Tiger Times Volume 54 Issue 2

Tiger Times Volume 54 • Issue 2 • October 2022 • ttonl.org

3 School News Focus 6 10 Extended Viewpoint Tiger Times converts to eco-font

British monarchy

Student-teacher relationships

Layout by Grace Lee

2 SCHOOL NEWS 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.

News Briefs Forensics members welcome changes The SIS Forensics team kickstarted the year with changes as it welcomed new coaches Amber Watkins, Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas coach, and Iain Cowieson, speech coach, and hosted the first in-person tournament on Oct. 14-15 after three years of competing virtually.

Members of the team have expressed contentment with the new coaches as they both seem to have relevant experiences that could help enhance their debate and speech skills.

“With Mr. Cowieson as the new coach, I think this year’s speech team has a lot of potential to improve because he can use his expertise in drama to provide us feedback and different ways to enhance our speech style,” Jeonghyun Yoon (12), member of speech and Lincoln Douglas, said.

“I think Ms. Watkins will also be a good coach for Lincoln Douglas because she coached the debate team at her previous school for quite a long time.”

Most Forensics members attribute their long history of winning second place to the small size of the speech team in comparison to other schools. This year, members are looking forward to compensating for this disadvantage by expanding their team and improving under the guidance of the new coaches.

Photo By John Kim (11)

Making eye contact, Jane Park (11) passionately delivers her speech during the Public Forum Debate finals in the KAIAC Forensics Speech & Debate Tournament hosted by SIS.

Work/Study curriculum implements grade-based divisions While students taking Work/Study had previously been divided into first-year and second-year students, students are now categorized into juniors and seniors. Gray Macklin, Work/Study adviser, implemented this change in order to gear the focus of the workload in a way that best suits their circumstances.

“I think the new curriculum for Work/Study is helpful for seniors to go out into the real world because the assignments guide us toward learning how to network and find connections independently,” Sarah Yim (12), Work/ Study student, said. “For example, our first summative assignment of creating a LinkedIn profile was a great way to set us up for networking opportunities in the future.”

Seniors finalize early applications for college Seniors have continued working on their early admissions applications for college by finalizing their college lists after meetings with Kelcey Edwards, SIS college counselor, and revising their Common App and supplemental essays. Under the guidance of Ms. Edwards, seniors are responsible for meeting internal deadlines set by the school to ensure that they do not fall behind schedule and are able to submit their applications on time.

“Although it sometimes feels like a hassle to keep up with the internal deadlines, I am grateful for them because I know that I would not have been able to keep up with my work without them,” Bryan Lee (12), senior in the process of finalizing his college applications, said. “I also think that the meetings with Ms. Edwards were particularly helpful in assessing where I currently stand in the student body.”

By: Jasmine Jeong Senior, Reporter

layout by Yoon Choi

Tiger Times Staff Volume 54 Issue 2 October Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editors-in-Chief Aimee Choi Skylar Peck

Paper Managing Editors Rachel Yoon Rosa Suh

Website Editors-in-Chief Jordan Kim Woojune Kim

Website Managing Editor Daniel Shin Production Editors Bona Suh Alice Lee Yuzine Yi

Assistant Layout Editor Hannah Kim

Paper Copy Editors Hugo Lee Junseo Lee

Social Media Manager Katelyn Oh

Website Copy Editors Jennifer Kwon Cherlin Kim Paul Moon

Website Design Editor Minjae Chun

Layout Artists Grace Lee Yoon Choi

Reporters Jasmine Jeong Erin Choi Jack Lee John Kim David Kim Gyusung Lee Ian Park Brandon Choi Joseph Chun Sophie Choi Andrew Shin

Yujin Joe Eric Kim Jason Lee Jason Shin San Schwede Danny Kim Hannah Yi Eric Cho Waan Choi Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

HSSC brings back Assassin Distant camera shutters are heard in the hallway, followed by sounds of screaming and panic, as students desperately try to assassinate each other. Repeating the event from last year, HSSC hosted Assassin with a few changes and a new wave of popularity. From Sept. 20-24, players were assigned to different groups tasked with assassinating one another by taking a selfie together. As the game continued, new groups were formed as players “killed off” others and climbed the ranks.

“At first I thought it was a weird game, especially because you have to interact with upperclassmen, but it turned out to be pretty fun,” Yeonjae Kim (9), a finalist in the event, said. “My friends had a lot of fun as well.”

Maintaining its positive reputation from last year, Assassin provided an opportunity for students to experience excitement on regular school days. Through the game, students were able to have fun and form relationships with people from different grade levels.

Many players were also motivated to participate to win prizes such as a free lunch and snacks for the club they were representing.

“When we were first planning the event, we tried to finish it in a week so that everybody would stay engaged and focused,” Ellen Ryu (10), HSSC member, said. “We also realized that there were twice as many participants compared to last year, so we needed a way to keep the game short. So, we thought of the idea to break people up into groups.”

This year’s format of being assigned to a group of targets reflects a change from last year, when students were only assigned one target. As a result, the event was greatly shortened, lasting only four days, compared to last year’s 12 days. Players also noted a difference in playstyle, as having an increased number of hunters made more opportunities to catch targets or run from threats.

“I have experienced several disruptions in class,” Rachel Cho (10), Assassin player, said. “Even though

Yates Park (10), 2022 HSSC Assassin winner

Photo By Alice Lee (12)

people were aware of the rules, players would still try to take pictures right before class started, eventually causing a chase between the players, and wasting class time in the beginning.”

Despite rules prohibiting game activity during class time, there were several instances of certain disruptions that prevented the class from starting earlier or ending quietly. Moreover, many students found the loud screaming in the hallway to be a distraction as well. However, Assassin remains a popular event sparking excitement and joy through the student body and it seems that the tradition will continue for another year. “[Assassin] is a fun game that boosts student morale and increases the school spirit,” Yates Park (10), winner of the game, said. “It’s a fun way to interact with your upperclassmen, and I would definitely want to try it out again next year.”

By: Jason Shin

Sophomore, Reporter

Students participate in National Merit Scholarship Program

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n October 2021, 1.85 million juniors who took the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) and fit the necessary requirements entered the National Merit Scholarship (NMSC) program. The NMSC program is an annual academic competition that begins with high school juniors taking the PSAT/NMSQT for a chance to win a scholarship.

Out of the millions of students that enter the program each year, about 15 thousand finalists are chosen. On Sept. 14, 2022, the NMSC released a list of almost 16 thousand semifinalists for the 2023 program. On this prestigious list were five current SIS seniors: Aimee Choi, Jordan Kim, Isabelle Lee, Skylar Peck, and Erin Ryu. “I first decided to enter the competition because I have an American citizenship, and realized I could reap the benefits of it,” Erin said. “I am very proud of myself for being a semifinalist and I think it is motivating me to work harder.”

After a student takes the PSAT/NMSQT, the NMSC reviews each student’s score report along with their Selection Index score, which is calculated by doubling the sum of the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math test scores, in order to determine if the student is eligible for the program.

“I got a pretty high score in tenth grade, so I took the PSAT again in my junior year because I wanted to see what I would get,” Isabelle said. “I eventually realized that my index score was over the cutoff, and entered naturally. Although I’m not overly ecstatic, I am still quite happy that I am a semifinalist since it feels good to be publicly recognized for my academic achievements.”

The next step for these semifinalists was the finalist application, which they submitted by Oct. 5. This

application included a complete record of the student’s courses and academic performance provided by the school, the student’s SAT or ACT score that reflects their PSAT score, a list of the student’s extracurricular activities, and an essay.

“Most of the semifinalists will advance to become finalists, where a small portion will be chosen eligible for a scholarship, either by NMSC or a college,” Kelcey Edwards, director of guidance and college counseling, said. “Though not applicable to all schools, there are ones where our students could potentially leverage their National Merit status into a meaningful discount.

