Tiger Times Volume 49 Issue 9

Tiger Times VO L U M E 4 9 | A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 8 | I S S U E 9 | T T O N L . O RG

종전. 평화?

Kim and Moon seek to find peace between the two Koreas, vowing to end the Korean War.

Page 5 News

The More You Know:

Behind the Diplomatic Curtains

Page 6 Focus Privacy: In the Guise of National Security

Page 9 Lifestyle Cartnivore Updates Menu, Cafe Temporarily Closes

Editorial What did we learn?

Something, hopefully

By Andrew Ham and Diana Nakyoung Lee Co-Editors-in-Chief

Writing this final editorial during the last Tiger Times class of our high school careers, we began documenting the (seemingly) endless list of controversial issues we wrote about over the past three years: 1. Park Geun-hye (Moon Jae-in) 2. North Korea/Trump/THAAD/China 3. Cheating/academic dishonesty 4. Sexual harassment 5. Mental health/suicide And so on.

Of course, it is difficult to express one’s opinions as a teenager. We’re so often told that our views will evolve, that they will mature, and from our experience, this implication that we as high school students have undeveloped ideas discourages many from speaking out on issues that affect us all. But in a couple months, many seniors here will move to the United States, where high school students just like us are leading one of the largest movements for gun control reform in recent memory—soon, we will learn that being young doesn’t disqualify us or even excuse us from having opinions.

This is why, after years of rushing articles, panicking about InDesign crashes, and basically living our lives on unending deadlines on top of other activities and tests, we still look forward to carrying out the principles that working in journalism has taught us. We hope that the students who take our positions next fall and carry on the legacy of Tiger Times receive the same support and encouragement to find their voices, no matter how insignificant they may seem at the moment.

Any student publication, with only a sheer abundance of individual talent, may be able to win a CSPA award. But only publications of our commitment and mission, community and conscience, can win the hearts of its staff as it has won ours. It has been a whirlwind three years—adventurous, hilarious, and unforgettable—but the most important lesson we’ve learned is how to leave it all behind.

As co-EICs, we have always looked up to our predecessors. But in the past month, we find ourselves more often turning back, and every single time we find so many beloved, eager, and talented mentees. We find potential: seeds for, yes, valuable achievements, but also invaluable friendships.

These kids, the future of Tiger Times and student journalism, in our hearts, leave us—beyond all else—hopeful.

Here at our last milestone, we seek to emphasize the compassion and promise shown to us by our staff, editors, and friends--the people of journalism--rather than the technical objectivity for which we so often strive. At the end of the day, journalistic objectivity is only attainable through humanity. Tiger Times beseeched us to listen before we utilize statistics and triple-check facts. To ask, empathize, reframe and forgive, give the benefit of doubt, and change. God knows we have.

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

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VIEWPOINT

Terminate KAIST’s AI weapons program for good

I

am currently writing this viewpoint article on a word processor installed on my laptop, soon to be published in the newspaper you are currently reading. If I make an error, the word processor will likely invoke its autocorrect function to fix said mistake.

For instance, let’s say I am attempting to write an article with the phrase “Brian has developed great enthusiasm for cross country,” but I make a typo with the words “cross country” by replacing the second “c” with a “d” and mistakenly use them as a compound word. All of a sudden the words “cross country” autocorrects to “crossdressing,” and my article conveys a completely unintended message to the entire school.

Computers only do what they are programmed to do, and will follow their programming to illogical conclusions.

The entire article surrounding my typo will have been about cross country, but that one mistake would lead the programming within the word processor down a very specific, yet very different, path. Now, replace “word processor” with “fully autonomous weapons system,” and you have an idea of what the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) may currently be developing. The software of the word processor’s logical misstep only cost Brian some embarrassment, but if and when the software of weapons systems follow similar illogical conclusions that put actual human lives in jeopardy, that’s

when we know that automated tomfoolery has gone too far.

KAIST’s Research Center for the Convergence of National Defense and Artificial Intelligence was established this February to, according to the president of KAIST, “provide a strong foundation for developing national defense technology.” This is just a fancy way of saying, “we’re going to make more powerful weapons.” The program was established in partnership with Hanwha, a weapons conglomerate under fire for aethical violations, including the manufacturing of cluster munitions that are banned in 120 countries under an international treaty.

In response, more than 50 leading academics from nearly 30 countries working in the field of robotics called for a boycott of KAIST, due to concerns that the program’s research could lead to the development of autonomous killer robots.

It’s easy to see why; machines cannot fathom the value of human life to make life-and-death decisions, and wouldn’t be able to judge accurately whether civilian harm outweighed military advantage in each particular instance.

The boycott has since been rescinded after the president of KAIST promised not to develop lethal autonomous weapons within the program. However, the program will resume its research, which is a problem. The mere convergence of weapons programs and artificial intelligence should continue to be a big red flag to the world’s leaders and scientists.

Given the aforementioned troubling lack of ethical qualms in Hanwha Defenses’ previous weapons endeavors, coupled with the knowledge that KAIST is an institution with advanced technological capability, there is currently little besides the president’s word to ensure that the program does not descend into killer robot territory. Additional procedures and regulations must be put in place not just for KAIST, but internationally, to preempt the development, production and use of fully autonomous weapons.

The lessons from the history of warfare are clear: once such weapons appear in one country’s arsenal, Pandora’s Box will have been opened and it will be too late.

It may be naïve to presume that KAIST is going to be making something to the effect of a T-1000—as many sensationalist media outlets would have you think— but it isn’t naïve at all to be cautionary of the development of autonomous weaponry that could very well elevate warfare in an unprecedented, terrifying way.

The same kind of militaristic, detachedfrom-the-warzone mentality is what fueled the development of dynamite, mustard gas, and the Manhattan Project. What man can do he will try to do; it is up to our better judgment to make sure that our unquenchable thirst for progress doesn’t continue to jeopardize innocent lives.

By Jeremy Nam Junior, Staff Writer

Music lessens diplomatic tensions between two Koreas With North Korea unabashedly testing missiles and South Korea constantly on its guard only a few months ago, there seemed to be little to no prospect for reconciliation between the two Koreas.

However, with newly elected President Moon Jae-in inviting North Korean athletes to participate in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the long-lasting barrier has started to slowly crumble down. The Olympics, amid the public’s anxiety and excitement, acted as an effective vanguard to reducing diplomatic tensions. Following this grand event, music assumed the role of sports, acting as an icebreaker for the nations. Music effectively brought attention to the possibility of reunification and helped open up North Korea to South Koreans.

