Tiger Times Volume 53 Issue 6

Tiger Times Volume 53 • Issue 6 • March 2022 • ttonl.org

2 Viewpoint

Lessons from your high school sweetheart

5 School News

SIS hosts National History Day

6

Focus

Beijing Olympics

March creeps in like newborn buds Unfurling, tentative, towards the sun As the wind whispers of leaves That will soon be there.

Nature signals the start of a new beginning: Spring is here.

— Rosa Suh layout by Alice Lee

2 Editorial In defense of senioritis by

Jenny Seo & Emily Sung editors-in-chief

You walk into a classroom and slouch in the cold, hard chair just to walk out 80 minutes later without having processed a single word the teacher had apparently talked about. Inside your backpack lies several forgotten homework assignments that were supposedly due today. If this sounds like you, we can immediately diagnose you with the disease called “senioritis.” Teachers shake their heads at this phenomenon and parents chastise their children to maintain stability in academic performance until the end. But with all our minds focused on the exciting future that awaits in college, lab reports, English essays, math homework, and even writing editorials seem far behind us––and we are simply too weary of this past to try and relive it in the present.

When asked about the causes behind senioritis, people are quick to say that it is an individual’s excuse for laziness, a decrease in their motivation before graduation. However, it is not factors on the individual level that provokes senioritis; rather, it is more so the society and its words of supposed encouragement.

In fact, psychologists Stacy Bieke and Robert Kender at Abaris Behavioral Health compare it to situational depression, a state of indifference and lack of interest correlated to one’s amount of dopamine. With a life-changing event that is the conclusion to high school rapidly approaching, seniors may experience a sudden drop in dopamine levels. After all, dopamine, which once swarmed our tired brains, only served as bursts of energy to bear through a single test and then proceeded to fizzle out. This further proves that students are only concerned about maintaining satisfactory grades in order to greet that college letter of acceptance they sacrificed four years for.

Even if the finish line is miles away, the crowd chants “almost there” to motivate the runner. This ironically results in a distorted goal that does not point to the correct end destination. For us seniors, the commonly recognized finish line is the last click of “submit” on CommonApp and the end of first semester. However, what many of us fail to notice is that the true finish line exists much beyond this point––all the way to mid-May when we throw our graduation caps in the air and celebrate the end of high school. When society constantly tells students that they are almost done, they should not be expected to go beyond the first-semester finish line. What should exist after this last stop is not additional hours of work, but rather a rare period in high school where students can focus on other aspects of life. This includes making memories with friends before graduation, spending time with family, reflecting, and preparing for adulthood in college.

In turn, as seniors, we would like to give a few suggestions to all who are frustrated with the Class of 2022 that has fallen victim to senioritis. One, let us relax in class––show us a movie once in a while, let us have the last 20 minutes to ourselves, or even take us on a small field trip to the school store all together.

Two, let us enjoy the little time we have left outside of school as well––cut down on reading homework even by just two pages, understand our low completion percentages in WeBWorK, or even lessen the Google Classroom notifications that spam our phones nonstop. And finally, highlight the importance of what we learn in relation to college. Though it may sound cliché, the skills we obtain in high school are unsurprisingly applicable to university and beyond.

Although we seem to be completely fatigued, we understand the necessity of and are capable of maintaining a certain level of pressure and academic strength to prepare for our future.

All in all, we acknowledge that senioritis does not simply justify a complete lack of effort and negative energy in classrooms. But seniors do have reason to emphasize their pure happiness that lies in their last moments as high schoolers before starting a new chapter in their lives.

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 Bona Suh

VIEWPOINT

Lessons to learn from your high school sweetheart

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ost of us have watched teen romantic comedy films from the 1990s, imagining ourselves in the place of the main characters going on spontaneous dates outside the city, singing for each other in the middle of class, magically reuniting after realizing the dramatic breakup was only due to miscommunication . . . the list goes on.

Besides the obvious reasons such portrayals of teenage romance are exaggerated, there are many other ways these relationships can go wrong in real life.

We can all admit—partners struggle to find time for dates due to the mountain of academic and extracurricular activities on their plates, wonder how to maintain a healthy and communicative relationship due to lack of experience, and even forcefully break up after failing to keep their relationship a secret from their strict parents. With this reality, high school relationships are often looked down upon. While students complain about how boring and miserable being single is, deep inside, we accept that high school relationships are likely to end messily, hurt feelings, and, for some, even be a “waste of time.”

The latter cannot be further from the truth. Despite their emotional costs and tradeoffs with time management, high school relationships are one of the key learning experiences we have as adolescents; if we can maintain a stable lifestyle with priorities set straight, entering a relationship can be an irreplaceably valuable experience.

High school romance is a unique

opportunity to learn to navigate deep emotions. Our minds are assailed by countless questions throughout the experience: why did I feel so anxious when my partner did not respond to my text messages? Am I drawing boundaries well enough? Do I feel irrationally jealous when my partner is simply spending time with friends?

As inexperienced adolescents, we have unclear, if not absent, answers to these internal thoughts. Relationships force us to confront these uncertainties, acknowledge our insecurities, and address our emotional needs. While this process may not be a positive experience, it is certainly a necessary one—and the earlier we face it, the better.

At the same time, high school relationships do not come with the same amount of responsibility and seriousness as adult relationships, allowing for a sense of naive enjoyment. Couples can be rather carefree and childish without receiving looks of judgment from their peers. Through romantic occasions unique to high schools, such as prom, teenagers can also live some of the experiences they see in movies.

Yet, these unique strengths of high school romance rarely live up to their potential. This is often because many students enter relationships with the mindset that they are embarking on a major change. Finally getting to live out the idealistic love they have only dreamt of, some subconsciously change their behaviors to appear as the perfect partner, only to grow tired of maintaining a surface-level and even superficial relationship. For others, the problem is not their own mindset

All of us . . . don’t need gore

After hearing positive reviews about the new zombie webtoon turned Netflix original series “All of Us Are Dead,” I decided to give it a try. The show was certainly true to the violence expected in a zombie show, but also had other intense themes of bullying and blackmail. It was clear that the adaptation wanted to preserve the themes of morality in lifeand-death situations from the original webtoon.

Yet the degree of bloodshed distracted many viewers from the deeper meaning of the series that could have been brought forth; in fact, most reviews have criticized the show for being “unnecessarily violent.” This begs the question: to what extent can social commentary excuse the use of excessive violence?

Visual media does not have to be graphic or even remotely stimulating to be powerful. In fact, if done excessively, it simply takes away from the points of social commentary by playing up

the audience for shock value and cheap thrills.

For instance, not even halfway through the first episode of “All of Us Are Dead,” there is a scene with bullies threatening to release private photos of a female student. Many viewers expressed concerns about the degree of school violence and sexual harassment, saying it was “too much” and not particularly important to the plot. In response, Director Lee Jae-kyoo said in an interview with Korea JoongAng Daily that it was included to make viewers “feel something” and to make them “empathize” with the pain of such victims of violence because it can happen in real life. However, it seems that the scene did more to offend rather than starting the discussions he hoped it would.

His defense did not absolve the fact that the inclusion of such content could needlessly evoke distressing memories for people who have been bullied or har-

but that of their peers; it is common for students to make a “big deal” out of their friends’ relationship status, teasing them about the smallest romantic gestures they make or asking rather intrusive questions.

Couples may thus feel uncomfortable and conscious about their public appearance, eventually resulting in a disappointing end to their relationship.

Considering these obstacles, students should adopt the mindset that high school relationships are not the ultimate romantic experience but rather a safe space for growth. While students may feel shy to embrace this introspective mindset, it is not difficult to see relationships as valuable opportunities to learn more about yourself, ranging from your love language to your time management skills.

Of course, some relationships may come with toxicity and drama, but managing these drawbacks is also part of the learning process. The journey will be nothing like the perfect examples we see in films, but our personal growth as the end result can be extremely rewarding.

Surrounding peers should also respect couples’ personal spaces, only occasionally chiming in with a few points of advice if necessary and solicited. This way, romance will hopefully become a more normalized and respected concept among high schoolers and be treated as something more than a mere idealistic dream come true.

by:

Aimee Choi

Junior, Copy Editor assed in similar ways. And yes, while the small 18+ content ratings at the top of every Netflix show may stop a few from watching, most probably won’t heed the vague warnings of adult themes and watch the show anyway.

There has also been a plethora of research on why the general public should not consume disturbing content.

Findings demonstrate that exposure to such media can desensitize viewers to violence and thus be a possible cause of aggressive behavior. Considering the high risks, graphic media as an extension of social commentary is best if kept at a minimum.