Students may also approach it as an extra claim that they could add to their college application.”

This year, the PSAT took place on Oct. 12, and 11 SIS juniors who met the eligibility requirement by being US citizens or permanent residents entered the program. These students will be notified whether they have become semifinalists next September. As for the current SIS semifinalists who have submitted their applications, they must wait patiently until February for NMSC to announce the list of finalists. The majority of semifinalists will advance to finalist standing, and half of these finalists will become winners of the National Merit Program and receive scholarships they worked so hard for.

By: Yoon Choi

Sophomore, Reporter

SCHOOL NEWS

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‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ team prepares live performances After auditions on Aug. 18, the new drama teacher, Iain Cowieson, set the final cast for the Shakespearean play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Following the rehearsals, the cast will be performing from Nov. 3-5 in the auditorium with a live audience for the first time in 3 years.

The play tells the story of two couples who get lost in a forest and a fairy named Puck who accidentally casts a spell on them, leading them to fall in love with the wrong person. Through the chaotic love affairs between the four characters, the play explores themes like the difficulties of love and magic.

With 21 different characters, the cast has several roles ranging from Dukes to Mechanicals to fantastical fairies.

“My character is Helena, and she is one of the New Romantics, a group of lovers in the play,” Jennah Yoo (12), cast member, said. “She is absolutely lovesick for Demetrius, who loves Hermia, Helena’s best friend.

With a pinch of bad magic, the situation goes a bit bizarre, and Demetrius falls in love with Helena, giving her all the attention instead.”

Some actors even have two roles to play, thus giving them even more opportunities to act.

“I am playing the characters Oberon and Theseus,” Leo Byun (11), cast member, said. “In our rendition of the play, Theseus is a high-class businessman type of character who has the respect of everyone and is usually the one people come to for decisions. Meanwhile, Oberon is another figure of authority, as he is King of the Fairies.”

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” takes place in Athens in the original play, but Mr. Cowieson decided to add a twist. In his rendition, the play will be set in

London in the 1980s with an emphasis on the music, which will be a mix of punk and electronic.

“In the Victorian era, the common performance was with fairies in a forest,” Mr. Cowieson said. “But in the 1970s, Peter Brook did it in a plain white box with all the characters dressed up as clowns and circus performers. When I thought of doing the show, I was thinking of doing it urban, with everyone drawn into the London Underground, which is a weird place where you could get lost easily and even fall asleep on the benches. I also chose the early 80s because that is when there are numerous clashes between music cultures.”

The team completed blocking—laying out the details of the movements of the actors—the scenes by Oct. 22.

“Our director Mr. Cowieson has many good ideas and I am glad I have him as my director,” Tyler Castano (10), actor who plays Lysander, said. “I am also excited to have the chance to interact with the other actors. For the rehearsals, we ran through the scenes, and from time to time, Mr. Cowieson would throw in some suggestions about the scene.”

With an energetic group of actors and a new director bringing new changes to the school play, the cast is getting ready for the performances.

“I want students to come to see the play and say that they want to do the play next year and get inspired,” Mr. Cowieson said. “Most of all, I want to show that being involved in the school play can be a highlight in your high school experience.”

By: Ian Saewoong Park Junior, Reporter

Eco-friendly font for Tiger Times

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s a printing publication, there is no denying that we use immense amounts of ink and paper to produce our monthly issues. To do our part in decreasing waste, we have been searching for ways to make each issue more resource-efficient while keeping its readability and aesthetic value. While we cannot stop printing, we realized we could change elements within the printing process that do not take away the essence of the newspaper: font.

A font’s size, weight, and width characterize not only its visual qualities but also its level of sustainability. For the past few years, Tiger Times has relied on “Dolly.” This year, the optimal font type we came across was “Ryman Eco”— the font you are reading right now. At first glance, it may seem that very little has changed, but upon closer inspection, you will notice that the new font has tiny lines that reduce the amount of ink needed to print. This unique design takes advantage of how ink bleeds on paper and uses an average of 33 percent less ink than standard typefaces such as Times New Roman and Arial.

Our future issues will continue reflecting this change as we take steps to more sustainable production.

Dolly

“The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog” Ryman Eco

“The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog” By: Alice Lee, Bona Suh, Yuzine Yi Production Editors

Memorizing their lines, Alma Tyvand (10) rehearses onstage for the upcoming high school production “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Photo by Jasmine Jeong (12)

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GLOBAL NEWS

Conspiracy Corner: QAnon strikes back In the past two months, former US president Donald Trump has found himself overwhelmed with legal trouble, ranging from corrupt business practices to stealing nuclear documents from the White House. Each case raised its own set of controversies, with his critics demanding that he be swiftly punished, while his supporters continue to stand firmly by his side, denying the allegations.

Trump only added fuel to the fire by seemingly attempting to reconnect with a particularly radical group of his supporters: QAnon.

On Sept. 17, at the end of his campaign rally in Ohio, Trump began playing a song that was identified as“Where We Go One, We Go All,” a QAnon theme song named after the organization’s infamous motto. In response, several members of his audience raised their index fingers in the

air, which many interpreted as a show of support for QAnon.

This was not the first time that Trump made cryptic references to the organization in the past month. In fact, on Sept. 12, Trump posted a photo of himself wearing a Q pin. The image was overlaid with the phrases, “WWG1WGA” and “The Storm is Coming,” the first being an acronym for the QAnon motto, and the latter being a reference to the QAnon belief that in an event known as “The Storm,” members of the Democratic Party would be arrested and the truth behind the government’s supposed crimes would be revealed.

Though many members of QAnon had previously been identified as Trump supporters, experts in right-wing extremism claim that the overlap between the two groups has only grown.

This was largely a result of the figurehead of the organization,

a figure named “Q” who claimed to be a high-ranking military official that would unveil the heinous crimes of the Democratic Party, seemingly disappearing after their predictions did not come to fruition.

As a result, the movement reared its head toward Trump, subscribing to his theories that the results of the 2020 presidential election had been faked and that a tyrannical “deep state” existed in Washington. Even in his speech at the Ohio campaign rally, Trump made references to the “evil people from within our country” and blamed “corrupt, power-hungry globalists, socialists, and liberal extremists” for attacking Ohio.

This endorsement of conspiratory ideals and the overlap between Trump’s target demographic and QAnon serves as an example of the dangers of political disinformation and

populism, the political strategy of gaining support from people who are discontent with the government.

By appealing to extremist right-wing conspiracy theorists with radical views, Trump attempts to use their skepticism toward the US government to gather support for his possible future reelection campaign.

Subtle gestures of approval toward the QAnon movement and its ideology that the Democratic Party is a secret criminal syndicate, as well as his spread of political disinformation by claiming that the results of the 2020 election were faked, were all strategies intended to prolong his political career. His use of such political strategies ultimately led to severe consequences such as the Jan. 6 riots in the US Capitol, with 34 of the 400 arrested rioters being confirmed as members of QAnon.

However, as concerning as Trump’s recent references to QAnon may be, many hope that the numerous ongoing trials for the Jan. 6 rioters as well as the several criminal accusations against Trump will ultimately lead to the end of the QAnon movement, and that this incident will serve as a reminder to the Internet of the dangers of political disinformation and populism.

President Yoon attends Unionized financial workers in Seoul UN General Assembly go on strike

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n Sept. 19, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in New York City to attend the 77th UN General Assembly (UNGA), which took place from Sept.

13-26, and to attend bilateral meetings with other world leaders on Sept. 14. This year’s UNGA was the first time world leaders met in person since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The theme of this year’s UNGA was “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges,” with discussions focusing on Russia’s war with Ukraine, promoting human rights, supporting global education, and combating climate change.