On March 31, 160 artists from South Korea traveled to Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, to perform. Among the pack were prominent K-pop singers, including leading girl group Red Velvet and gifted ballad legend Baek Ji-young.

This four-day trip marked a significant paradigm shift, as it was the first time in over a decade that South Korean singers visited North Korea to perform.

The many performances, including those of bubbly dance songs and harmonious ballads that represent South Korea’s culture, received significant praise from the audience. Along with sharing the best that K-pop has to offer, the artists sang a North Korean pop song titled “Blue Willow Tree” and most importantly, songs that promote peace on the peninsula: “Our Hope is Reunification” and “Until We Meet Again.” The North Korean audience sang along with genuine emotion, signifying that there is mutual hope for unity.

Music allowed the citizens of both nations to speak up and realize that they had a shared desire for reunification.

People expressed their once-repressed thoughts by singing along with the lyrics calling for unity. These songs encouraged and gave people the strength to speak their minds publicly. Without music, they would not have had a means to so confidently reveal their opinions on such a sensitive issue. Since the past, it had been common for citizens to assume that there was no hope for reunification in the near future. Yet, this emotional experience with music brought optimism

to the nations.

Music also brought widened access of North Korea to South Koreans. Routinely denied journalists were welcomed alongside artists to report on this event.

The singers grew more acquainted with North Korea upon completing their performances. They were seen taking pictures at the renowned Taedong River and enjoying Pyongyang naengmyeon, a traditional dish of the North, at a famous restaurant called Okryu-gwan. This extent of accessibility marks how North Korea is slowly but certainly opening up to its counterpart. What could not even have been dreamt of only a few months back became reality through music.

In tandem with the arrival of a new South Korean president came more opportunities to advance peace between the separated Koreas, with music as a primary focus. Both nations are presently making significant progress toward establishing stable, friendly relations.

Hopefully, there will be more steps taken in this direction between the two.

By Kirsten Huh Junior, Staff Writer

Jeremy Nam

Tiger Times

April/May 2018

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.

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Tiger Times Staff Paper Editors-In-Chief Andrew Ham Diana Nakyoung Lee Website Editors-in-Chief Soomin Chun Nicholas Kim Paper Managing Editor Justin Chang

Website Managing Editor Junie Ye Joon Kah

Communications Director Marie Park

Production Editors Joyce Lee Soo Min Lee

Copy Editors Youngseo Jhe Dawn Kim Andrea Kwon Jeremy Nam

Graphics Editor April Kim Photo Editor Ryan Jang

Layout Artists Amy Jungmin Kim Claire Lee Yejune Park

Youngjin Park Graphics Artist Jina Kim Photographers Angela Choe Lauren Kang Jocelyn Lee Reporters Michelle Ahn Fiona Cho Sia Cho

Kirsten Huh Andie Kim Hannah Kim Chris Lee Kate Lee Eju Ro Grace Yang Andy Yoon Adviser Mr. David Coleman

Viewpoint Feature: We must recognize the positive aspects of our school spirit.

In what ways is school spirit at SIS indicative of success?

How does SIS compare in school spirit to other schools?

School spirit: an endlessly hopeful pursuit Go Eagles! Go Trees! Go Phoenix! Go Tigers!

To every school there is a mascot, a color and a following spirit. Whether the students passionately wear labeled hoodies or mock their own mascots, their passion for the school is inevitably an important component of the community. However, this is not a concept that can be measured or judged upon. While some schools have homecomings, we don’t. While we have cheerleaders, others don’t. These differences do not define the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of our camaraderie.

School spirit, in fact, should be judged upon the progress rather than product.

With this new look, this collective passion will become an endless pursuit that the school community collectively aims for with enthusiasm.

At SIS, it is common to hear criticism about our school spirit. PA announcements are inconsistent with congratulating achievers, and even big sports like basketball and soccer are often met with empty home crowds. Comparing us with High School Musical’s Bobcat-spirit, it has become so easy to point fingers at such an abstract concept. No group or no individual specific is targeted with this blame, which further allows the criticism to be flung at the product without responsibility. At the end of the day, it seems that the complaints merely act as a tiny nudge, bringing forth no significant change.

Although this aimless criticism is so common, it is also very questionable.

Active school spirit is ultimately what our

student body wants, but there are more people simply complaining about the problem than actually trying to solve it.

They see the product of the community bondage and easily resort to complaints.

Even worse, these critics appear to be passionate about this discussion, but this too halts when the conversation veers to potential solutions. If they care enough to hate on our own school spirit, why can’t they go the extra mile to make sure that the hated subject changes? The answer still remains neglected. Reflecting upon the fact that this has been a topic of interest for long, we should be approaching school spirit with a collective enthusiasm, not collective criticism.

Perhaps the way we understand school spirit in and of itself is problematic. In the status quo, we see empty bleachers and claim that our community fails to bond. But what if school spirit is not the product of the community, but rather the progress that the community makes? Every school has a different starting point in its camaraderie. Some, like typical American high schools, have the entire student body regardless of tests come watch all the games. Others, like Korean boarding schools such as Korean Minjok Leadership Academy (KMLA), have no supporters for their sport teams at all. Instead of putting school spirit into a black-and-white spectrum of good or bad, it should be evaluated by the effort the school makes to be more spirited.

Whenever an American high school with respectable spirit gathers in the gym by the thousands, every member of that

community is making an effort to foster even more unity. Every painted face, every poster, and every chant contributes to the overall process of building the school’s spirit. As a result, a school that has had an established passion in the past will continue to make the effort constantly better its spirit.

On the other hand, Korean schools start from a completely new slate. Most students are too caught up with their academics to care about their classmates’ home game the following afternoon. Nobody goes to watch their games, and nobody expects them to come either. Nevertheless, if the student council is promoting the event through weekly bake sales or even just PA announcements, that is the progress to school spirit itself. The student body may be unresponsive at first, but if the effort is consistent and motivating enough, the community will slowly start to open up its way towards better school spirit. With the initial black-and-white perspective, this school will still be criticized for its lack of communal bonding. But with this new lens that merits progress over product, there is no lack of anything, because there is no goal that they are specifically aiming for.

Even the shortest PA announcements all contribute to the overall progress that the school makes towards the camaraderie, and this progress does not have a manual that it follows. Every school has a different starting point, and every school has its own unique approach.