So if films and shows in the horror genre should limit the use of excessive violence, how can directors still make it enjoyable? The first example that comes to mind is psychological horror movies.

Albeit the absence of explicitly violent scenes, many of these films draw inspiration from heavy societal issues in order to produce a reaction from viewers. For instance, in Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” we follow our black protagonist and his white girlfriend on a seemingly normal visit to meet her parents. However, things quickly change for the worse as the family is revealed to be in a modern slave-trading system. The movie plays upon extended metaphors to critique the systemic racism that exists in America and is not dulled by many extremely violent scenes.

Therefore, it might be best for directors to limit excessive amounts of graphic content in their work. These choices are ultimately up to artistic choice and vision, but should not be made at the expense of the actual social commentary. While “All of Us Are Dead” was entertaining, the rest of us could do without the gore. by:

Rachel Yoon

Junior, Copy Editor

Tiger Times

March 2022

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Tiger Times Staff

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

Volume 53 Issue 6 March 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

Photo Editor Alice Lee Graphics Editor Jennifer You

Production Editors Bona Suh Clara Lim Website Design

Editor Minjae Chun

Paper Copy Editors Rosa Suh Rachel Yoon Aimee Choi Grace Lee Website Copy Editors Jennifer Kwon Erin Choi Daniel Shin

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

David Kim Paul Moon Cherlin Kim Joseph Chun Jasmine Jeong Katherine Suk Sunny Lee Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Viewpoint Feature: Despite the growing vegan population and general interest in eating more vegetables within the SIS community, our school cafeteria lacks vegan offerings. To also nudge our community toward healthier, more sustainable eating habits, the cafeteria should provide vegan options for main dishes and institute a better salad bar.

Why should we eat greener?

How can the cafeteria seamlessly add a vegan option to the current offerings?

Making our cafeteria food greener Among the crowd of students and teachers in the cafeteria every lunch, it is usually difficult to sight the Aldens.

That is because Tessa Alden, high school English teacher, typically prepares vegan lunches for herself and Peter Alden and vegetarian ones for her children. Lacking a host of healthy vegetarian options, the cafeteria has left her without much choice.

In fact, under closer inspection, a large portion of the food served at our cafeteria is meat-based, and more often than not, fried. In order to better serve those within our community who follow a particular diet as well as nudge our students and faculty to pursue a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle, the cafeteria needs to adopt a vegan option.

To think that Ms. Alden is alone in pursuing a vegan diet within our school is far mistaken. In light of recent studies demonstrating the health and environmental benefits of altering our diets, many have begun to fundamentally reconsider how and what they eat— though their individual motives behind such change may vary.

Take Jessica Terbrueggen, high school English teacher, who also began practicing veganism back in her early twenties after learning about the horrors behind the meat industry’s inhumane practices.

Amongst the student body, there are notable students that have changed their diets—while not fully vegan—to eat more vegetables in lieu of meat. Famously, everyone on the basketball team has seen

Andrew Park (10), star varsity boys basketball player, eat his salad and oatmeal before every game.

For Andrew, eating vegetable-based meals before exercising are conscious choices he makes for his own body. He shrewdly understands that maximal athletic performance is, in fact, 21 percent higher not for those who double down on protein-heavy steaks but those who take the healthy vegetables.

Fellow basketball player Talin Tyvand (11) also avoids eating most meats except chicken. For her, the decision is mostly environmental as red meats emit exorbitant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and thus are unsustainable.

As such, though under different motives, the demand for more vegetarian foods is growing, if not already salient.

However, these students and faculty looking to lead a more vegetarian lifestyle face significant obstacles to upholding their dietary choices at school. Similar to that of Ms. Alden, both Ms. Terbrueggen and Andrew need to find ways of bringing vegetarian items on their own. As most main dishes at the cafeteria are meat-based, not bringing one’s own vegetable-based meal runs the risk of having nothing to eat come lunchtime.

Also for the good of the school community at large, the cafeteria should encourage healthier and more sustainable diets through offering a vegan option. This is not to say everyone should eat vegan every meal, but eating vegan meals more often has clear benefits. When eating vegan,

individuals can halve their carbon emissions compared to when eating meatbased meals. Not just that, countless studies have shown that consuming less meat leads to lower risks of heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes.

Though these said health concerns may seem irrelevant for young students, a recent 2017 study from the US National Library of Medicine that tracked the diets of hundreds of youth for over 20 years found that healthy diets established in adolescence tend to persist into adulthood. And as food served in the cafeteria typically accounts for half the food we consume during the week, we hold the responsibility to ensure our lunch menus are positively impacting our current and in turn future lifestyles.

Our cafeteria could explore adopting a vegan option in a multitude of ways. To begin, the cafeteria could give students a choice between a vegan or regular main dish for either the Korean or Western lunch options. Depending on the demand, if an evident portion of students enjoys the vegan option, the cafeteria could dedicate one of the four lunch lines for this specific type of diet.

In addition to these changes, expanding the salad bar to include more attractive options is another avenue to explore.

While the salad bar is open to students, few are willing to eat the same, monotonous salad with no dressing every day; in fact, the salad bar is more of a snack bar with the main attractions being cereal and ham slices. For instance, allowing

students to assemble their own salads by laying out various vegetables, sauces, and garnishes could change this perception.

Admittedly, the expensive costs of both instituting a vegan option and establishing a quality salad station stand as a limitation. To do so, the cafeteria may need to undergo a major overhaul and add many more steps to the food preparation process. Meanwhile, having vegan options may even exacerbate the large amount of food waste that already plagues our cafeteria if they turn out to be unpopular.

That is why the vegan option, if adopted, needs to be of high quality.

Whether the cafeteria installs a renovated salad bar, adds a vegan lunch line, or does both, substantial costs should be expected. But to ensure that lunch is catered to everyone’s needs and that food waste is minimized in the process, vegan food should ultimately—more than anything—taste good.

It is not easy to run by a silver bullet like changing our diets. Simply adjusting the food that we eat every day in the cafeteria brings us one step closer to solving three of the most important societal issues: climate change, animal mistreatment, and health ailments. The time is right for us to make our cafeteria look greener.

by:

Jordan Kim

Junior, Web Managing Editor

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SCHOOL NEWS

DMZ Eco Club displays photo gallery The DMZ dividing the Korean peninsula into North and South Korea is a no man’s land. Rather it is nature’s land, teeming with wildlife. Over the past few months, the DMZ Eco Club has traveled to the nature-rich regions along the DMZ to observe, document, and photograph the many species inhabiting the region. Their efforts have culminated in a colorful photo gallery displayed in the atrium.

The photo gallery is truly a sight to behold. Dozens of high-quality photographs, depicting the myriad aspects of DMZ wildlife from the smallest of insects to eagles and hawks, line both sides of the atrium, creating an almost surreal atmosphere. Through the vivid photo galleries, the club hopes to raise awareness of the hidden natural gem of the DMZ and promote the conservation of the unofficial wildlife sanctuary.

“The photo gallery serves a critical purpose of allowing the school community to experience the beautiful nature of the DMZ from multiple perspectives and camera angles including closeups on insects and the scenery of the DMZ landscape,” Tobias Choy (10), member of the DMZ club, said. “With its vivid images, the photo gallery presents the unique species inhabiting the DMZ and promotes the importance of preserving nature.”

Although the DMZ is famously

known for its historical and political importance as the border dividing North and South Korea, few are aware of the remarkable amount of wildlife it harbors.

As a result of the armistice that designated the DMZ as a buffer region dividing the Koreas, the 2.5 mile-wide strip of land has been virtually untouched by humans and consequently provided a sanctuary for wildlife. Today, the DMZ is home to 6,000 different species of flora and fauna according to the National Institute of Ecology in South Korea.

Every month, the DMZ Eco Club travels to the DMZ to observe plants, birds, and insects inhabiting the area. While some members photograph the wildlife, others make detailed tables and piecharts documenting the wildlife such as the number of endangered species they observed. At the end of each trip, the members present their findings to each other.

“Although it is not an official school club, I think the DMZ club provides valuable opportunities to explore the environmental riches hidden in an otherwise dangerous and controversial area of Korea,” Jonathan Ames, Athletics and Activities Coordinator, said. “It is a unique club that allows students to learn about nature beyond the boundaries of the school campus and adds a fresh experience to supplement the activities offered

Eunice Rhee (11), a member of the DMZ Eco Club, holds up a picture she took at the DMZ

here at SIS.” Through the DMZ trips, the members of the DMZ club have been able to accumulate a substantial understanding of the complex ecology of the DMZ trips and make many new findings about the region’s wildlife. With the recent photo gallery, the DMZ has finally showcased their many months of strenuous observing, photographing, and documenting.