“I think that this year’s return to the original UNGA meetings was fruitful because it allowed world leaders to address pressing issues, such as the Ukraine crisis, in person,” Tobias Choi (11), a Government and Politics student, said. “Sometimes, such discussions may be difficult to conduct through online platforms.”

In his address to the UNGA, President Yoon emphasized the importance of freedom for all global citizens and the necessity for global cooperation to ensure world peace. He stated that South Korea was willing to do its part to uphold such means of freedom and peace.

“I thought that President Yoon’s address represented South Korea’s stance on international relations well,” Ann Lee (11), a politics enthusiast, said. “As a Korean citizen, I was proud of how President Yoon represented Korea on important issues such as world peace and international cooperation.”

After his first meeting in the UNGA, Yoon and the first lady, Kim Keon-hee, hosted a dinner with local Korean residents.

“I was really surprised when I heard that the President of

layout by Yujin Joe

South Korea had hosted a private dinner for local Korean residents,” Jeffrey You (11), a South Korean citizen, said. “I thought it demonstrated his willingness to engage with average citizens and hear their voices.”

On his second day in New York, President Yoon also had lunch with the former president of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, to discuss ways to strengthen the ties between South Korea and the UN to address the threat of North Korea.

“I thought it was significant that President Yoon not only met world leaders in the UNGA, but also individuals, in order to discuss pressing issues,” Eddie Chu (11), MUN member, said. “It emphasized that South Korea is willing to maintain stable relations with other countries.”

President Yoon also met with President Biden for the second time since May to discuss the implementation of agreements made in the previous US-Korean summit in South Korea and to address the issue of the US Inflation Reduction Act decreasing the value of the Korean won.

Afterward, President Yoon held a 30-minute summit with the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, which was the first time the Korean and Japanese heads of state met since 2019. They discussed the nuclear threat of North Korea and agreed to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

“Throughout the 4-day trip, President Yoon ensured that South Korea will remain interconnected with the international community,” Joshua Hwang (11), Government and Politics student, said. “I hope that Yoon will continue to mend relations with countries and work to establish South Korea as a nation that upholds moral values.”

BY: Gyusung Lee Junior, Reporter

On Sept. 16, around 13,000 unionized financial workers gathered to hold a large-scale rally at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, protesting for a wage hike and a 4.5-day work week. This was the first strike launched by the Korean Financial Industry Union (KFIU), an affiliate of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), in six years. The FKTU is a national trade union center created in the 1960s to promote workers’ rights and create social safety nets.

The strike started for multiple reasons. One was to increase wages, which have been low despite the overall sales growth of businesses in Korea. The KFIU stated that more than 5 percent of salary increases have been given to workers at Korea’s major businesses since 2021.

However, the salary raise of those in the financial industry has been less than 2 percent for the last three years.

“A lot of banks and financial institutions have been refusing to increase wages for their workers despite their increases in profits, even during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Joon Sung Kim (11), a student interested in Korean politics, said. “The workers will probably continue the strikes until they finally achieve more improvements to their job.”

Another reason the workers went on strike is that the management of several financial service firms such as the Industrial Bank of Korea has failed to narrow the gap in the collective bargaining terms between them and the union representing the employees. Issues such as improvement in employment conditions were unresolved, leading to provoked union workers who decided a strike was the best option they had.

“The union claims that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is harming financial workers, as it created policies such as integrating a performance-based pay system for financial service firms, instead of increasing the wages,” Jae-won Chang (10), a Korean debate and politics enthusiast, said. “However, this seems to be affecting a marginal group, as overall only 9 percent of the union workers showed up to the strike.”

Kim Dong-myung, president of the FKTU, stated in his speech during the strike that the government’s unilateral wage cuts, job cuts, and asset sales are all acts that destroy the common good of financial services, as they all restrict its workers. He also promised that the FKTU would fight until the rights of the financial workers are fully guaranteed.

“Unions and strikes are ways of

balancing the power between the employer and employee. It involves collectivizing to create benefits for both sides,” Morgan Miller, AP Economics teacher, said. “However, I think it’s hard to know if the strike is going to be effective if not a lot of people support the union itself and few show up to protest. Due to the strike consisting of white-collar workers, the strike might be less disruptive and thus not effective.”

The impact that the strikes will have is yet to be seen, though currently there is minimal disruption to the largest bank operations.

According to the Financial Supervisory Service, less than 1 percent of employees from the five largest commercial banks participated in the strike.

If more workers, officials of KFIU, and labor activists join future strikes, they could pressure the firms they work for and the government-run financial institutions to negotiate worker benefits.

BY: David Kim Junior, Reporter

SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

More than just a gamE

Jason Lee

Chess, cheating, and chaos

On Sept. 4th, at the St. Louis Sinquefield Cup, Grandmaster Hans Niemann shocked the chess world by beating Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen in the third round of the tournament. For Carlsen, a former world chess champion and a popular candidate for the best chess player of all time, losing any chess match was an anomaly but not unprecedented, and he would almost always bounce back.

However, after the match with Niemann, Carlsen did the unthinkable and dropped out of the tournament altogether. He had never prematurely dropped out of a tournament in his entire career, let alone after a loss.

Carlsen’s initial comments to the media did not give much insight into the situation. After his loss, Carlsen posted a video on Twitter of celebrated football manager Jose Mourinho saying, “If I speak, I am in big trouble,” referring to a notorious post-loss interview in which Mourinho implicitly accused referees and oppos-

ing clubs of conspiring against him. In other words, Carlsen quoted Mourinho’s tongue-in-cheek statement to imply that he was suspicious that Niemann used an unfair advantage during the match to win.

A few weeks after the Sinquefield Cup, the two met again at the Julius Baer Generation Cup, an online chess tournament.

Any predictions of the heavily anticipated rematch, however, were swiftly destroyed as Carlsen resigned after playing just one move. Resigning against an opponent after one move is incredibly disrespectful, and out of character for someone of Carlsen’s caliber.

Carlsen was not willing to play against Niemann and believed he was guilty of cheating. However, Carlsen did not provide any concrete evidence of such cheating. In a Twitter statement on Sept. 27, Carlsen accused Niemann of having cheated far more than he had previously admitted. On the other hand, Niemann, throughout the incident, denied cheating against Carlsen

and even offered to play naked to prove his innocence. The International Chess Federation reprimanded Carlsen for his conduct but shared his concern about the increasing issue of cheating and promised to raise preventative measures in tournaments.

Regardless of the suspicions and opinions raised in the feud, there are certain facts that need to be respected. Niemann has been caught cheating in online chess matches before, such as in matches on chess.com, the biggest chess site in the world. Niemann publicly admitted to cheating twice in online chess games in the past but claimed that he had never done so in offline, over-the-board games.

Understandable suspicion has continued to loom over Niemann, though, as the 19-year-old Grandmaster has recently seen an unprecedented rise in the chess world, going up the worldwide player rankings from top 800 to top 50 in a matter of months.

Apple releases ‘new’ products On Sept. 23, Apple released a series of new products: the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. While some consumers praised their improved cameras and new features, others criticized the new iPhones for their near-identical resemblance to the iPhone 13.

“I think that there is no major difference between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14,” Sophia Lim (10), a devoted Apple customer, said, “I was quite disappointed with the new product as it reminded me of the previous iPhones and were just as costly.

Although the graphic performance and camera lens became better, I don’t see any upgrades that would aid a user’s convenience.”

Customers have expressed that for the past few years, Apple seemed to make only the slightest changes in their products, whilst marketing them for extremely high prices. Samsung, Apple’s main competitor, has also criticized the release of new Apple products by mocking the iPhone 14 for its lack of innovations in a recent advertisement.

“I’m pleasantly surprised with the new dynamic island design choice and its functions, as I’ve always thought the notches made the iPhones look outdated,” Jiwhan Lee (10), a Samsung user, said.