Equipped with this newfound lens, we now must look in the mirror. SIS begins their fight for school spirit from a middle

platform between the detached KMLA and the roaring Bobcats. There are games with great audience, while there are also games without. However, there is no doubt that the progress that the SIS community has been making towards the infinite goal has been respectable. Starting from our active HSSC that hosts home game sales such as the KAIAC Kick-off with barbeques, other clubs have also hopped onto this train of school spirit. Every locker in the high school building is decorated with an encouraging post-it note. No matter how succinct these notes may be, such efforts made by clubs like Random Acts of Kindness has brought forth a recognizable trend in SIS that fosters greater process for towards the endless goal for more enthusiasm.

The debate over school spirit will always continue on. Some may recently be starting from a blank slate, while others may have already done so for decades. However, no matter how much the students compare their own schools with a more spirited one, this disparity does not matter. The significance of the debate on school spirit lies with the progress made, not the product. Starting from a sticky note to an emptied bucket of face paint, every school will have a different approach and progress to achieve their collective enthusiasm.

These differences should be recognized and loved by the school community in order to indulge in the endlessly hopeful pursuit towards school spirit.

By Michelle Ahn Junior, Staff Writer

4 NEWS News Briefs

By Sia Cho

Lee Myung-bak arrested amidst corruption charges

Sophomore, Staff Writer

Spring Concert springs to life

Men's choir congratulates Ms. Conant's birthday with a surprise birthday performance.

Photo by Michelle Ahn

On May 3, the annual spring concert was held by the music department, marking the last performance of the year. With the high school band, strings, and orchestra each performing their respective pieces, the euphonious repertoire showcased the fruits of the year-long music program, giving both the students and teachers an opportunity to demonstrate their hard work throughout the semester of rehearsals. Conducted by band director Michael Ganus and strings director Julia Kim, each passion-driven ensemble of dedicated musicians immersed the auditorium in a harmony of rhythmic melodies.

“This year, we mainly focused on maintaining the balance, interaction between parts, and creating the mood for each piece,” said Ms. Kim. “With the combination of casual and upbeat pieces like 'Carmen Suite,’ the repertoire successfully highlighted talented musicians and captured the vibrant essence of the spring concert.”

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n April 9, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office arrested former president Lee Myung-bak, after he was indicted last month on 14 charges ranging from embezzlement to bribery to tax evasion.

He has been found guilty of at least two serious charges so far: embezzlement of more than $30 million and bribery amounting to about $10.5 million.

“Lee’s arrest is a huge deal for Korea,” said Emma Lee (10), MUN member. “Not only does it mean that another former president has been put behind bars, but it also signifies that Korean government officials (who worked under Lee) and the general public are becoming increasingly willing to go against a figure of significant authority and condemn him for his wrongdoings.”

The arrest was facilitated by his former aides and workers who brought forth incriminating evidence against Lee. One such aide released a statement to the prosecution detailing Lee’s management of illicit funds from DAS, a joint stock company, according to The Straits Times. He allegedly controlled billions of slush funds under pseudonyms and used this money to engage in a deal with an investment company called BBK, which had faced a high-profile embezzlement scandal in the past.

The former president is also suspected

of taking bribes from officials in the National Intelligence Service (NIS), former Woori Financial CEO Lee Pal-sung, and chaebol group Samsung.

“I do not understand why Lee Myung-bak committed these crimes,” said Andrew Kim (10), an avid follower of Korean politics. “There was no need for him to taint both his reputation and the reputations of various Korean conglomerates by engaging in corrupt deals. I hope future presidents take learn from the mistakes of both Lee and Park Geun-hye.”

While Lee’s reputation was somewhat intact, he has faced controversy with other scandals in the past. In 2007, he was examined by four investigation teams for his aforementioned affiliation with DAS. The then-president was cleared of all charges, but public suspicion trailed him throughout his term.

As a result, Lee attempted to redeem his reputation by pledging to donate all of his holdings to charities. The public was further incensed, however, when Lee went back on his promise and set up a non-profit organization that allowed him to get away with tax evasion.

“I think Lee Myung-bak’s arrest was inevitable,” said Joshua Lim (10), forensics member. “He narrowly managed to avoid the corruption issue during his presidency, but it caught up to him

HSSC executive candidates outline visions in public forum discussion

Talking about the future of the student council, (from left to right) Isaac Lee (11), Eugene Jang (10), Amy Jungmin Kim (11), and Minsung Kim (11) lead the HSSC forum.

Photos by Jocelyn Lee

once Park got impeached and the Moon administration took over. The tide has definitely shifted against the corrupt officials, who the public chose to overlook in the past.”

Unfortunately, Lee is not the first former president to have his reputation destroyed following his presidency. Since the 1990s, three other former presidents have been arrested on charges of corruption: Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, and Park Geun-hye. Park, the only one to be impeached, made news last month following her formal arrest and trial, in which she was sentenced to 30 years in prison. This problematic trend has led current President Moon Jae-in to call for a crackdown on unrestricted presidential power, including the proposal of a bill that limits presidential authority.

“Historically, the Korean government and the chaebols have been interlinked in a symbiotic relationship,” said Jonathan Ames, history teacher.

“The public is definitely fed up with this business-politics relationship, but until we have a truly free media and until we limit some of the powers of the president, I think it is going to be very difficult to eliminate all forms of corruption.”

By Fiona Cho Sophomore, Staff Writer

Makerspace introduces design technology

Starting this year, Makerspace was launched as a new program to introduce design technology to students at SIS. As one of the first of its kind in the school, the program will provide an opportunity for students to gain a hands-on experience in a design lab, integrating various aspects of STEM-related fields such as robotics, coding, and circuitry into its curriculum.

With its startup, Makerspace opens the door to new possibilities for student innovation— ranging from projects involving metal shops to aquaponics—to flourish in the SIS community.

“Though students are capable of acquiring knowledge and accessing information, a skills-based approach will focus more on how such resources are used and manipulated to build, solve, or simply do new things,” said Dr. Gerhard, high school Principal. “The whole idea of Makerspace is that students will be able to engage in activities that foster self sufficiency and problem solving, ultimately allowing their creativity to expand throughout the process.”

RAK hosts Pink Day

In taking a stand against bullying, SIS students and staff celebrated International Pink Day by wearing pink on April 11. With the participation of both teachers and students in all grade levels from elementary school to high school, the event successfully raised awareness to prevent homophobia, transmisogyny, and other forms of discrimination. Though originally started in Nova Scotia by two high school students with the initiative to prevent bullying, Pink Day has become a shared symbol of celebrating diversity and acceptance in SIS and other schools around the world.