“Visiting the DMZ is unique in Korea because it is essentially a nature preserve, with very little human impact,” Allyson Lee, AP Environmental Science teacher, said. “Despite going outside for investigations and lab samples, APES ultimately has to rely on studying areas where human impact cannot be avoided. Conversely, the DMZ trips present an opportunity to study virtually

SIS implements self-testing system and goes online Amid a period of anxiety from the ongoing Omicron variant, students received an email about the new self-testing system on Feb. 8.

With the Korean government now allowing schools to monitor testing processes and investigate close contacts, the email explained that if a student was in close contact with a person with a positive PCR

layout by Hannah Kim

test during the school day, they would need to self-test and show a negative result to remain at school.

Students were expected to bring a self-test kit every day starting from Feb. 9.

“I ordered the test kits online as soon as SIS announced the new policy,” Liz Kim (10), responsive student, said. “The test kits did

not arrive in time, and I was told to self-test in the middle of the school day. I had to miss a Chinese exam to leave school and buy a self-test kit, which was inconvenient because I had scheduling conflicts for making up the test.”

To minimize disruptions during school days and create a more sustainable school environment, a new

email was sent to students on Feb. 11 with a modified version of the system. Students would no longer self-test at school or miss classes; instead, students who had been in close contact would have to test at home in the morning before school and submit the result to a form.

“The self-testing system at school seemed to create negative student experience and was also time consuming for our COVID-19 Task Force team,” James Gerhard, high school principal, said. “We decided to make students self-test at home, and the Ministry of Education also requested schools to do so. We will maintain this system because it is going well and reducing anxiety among students.”

In addition, the email stated that SIS would only respond to a positive PCR test and not a positive self-test. If a positive test result emerged, then SIS would trace close contacts by speaking with students and teachers in order to decide who would need to self-test before returning to school the following day.

“I tested myself in the morning before I took the school bus and received a positive result,” Andrew Shin (10), former COVID19 patient, said. “I asked my other friends who had multiple classes with me the previous day to selftest themselves as soon as possible.

After receiving a positive PCR test, I spoke with Dr. Gerhard on Google Meet to identify close contacts.

Though the self-test kit is less reliable than a PCR test, I think the policy that SIS implemented helped identify COVID-19 more

Photo by Rosa Suh (11)

unscathed natural sanctuaries where the students can observe rich, healthy ecosystems and the seasonal flora and fauna. Hopefully, the photo galleries fully reflect their invaluable experiences and help promote environmental conservation.” by:

Hugo Lee

Junior, Reporter

efficiently and prevent spreading the disease.”

With multiple COVID-19 cases occurring in school, many students and teachers were frequently notified as close contacts, resulting in some having to self-test every day.

As the Korean government gave SIS the option to go online, SIS decided to go online during March 2-9 with athletics and activities still taking place. Teachers and counselors arranged make-up exams and relearning activities for students, and students could also pick up necessary supplies.

“Cases are increasing, and we noticed many students getting close contacts,” Dr. Gerhard said.

“Though we plan to sustain the self-testing system moving forward, we always consider going online whenever cases in Korea and SIS reach very high. But seeing the trends of COVID-19 in other countries, I hope the end is in sight.”

The school’s prompt response in developing a self-testing system and the cooperation of everyone fostered a safer and more optimistic environment. The end of the virus is still unclear, and life with COVID-19 is being normalized.

Although COVID-19 has hit its two-year anniversary, SIS hopes for a brighter future of safe and sustainable student experiences amid times of uncertainty.

by:

John Kim

Sophomore, Reporter

SCHOOL NEWS

#RelatableStress: Burnout “Relax. If you keep pushing, you are going to burn out,” the teachers warned the freshmen. At the time, no one understood why they said that. They did not want to appear unmotivated or unwilling to put in the effort. So, students believed these words of caution were merely statements coming from teachers who did not understand the competitive academic culture.

But once these students become juniors, or even sophomores, they begin to realize that this was not merely a passing remark, but a weighty warning. As the occasional all-nighter transforms into continuous sleep deprivation and coursework escalates in both quantity and difficulty, students succumb to an unhealthy lifestyle. To relieve stress momentarily, they absorb caffeine like water or binge-eat their emotions away. The build-up of this excessive and prolonged stress eventually leads to a state of burnout, where one begins to feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or unable to meet constant demands—just like the teachers warned.

Though burnout is often treated as a fleeting flu, any initial signs of burnout must be addressed immediately before it creeps up on people gradually and happens when they least expect it. Symptoms of burnout, such as feeling depressed or lacking the motivation to study, should not be neglected as “I’m just having a bad day” because such symptoms only worsen as time passes. These symptoms turn into significant reductions in productivity and a loss of interest or motivation even in areas that they used to have the most passion for.

Students must recognize the severity of experiencing burnout and prioritize their health before their academics as an

By Jasmine Jeong unhealthy lifestyle will inevitably start influencing other aspects of their lives. So SIS students, in particular, should try to take on a new mindset that sacrifices their big idealized academic goal for a stable academic journey that gives them the time and space to bounce back from occasional stagnation in their grades.

Perhaps students can think about different ways they can change their daily routines to be more productive or set aside some time where they get to do something just to prioritize their mental health and general well-being. Some recommended activities include journaling to reflect on the emotions they experienced during the day. Everyone has different preferences, so watching Youtube videos or blogs about activities they can do to improve their situation may be helpful.

Journaling may be a particularly helpful activity for students to check with their emotions or thoughts that they encountered during the day. By keeping track of their thoughts on a daily basis, they can easily examine changes in their feelings and act correspondingly. If they see that they are feeling more overwhelmed than they usually do, then it signals them to take a break. On the contrary, if they feel like they are doing well, then they can keep pushing to accomplish their goals.

It is relatively easier to keep the fire burning if one recognizes that it is going to burn out soon because they know to take care of the fire and fan the flame when it starts to flicker. But when the flame completely burns out, there is no going back.

SIS buzzes with fine arts events

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s the weather warms and colorful flowers blossom, the school buzzes with activity that marks the middle of second semester. While core classes delve deeper into content, the fine arts department dives further into the world of stages and canvases.

With the decision to hold an online POPS concert yet again, all high school choirs polish and perfect their songs prior to the respective recordings dates.

During the abrupt two-week online school period that resulted from rising COVID-19 cases, these groups continued to practice their setlists. However, the Ambassadors were the most heavily impacted––on top of the concert, they are also preparing for the KAIAC Large Group Ensemble Festival.

“The Ambassadors are trying to prepare for two things at the same time: repolishing KAIAC songs to record after one additional rehearsal while simultaneously learning music for the POPS concert,” Whitney Meininger, choir director, said.

“The KAIAC competition requires that all recordings are done live––allowing for less flexibility every time we go virtual.

The two weeks of virtual school have taken away a significant time of rehearsals as well as our plans to practice. However, the POPS concert is still coming up in mid-April as well as the Ambassadors’ performance at graduation.

Like the choir department, all instrumentalists rehearse for the Spring concert as well. In particular, the High School Orchestra (HSO) follows a similar schedule as the Ambassadors and participates in the KAIAC Large Group Ensemble Festival. Due to an earlier deadline, they were able to successfully submit their recordings and are now learning their

National History Day Korea comes to close

Photo by Rosa Suh (11)

On Feb. 26, SIS hosted the virtual awards ceremony for the National History Day (NHD) Korea competition, marking the end of the months-long efforts from participants, organizers, and the NHD student council. The council members joined organizers James Kowalski and Steven Nave in leading the ceremony and announcing the winners of 20 different catego-

Dr. Leighanne Kimberly Yuh from Korea University shares the history of debate and diplomacy in the Joseon Dynasty at the 2022 National History Day Korea virtual award ceremony.

ries. This year, SIS produced four first-place, five second-place, and three third-place winners.

“My group was overjoyed when we heard that we had won an award,” Daniel Kim (11), second-place winner in senior group performance, said. “We had worked tirelessly for the past several months, and it felt as though our hard work had paid off. Overall,

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participating in NHD was both a thrilling and grueling experience because it was exciting to see our performance come to fruition as we kept practicing, but it was also quite stressful to have to meet with my group almost every day.”

NHD is an annual, US-based history contest that involves middle school (junior category) and high school (senior category)

new pieces for the concert.