“But otherwise, I’m starting to see a pattern of the ‘sameold-thing’ happening, where there’s almost no significant difference from the previous model.”

When compared with the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 includes better camera functions and satellite connectivity, as well as multiple color options and redesigned

“As the customer is already used to navigating around Apple’s software, by human nature, they will continue to still buy from the familiar device company,” Marc Montague, IT coordinator, said.

“Thus, the fixed Apple market allows for Apple to not find the need to make drastic improvements.”

This marketing tactic of taking advantage of a product’s nostalgia has proven to be effective when maintaining the consumers of the older generation. However, with such few innovations each time, the Apple market has finally faltered, resulting in canceled plans for increasing the production of the iPhone 14 under unexpectedly few sales.

“For now, I am satisfied with my current silver iPhone 13 Pro,” Olivia Park (10) said.

“I am not surprised with the new iPhone 14 because there is not much of a change.

However, I really like the new color options and am looking forward to buying them.”

BY: Yujin Joe Sophmore, Reporter

During Niemann’s meteoric rise, he also went on an astonishing 53 no-loss streak.

It does not help the cause of Niemann’s innocence that he was the lowest ranked player going into the Sinquefield Cup and somehow defeated 31-year-old former world champion, Carlsen. Finally, a recent bombshell report by Chess.com accused Niemann of cheating in over 100 online chess games played as recently as 2020, including in games where prize money was on the line. Taking all of these into account, Carlsen’s suspicions seem more than justified.

This controversy has escalated to the point that it has not only divided the chess world but also ignited global interest in the game of chess itself. Across the players, fans, and newspapers caught in the chaos, it is clear that this cheating scandal holds significance beyond the moves on the board and will impact how the world views this thousand-year-old game.

‘The Little Mermaid’ faces backlash for casting

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widgets. However, there are no notable developments that contrast with the previous models.

For example, besides the change in thickness by 0.01 inches, there were no changes in the 6.1-inch screen size from the iPhone 13. Unlike Samsung’s radical changes and innovations with each product, like the AI-powered eraser on photos and models that can fold, Apple’s changes are often restricted to the cameras and colors of the iPhone model.

“Honestly, I don’t mind the lack of innovations for the new iPhone 14 as it already has all the features that are needed,” Ryan Jung (11), an Apple user, said. “I believe that there is no need for more dramatic changes. In fact, the graphic details and design changes add a lasting touch.”

Many consumers also have little criticism of the new product. Despite the innovations primarily focusing on visual designs, consumers are satisfied with the current products. Some, believing that Apple has already almost perfected its phone products, express little concern over the similarities with the old models.

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n Sept. 10, the “The Little Mermaid” live-action trailer was released, sparking debates concerning Disney’s casting of black singer Halle Bailey as the main character, Ariel. Although the casting was announced in July 2019 with relatively less backlash, the trailer reached greater audiences and became a topic of interest as people took to online spaces to discuss the changes.

“The Little Mermaid” is originally a Danish fairy tale that was adapted into a Disney animation, where Ariel appears as a white character. Many felt that having a black woman play Ariel is not true to the original story, while others stated that Ariel’s skin color has nothing to do with the plot itself.

“The change does not matter because of the representation,” Grace Lee (9), media representation activist, said. “I saw a lot of black children online who looked happy because they finally got represented. I think most people who are mad at a person of color playing the role are hiding behind the reasoning that it’s too different from the original version.”

One of the main points defending the casting is the representation that it created. Joining Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog,” “The Little Mermaid” will now depict a black princess that younger viewers can look up to. Having a person of color in the leading role could help create positive role models for more impressionable and underrepresented audiences. Some voiced different opinions, however.

“I feel like Disney is trying to capitalize off of representing different ethnicities and losing the original message of the movie,” Hyeonseo Park (12), Disney fan, said. “I would not have been as upset if the color of the actress’s hair was redder. I feel like those kinds of trademark features should be preserved.”

“The Little Mermaid” is not the first to blur the line between diversity on the screen and “accurate” storytelling. Early last month, Amazon’s show “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” divided longtime franchise fans over multiple aspects, like the accuracy of the serialization and the inclusion of actors of color.

“I was looking forward to the show because ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a classic for those who are into the fantasy genre,” Joseph Gallagher, “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” watcher, said. “It has gorgeous cinematography, but the plot is mediocre. Hopefully, it will get better plot- and character-wise because it can take the actors a while to figure out their characters.”

After the first episode was aired on Sept. 1, people started “review-bombing” the series, purposefully posting bad reviews to lower show ratings. Similar to critics of “The Little Mermaid” casting, fans said there were not many characters of color in the original movies and added that non-white actors did not belong in a fantasy setting.

A week later, the showrunners released a statement defending their cast, saying that the fantasy world that JRR Tolkein created is “multicultural” and that people of color belong in Middle-earth.

“Hopefully, we can keep progressively moving forward in this area, but that’s where I believe stories and their visual depictions play a big role in steering the collective beliefs of humanity,” Matthew Halter, “Lord of the Rings” book series fan, said. “It is why we can get behind characters like Gandalf who can see the necessity for hobbits, elves, dwarves, and men to come together—for love to win out.”

BY: Rachel Yoon Senior, Managing Editor

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FOCUS

British monarchy: the identity of the UK?

By HANNAH KIM After serving 70 years as the monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully on Sept. 8. The Queen’s coffin was transported to St. Giles’ Cathedral, where it rested for the public to see for 24 hours. As thousands of people gathered to view her coffin and keep vigil, many Britons were reminded of the importance of the Queen and the monarchy.

Though the British monarchy has a history spanning over 1200 years and 62 monarchs, this was the first time that many Britons witnessed the death of such a prominent public figure: the public had not seen a state funeral take place for nearly 60 years since the death of Sir Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister.

In the wake of this monumental event, public interest in the debate on whether the monarchy should continue to exist increased, and many monarchists have brought the issue of national identity to light.

In 1945, the UK emerged triumphant along with the Western Allies and the Soviet Union in World War II. For the people, however, this victory came at a high cost: cities were left devastated and resources were scarce. In the face of such hardships, some expressed uneasiness toward holding an extravagant coronation for the new Queen. But despite concerns about public disapproval, the event successfully revived the fading national pride of the UK. Royal historians suggest that the coronation distracted the exhausted citizens from their harsh realities. Furthermore, the Britons accepted the coronation as a representation of their unique and rich history.

The Queen’s coronation was not the only major royal event that brought citizens together.

The royal weddings are also some of the most popular ceremonies watched by the entire world. Both the wedding of Prince Charles III with Princess Diana and Prince William with Kate Middleton were watched by billions of people around the globe. The elegant and distinctive weddings reminded citizens what it meant to be British.

The royal family and their ceremonies not only represent the nation but also unite the people. Though citizens’ political opinions regarding the royalty may vary, many would still enjoy gathering with their friends and families to watch and participate in cultural events. Furthermore, continuing the traditional practices is a form of cultural preservation.

With a significant portion of Britain’s cultural events involving the royal family, a sudden abolishment of the monarchy is likely to bring confusion on how these ceremonies will con-

layout by Katelyn Oh

tinue.

Even where the royal family is not directly involved, there are many other traditional royal events that continue to this day. For example, one famous ceremony that millions of people travel to Buckingham Palace to see every year is guard mounting. Unsmiling soldiers wearing the iconic black bearskin hats and red uniforms guard the gate of the Palace until they exchange duties in a perfectly synchronized manner—a practice that has continued since the late 1400s.

Traditional events such as these serve multiple purposes for the UK. For one, they demonstrate the nation’s history and culture to the rest of the world. Some British citizens suggest that continuing these ceremonies preserves the history of the UK and makes their traditions more widely known. Indeed, many people from different countries are able to recognize British soldiers from their uniforms alone.

