience is able to truly sympathize with Jenna’s emotional state, as the audience learns that she would give anything to relive her past.

I initially felt no emotional connection with Jenna as a character—she is a pregnant, American, 20-something-year-old woman with a Southern accent and insane baking skills, while I am an Asian teenager who does not even know how to use an oven. Nevertheless, I found myself relating to her more and more as the show progressed. She, like me, is a bit of a people-pleaser.

She, like me, wishes she could go back in time and make better decisions. She, like me, finds comfort in the idea that tomorrow will be a better day. “Waitress,” aside from addressing real-world problems, such as domestic abuse and alcohol, contains a very important message about hope. Those who want to see if Jenna gets the happy ending she deserves should buy tickets on Broadway.com as soon as possible!

Little Lens, Larger Ends

Anti-public public places

By Skylar Peck Spikes under bridges. Armrests that cut through the middle of benches.

Seats shaped like cylinders or octagonal prisms. To residents of metropolitan areas such as Seoul, these architectural anomalies may be familiar sights, but there lies a deeper significance behind such designs than what initially meets the eye.

These designs are examples of hostile architecture, which the Cambridge Dictionary defines as “the design of public spaces in a way that stops unwanted behavior.” For instance, spikes are put under bridges to discourage people from sleeping there—ironic, considering that this means the public cannot access public spaces. Aside from such impractical and unusable facilities, hostile architecture can also manifest as a lack of amenities. In fact, some plazas in major cities do not have public bathrooms or benches.

With the combination of inaccessibility and a lack of resources, hostile architecture fulfills its intended effects of preventing homeless people from seeking shelter in public places. In the process, it negatively impacts other marginalized groups as well—such as elderly or disabled people, who might need a comfortable spot to rest but are unable to due to eccentrically shaped public resources. Nonetheless, homeless people, who often have no choice but to spend the night in the street, are left to bear the brunt of the situation.

Although some shelters offer a safe, sanitary environment to stay in, many others more resemble warehouses

layout by Bona Suh

where hordes of people must crowd together in unhygienic settings. Shelters are not easily accessible either, and the pandemic has only worsened circumstances; in South Korea last winter, multiple shelters near Seoul Station closed their doors due to COVID-19 infections.

Homeless people clearly face considerable challenges when living outside. In addition to the severe weather conditions and lack of access to healthcare, which can be detrimental to their wellbeing, they are affected by strict governmental regulations such as bans on public camping, some of which go so far as to prohibit sleeping outside with a blanket.

This reality reflects anti-homeless sentiments shared by much of the South Korean public. Many Koreans, especially those from older generations, express disdain for homeless people, falsely believing that their homelessness must have resulted from laziness or failure to take advantage of provided opportunities, when in reality, unfortunate situations such as lack of affordable housing are often the cause.

As architects of the future, our generation has a shot at improving circumstances for homeless people. By recognizing our privileges and addressing anti-homeless attitudes, perhaps we can design a new reality that strikes a happy medium between making public spaces accessible and making housing more affordable.

photo of the

month Dodging past the teachers, Francisco Choi (12) sprints to touchdown.

Photo by Alice Lee (11)