“During the online period, we were notified that we received a platinum rating for the KAIAC competition,” Jay Park (11), HSO violist, said. “This came as a mild surprise as we had fewer rehearsals due to COVID-19, which affected the amount of time we had for full-group practice. As for the spring concert, we unfortunately could not have a live one for nearly three years now; however, it is nonetheless a major event that we spend time arranging for the entire semester so we hope everyone still enjoys it.”

As the hallway is filled with music, it awaits beautiful art pieces soon to be displayed on the walls. With April fast approaching, SIS artists busily make final touches to their artwork dedicated to the AP Art Exhibition that will take place soon. In addition, AP season also pushes art students to keep drawing and craft their portfolios to be graded in place of a written test for their AP exams in May. “This time of the year, I am busy focusing on making my art pieces for not only the AP Art Exhibition but for my AP portfolio as well,” Claire Hahn (11), AP Studio Art student, said. “Last year, I remember the exhibition was held online due to COVID-19, but I am hoping this year that we will be able to host it in school. As all art students have been working hard for this event, come and check it out!”

by:

Jenny Seo & Emily Sung

Seniors, Editors-in-Chief

students creating research projects based on a historical topic of their choice within an assigned theme. This iteration’s theme for both NHD Korea and the NHD National Contest was “Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences.” Participants worked individually or in groups to present their research through one of five mediums: papers, exhibits, websites, documentaries, or performances.

“For my project, I chose to create a website about Mary Harris Jones, a labor activist and union leader during America’s second industrial revolution,” Philip Ham (11), first-place winner in the senior individual website category, said. “I found it interesting that an elderly Irish immigrant managed to circumvent restrictive social attitudes toward women and effectively influence reform for workers against powerful men, including government officials, labor leaders, and business tycoons.”

Despite favorable results for many SIS participants, the organizers and the NHD student council faced challenges in ensuring a successful conclusion to the contest. In mid-January, the spike in COVID-19 cases in Korea required a complete revision of plans for the awards ceremony, which had originally been set to take place in person. Nonetheless, the organiz-

ers and council members were able to adapt to this development.

“I think the ceremony went extremely well considering that it was our first time hosting and we had to switch from an in-person to a virtual format,” Mr. Nave said. “Planning a virtual event was not easy, but the student council helped tremendously. We livestreamed the ceremony on YouTube, and we ended up having a couple of hundred people watch.

This was more than we expected, and since then, the video has gotten many more views.”

All first- and second-place winners of NHD Korea will advance to the national round to compete with representatives from all 50 US states, the US territories, and other countries. From June 12-18, the NHD National Contest, which is traditionally held in Maryland, will run virtually for the third year due to COVID-19 concerns.

“It is cool to be part of a global academic climate,” Philip said.

“I am proud of the work I produced in the end, and I was able to develop new skills such as time management and self-discipline.

I am excited to compete at the ‘big stage’ with an even larger pool of participants.” by:

Skylar Peck

Junior, Managing Editor

The fight over culture in the Olympics

By Paul Moon The Olympics are centuries-old events where many athletes represent their own nation and their cultures.

However, this very nature of the Olympics sets the stage for cultural clashes, and any conflicts or disputes that arise from the Olympics are likely to set off heated arguments online for the citizens of the nations involved. A scenario like such ensued in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, where Koreans were horrified after seeing a woman wearing pink hanbok raising a Chinese flag during a display of the ethnic groups of China.

Hanbok is a central part of Korean tradition, tracing back to the period of the Three Kingdoms of Korea from the 1st century BCE to the 7th century AD. In modern times, hanbok makes an annual appearance during the Lunar New Year, where people of all ages dress up in the colorful fabric and bow to their elders.

Due to the hanbok’s cultural significance in Korean culture, the controversial event instigated outrage among Korean social media networks, with many expressing their xenophobic opinions.

Comments such as “they have to steal Korean culture because they don’t have their own” were commonplace among Korean netizens, as were raging attacks from Chinese netizens to defend their self-proclaimed ownership over hanbok. The anger even led to petitions, with one to the Blue House garnering over 16,000 signatures.

In response to the outrage, the Chinese Embassy in Korea released an official statement defending the actions, stating that the portrayal was to be justified due to the minority population of ethnic Koreans living in China. However, many Koreans called this argument invalid, asserting that the Korean population in China does not equate to Korean traditions being Chinese.

This was not the first time that cultures and nations have clashed in the Olympics, with the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics as a prime example. In the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, a particular flag that showed a map of a unified Korea was displayed for the world to see. Although most saw it as a display of peace and unity, the inclusion of the Dokdo islands

Layout by Yuzine Yi

caused uproar in Japan due to the ongoing dispute between Japan and Korea over the territory.

Going back even further to the 2016 Rio Olympics, there were plenty of controversies regarding the attitude of Brazilian fans to foreign athletes, as fans consistently booed foreign athletes and teams, with even fights breaking out between fans of different nationalities. The rage of the spectators even spread to the Brazilian football team, whose many losses to foreign teams were deemed a failure and a national dishonor.

In all of the controversies regarding the hanbok, the Dokdo islands, and the attitudes of the fans, xenophobia was a common trend in the arguments between the netizens of the nations involved, and one has to wonder if it is truly justified. Are people being blinded by the idea of national pride and jumping to harsh statements without considering the gravity of their words?

For example, even though many Koreans viewed the display of hanbok at the Beijing Olympics as a clear attempt at “stealing” Korean culture, in actuality, the situation was not so black-and-white. The woman who wore the hanbok is ethnically Korean, and she stems from a community of “Chaoxianzu” people, who are ethnically Joseon people residing in China.

Many people believe that it is erroneous for China to have any claim over the hanbok as the “Chaoxianzu” people compose less than 0.2 percent of the Chinese population. Others argue that the Chinese Embassy’s defense of the demonstration at the Olympics, claiming that the displays were simply a representation of all of the ethnic groups residing in China, does have merit. However, Korean netizens failed to take these aspects into consideration during the heated online debates.

Due to the nationalistic nature of the Olympics, conflicts among athletes of different nations often set off prejudiced views and xenophobic arguments. Similarly, when an athlete chooses to not represent a certain country due to having dual citizenship, claims of betrayal and disloyalty are often spread.

For a recent example, freestyle skier Eileen Gu, who

was born and raised in the US her whole life, drew criticism from American citizens after she decided to represent China. She had dual citizenship because of her parentage, and despite China’s ban on dual citizenship, she was allowed to compete for the People’s Republic of China.

Xenophobia is not the only driving force in the conflicts between the people of different nations, and other factors such as national relations and diplomatic tensions also have a large impact. For example, in the Dokdo controversy, Japan and Korea’s relationship had been worsening for several years, which eventually led to a trade war in 2019. These factors likely contributed to the reason the unified flag caused such as stir. Similarly, the reason why so much hate was sent to Ellieen Gu for representing China instead of the US was likely because of the tense relations between the two countries.

The dispute over hanbok is not the first time that culture has been a major issue in the Olympics, and it certainly will not be the last. While culture can be a unifying force between many groups of people, the globally increasing nationalism and increased emphasis on cultural identity will make conflicts between them worse. However, these issues are the same factors that drive so many people to watch the Olympics, such as national pride and international rivalries, so these traits of the Olympics are unlikely if ever, to change.

Farewell to Olympic spirit

By John Kim Characterized by a spirit of “friendship, sense of solidarity, and fair play,” Olympism, or the Olympic values, have been the long-standing foundation of the quadrennial sports festival. The Olympic games hold much greater significance than any international sporting event; it is the celebration of world peace that breaks boundaries between nations and cultures. However, with the rise of recent scandals and controversies, there is less Olympic spirit than ever.

On Feb. 14, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made the decision to allow Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, to compete on the Olympic stage as a “protected person” under the World Anti-Doping Code, due to her young age. Though a full investigation on Valieva, her coaches, and her doctor is currently incomplete, many athletes around the world spoke up that doping violation must result in disqualification. Notably, Korean figure skating icon Kim Yuna posted on social media that the “principle must be observed without exception.”

The reason behind the wide discussion of this doping scandal was its difference from precedents. Most athletes who violated these regulations, such as taking the same substance trimetazidine, were penalized without exception in previous Olympics. For example, Russian bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva was disqualified from competing at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics for testing positive for the same substance, trimetazidine. While some support CAS’s decision on Valieva’s case due to unclear complications, others claim that it places an unfair disadvantage on those who competed honestly and ruins their Olympic experience. This decision could further lead to the abuse

of substances among other young athletes around Valieva’s age, especially since Valieva’s coach is infamous for harsh training methods and her students’ short careers.

Many state that this scandal contaminates the future of “clean” competition in sports and degrades the Olympic spirit of fair play. With some athletes not exhibiting fair play and sportsmanship, experts question if integrity and equality are being truly upheld by the Olympic games.