“I was very surprised and also excited to see that a lot of people participated in Pink Day,” said Lynna Kim (10), a participant of Pink Day. “I saw that several people who wouldn’t usually wear pink clothing actually took the courage to do so to represent their stand against bullying.”

On April 16, the Quill and Scroll Journalism Society hosted a public forum for the new executive council candidates to voice their intentions on the podium. The event included speeches from uncontested candidates and a debate-style Q&A session between contested candidates that aimed to collectively inform the student body of their specific visions for the upcoming school year.

“The public forum’s main purpose was to provide the student body with the opportunity to directly hear the visions and promises of their future leaders from the candidates themselves,” said Joanne Lee (12), co-president of the Quill and Scroll Journalism society. “Because of this, we thought it would be the best to center the public forum around the elected officials who would share their visions with the community and really earn their trust as leaders.”

The public forum began with each of the uncontested candidates – the public relations officer, treasurer, events coordinator, and president –¬ approaching the public platform to announce their visions for the upcoming year. First,

Amy Kim (11), executive public relations officer, promised the student body “a good year with many positive changes” before William Seo (11), executive treasurer, who professed to “make the student body more economically transparent” by updating monthly reports on the earnings of the HSSC. Following the two candidates were Isaac Lee (11), executive events coordinator, and Junie Kah (11), executive president, both of who expressed their hopes of introducing new events to the student body.

After the first half of the public forum, Minsung Kim (11) and Eugene Jang (10), the two candidates running for executive secretary, shook hands and settled down for a debate-style Q&A session. The two candidates alternated turns answering questions regarding their main goals of improving the HSSC and fulfilling the role of an executive secretary. Overall, both candidates showed great willingness to take on the job, as Eugene promised the student body to make “[students’] lives more lively” while Minsung claimed to “use his notes to make high school more enjoyable.”

“I think the responsibilities of a secretary lie more than note taking – in fact, the more important responsibility is what comes next,” said Minsung. “[A good secretary needs] to distribute his or her notes with students and the

administration to inform them of what the HSSC is doing this year. In this way, the responsibility of sharing notes will both increase the transparency of the HSSC and accomplish the responsibilities of a secretary.”

After the public forum, the general elections took place on April 30, May 1 and May 2, where five, seven, and eleven candidates ran respectively for the sophomore, junior and senior councils.

To show their dedication and responsibility to the student body, candidates were presented with questions about their executive vision, their proficiency in their roles, and for incumbents, the takeaways from the experience in HSSC this year.

According to Kendall Sadler, advisor of the HSSC, both the public forum and general elections “showed many improvements from last year, with more positions being contested for and a greater number of students who attended the event. In addition, the speeches made by the executive council for next year were thoughtful, prepared, and tailored to the students.” Through the public forum, the student body gained more information regarding the activities planned out by the HSSC for the upcoming school year.

By Kate Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times

April/May 2018

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Millions of Facebook profiles leaked in Cambridge Analytica data scandal

Cambridge Analytica, the data analytics firm that worked with President Donald Trump’s campaign team, harvested data from 50 million US voters’ Facebook profiles, marking one of the greatest data breaches in the history of the country according to articles by The Guardian.

After collecting personal data from various apps, Cambridge Analytica used powerful software programs to influence voters by creating personalized advertisements from analyses of voters’ Facebook profiles. Facing severe criticism from the government and the public, Facebook has responded by revamping security measures.

“The Facebook data scandal is obviously of serious concern,” said Michael Jo (10), forensics member. “The way technology now influences propaganda is amazing and terrifying at the same time. The idea that someone can give you personalized propaganda without you having a chance to scrutinize the content makes you extremely vulnerable. If Facebook and other social media platforms are not willing to change, this will become a disaster.”

According to the New York Times, a whistleblower revealed to The Guardian that Cambridge Analytica worked with a professor from Cambridge

University to develop an app called “thisisyourdigitallife.” The company paid people to take a survey on the app. In the process of doing so, the users would have to connect the app to their Facebook accounts.

This mechanism allowed the app to gain not only the information of the users but also the friends of users. Facebook, based on their “platform policy,” allowed the collection of friends’ data to improve user experience; however, selling the data or using it for advertisements was strictly prohibited. Cambridge Analytica used the data to analyze and influence voters that were susceptible to change.

“I was not surprised when I first learned about the data leaks,” said Marc Montague, AP Computer Science A teacher. “I am happy to hear that the general population is waking up and realizing that personal data is not private once it is on the Internet. There needs to be a change in how the Internet works. It was originally designed for the Cold War. Facebook just started rolling out a policy that asks users to confirm a privacy agreement before users can upload posts. I think it is very important for Facebook to check who they are dealing with when businesses try to develop Facebook apps.”

Following the exposé by The Guardian, Facebook contacted Cambridge Analytica to delete the data. Mark Zuckerberg broke his silence several days after the exposé through a Facebook post, acknowledging that it was both his and Facebook’s responsibility to protect the data of users.

On April 10, Zuckerberg appeared in front of Congress, acknowledging his failure to fulfill his responsibility and detailing measures Facebook plans to take to prevent data breaches like that with Cambridge Analytica. Moreover, Facebook will check all apps that can access the accounts of the friends of their users.

“I think [the data scandal with] Cambridge Analytica is a wake up call for all service-based online platforms,” said Samuel Oh (10), AP US History student.

“Situations like Cambridge Analytica remind us that data protection is more important than ever. People with malicious intent are continuously looking to gain access; in response, online services must continuously evolve their security. It is basically a warning call that we all need to pay great attention to.”

By Chris Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

The More You Know Behind the diplomatic curtains, a desperate North Korean regime In a whirl of diplomatic theater, the leaders of North and South Korea recently embarked on a breathtaking journey of shaking hands, photo ops, and holding hands. For most who have not been following the Korean situation closely and even for those who have, these developments have been shocking and seemingly uncharacteristic of Kim Jong-un, who had just been threatening nuclear strikes on the world just a few months ago. Many critics have praised President Donald Trump of the United States, including President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, for orchestrating what may seem to be the beginnings of a peaceful solution to the Korean conflict.

On the other hand, some have warned what is likely a ruse or a trap by North Korea to gain international legitimacy and aid while maintaining precisely the terrorist platform it has been operating on for the past few decades.

Apart from this expert speculation, Korean citizens themselves are also very divided over the recent summit, and that was made clear in the protests and counter-protests held over the past few days. Many would love for the Olympic peace to last beyond simple symbols of

goodwill, but clearly with the history of North-South relations (read: the Korean War) many harbor suspicions of supposed diplomacy.