As well as culture potentially being lost in the absence of the royal family, there is another key factor that contributes to citizens’ ongoing support of the institution: economic benefits. These events alone draw in a significant amount of money for various businesses across the nation. From local flower shops selling flowers for the Queen’s funeral to taxis and bus drivers serving tourists, the British economy benefits with each visitor.

Furthermore, the royal family does more than just attract tourists—it strengthens and creates new ties between the UK and the rest of the world. The royal family plays an important role in participating in public engagements to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations.

According to Brand Finance, the royal family contributed approximately 1.7 billion US dollars to the UK economy in 2017—a result of the family’s direct and indirect influence over numerous industries and the popularity of shows portraying the monarchy such as “The Crown.”

It is the responsibility of the monarchy to make such contributions to the nation’s welfare, and so far, it seems the royal family is upholding its duties. But in the end, what is keeping the monarchy around even in the present is the living embodiment of the UK that the royals have become for many British citizens.

Queen Elizabeth was praised for lighting this flame in the people’s hearts; now it is up to the newly crowned King Charles III to keep this fire alive.

7

British monarchy: an outdated identity?

By ERIC KIM Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-ruling monarch of Britain, passed away on Sept. 8. On the eve of the funeral, hundreds of thousands of mourners waited near Buckingham Palace in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Queen’s casket. With over 33 million people viewing the announcement of Queen Elizabeth’s death on TV, many praised the monarchy for yet another generation of rule. However, as King Charles III inherits the monarchy’s legacy with a variety of controversies and scandals, the question arises: should the British monarchy continue?

Though many royalists mourned Queen Elizabeth’s death and look forward to the continuation of the royal bloodline assuming hereditary statuses, not all British citizens agree. Global commentators as well as British citizens have expressed concerns regarding the maintenance of the monarchy and believe the British monarchy should be terminated with the Queen’s death—the perfect time for transition.

One reason for this belief is that Britain’s constitutional monarchy’s characteristics are virtually identical to those of a democracy.

When contrasted to the power of an absolute monarch, the kings and queens of the British monarchy merely assume the role of a political figurehead, absent of all the tyrannical powers that an absolute monarch would have, reflected nominally with the word ‘constitutional.’ Monarchs can easily be replaced with democratic alternatives like those reflected in the US’s three branches of government—primarily, the monarch does not politically differ much from the President or the executive branch. For example, the Crown’s ability to appoint prime ministers is comparable to the President’s ability to appoint Supreme Court Justices or heads of federal agencies; both authorities have the ability to approve new laws and veto legislation; and the monarch’s role as the political head of state is comparable to the president’s role as the primary diplomatic figure of a country.

As English poet Alfred Tennyson noted, Britain is a crowned republic where “the Queen reigns but does not rule.” With the British monarchy being politically republican following democratic ideals, the existence of a monarchy in Britain is said to be unnecessary in a world following a democratic trend—a mere inferior version of a true democracy.

Though a constitutional monarchy follows republicanism, anti-monarchists point to the monarchy as an institution that opposes niche democratic ideals that could be mended for if a democracy was established. Because the monarchy is inherently built upon a hereditary system, it provides a variety of privileges

to the royal family far more favorable than any elected leader would receive. Such privileges include the Sovereign Grant, a portion of money from taxpayers; exemption from the Freedom of Information Act, allowing them to keep any and all information they want confidential; and, most controversially, relief from inheritance taxes. In fact, King Charles’s exemption from the 40 percent tax on inherited goods and fortunes mandated by British law has sparked controversy as to whether one of the richest individuals in Britain assuming the role of a political figurehead should be exempt from paying them. Robert Palmer, Tax Justice of the UK, said, “[the] majority of the public thinks the King should pay inheritance tax on the private fortunes he has just inherited.”

To protest these illegitimate exemptions, opponents have rallied against the monarchy under #NotMyKing on social media platforms.

Criticizing the monarchical hereditary system, they called for an elected leader absent of such favorable hereditary privileges, supporting the democratic notion of meritocracy. With police arresting anti-monarchist protesters, the issue has gotten even more attention.

Not only is the UK monarchy inconsistent with current democratic trends, but it has also strayed from its original purpose. In the past, the existence of a strong figurehead provided by the constitutional monarchy was advantageous in consolidating Britain’s national identity amidst societal instability and external pressure. In contemporary society, where more stable international relations allow for a national identity to form naturally without the need for a monarch, the original purpose of a monarchy is obsolete; rather, a democracy can better crystallize one nation’s identity in contemporary society where individual opinion can be easily organized and efficiently collected.

Despite the plethora of arguments against its continuation, the monarchy stands firm, playing a doubtful game between 17th-century monarchy and 21st-century democracy.

Queen Elizabeth’s reign has only strengthened the claims for those supporting the monarchy, and experts such as Robert Hazell, a professor of Government and the Constitution at University College London, predict that the abolition of the monarchy would be difficult. However, with shrinking support for the monarchy and citizens criticizing the non-democratic aspects of Britain’s hereditary royalty finally bringing such issues to the surface, the growing opposition clearly heralds a possibility for changes in the future.

8

MULTIMEDIA

What is your guilty pleasure?

After a grueling day of schoolwork, studying, and extracurriculars, everyone needs a way to settle down and relax. Whether it be binge-watching an entire season of anime on a school night or playing “League of Legends” for 8 hours straight, everyone has their own way of dealing with this stress, even if it may be unconventional. Aside from students, teachers also have interesting ways of spending their free time outside of school. From spending hours on their favorite social media app to impulse buying, what guilty pleasures do the students and teachers at SIS have?

Ryan Bae (9) “My guilty pleasure is shopping for shoes.

The most recent shoe that I picked up was a pair of Nike Dunk Lows. I love collecting new Jordans and other Nike shoes. I also spend a ton of time on Instagram looking at new shoes on a daily basis, which kind of wastes my time, but I enjoy it.”

Ryan Jung (11) “My guilty pleasure is binge-watching TV shows on Netflix. After a big test or a difficult week, I sometimes binge seasons of my favorite shows in a few days. My dream is to become an engineer, so I especially enjoy watching shows on science fiction such as ‘Salvation.’ It inspires me to work harder to achieve my goals and is just a lot of fun.”

Jessica Park (10) “My guilty pleasure is shopping, and I really like to buy basically anything that I see online. I just bought two pairs of cargo pants, one in green and one in beige. They were expensive, but I definitely think that I’m ready for fall this year.”

Matthew Um (12) “Playing too many video games is definitely my guilty pleasure. I enjoy video games because they’re a really good way for me to get my mind off of whatever is stressing me out. Some of the video games I enjoy are ‘Valorant,’ ‘Minecraft,’ ‘Stardew Valley,’ ‘Genshin Impact,’ ‘osu!,’ and ‘League of Legends.’”

Ann Lee (11) “My guilty pleasure is watching a bit too much YouTube. In my free time, I like to watch K-pop performances or ‘Try Not to Laugh’ challenges that influencers upload. I also love to bingewatch Korean dramas, especially ones that star Nam Joo-hyuk. These videos help me take a break from the stresses and anxieties of schoolwork and hagwons. It’s a time when I can take my mind off my studies and have a good laugh.”

Patrick Young, English teacher “Desserts are my guilty pleasure. In Korea, I love patjuk, especially from a place in Samcheong. I also love Vietnamese and Thai desserts since they use so much coconut. I love coconut cream, coconut milk, shreds of coconut, or anything that rhymes with coconut. When I get patjuk, I normally get it with jujube tea. On a cold day, they both taste pretty good.”

BY: Gyusung Lee & Jason Lee Junior & Sophomore, Reporters

layout by Yuzine Yi

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

9

Snack Shack: haven for morning cravings

As the alluring scent of warm cup-ban and corn dogs wafts through the hallways, HSSC’s Snack Shack, previously known as Cartnivore, bustles with hungry students eager to fill up their empty stomachs every office hours. Ranging from nachos and Dippin’ Dots ice cream to bottled Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos and cup ramyun, Snack Shack provides a rich variety of food and drinks for students to purchase. Behind all of this are members of the HSSC, busily working behind the windows of Snack Shack.