Controversial judging has also been commonplace at the Olympic games in various forms ranging from bribery, fixed results, and poor technology. While Olympic judges take the Olympic oath, committing to their sports “without cheating, without any form of discrimination,” the judging results have all stirred uproar and disappointment, inciting raging debates among netizens. Most notably, online tensions between Korean and Chinese netizens intensified right after the men’s 1,000m short track speed skating on Feb. 7.

South Korean players Hwang Dae-heon and Lee Juneseo were both penalized in the semifinals for causing contact, allowing Chinese skaters to advance to the finals. Shaolin Sándor Liu of Hungary was penalized in the finals for also causing contact and blocking another skater despite finishing first, awarding Chinese skater Ren Ziwei, who pushed Liu with both hands, the gold medal.

Korean and Hungarian viewers were furious with the Chinese due to the contentious judging at this event. When the purpose of the Olympics is to promote solidarity and peace, judging controversies instead brought chaos and increased levels of hostility between people of different nationalities.

The values of the Olympic movement are “excellence, friendship and respect.” Many claim that nations must not undermine this spirit. In fact, there were numerous Olympic moments displaying friendship and solidarity between athletes in Olympic history. However, occasional episodes of blind nationalism in the forms of doping scandals and controversial judging are generating sensitivity and stress that garner more attention from the public.

The future of the Olympics seems unclear now more than ever. With issues posed by COVID-19, viewership and public interest in the Olympics are dwindling. Doping scandals and judging controversies are exhausting viewers, fans, and even athletes. Experts are criticizing the confusion caused by discord between organizations supervising the Olympics, such as the CAS and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), on handling scandals.

The 2024 Paris Olympics is fast approaching. Scandals and controversies may continue to exist in sports, but the Olympic spirit must be kept throughout. Participation in the Olympics is a goal for any athlete, but to make sure the experience serves as fair as possible, anyone involved with the Olympic Games must promise to keep the spirit.

8

GLOBAL NEWS

Putin justifies Ukraine invasion with distorted history

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rior to the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Russia already indicated interest in taking over Ukraine by gathering thousands of troops near the Ukrainian border and distorting history. In an attempt to justify the invasion, Putin announced publicly, “the purpose of this operation is to protect people who for eight years now have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime.”

However, many historians argue that Putin’s claim was far from the truth. According to Laura Jockush, a professor of Holocaust studies at Brandeis University, there is no historic record of Ukraine committing genocide against Russian speakers.

She claims that Putin brought forth the narrative to justify his actions

on Ukraine.

Despite the objection of historians around the world, Russia continued their false accusations against Ukraine, going so far as to call them neo-Nazis. Putin was heavily criticized for not only misrepresenting Ukraine, but also misappropriating the Holocaust history and bombarding Babyn Yar, a Holocaust memorial site, on March 1.

“At the time of World War II, the Soviet Union fought against the Nazis as a common enemy with the West,” Morgan Miller, Government Politics teacher, said.

“By calling the Ukrainians Nazis, I think Putin was trying to paint them as the universal evil. Some people probably believed what he said, but misinformation, or propaganda, that many governments

Treehuggers: Individual versus Corporate Responsibility

“Reduce, reuse, and recycle.”

This slogan, first introduced around 1976 alongside increasing efforts to conserve the environment, has become ubiquitous in everyday life. We know to turn the tap water off while we brush our teeth and to shop local for pesticide-and-fertilizer-free produce.

But recently, people have begun to question the effectiveness of these small choices, especially after a report made by the Carbon Disclosure Project revealed that 100 companies were responsible for a stunning 71% of total global emissions. What impact does the average consumer have if companies are the major contributors to climate change?

After all, it is not as if sustainable methods are accessible for every single person in the first place. The green, organic products promoted by environmental activists are often costlier due to being “all-natural,” and can often spoil faster too. Long-lasting, high-quality clothes are endorsed over their fast fashion counterparts, but the reality is that there are citizens who cannot afford to spend money on such goods which could otherwise be saved for bills. When it comes to the question of climate change, then, it seems obvious that the focus lies on pushing initiatives and the burden onto corporations rather than on sole individuals.

From mining primary resources to manufacturing final products to other countries, corporations produce millions of tons of carbon dioxide and huge masses of other waste. In the current global market, companies then need to ship products to and fro from one country to another, eventually resulting in businesses like Apple emitting 25.2 million tons of carbon dioxide in just one year—a stark contrast to the average carbon footprint of one person, which is just seven tons. In the grand scheme of things, does one can of Sprite you toss into the trashcan do much, if anything at all?

The short answer is that it does not. Chucking a bottle into recycling or smashing it on the ground to your heart’s content means nothing as an individual action, apart from perhaps feeling a bit guilty about the minimess you made on the floor.

But the Earth is more than just you—there are 7.8 billion versions of you on this planet, all of whom can choose to reuse or not to reuse. …And this is where the real question emerges. The question is not if you alone can create change, but instead if you can make a difference with the rest of the world—to which the answer is always yes.

Corporations do bear a large burden in the destruction that continues to ravage our planet, but to blame only them would be to scapegoat them unfairly. The statistics of individual versus corporate waste hide the fact that these companies are often fueled by consumer greed in the first place, which has resulted in them responding accordingly by producing an exorbitant number of goods. The waste in our oceans is not a problem evenly split into corporations and the individual, but a joint mess that both sides must fix immediately.

Instead of consumers pushing for ineffectual policies like paper straws, which promotes a superficial solution, consumers need to return to the original adage—to first “reduce” the products they purchase, all as a group. Unless you really need to, why use a straw in the first place?

Your mouth is nature’s most ecofriendly tool at your disposal.

Yes, the power of the individual is minimal. But the power of the collective, when harnessed properly, can be something more.

BY: Grace Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

put forth is not to make people believe everything—it is to make them disbelieve everything.”

Though Putin did not reveal the exact reason for the invasion, experts have several theories. One suggests that Russia is trying to expand its influence in the eastern Europe by taking over Ukraine.

Others suggest that Russia is trying to demonstrate to Western nations like the US that Russia is still a superpower. Some scholars even think that Putin is trying to “undo” the mistakes that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union by regaining former Soviet Union countries.

People around the world, however, are stepping up to help Ukraine. Germany, a country that has been remaining neutral, banned any export of weapons into Russia. France, Sweden, Bel-

gium, Netherlands, and Portugal also offered weapons, protective equipment, fuel, and financial aid to Kyiv. Support for Ukraine did not end there: Elon Musk, a billionaire CEO of SpaceX, provided the internet with his company’s satellite. A hacking group called Anonymous also declared cyber war on Russia by disabling Russia’s space agency, leaking confidential files, and hacking into Russian broadcasting networks to show videos of the situation in Ukraine.

“In tackling the situation, the UN has been voting on different sanctions to place on Russia while other specific nations such as Japan are limiting their semiconductor exports to Russia,” Michelle Bok (11), MUN member, said. “Aside from economic backlashes, mirroring the status quo in Ukraine

and Russia may be South Korea, a nation that is technically at war; as a means to maintain peace, South Korea has also expressed their stance in also implementing sanctions against Russia.”

Although the Russian army continues to advance, Ukrainians and the global community are refusing to give up and are fighting back to the best of their ability. It is unknown when or how the conflict will end but people around the world are praying for the safety of the soldiers and Ukrainians.

BY: Hannah Kim Junior, Reporter

US book banning raises controversy

On Feb. 18, two Missouri students sued Wentzville School District for banning eight books from school libraries. The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, representing the students, went to court against the school district.

The school district cited scenes of nudity, profanity, and violence in the books as reasons behind their censorship.

Even “Maus,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel depicting the Holocaust, was banned in Tennessee on Jan. 31 for similar reasons.

“We cannot learn from the past if censorship is in place,” Tessa Alden, head of the English department, said. “Suppressing writers of groups that need their voice to be heard will not make their topics go away. Incidents in ‘Maus’ are horrible and difficult to read, but with that comes an appreciation of reality.”

These cases all followed the banning of 16 books in Polk County, Florida on Jan. 26. They were removed at the request of the politically conservative group, County Citizens Defending Freedom, who claimed that the content was inappropriate for children.

Jason Geary, the Polk County Public Schools spokesman, opened a review committee to temporar-

ily suspend the 16 books to read through them. Some of the books included “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “Thirteen Reasons Why”

by Jay Asher, and “Two Boys Kissing” by David Levithan.