North Korea is a strategic regime, and its interactions with the international community throughout its history have been calculated and geared toward a specific purpose. There is no difference this time around; unless Kim suddenly has become a benevolent leader looking out for the Korean people, he has something strategic to gain from these peace talks. Although there have been talks of denuclearization, that will never happen. From Kim’s perspective, nuclear weapons are the only way in which a small communist regime such as itself can survive. Kim has seen the historical examples of the West invading nations, engineering elections, and undermining governments. In order to ensure his regime’s safety, especially after it has consistently disregarded international laws and norms, he needs a deterrent— nuclear weapons, and the threat of killing millions of civilians at once, has fulfilled that role satisfactorily for the past few decades.

Now if this is the case, why in the

world would North Korea suddenly come to the negotiating table? Well, it probably has to do with the next phase of Kim’s master plan. Now that the North has developed a sufficient nuclear weaponry, they have no more use for testing them (which is why Kim so graciously offered to halt nuclear tests) and now they need economic development. Over the past few years, sanctions have tightened and China has grown more distant as an ally. To increase the North’s power and influence, it is now in Kim’s interest to open up to the world and release the sanctions that have been crippling the North’s economy, just like Iran did with the nuclear deal it signed a couple years ago. It is a testament to the international process that we were able to force Kim to the table; however, we must be wary of its future plans and not welcome the “peace process” too naively.

printed by Andrew Ham

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Ethics of Government Privacy Intrusion By: Andy Yoon

When German chancellor Angela Merkel was informed in 2015 that her phone calls with close advisers had been wiretapped by the Obama administration for years, she denounced the “totally unacceptable” actions of the US and stated that this incident was “a breach of trust” between the two. Despite her barrage of emphatic statements in response to this scandal, there was nothing she could do at that point: the damage had been done. With the acquisition of this confidential information, Germany lost face, and America had gained more leverage as an all-knowing third party.

The most ironic and alarming aspect of this entire situation was this: the rest of the world did not seem to mind too much. According to other foreign leaders’ responses, itwas a problematic but dismissable offense. In fact, “[t]he magnitude of the eavesdropping is what shocked [France],” said Bernard Kouchner, former French foreign minister. “Let’s be honest, we eavesdrop too. Everyone is listening to everyone else. But we don’t have the same means as the United States, which makes us jealous.”

With the intrusion of one’s privacy becoming a normalized phenomenon in today’s digital age, the costs and benefits of such federal measures must be prudently considered before authorizing the government to encroach the people’s right to privacy. As greater means to track one’s movement, conversations, and even interests continue to arise with the advent of technology, there are lines that need drawing, limits that need establishing, and questions that need asking.

When a given citizen searches for information online, makes phone calls to loved ones, walks to his or her favorite restaurants, and more, federal agencies around the world possess the ability to analyze or continuously monitor such behavior and actions in the guise of national security. Although checks exist within most judicial systems to limit the government from exploiting its authority to violate the citizens’ rights, such as court warrants and subpoenas, it is not unreasonable to deem such measures ineffective in protecting the people’s privacy. In 2013, for example, America discovered that the NSA, in collaboration with Google, Yahoo, and numerous more Internet conglomerates, had been secretly collecting “emails, chats, videos, photos, stored data, VoIP [Internet phone calls], file transfers . . . notifications, logins, [and] online social networking details”thanks to the whistleblowing of the controversial Edward Snowden. In 2017, WikiLeaks released astonishing information about the tactics CIA spies utilize to invasively monitorthe American people. According to the findings of this publicized, vast set of files, titled “Year Zero,” these agencies have access to most existing smart devices and can turn them on or off at will; in addition, it was disclosed that the CIA had even explored hacking into cars and crashing them, allowing ‘nearly undetectable assassinations.’

Even when court warrants and subpoenas are obtained before proceeding with questionable federal activity, the burden of proof is not as high as one may expect. Passed 45 days after 9/11 to preempt future terrorism, the Patriot Act is an existent piece of US legislation that is of concern to the common man’s privacy. Under this law, intelligence agencies must secure a National Security Letter (NSL)—a warrant-like document—to legally access phone records, credit history, banking history, etc. Yet, these can be and are issued by the FBI, not a court or the federal government, making them not too difficult to obtain as a matter of fact.

The state can be seen as an obtrusive force, sometimes utilizing “cheap” and even illegal tactics to exploit the people. Nevertheless, that is not to say that the government always need to justify itself when acting in the interest of its citizens.

Although legal and just means are definitely preferred over illicit ones, it can be seen as a risk to take for the well being of the masses. National security is not necessarily a guise when lives are saved from preempt-able, future tragedies. According to a conservative analyst of the Department of Justice, 15 terrorist plots have been prevented by agents granted with certain abilities under the Patriot Acts. Given the amount of potential deaths that may have resulted, the government, to a certain extent, has the justification to do what is necessary for the safety of the nation.

Another admittedly intrusive method of ensuring national security is predictive policing. According to the Human Rights Watch, this practice “combines feeds from surveillance cameras with other personal data such as phone use, travel records and religious orientation, and then analyzes the information to identify suspicious individuals,” [even in large crowds]. Despite requiring troves of information to function effectively, it has the potential to predict mass casualties the average analyst could not. To this end, Japan announced it would use artificial intelligence (AI)-backed predictive policing during the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

This approach to criminal justice raises intriguing questions of the ethics of utilitarianism—whether the lives of a few outweighs the quality of life of the majority.

Given the times, one’s growing dependence on technology is leading to the easy federal acquisition of private information in a matter of seconds. Yes, it is reasonable for the average citizen to want the details of his or her life to remain private.

It is not an overreaction to assume that the government’s encroachment of one’s basic rights to be free from search and seizure must be inalienable. At the same time, the safety of the rest of one’s community cannot be dismissed. Recognizing these two premises is vital to satisfying the most people in each given situation of federal intrusion of the people’s privacy.

y Claire Lee

Rising trend of big data challenges user security By: Andie Kim

There are benefits to having obsessive and unduly attentive parents: they cater services based on not having to lift a finger. But there are the unfavorable aspects of having someone aware of what one wears, what is bought, where people visit, what is consumed, and, simply, everything about an individual’s behaviors. The breach of privacy is a threat to identity and an invasion of one’s right to personal space. At the same time, it is one’s informed decision to provide such information to a body in order to receive the benefits of convenience and time efficiency.