Running Snack Shack every office hours requires much dedication from the HSSC members. On a rotational basis, a set of four members is responsible for one shift each day of the week. Within a span of 25 minutes, HSSC members not only serve food and drinks to students but also bring boxes of restocked items from the front gate, take orders, handle monetary exchanges, and maintain sanitary conditions.

“Especially with the tendency to often skip breakfast, students who visit Snack Shack gain extra energy for their day,” Philip Ham (12), HSSC Secretary, said.

“Not only does Snack Shack accomplish this purpose, but it also serves as an area where students can freely hang out while enjoying our food. With our hard work and the profit earned from Snack Shack, we hope we can raise our budget for other HSSC events.”

Snack Shack is one of the HSSC’s key sources of stable income useful for funding events such as prom and Snowball. Many HSSC events require a substantial budget, which further motivates HSSC members to sell food and drinks and promote Snack Shack to students.

“Snack Shack is very important in that the revenue generated helps HSSC foster a good social environment in school,” Megan Mannell, HSSC adviser, said. “My role as an adviser is mostly helping to keep track of the financial aspects of HSSC

and advising HSSC members on how to make food items more appealing to the students.

Snack Shack is a good opportunity that helps HSSC members develop strong work habits and organizational skills. I think they work very hard and create an environment for students to socialize and to have some good fuel for their classes.”

While HSSC members feel fulfilled through serving the student body through Snack Shack, they also face challenges along the way. Along with restocking food items every day, HSSC members must also brainstorm ways to attract students who rarely visit Snack Shack, such as improving the menu, prices, and accessibility. Student popularity of Snack Shack differs widely based on grade level, and one of HSSC’s goals is to mitigate this gap.

“Considering how most of the current customers are freshmen, I hope more upperclassmen can visit Snack Shack again,” Steven Kim (11), HSSC Junior Council

member, said. “We are currently planning to use new ways to attract more upperclassmen, as it is meaningful for us to serve a variety of students in different grade levels through Snack Shack.”

Adding seasonal menus is one way HSSC members keep students interested in Snack Shack all year round. In previous years, HSSC members sold pumpkin pies during the fall and donuts during the spring.

In September this school year, HSSC members added chaltteok ice cream as a temporary menu around Chuseok. They plan to not only continue seasonal menus but also implement student opinion in their regular menu.

“It was a good idea to spread the idea of Chuseok through chaltteok ice cream, but honestly, I think it was too expensive,” Chloe Yoon (9), Snack Shack visitor, said. “My favorite menu at Snack Shack is chips and ice cream, and I also like cup ramyun, which is only sold on

Fridays. I like to visit Snack Shack because of both the food and the comfortable atmosphere, as I can stay and chat with my friends there. Snack Shack is near my locker area, so it is convenient to go there too.”

Taking constructive feedback into consideration, HSSC is planning to increase consumer interaction with Snack Shack through adding new Snack Shack menus in the near future.

HSSC members also plan to enhance the accessibility of Snack Shack by going around the high school building and selling snacks on a cart for students that have locker areas relatively more distant from Snack Shack.

Through overcoming these hurdles, HSSC members hope that Snack Shack can serve as a site for students to freely gather and socialize while enjoying snacks and refreshments.

BY: John Kim Junior, Reporter

10 VIEWPOINT

Crossing the line between politics and sports

Editorial An appeal against apathy by

Aimee Choi & Skylar Peck editors-in-chief

Amidst recent developments like the sudden temperature drop in Seoul, the unopened Tiger Times issues sprawled on various pieces of furniture around the school shine like a beacon of continuity. Before subjecting this paper to the same fate as its predecessors, rest assured that this editorial is not another hackneyed plea from Tiger Times for greater readership. What can be deduced from the everyday phenomenon of neglected newspapers, though, is that there seems to be a general sense of apathy toward the outside world among the SIS student body.

This is hardly a novel criticism; the stereotype of the quintessential SIS student as indifferent to anything that is not summative runs deep. Of course, there is some degree of truth to this stereotype, and students even humorously embrace it, as evidenced by the entire Junior Class erupting into applause at the end-of-year assembly in June upon hearing that no one had attained perfect attendance.

And perhaps considering the environment that SIS students are situated in, some amount of apathy is warranted. Not only do academic and extracurricular demands leave little mental energy to expend on other interests, but the easy access to information provided by the digital age can also induce teenagers to feel overwhelmed by unpleasant news and thus inclined to avoid the outside world entirely. However, though apathy may not pose a threat within our school community, it can present tangible implications in wider society; a salient example is the persistence of the COVID19 pandemic, as failure to comply with preventive measures led to increased contraction.

Fortunately, despite their reputation for apathy, SIS students regularly demonstrate that they are more than capable of expressing empathy. They are empathetic when they sacrifice their already insufficient sleep time—or, incredible as it may seem, study time—to comfort a peer requiring emotional support. They are empathetic when they patiently explain challenging homework problems to their “competitors.” They are empathetic even in the most inconsequential moments, such as when they attempt to make their classmates who are illegally on the second floor during Work/Study invisible to principal Gray Macklin.

Thus, readers will see that several articles in this issue of Tiger Times offer means of fostering this capacity for compassion. San Schwede’s extended viewpoint comments on the value of developing deeper student-teacher bonds; this iteration of Saewoong Ian Park’s monthly column “Films to Live By” relays lessons we can learn from the film “Amélie” and its eponymous protagonist on spreading joy.

Outside of school, students can demonstrate concern for others through civic participation. On Nov. 8, the 2022 midterm elections will take place in the US. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, as well as 35 seats in the Senate, are up for election. According to the US Department of State, most US citizens who are at least 18 years old and residing in a different country are eligible to vote absentee—meaning that several current seniors will have the opportunity to influence future legislation by casting their ballots.

Needless to say, the more convenient lifestyle will always be characterized by apathy, especially for high schoolers whose utmost priority is a successful college admissions process. But we are on the cusp of adulthood, and while “tryharding” our way through high school is certainly one way of preparing ourselves for it, we must recognize that we are nearing our departure from our isolated, insulated bubble away from the rest of society. It’s time we learned to apply the same level of “tryhard”ness to connecting with the world beyond just ourselves.

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 Alice Lee

L

ebron James is one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the sport, with a record 18 all-star appearances and four titles. What he has been doing off court, however, has received more recognition. Using his popularity and consequently excellent platform to exert political influence, James has brought light to crucial social issues including justice for the African-American community. Today, he is part of a growing body of athletes who utilize their popularity to voice influential political opinions.

Although athletes like James have brought much-needed light to important political and social matters, time and time again, other athletes have shown that they are not qualified enough to entangle themselves in political affairs. Considering how athletes’ political activism either spreads misinformation or diminishes the entertainment value of professional sports, athletes should not stray away from their role on the field and meddle in political matters.

Political activism by athletes, if any, should be practiced under the strict supervision of sports leagues to avoid potential misinformation and displeased fans.