“As librarians, we don’t ban books and the themes presented but rather make decisions based on which age group some books are appropriate to read, ” Tim Gardes, secondary school librarian, said.

“I read ‘Lolita’ by Vladimir Nabokov last year,” Joon Sung Kim (10), a bibliophile, said. “It was a disturbing novel, but I realized the value of discussing taboo topics.

Still, a line exists between what is acceptable and what is not. I understand the reasons why ‘Lolita’ would not be placed in a children’s library but getting rid of a book like ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ because of conservative values is unacceptable.”

Because of this surge of banning books, the American Library Association (ALA) continues to oppose censorship, asserting that the freedom of expression entitles students the right to read these books. Many of the removed books focused on topics such as gender identity or were written by African American writers, causing claims of discrimination.

“Ignoring the rights in the First

Amendment can limit students from learning new ideas or building upon current knowledge,” Elena Kim (10), AP US History student, said. “Different types of information can provide them with diverse perspectives and can be beneficial to society by creating a free environment of expression.”

“When I was working in California, the Safe School Act made public schools legally bound to create a safe learning space for children,” said Mr. Gardes. “Having books that people of color could see themselves in is also an important step in creating an inclusive environment.”

The Times’ Student Opinion forum also reported that teenagers were strongly against the banning of books and were arguing for their right to read books that cover sensitive topics, as they strive to be exposed to diverse viewpoints.

“Books such as Tony Morrison’s ‘Beloved’ brought awareness of the deep cultural trauma that took place from slavery,” said Ms. Alden.

“To dismiss these books is to dismiss the trauma that exists in our society.”

BY: Ian Park Sophomore, Reporter

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

9

Pillars of post-pandemic school

(from the left) Kim Hanul, Marc Montague, Jun Seungho, Kim Yong-keon, Shin Bum-shik, Lee Joon-bae

Computers might as well be the bread and water of SIS. Whether it be a high schooler or elementary school student, an AP US History class or a Chinese class, computers are used by everyone and for essentially every course at SIS. Even PE classes occasionally use computers for quizzes and announcements.

Without computers, the entire SIS curriculum would cease to function.

Unsurprisingly, laptops are a natural part of our school lives.

We open our laptops every morning as we walk into our first-period class, yawning drowsily as we check Google Classroom for the daily class agenda and skim through assignments. Everything goes well—but suddenly, our computer becomes extremely slow and the screen goes black. Panicking, we stare blankly with alarm at the screen, horrified by our severed lifeline. Immediately, we rush, laptop in hand, to our saviors: the IT Department. In no time, the IT people fix the machine with a few nimble motions of the hand, and we go back to class, breathing and functioning like normal once again.

In the classroom, disaster strikes once more. This time, the projector suddenly goes blue and refuses to turn back on, throwing the entire class into jeopardy.

Just like the students, the teacher frantically calls their guardian angels, the IT Department, and

the IT people come rushing into the classroom. In a few minutes, the projector is working again and the class is functional.

Owing to our heavy dependence on computers, the IT people, from a purely operational perspective, are perhaps the most crucial element for the overall operation of the school. For virtually anything that goes wrong with our laptops or any other technology, students and teachers alike turn to the IT for help. We trust the IT to fix our laptops. We trust the IT to fix the projector. We trust the IT to fix the WiFi. We even trust the IT for petty tasks such as securing our passwords and charging our laptops. Yet, we SIS students rarely show appreciation for their work and instead take everything for granted. Unbeknownst to our spoiled perceptions are the sweat and tears IT people put into their work everyday to keep our laptops, projectors, and consequently, the entire school curriculum functioning.

“We get as many as 87 requests in a month when we are busy,” Marc Montague, IT coordinator, said. “Especially when the school year starts in August, we get a flood of requests for getting all the technology set up for the school year. Over a 30-day span, handling all these requests is a tall task.”

Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the advent of virtual learning, the strain of the

Photo by Ian Park (10)

immense workload placed on the IT department is even more crippling. IT staff now have to learn the workings of online learning platform programs like Zoom in order to teach them to less experienced teachers. Other new responsibilities include creating custom reports and lists of students absent due to COVID-19 on PowerSchool.

“With the start of online learning after COVID-19, I had to assume more responsibilities and adapt to new tasks,” Kim Yong Kean, IT staff, said. “The IT department as a whole needed to learn many new tasks as they needed to help teachers with the new online learning technology throughout the school year. In my case, I learned to make custom reports in PowerSchool that help secretaries get a list of students who will be absent due to COVID-19.”

But the IT Department’s strenuous endeavors to keep SIS functioning amidst the pandemic stretch much further beyond technological assistance for Zoom and PowerSchool. A significant number of IT personnel are also responsible for the COVID-19 response. Most typical of these tasks is the morning COVID-19 monitor staff. But for some in IT, the responsibilities go much beyond measuring students’ temperatures in the morning.

“Head of the IT Department, Mr. Bum Shik Shin, is really putting in everything to keep our

school safe from COVID-19,” Mr. Kim said. “While we do relatively easy tasks like monitoring students in the morning, Mr. Shin is responsible for coordinating the entire SIS COVID-19 response and works seven days a week alternating between the IT office and the COVID-19 Task Force Team (TFT). That is why he did not come today—he has worked to the point he burnt out.”

COVID-19 response is not an easy task. Every positive case demands a minimum of one hour of extra work. On top of this daily contact tracing, those in the IT working for COVID-19 response need to answer phone calls from teachers and parents on an everyday basis.

“The workload demanded for the COVID-19 response is immense,” Mr. Montague said.

“Mr. Lee makes dozens of calls every day, both answering parents and asking about students for contact tracing. For each case, they need to make a detailed map of the student’s contacts and test each individual student in close contact based on the map. Especially after the recent advent of Omicron and the surge of cases, the workload is overwhelming as all the contact tracing that used to be done with the government is now done by the school.”

Mr. Shin, as head of both the IT and the COVID-19 TFT, testifies to the pressure and workload

involved in COVID-19 response.

“The added pressure of COVID19 response duties is sometimes unbearable,” Mr. Shin said. “I need to work seven days a week without any rest day after the Omicron outbreak. On the weekends, I work from 9:00 a.m. to at least 3 p.m. and on the weekdays, I work from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. On top of this, I have many more responsibilities for IT as we need to maintain and purchase all the necessary technological equipment for preventing COVID-19 like infrared cameras, automatic sanitizers, UV sterilizers, and UV air cleaners.”

With its handling of COVID-19 responsibilities and assistance for the online-learning technology vital for virtual classes, the IT is arguably the single most important pillar keeping the school from collapsing amidst the tumultuous pandemic. Whether it be a COVID-19 case or a broken laptop, the IT staff are always at the ready, prepared to handle any task they are given. Although many of us take functioning technology and COVID-19 containment measures for granted, we must always acknowledge and appreciate the strenuous efforts put in by the IT every day to provide us with these necessities.

BY: Hugo Lee Junior, Reporter

layout by Junseo Lee

10 SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

SPOM Listening closely to coach, Eddie Chu (10), on the left, and Alyssa Lee (10), on the right, plan out their strategies for the next round of mixed doubles.

With eyes on her opponent, Dana Chung (9) prepares to serve against a player from Chadwick International.

Photos by Alice Lee (11)

Success of “Arcane” shows value of high quality production

On March 12, the results of the 2022 Annie Awards, which celebrate the best animated works of the year, came out and revealed that “Arcane” won all of the nine accolades it was nominated for—to little surprise. “Arcane,” a TV show based on the hit multiplayer video game “League of Legends,” shocked the industry when it aired on Netflix in November 2021 with its booming popularity: a rare feat among video game adaptations, which often fail to have mainstream appeal outside the game’s playerbase.

“While ‘Arcane’ is a video game adaptation, it stands out because its artwork was well done,” Niko Lambert, video game aficionado, said.

“Viewers might have started out of curiosity but stuck with it because of the plot. I had some reservations about it because I kind of thought it would be very vanilla and fit for mainstream audiences, but was surprised that it was very gritty.”

Even at a quick glance, it is apparent why “Arcane” soared while its compatriots floundered.

Animated by Studio Fortiche, the show’s distinctive and aesthetically pleasing art style sets it apart from the often clunky-looking CGI omnipresent in the Western animation industry. Along with this, “Arcane” has received praise across its art direction as a whole.

“I thought ‘Arcane’ was really good across the board,” Matthew

Korea modestly soars in Beijing

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bout a month before the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee announced a rather modest goal: to finish around the top 15 in the Olympic medal race with one or two gold medals.