In recent years, there has been a widespread usage of big data to appeal to the public’s interest. The international big data trend has its pluses and minuses. Big data, a large volume of complex data sets, work as a productive storage of mass information.

Private data is then analyzed and employed to serve different purposes such as education, healthcare, and banking. By accurately scrutinizing the data, one can easily cut time and cost, as well as enacting better discretion by focusing on a clearer target. For example, the healthcare industry uses big data analytics to filter out factors for certain medical conditions and accurately determine where to apply and restrict direct treatment.

The potential of companies to sell big data to data mining corporations has recently put people on edge regarding exposing their personal information to social networking sites. For example, the recent Facebook and Cambridge Analytica data scandal in which Facebook exposed 87 million of users’ data for the Trump Campaign, raised awareness on Internet security that users have previously lightly dismissed when creating their online profiles. Another example is the FBI-Apple encryption dispute when the FBI requested Apple to extract personal data from phones through an updated iOS operating system to track the attackers of the San Bernardino terrorist attack in 2015. Despite the issued court order to create the software, Apple declined in order to protect its security features from the government.

The collection and use of big data is not a distant issue. In fact, it is easily applicable to SIS students themselves, for example, the school’s IT Department managing students’ Google accounts and main settings of their computers. With data, they detect problems or necessities in each student’s devices and recommend respective changes.

Perhaps unaware, students have already signed a contract that opens their Google accounts to the department and thus authorizes the school to monitor their information.

Their data may be untouched, but one cannot avoid questioning the power given to the school by gaining such access to the students’ data and having the possibility to invade their private lives.

Although students use the school email domain and their computers at their devices, they are often blind-folded to the school’s access to the inner workings of their accounts. When they relinquish their computer for program installment, they are also unaware of the IT department’s registration of a software program on their computers to restore data when requested.

As of now, the school does not have the technical resources to store big data, simply because there is no need for such storage. According to Bum Shik Shin, the deputy director of the IT Department, the school does not have access to the content of any files in students’ computers, nor do we wish to have any. They can merely see the number of files or the storage used in a hard drive. Such means of security allow academic support for students based on the data in their emails and strengthen the communal bonds of both the students and teachers.

The school does, however, have access to the content in students’ Google accounts. In fact, SIS can see every Google search, video, website, and document that students make. Again, according to Mr. Montague, the technology support teacher, the school has no reason to access that data, except for special circumstances.

The next question then is: what is data used for? By understanding their target customers and patrons, Corporations can launch advertisements, improve security, optimize electronic devices, conduct financial trading, or even touch political boundaries. Locally, the IT Department is not invasive, nor do they have the leisure to scavenger through every student’s data. All of their programs are mainly for the students’ benefit and productivity with school work. Every so often, the data is used for confirming Internet efficiency and security. They make sure that students are utilizing the Google gadgets, and verify if their passwords are of safe length. In special cases of cyberbullying, the data is also used as receipts of a private conversation.

Still, this does not change the fact that big data, when exploited, can have deleterious consequences.

Google collects data on age and gender. Netflix knows what users like to watch.

And Apple stores questions that one asks Siri. It is the users who give these companies access to their information when they click consent after mindlessly skimming through the Terms of Agreement. Whether it is the sale of one’s name or the reveal of one’s social security number, the breach of privacy through exposure of big data could lead to extensive consequences both on and off the Internet. As much as people are willing to trust these institutions, the potential of using the data is nevertheless problematic.

After all, by contract, the consent has already been given. The use of on data is only a

matter of time and necessity.

8 LIFESTYLE

99

Henry’s Xiao Zhan: Really Worth it?

ts n i a l p m o c

against the world

By Ye Joon Kah

The Nature of Rumors “The lunch line is way too long. Are they serving something good today?”

“I don’t know, I’m just in line because everyone else is!”

On the surface, the great disparity in the number of students lined up between the international and Korean cafeteria line seems like an ordinary phenomena.

Students prioritize whatever food fits their palate, and not all menus were created equal. Some days, one menu is tastier than the other, which accounts for the incredibly long lunch lines for just one side. However, upon closer introspection, the issue of the lunch line inequality has deeper implications than simply the tastiness of the cafeteria menu.

How does the lunch line disparity point to the intrinsic nature of high school students to always flock? Students, including myself, frequently find themselves situated in the back of long lunch lines, not because they like the menu, but simply because their friends are also eating the same thing.

There is a common question pointing to the flaws of following popular opinion: are you going to jump off a bridge just because your friends do? Sadly, for all teenagers, there is a pressure that pushes them to follow their friends, even if it means “jumping off a bridge.” Nonetheless, this isn’t an issue exclusive to SIS. High school students are like sheep: they feel more comfortable in big groups, and assured by the fact that they are not alone. The main issue, however, is the lack of diversity we get from “flocking.”

One may ask, what’s so bad about being unoriginal? If everyone is doing it, why can’t I? However, this exact mentality is what is problematic; it gives a false impression that doing something wrong is right, and more importantly, it stifles creativity. While a student may be reluctant to ride the elevator alone, many more are willing to do so if they act collectively, despite the fact that they are consciously breaking school rules.

Fortunately, this issue can solved through active effort in part of the students. The reason why people follow whatever their friends are doing is because they don’t have any incentives placed in front of them. However, instead of looking for external motives, it is time to find an introspective reason to do the right thing, instead of doing whatever seems “cool” because everyone else is doing it. Additionally, we can give ourselves more options, instead of blindly turning to choices we haven’t thought about thoroughly. From that perspective, maybe going to the shorter line instead of waiting 20 minutes for some unknown menu is the better investment in life.

X

iao Zhan is the brand new and sensational Taiwanese restaurant opened by Super Junior M’s vocal and rapper Henry Lau. Located at Apgujeong Rodeo, the restaurant opens from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week except on Mondays.

Though Apgujeong Rodeo was recently assailed with allegations that it is starting to break down due to low customer turnouts, the restaurant was busy with people lining up to eat.

At first, I had problems getting in contact with the restaurant. Though I constantly called them to clarify that they were open, they did not receive my calls. And so I learned that reservations were not available.

When I first arrived at Xiao Zhan, I was greeted with an iPad on which I could insert my name, phone number, and how many people I was with. The iPad told me how many people were in line before me.

Some problems occurred with the use of the iPad, the customers were constantly asking the cashier desk when they were going in and how many people were waiting in front of them. Some improvements could be that the iPad would send notifications of how many groups were

Jukebox Jewels Remnants of the Fallen

BY DAWN KIM

in front and around how long they would have to wait for. Looking at the line, I observed that there were a great number of Chinese people and young girls in their teens or twenties. Most of t¬he men present were accompanying their girlfriends.