The most glaring hazard of athlete activism is the spread of misleading political opinions by poorly qualified athletes. One example is Trevor Bauer, a former starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and current Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting pitcher, whose political statements have been questionable and insensitive. For example, commenting on climate change, Bauer asserted that climate change existed before humans and went so far as to claim that to think humans can control climate change was extremely ego-centric. When asked about whether Chief Wahoo, the Cleveland Indians’ controversial Native American caricature (banned since 2018) was racist,

Bauer responded that he had never seen a the most important purpose of professional single Native American who was offended sports: entertainment. As much as Kaeperby the caricature and embraced the mascot. nick’s kneeling was a noble act aimed at As a respected ace of the Cleveland pitching raising awareness of racial inequality, many staff at the time, his words carried signif- right-wing conservatives saw it as blatant icant weight and prompted many fans to disrespect toward the country and the endorse keeping Chief Wahoo as the Indi- national anthem. Indeed, NFL viewership ans’ mascot. There is no doubt that Bauer dipped following Kaepernick’s kneeling and is a potent athlete. His voicing of political the wave of national anthem protests that opinions, however, has had far-reaching ensued. Although it is unclear whether the consequences for those who idolize and dip was solely due to the national anthem believe his every word. protests, it is undeniable that the protests Many can argue that singling out a few have offended conservative fans with rigid errant voices like Bauer does not justify the patriotic values and overall detract from the larger role politically active athletes play in games’ entertainment for those who disaspreading awareness of key social and polit- gree with the athletes’ perspectives. ical issues. NFL player Colin Kaepernick, While the idolized celebrity status of athfor instance, kneeled during the national letes has put them in exceptional positions anthem in a noble plea for racial justice. for political influence, any public exercise His act inspired waves of athletes to stand of such political power must be refrained up against racial injustice and brought the from or closely monitored by sports leagues spotlight to prejudiced police brutality. to avoid spreading misleading information However, the risks that misinformed ath- and to preserve the fundamental purpose letes can bring are just as, if not more, con- of professional sports. Sports leagues were sequential than the possible benefits. While made to unite people through a shared it is inspiring that the popular platform passion in sports and sports only. The NFL of athletes allows even one voice to spur was created to “unite people and inspire beneficial political change, this also means communities in the joy of [football] by delivthat even one misled athlete voice can bring ering [an exciting] sports and entertainment cataclysmic consequences including cults of experience.” The NBA was established to misled believers if caution is not taken. UFC “inspire and connect people everywhere lightweight Spike Carlyle is a key example. through the power of basketball.” Athletes’ Carlyle’s radical anti-semitic propaganda on political activism often severs this unity. If social media, including claims that Jewish athletes are truly committed to helping to people were the “real enemy of the world” accomplish the missions of the leagues they instead of the pandemic, has caught the play in, they should focus on their game on attention of many, possibly obtaining the the field rather than in the political arena concurrence of anti-semitic viewers. As and should readily yield themselves to monCarlye and the aforementioned Bauer show, itoring by their respective sports leagues if athlete activism if centered around radical, deemed necessary. misled ideas can snowball into genuine political and social threats.

Apart from the danger of spreading by: Hugo Lee misled ideas, athlete activism detracts from Senior, Copy Editor

Do androids dream of…anything?

This summer, the Internet collectively became obsessed over DALL-E Mini, a freeto-use AI art generator. By entering any prompt, its algorithm generates a random image by combing through and combining millions of images in an online database.

Seeing an opportunity, people used the generator to create fantastical landscapes and bizarre memes, causing it to blow up in popularity: at one point, DALL-E Mini was being used 50,000 times a day to generate millions of works.

But though DALL-E Mini undeniably sparks joy for many, it can also hurt artists.

Since the very nature of AI art generators like DALL-E Mini depends on gathering art from the Internet, it often incorporates artworks without the artists’ permission.

These situations become further controversial when AI-generated works are submitted to art competitions or sold as human artists have to compete with them for artistic merit.

With the prevalence of AI art and its potential to drastically impact the future of art itself, it is more important than ever to discuss its place in the art world.

AI-generated works should not be considered art. While the works AI generators pump out are technically impressive and oftentimes beautiful, art is just as much the creative process as it is the final product.

And since AI is incapable of creativity, the things it creates cannot be art.

Creativity is an inherently human trait defined as “the use of the imagination or original ideas” by Oxford Languages. By this definition, AI cannot be creative because it needs people to write predetermined instructions in its code to do anything.

Furthermore, creativity involves making conscious choices—whether you use teal or cerulean paint or a cubist or impressionist style—something AI is incapable of.

Some have argued that the prompt itself is what makes AI-generated art a creative product since a person has to manually think of and enter a prompt. But this argument quickly falls apart when the entire process following that is done by the AI. The prompter can try to control what image comes out, but ultimately, the AI is the one orchestrating the vast majority of

the process.

Others have claimed that this evaluation is unfair, stating that AI-generated art is still art because the end product is original.

Even if AI-generated art uses pre-existing artworks, it combines them in unique ways like how some human artists juxtapose images to make collages. They argue that just because generators facilitate the art-making process does not mean that they do not create art; after all, photography is art even though it allows people to capture images with a single click.

But this argument does not address the main problem of the issue: AI’s lack of creativity. It is not overly purist to say that the base requirement for art is creativity. In fact, even if photography makes it easier to capture images, it still requires the photographer to find the right angle and figure out what settings they need to create the final product they like. Furthermore, the collages human artists make are vastly different from the combined images of AI art generators because there is thought behind the images they choose to combine, not controlled by an algorithm without question.

There should always be purpose behind artwork, something that can be as simple as wanting to express the beauty of a landscape to portraying complex ideas like the passage of time. AI may be able to mimic these works, but it fails to be purposeful.

Random splatters of paint made by an AI are just random splatters of paint, but when done purposefully by Jackson Pollack, it is art. AI can only hope to imitate an artist’s style, but it can never capture the intentions behind their work.

Perhaps one day AI will grow intelligent enough to “think” and have the capacity to be creative. But until then, it is demeaning to the artistic process and artists to call AI-generated creations “art.” by:

Rosa Suh

Senior, Managing Editor

Tiger Times

October 2022

11

Viewpoint Feature: Teachers and students seem to lead separate lives and only be connected by interactions in a classroom environment.

The competitive environment and high standards for grades diminish the importance of creating lasting connections with teachers. Students ought to recognize that establishing these connections can be valuable for both sides.

How is it beneficial to establish student-teacher bonds?

What can a student or teacher do to create lasting interpersonal connections?

Strong teacher-student connections matter Most of us remember our kindergarten teachers; maybe because it was easier to talk to them and tell them about ourselves. Now, teachers and students seem to lead separate lives. What connects us in high school are the interactions typical to a classroom environment, where they teach us what we need to know and we ask for help, where they talk about grades or work and we complain about said grades or work. But that should not be the limit of teacher-student relationships.

As an alumnus of 4 international schools, when I arrived at SIS last year, I noticed that the competitive environment and high standards for grades from the students seemed more important than developing bonds with teachers. Here, students do not pursue the same degree of teacher-student bonds that people in other schools or countries make, either for cultural reasons or simply not seeing their purpose. However, healthy teacher-student relationships in high school are just as important as in kindergarten, if not more. Students’ indifference to creating such bonds stops them from reaching their full potential to stay motivated, engaged, and successful in class. Because of this, students should recognize the importance of student-teacher bonds and work to develop them.

Getting to know a teacher is a great way to enjoy class more. It makes the class environment more lively, which enhances class discussions and dynamics as students become more active speak-

ers and offer their interpretations. This means that students, especially those who are shy or unmotivated during class discussions, can get more out of their class time.

Furthermore, one of the more overlooked benefits of student-teacher connections is that students can improve their grades, not because the teachers would start favoring the student, but rather because students would have increased motivation to do better in class.

It also makes it easier to reach out to the teacher for help, since some think it is embarrassing or think they can figure it out on their own. The confidence to be able to ask for help is beneficial for understanding the content in any class.

But students also need to realize that teachers do not solely exist in the classroom to teach and to give students grades.

Conversations with teachers do not need to be school-related; teachers can offer wisdom related to experiences outside of class, not just about Algebra or US History. Although William Hastings is a Spanish teacher, he is also knowledgeable in French, Portuguese, and Russian, and has valuable tips for traveling the world on a budget, which is ideal for students who wish to travel. Stephen Shifflet, an English teacher, has written two books and is about to finish his third one, which makes him the perfect person to talk to for students who wish to write books of their own. All teachers have different, fascinating experiences; all it takes for a

student is to be curious and ask.