Despite the circumstances amid the global pandemic that led to the low bar, this humble target did not sit well with the South Korean athletes, who asserted their confidence in surpassing that number. But after some unexpected challenges and close calls, the athletes ended up meeting the goal exactly on target.

South Korea concluded the Winter Olympics as 14th in the medal race with two gold medals, five silver medals, and two bronze medals—all of which came from short track speed skating and speed skating.

Korea has kept a tight grasp on its rule in short track speed skating over years of the Olympics. How-

layout by Bona Suh

ever, since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the team has been tainted with cases of sexual assault, bullying, injuries, and even the lack of proper coaches. Considering these hardships and the ever-improving quality of competition, many suppose it will perhaps take more effort to maintain that throne in future iterations.

“In the past, I noticed that Korea was able to win ‘easy’ golds in short track speed skating,” Amy Cha (10), Olympics enthusiast, said. “But in recent years, competitiveness has markedly increased, and I think the closeness between different countries’ records shows that Korea must work harder to maintain their current status.”

For a moment early on, it seemed as though Korea's worst fears in short track would be realized. However, even with several unfortunate falls followed by a controversy that threatened to derail the country’s

bid for short track supremacy, Korea managed to secure two golds and three silvers, taking the lead in short track skating.

Hwang Dae-heon won gold and silver in the 1,500m and 5,000m men’s relay, respectively, and Choi Min-jeong bounced back from her fall to win silver medals in the 1,000m and 3,000m women’s relay.

And in the very last short track race in Beijing, the women’s 1,500m final, Choi soared to win gold. It was her second straight gold in the event and fifth career Olympic medal, tying her with three others for most Winter Olympic medals by a South Korean athlete.

“There were definitely many obstacles in the way of the Korean short track team’s success,” Michelle Bok (11), a short track speed skating fan, said. “The team was not in its best shape due to the many controversies that they endured, and the public’s high expectations likely

Um (11), avid fan of “Arcane” and player of “League of Legends,” said.

“Not only did it have a really good story, characters, and style, but it also helped remove the idea that animation is solely for children and opened people up to the idea of serious animated shows for adults.”

The same can be said for “Arcane”’s introspective plot. The vast majority of Western animation is catered toward children, with the slim portion for adults dominated by satire comedies like “Family Guy.” “Arcane” diverges from this standard. While its main purpose is exploring the origin stories of several in-game champions, it does not shy away from making those stories emotionally compelling. Set in the backdrop of a class conflict, “Arcane” makes each of its characters and the problems they face feel realistic. Although this does not mean that simple stories cannot be enjoyable, the complexity behind “Arcane” elevates it beyond popcorn entertainment and into something truly intriguing.

“I knew the characters in ‘Arcane’ from the game, but when you see them in the show they are much more fleshed out,” Matthew said.

“In the game, the characters are more like stereotypes than fully developed people.”

The creators of “Arcane” reaped the fruits of their labor, both financially and critically. Around

contributed to the pressure. But after everything, I think the team returned with amazing achievements we should all be proud of.”

Speed skaters secured Korea’s four remaining medals. Kim MinSeok added the first bronze medal to Korea’s tally from the 1,500m race, and Cha Min-gyu procured another silver in the 500m. In the final weekend, Chung Jae-won and Lee Seung-hoon won Korea’s two closing medals, silver and bronze, in the men’s mass start.

Korea also made great progress in figure skating, where You Young and Kim Ye-lim, both first-time Olympic athletes, finished in the top 10 for the women’s solo event. In the men’s solo event, Cha Jun-hwan finished fifth, Korea’s best-ever results.

Away from the ice rink, Korea fell short of the expectations set by the unexpected successes at the Pyeongchang Olympics in skeleton, bobsleigh, snowboarding, and

the world, viewership soared, surpassing “Squid Game” as the most watched Netflix show in 37 countries. With an average score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics praised its sleek art direction and compelling storyline. Its success has been felt even in the source material: according to analytics site LoLalytics, “League of Legends” champions that appeared in “Arcane” saw a sharp increase in play rates after the show’s release.

“As someone who never played ‘League of Legends,’ I just knew about the few e-sport champions in Korea. I simply thought of it as a typical video game with a crazy amount of players and some of my favorite songs,” June Jeong (11), an avid fan of “Arcane” who has never played the game, said. “But after watching the series and realizing that it was based on ‘League of Legends,’ I was genuinely impressed by all the effort they put into the characterization and intricate plot.”

Unfortunately, the level of quality, in regards to both the story and the art, is likely not possible in the industry as a whole. “Arcane” had the time and money it had for development because it was sponsored by Riot Games, the parent company of “League of Legends,” not a typical animation studio. But even though “Arcane” will probably not be a bellwether for the animation industry, its success highlights the importance of high-quality production.

“Traditionally in animation, the basic structure is to pay your animators very little and try to cut down costs as much as possible and pump out episodes weekly, but shows like ‘Demon Slayer’ have shown that higher salaries can pay off with the global success it had,” Eric Hwang (12), who is interested in the animation industry, said. “‘Arcane’ is another example of what could happen if you give people enough time to work on projects because it was a masterpiece in a lot of ways.”

BY: Rosa Suh Junior, Copy Editor

curling. However, there is plenty of proof that these achievements may not be gone for good.

The women’s curling team, Team Kim, came within a few stones of setting foot in the semifinals but fell off the table as they lost the final game of the round robin tournament. With the gold and silver medals bestowed to teams that Korea had beaten in the round robin stage, it is evident that Team Kim had the capacity to advance further.

“I think the Winter Olympics, once again, boosted Korea’s morale,” Lindsey Lim (10), Korean citizen, said. “The achievements, efforts, and memorable performances of athletes gave fans back at home something to cheer about, and despite the controversies and points of friction, I think this iteration of the Olympics proved to be a success for Korea.”

BY: Katelyn Oh Sophomore, Reporter

MULTIMEDIA

Conspiracy Corner: QAnon vs. democracy Millions of people stared in shock at the scene. A sprawling mob of over 2,000 protesters were rioting in the US Capitol, all holding flags with “Make America Great Again” etched on the fabric. Although the 2020 election was over and the rest of the nation had accepted that Joe Biden would be president, these protestors truly believed that Donald Trump had won. But among the regular political slogans, there was also a significant number of people holding signs with the letter Q. Though many were puzzled by this cryptic symbol, the letter Q holds an important role in one of the most bizarre conspiracy theories in America: the QAnon conspiracy theory.

The movement finds its origins in Donald Trump’s presidential campaign for the 2016 US presidential election. His campaign thrived on his controversial statements regarding race, immigration, and political correctness that garnered attention from social media and news outlets.

While Trump’s critics called him unprepared and unqualified, some of his supporters declared him the hero of America and produced a shocking conspiracy theory known as “Pizzagate” that is considered the precursor to the QAnon movement. The theory claimed that several Democratic Party members had connections to a human trafficking operation that was run by the Comet Ping Pong Pizzeria in Washington DC. This theory was further propagated by social media platforms such as 4chan, Twitter, and TikTok. However, Pizzagate quickly lost traction in 2017 in a terrifying incident in which a man named Edgar Welch fired several shots into the pizzeria while investigating

the claims that it held a human trafficking operation.

He found no evidence of any illegal activities, and the theory was quickly disproven. However, a very similar theory was later spread by a growing radical right-wing organization known as QAnon.

QAnon theorists believe that members of the Democratic Party, as well as several Hollywood celebrities, are “Satan-worshiping” people that assault children and drink their blood to extract a life-extending substance known as “adrenochrome.” They believe that Trump is the key to ending this underground human trafficking ring and that he had been appointed by military generals to run for president in 2016 for this purpose.

Behind this operation was a mysterious figure who went by the name of “Q ,” who posted cryptic messages known as “drops” on the social media websites 4chan and 8chan. Q claimed to be a high-level government official that had access to information on Trump’s mission and spread this information to radical Trump supporters. By the start of the 2020 US Presidential election, Q had convinced thousands of QAnon members that Trump would win the election in a landslide, leading to an event known as “The Storm” in which Trump would overthrow the deep state and arrest the leaders of the human trafficking ring.

It may seem impossible for a large group of people to believe in this conspiracy theory. After all, a theory that specifically targets Trump’s main political opponent, Joe Biden, and claims that he is part of a massive underground criminal organization would be dismissed by most people as extreme political propaganda. However, a poll by Ipsos, a marketing research organization, in

mbti

December 2020 revealed that QAnon had grown in size.

In fact, the study found that 17 percent of Americans believed “a group of Satan-worshiping elite who run a child trafficking ring are trying to control American politics and media,” while 37 percent were unsure if the theory was true or false.