Despite the restaurant’s popularity with younger generations, it was hard to see older customers. With 17 teams before us, it took my family an hour and a half to finally enter the restaurant.

The restaurant was small: it held four tables of four, three tables of two, and a few seats of ones. The walls were mostly painted with red, as red is a symbol of good luck in Taiwanese culture. The lights were dim with a slight song in the background. The music was a continuous repeat of three songs all by the same Taiwanese artist, Hebe Tian. Since Henry Lau is of Hong Kong and Taiwanese descent, it made sense for him to have his restaurant remind him of his home country.

Taking a look at the menu, there weren’t many choices, but the food was cheap. The menu consisted of Xiao Long Bao, Shu Jian Bao, Lu Rou Fan, Popcorn Chicken, Bok Choy Stir Fry, Tan Tan Mien, and Mapo Tofu. I ordered one of

In a mirror maze exists a special kind of oblivion. There is no boundary, no left or right, nor in or out. In the cool air inside, the scene in front of you repeats and continues no matter which direction you twist and turn towards. You rely on your hands, ears, and smarts to find your own way out. Trapped in what may be the middle of the maze, the first few steps inside, or two steps from the exit, you feel a mix of confusion, frustration, but also intrigue. Remnants of the Fallen’s “God Idolatry” presented a similar mix of

every dish. The most expensive dish at the restaurant was 8,500 won, Tan Tan Mien, a spicy Chinese noodle. The cheapest food was Xiao Long Bao, Chinese dumpling, at 4,500 won.

Though the food came out very quickly, each dish was small. The food wasn’t particularly special or tasty and hardly differed from standard restaurants. Surprisingly, though it was the cheapest dish at the restaurant, Xiao Long Bao proved to be the best. I grabbed the dumpling, which had a savory taste with great meat soup oozing out. The warm dumpling was very soft and chewy, which helped to ease the bite from the cold weather outside. A dish that I would never try again would be Lu Rou Fan, which is rice with pig meat and soy sauce. The overall sauce was bland and the meat was tough to chew.

One thing for sure, most people who visited the restaurant went not for the food but for the celebrity, Henry. Although the foods may have been worth the price, the long lines made it worth one visit but not another.

By Lauren Kang Sophomore, Staff Writer

emotions rarely experienced in everyday life.

Remnants of the Fallen (ROTF) was formed in 2009 by vocalist Park Bin and bassist Lee Jin. The two are currently accompanied by guitarists Jung Jong Ho, drummer Lee Jong Yeon, and expect guitarist Hong Seung Chan to return after completing his military service. As one of KT&G’s Band Incubating project finalists, ROTF is one of the most successful cases in Korea’s budding metal scene. The band competed in televised

Tiger Times

April/May 2018

9

Cartnivore upgrades menu, café temporarily closes

T

his winter, the HSSC’s Cartnivore faced a new challenge: another strong competitor, following the school store. With the highly anticipated opening of a school café, Cartnivore was met with an unexpected rival. Not only did the café have a plethora of drinks, pastries, and savory treats, it also had comfortable seats and tables. Such features attracted many of Cartnivore’s customers, thereby damaging the HSSC’s sales.

“The school café definitely affected our sales because the Cartnivore used to be the only food source for the students, other than the school store, which isn’t as well furnished,” said Isaac Lee (11), junior council vice president. “Now we feel like the Cartnivore is sharing its profit with the café, and that has drastically lowered our revenue. However, on the positive side, the competition has motivated us to win back sales with revamps, improvements, and

renovations.”

Yet on April 23, the school café closed due to logistical reasons in regards to the Seongnam Metropolitan Government (SMG), and announced that it was expecting to reopen to early May. According to the General Affairs Department, the café had not been filed for change in usage from a classroom to a café space, and thus it must be temporarily closed until the appropriate changes are filed and the SMG gives approval for the café to resume its operation.

“Since its opening, the café has become an integral part of my daily life,” said Michael Jo (10), a regular customer. “The café not only had good, fresh food, but it was also a space for me to hang out with my friends during breaks. I am sure there is a legitimate reason for the closing, but I have to say it was disappointing to hear that it was closing temporarily.”

The shut down, however, was hopeful

news for the HSSC. Amid the absence of its competitor, the Cartnivore has found a rare opportunity to catch up in the sales race. The HSSC’s junior council impressed the student body with a re-opening of an upgraded Cartnivore, also called Food Cart 2.0. With its exciting and new additions to its menu, the council is determined to attract hungry students who no longer have a café to fill their stomachs between morning classes.

“We revamped Cartnivore to bring back customers who started going to the café regularly, but it was a complete coincidence that the café closed at the same time,” said Minsung Kim (11), junior council secretary.

“We added mochi ice cream, freezies, corn dogs, nutella, and cheese balls to the menu.

As of now, more students have been buying from us than in the past. Hopefully, this renewed popularity will continue even after the café re-opens.”

The Cartnivore has yet to see how its

improvements will affect its sales in the long term; so far, the upgrade has increased the popularity of the snack cart, as could be seen with the long lines at office hours.

When the café re-opens in May, whether both the café and Cartnivore will peacefully coexist or whether the rivalry will end with a winner will lie in the hands of the students.

“The Cartnivore’s new menu items are definitely creative; I never expected them to sell mochi ice cream,” said Alex Oh (10), a regular customer of the café and Cartnivore. “ Once the café opens, the rivalry might start up again, since regular café customers like me will probably choose the café often. But the new menu definitely made Cartnivore much more attractive, and we will have to see what happens next month.”

By Eju Ro Sophomore, Staff Writer

“Ready Player One” achieves iconic blend of present and future

S

teven Spielberg has done it again.

Just when the world thought he had taken a departure from the science fiction world, the filmmaker managed to captivate his viewers through yet another sci-fi blockbuster. “Ready Player One,” based on the 2011 dystopian novel

by Ernest Cline, was released to critical acclaim, earning $8.1 million during its opening weekend. “‘Ready Player One’ was one of most exciting movies I watched this year,” said Jenny Kim (12), a sci-fi enthusiast. “The plot was fun and engaging, although the idea of a virtual reality is becoming more common in movies these days. Above everything, Spielberg was constantly able to keep the readers on the edge of their seats with a plot that was fast-paced and action-packed.”