Even after graduation or departing from school, students and teachers can stay in touch with each other. Corrine Brown, a math teacher, reached out to her former student to ask them what had led to their success and what advice they would give to her current students. Some of the teachers who have left still stay in touch with a few students through social media, receiving updates and having casual conversations with them. Even simple interactions like these can be meaningful to both students and teachers.

Many high school students may feel like it is difficult to make the time to strengthen connections with teachers.

However, simple steps like even greeting the teachers can go a long way. What is important to teachers is that students are willing to listen and be interested in improving in class. These connections can take some time to establish, but creating lasting interpersonal connections are worth the time and effort in the long run because these relationships are important to be satisfied in class and create motivation to improve.

This does not mean that a student needs to be close to every teacher, but they could find at least one teacher they can connect with. One way to open up can be to share relevant personal stories and experiences that might be humorous or related to the discussion. This paves the way for conversations that are not

school-related but will help guide students in other parts of life.

Sometimes at the beginning of the year, students are met with a Google form or worksheet created by the teacher in order to get to know their pupils better. This is the teacher’s effort to show students they want to get to know them more, which will help them provide a safe space where students feel heard and respected. Because of that, students should fill out these surveys and worksheets with genuine thought as teachers would be taking these surveys into consideration, thus paving the way for finding common interests. Teachers are happy to help their pupils if they ever decide to come in during their free time, so students should not feel discouraged about asking for help as it demonstrates how the student is putting in the effort.

Connections can take a while to establish but are valuable and can benefit both sides. To create these bonds, students and teachers need to be open to sharing their experiences and passions. Teachers have many other talents and skills outside of the class environment and, by reaching out to them more frequently, students can benefit from their insight in these areas.

Once students are open-minded, they can forge a friendship that will last a lifetime.

by:

San Schwede

Sophomore, Reporter

12

SMALL TALK

Point

Counterpoint

By Katelyn Oh and Grace Lee

Illegal immigrants… …are people who immigrate to or enter countries without proper legal documentation, or overstay their visas. Over the past decade, debates over immigration have become increasingly heated, with certain

photo of the

month

Swinging his arm, Doyun Jeong (12) releases his bowling ball for a strike during the Advanced Sports and Recreation bowling unit.

FILMS TO LIVE BY

Photo by Hugo Lee (12)

By Ian Saewoong Park

What we can learn from the peculiarity of Amélie Amélie Poulain, the main character of the 2001 French film “The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain,” is a young woman who has particular hobbies.

She likes to turn around and observe the audience’s reactions when at the cinema, look for minuscule details that would go unnoticed by others, plunge her hands into a sack of grains to feel them against her hand, break créme brûlée with the tip of the spoon, and skip rocks across a calm river. Most of all, she relishes helping people in even the smallest ways.

While listening to the news of Princess Diana’s death, Amélie finds a gap in her wall where she discovers an old metal box filled with childhood trinkets that once belonged to a little boy.

Instead of dismissing it, she decides to find its owner. She eventually returns the box to him, bringing tears to his eyes and helping him regain courage in life.

When she meets a blind man on the streets, she takes the time to escort him and describes the scene on the streets to him in great detail. For her father, she encourages him to pursue his dream of globetrotting by sending him pictures of his adored gnome around the world.

In each case, Amélie’s creative and elaborate plans deliver the perfect gift to heal the wounds of the people around her. However, she does everything anonymously and finds satisfaction in solving people’s problems despite not receiving any credit or compensation. With each event, she reaches peace within her own solitary life and interacts with the world on a more intimate level.

In our everyday lives, we often pre-

layout by Junseo Lee

occupy ourselves with overcoming the challenges of the next day, maintaining a solemn distance between ourselves and others. We often expect helping others to require sacrifice and serious service. Amélie illustrates that this is not the case.

By trying to understand each person’s struggles, she realizes that the simplest things can bring happiness to people’s lives and treats it as if it were her own happiness.

Though Amélie seems quirky and weird at first glance for spending much of her time caring for others, when people see her positive impact on other people’s’ lives, they cannot help but give her love and support in return.

This is the case with Amélie when, on one of her expeditions, she meets Nino, a childhood friend, and falls in love with him. She ends up helping him find his lost scrapbook of ruined photo booth pictures, but she can not overcome her shyness to meet him in person.

Her neighbor “Glass Man,” who has observed all the things she has done for the community, encourages her by saying, “You can take life’s knocks.

If you let this chance pass, eventually, your heart will become as dry and brittle as my skeleton. So, go get him, for Pete’s sake!”

Not only does Amélie get to find a purpose and happiness in helping others, but she is able to develop and break out of her shell of solitary life to reach out to Nino thanks to it.

Just like Amélie, our lives could change for the better if we continue to be observant to help others. The smallest assistance could sometimes make the biggest difference in people’s lives.

political groups making the crackdown on illegal immigration a crucial part of their policies, while others have taken a decidedly softer stance.

…risk their lives and their rights.

…are denied human rights even in their new countries.

Immigrants attempting to reach foreign borders take enormous risks—abuse at the hands of smugglers, extreme climates and temperatures, and potential human trafficking are just a few of the many factors that could jeopardize their lives. According to the UN, in 2021 alone, at least 650 illegal immigrants lost their lives in attempts to reach the US, while 3,077 illegal immigrants died trying to reach Europe by sea. Nevertheless, people continue to attempt to cross the border every day in search of a better life, despite an obvious lack of access to asylum procedures and potentially even more abuse in the country they manage to reach.

Though strictly prohibited under international human rights law, intimidation and violence are often tools for denying the undertaking of asylum seekers. Such brutal tactics are used to forcibly return refugees back to their previous country of transit and illegally expel them from safety and basic human rights.

Though illegal immigrants often enter a country hoping for fresh opportunities, they often have little to no government protection, leaving them vulnerable to human trafficking or workplace abuse. Even though there are laws in place by the US government protecting undocumented immigrants from discrimination, employers ultimately hold a trump card over their workers—the threat of deportation by reporting them to immigration services. And though that in itself is illegal under the law, the simple threat of potentially being sent back home is still far too large of a risk for many. Thus, when combined with the small range of jobs that are available, illegal immigrants often have no choice but to accept workplace abuse and mistreatment.

…delegitimize the efforts of legal immigrants.

When illegal immigrants gain entry to countries with strict immigration policies, it often sparks resentment, especially in legal immigrants who may feel that their efforts to navigate through the complex and lengthy immigration barriers are diminished. Not only does this stir up animosity between legal and illegal immigrants, but going “soft” on illegal immigration can often burden immigration agencies as immigrants choose to illicitly enter instead of opting for the legal but slower method. Such beliefs manifested in the opposition against a proposed bill in Maryland that aimed to create a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants—ultimately resulting in the bill failing to pass the state’s Senate. Thus, as it creates acrimonious sentiment for both the government and people, governments should be aware of the potential consequences of accepting too many illegal immigrants or taking too soft a stance.

…decrease job availability for local workers.

Many supporters of illegal immigrants state that illegal immigrants do not, in fact, reduce job availability. While that is true for the majority of employment opportunities in developed countries, the entrance of illegal immigrants who are willing to work for lower wages under worse conditions means that vulnerable citizens who are less educated face higher job competition than before. The US has constantly faced a shortage of truck drivers and other low-skilled jobs deemed undesirable by the average American, meaning that an influx of immigrants would help solve economic issues in the short-term, but could potentially worsen them in the long-term. Thus, while undocumented workers can still fill some empty areas in job hiring, they can also reduce the overall quality of lower-level jobs as wages go down and conditions equally decrease.