The reason such terrifying events as the Pizzagate shooting or the Capitol riots were able to occur finds its root in the misinformation that spread as a result of QAnon’s growth. Many members of this organization found themselves in an echo chamber where they were only able to hear the opinions of fellow supporters, with no voice of reason to prevent them from turning to more extreme beliefs. Unconditional support for Trump caused many of these people to worship him.

Because of this, when Trump called for a march to the Capitol Building, hundreds of QAnon members and Trump supporters assumed that this was a signal for a violent uprising.

Dangerous conspiracies such as Pizzagate and QAnon must be prevented from growing and spreading to uninformed and impressionable people. Though companies such as Twitter have attempted to delete QAnon-associated social media accounts, an essential part of preventing these theories from spreading comes from an individual level. By understanding that there are several different viewpoints to a situation, diversifying our sources of information, and remaining diligent when judging an authority figure’s faults and successes, we can protect ourselves from dangerous conspiracy theories so that tragic events like the Capitol raid do not occur again.

by Jasmine Jeong

infj intj isfj istj istp isfp infp intp estp esfp enfp entp estj esfj entj

Though we are always reminded to embrace our uniqueness, it is still comforting to know that there is a group of people with whom we belong.

One such group comes from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test, which categorizes people into different “types” based on their psychological preferences for how they perceive the world and make decisions. After conducting a survey through a poll on the Tiger Times Instagram account to examine the MBTI types of SIS students, some interesting insights emerged.

The MBTI is divided into 16

personality types based on four dichotomies: introversion and extroversion, sensing and intuition, thinking and feeling, and finally, judging and perceiving. At SIS, the most prevalent MBTI is INFP, which indicates that the majority of the students are introverted, intuitive, emotional, and perceiving.

Because of their introverted personality, INFPs tend to have private inner reactions to the things that happen in their lives. They crave autonomy and independence to make their own decisions. So advice, even well-intended advice, can rub them the wrong way unless they

specifically ask for such advice.

Perhaps this may account for why most SIS students retake the SAT multiple times to get a score above 1550, even when their teachers and counselors tell them that colleges are gradually beginning to deemphasize scores from standardized tests. Though they may initially pretend to consider their advice, most students probably internally respond with “Pfft, I’m not doing that. I do not want to end up in a community college” because, based on their rather headstrong autonomous way of thinking, they need to get the score they desire.

It may also explain why so many students prefer virtual classes. INFPs prefer staying at home with their favorite warm blankets, comfort food, and relaxing music, rather than socializing, which often gets very draining for them. Their homebody instincts even show up at school, as it is not rare to see SIS students sprawled across sofas and beanbags taking naps during office hours and activity period to avoid unnecessary small talk.

The second most common MBTI type is ENFP, a person-

ality type very similar to INFP, but more extroverted than introverted. Known to be outgoing, openhearted, and open-minded, ENFPs have a lively, upbeat approach to life and tend to stand out in any crowd.

The prevalence of ENFPs reflects not only the sheer talent but also the hard-working ethic that the SIS community has.

Students are clearly driven and passionate about their interests as they show up at every club meeting and participate in activities to receive merit points. Others drag themselves to daily practices and torture themselves with repeti-

tive, mundane drills just so they can enjoy the euphoric points they score during games. It is not surprising that they proudly walk around flaunting their varsity jackets filled with pins and badges as an emblem of how hardworking they are.

But regardless of what the MBTI personality tests convey about the SIS community, remember that these personality tests are only a lighthearted, fun way of reflecting on different stereotypes for different personalities.

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LITTLE LENS, LARGER ENDS

On being ‘so OCD’: fact or fiction?

Name the mental disorder: exceptional organization skills, extreme cleanliness, perhaps even an uncanny fear of germs. Hint: it is not OCD. Let’s try another one: dramatic shifts in mood. Hint: it is not bipolar disorder.

If you confidently guessed an answer only to be taken aback after reading the hints, chances are you are not alone in the experience. It probably did not help that both of those questions were trick questions, either— contrary to popular belief, the aforementioned traits are mere stereotypes that are, in actuality, insufficient to determine any mental illness.

At SIS, such stereotypes manifest frequently in casual conversations among students; I can guarantee that any student will have heard remarks equating meticulousness on a test to being “so OCD” or experiencing a mood swing to being “so bipolar.” The stereotypes for OCD and bipolar disorder constitute only the tip of the iceberg: the same occurs for a slew of conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Mental disorders are complex and multifaceted illnesses that cannot be summed up by one stereotype.

Namely, OCD consists of “uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and/or behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over,” ac-

The Seeds of Korea:

By Skylar Peck

cording to the National Institute of Mental Health—it is a serious condition that affects the day-to-day lives of those it afflicts. When inaccurate, trifling stereotypes prevail as the representation of mental illnesses, they can contribute to the trivialization of said mental illnesses.

The trivialization, in turn, does nothing but further people’s negative perceptions of mental illness. For instance, the incorrect notion of mental illness as “not real” is pervasive in many parts of the world, with many falsely believing that it is possible for those struggling with mental health to “suck it up” and “just deal with it.” Stereotyping jokes feed into this effect by influencing people to think that mental illness is not a serious issue. One harmful implication of this phenomenon is that unfair prejudices about people with mental illness as weak or overreacting will persist, as will the pressure on such people to struggle in silence instead of seeking help from mental health professionals or even speaking up about it.

It is especially important that SIS students avoid trivializing mental health issues because a considerable number of students undergo mental illness. These are very real problems that can significantly impact their

quality of life across multiple spheres such as productivity, academic performance, and social connection; yet, due to stigma, many students battle through them alone. Hence, by recognizing rather than underplaying mental health struggles, we can open the door for greater acceptance and reduced strain for people with mental illness.

By Aimee Choi

Instant ramen: the food we eat more than any other country With each person consuming an average of 73.7 packs of ramen every year, South Korea stands strong as the no. 1 consumer of instant ramen in the world.

There couldn’t have been a meal more suitable for Koreans than ramen. With its spiciness bordering just along the entrance of the too-spicy zone, its soup flooding our chests with warmth, and its curly noodles being inhaled effortlessly as if they were air, ramen is the definition of perfection. On those days where you just cannot settle on a meal, ramen is just what you need.

Growing up, we have heard the names shin ramen, jin ramen, anseongtang-myeon, and neoguri as often as we have heard our own names. Rarely have we ever questioned the origins of instant ramen, though. Once you hear the traditional, old-fashioned names of earlier ramen brands, such as Arirang ramen and poong-nyun ramen (which translates to bountiful harvest ramen), you will be surprised to hear that instant ramen holds a distinct position in Korean history.

Instant ramen was first made in 1963 by the Samyang Foods Corporation. Due to its abundance and cheap cost, ramen was intended to help solve the issue of starvation arising from poverty and destruction after the Korean War. The ramen industry consistently rose in relevance throughout the decade as President Park Jung-hee implemented a policy of reducing rice consumption to help solve the issue of starvation. It then grew even more popular in the 1980s alongside the rising prominence of South Korea in the global context through events such as the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Since these past decades, companies have creatively experimented with instant ramen.

As the issue of hunger gradually subsided, countless brands emerged and created

layout by Yuzine Yi

ramen inspired by other foods such as udon and jjamppong. Today, over 500 different types of instant ramen compete for the public’s attention.

On the internet, mukbang channels in Korea have consistently proved the unfaltering popularity of instant ramen. A notable trend was the “spicy chicken noodle challenge,” where people attempted to eat buldak fried noodles—a notoriously spicy ramen made by Samyang Foods. This challenge spread wildly beyond Korea to all parts of the world, proving the universal appeal of Korean instant ramen.

At home, Koreans have experimented with instant ramen as companies have.

For instance, mixing two totally different types of ramen offers a novel taste; this was exemplified by jjapaguri, a combination of Chinese-inspired jajang noodles and Japanese-inspired spicy udon noodles that was even featured in the renowned movie “Parasite.” To those with slightly more advanced cooking skills, frying the ramen noodles with the soup powder without adding water can also be an enjoyable meal.

Despite the diverse ways instant ramen has evolved, an official from a ramen company says the spicy taste of original instant ramen is still the most popular, demonstrating how ramen has essentially maintained its initial taste throughout the decades.

Ramen has also stayed true to its original purpose—feeding the starving masses—by remaining as an affordable and filling meal.

The short yet impactful history of ramen is yet another reason to admire it. Though, we will most likely be too distracted by its taste to give its history a thought.

photo of the

month

Michael Richardson(10), reads Persepolis, a graphic novel, in English class.

Photo by Ian Park