In a nutshell, the film takes place in the year 2045, where a dystopian society of poverty-stricken slums has taken over America. Its inhabitants spend most of their time in the OASIS, a utopian virtual reality that allows users to imagine and experience anything. One day, its creator passes away and leaves behind a challenge for its users: find three keys that lead to a golden egg to win a huge sum of money and full control of the OASIS. The whole country joins the hunt, including a 17-year-old orphan named Wade Watts, also known by his online avatar “Parzival.” However, his attempts to

competition series Top Band during season 1 and 2, and performed as part of EBS’s nighttime music program “Space Empathy.” In 2017, the group won the Best Metal and Hardcore Album award for their studio album “Shadow Walk.” in the Korean Music Awards.

Though the band is entirely comprised of Korean men, its lyrics are entirely written in English by Lee Jin, who spent time abroad as a child. Capitalizing off this feature, the band has fostered significant connections overseas to expand

its fan base. In 2013, ROTF collaborated with Hatesphere, a Dutch death metal band, to create the studio album “Split.”

Additionally, the band’s 2013 EP “Perpetual Immaturity (REDUX 2013 ver.)” was mastered Swedish progressive death metal band Edge of Sanity’s Dan Swanö. The band also reached out to multiple metal magazines and radio stations to advertise ROTF, and recently supported Thy Art is Murder’s Dear Desolation Asia tour as one of three supporting acts.

ROTF’s unifying sound screams pas-

sion. Lee Jong Yeon’s relentless drumming crashes over listeners in waves, while Park Bin’s impressive scream vocals continuously overpower each other with every passing moment. “God Idolatry” (from the “Perpetual Immaturity” EP) exemplifies this sentiment, presenting an abrasive warning against abandoning one’s beliefs, while “Misery Injection”(from their 2016 album “Shadow Walk”) carries a similar tune, yet cautions the audience against deception and encourages them to voice their anger against the

fulfill the challenge are constantly thwarted by a cast of power-hungry characters, lead

by Nolan Sorrento, the nefarious CEO of a video game company.

Part of the movie’s charm was in its characters. Besides Wade, a very likeable protagonist, his friend and love interest Samantha also stood out. Her tough attitude, combined with her more delicate, sensitive side, creates a very three-dimensional character. Her online avatar, “Art3mis,” also played a major role in the film’s action-packed scenes. Additionally, actor Ben Mendelssohn was a great fit for the role of Nolan Sorrento. Mendelssohn was able to capture the spirit of a cruel and ruthless villain in the role of Sorrento.

Besides the plot and characters, the movie also brought nostalgia to many fans of video games and pop culture. The film was filled to the brim with cultural references, from “Star Wars” to Michael Jackson.

The delight of recognizing one’s favorite singers and movies created a stronger sense of attachment to the film. The meshing of a futuristic society with famous figures from the present and the past surprisingly enhanced the excitement of the experience.

Iconic, classic, and groundbreaking, “Ready Player One” is a must-watch.

By Fiona Cho Sophomore, Staff Writer

injustices of the world. In many ways, ROTF’s gritty content makes Black Parade era My Chemical Romance seem as mainstream as 5 Seconds of Summer. That being said, ROTF provides a refreshing twist of rebellion in a sea of despondent indie musings that floods media today.

Its driven sound and lyrical admonitions spur listeners to take control of their lives with an active, aggressive outlook. When life’s edges get a little too overbearing, give Remnants of the Fallen a spin on Youtube, Spotify, and Bugs.

10 SPORTS

SPORTS

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Diving into the water, Jenny Kim (12) launches herself into the water to secure a head start in the race. The varsity girls swim team would end up placing fifth at the KAIAC championships held at Chadwick International School on April 20-21. Photo by Fiona Cho

Swim team makes one last splash at KAIAC

A

fter a long season of multiple meets and races, the varsity girls and boys swim teams came in first and fourth respectively and third overall at the KAIAC Championships, which were held on April 20-21. In addition to excellent results as a team, Ian Lee (11), junior captain of the boys team, won the Most Valuable Swimmer (MVS) award, breaking the record for the 100 m fly and 100 m freestyle events.

“Our team showed great resilience and passion throughout the two days of the KAIAC tournament,” said Jeffrey Heo (12), senior captain. “Apart from the prestigious material achievements such as Boys Champion and MVS award, everyone achieved something greater after Saturday: family.

The exceptional performance meant much more because we suffered and rejoiced together as one team, and this season was

definitely the most memorable one in my SIS swimming career.”

Reflecting upon a finished season with stellar performances by both the boys and girls swim teams at the KAIAC Championships, the team remembered how they overcame several hardships from the beginning of the season. A recurring problem for the past several years has been the low number of girls trying out for the team. Especially in relay events where four swimmers are needed to form one team, the lack of girls had a large impact on the total score.

Despite such setbacks, the varsity girls managed to unite as a group and improve throughout the season.

“Although having relatively equal numbers of boys and girls on the team is most ideal, the swimmers who joined the team showed exceptional dedication and willingness to improve,” said Cindy Presse, swim

team coach. “As the season progressed the swimmers were more receptive to feedback, which allowed for great improvements in their records. Overall, the season was a very successful one, and the swimmers should be proud of the results they attained through hard work and commitment.”

Graduating from the team this year are four seniors, Jeffrey and Jenny Kim (12), the captains of the boys and girls swim teams respectively, as well as Elliot Nam (12) and Andrew Kim (12). With all seniors having been on the team for four years, the coaches expect a large loss in both leadership and talent. They were essential in uniting the team in terms of both spirit and dedication through their many years of experience.

“The seniors are leaving with having created a family-like team,” said Jaywon Yi (11).

“As a captain, my main goal for next year is to continue this atmosphere. For the boys

team, our goal is to get first place at KAIAC, once again. For the girls team, we hope to have more girls join the team and be able to push each other to swim our best. Also, we hope to become a tighter team through all the hard practices, tough events, and mental breakdowns, as we will need each other to push forward.”

With the boys swim team having placed first and the girls fourth at the KAIAC midseason meet, SIS came in second overall, displaying the results of the large amount of effort and time put in by the swimmers on a daily basis through challenging practices and intense training. More successful results are expected to come in the following years with the strong swim program that exists at SIS.

By Hannah Kim Junior, Staff Writer

KAIAC marks end of Girls soccer team’s sucessful season

F

ollowing a close game that went to penalty kicks against GSIS, the varsity girls soccer team placed second at the KAIAC tournament held at GSIS on April 20-21. Led by captains Karen Joo (12) and Michelle Kim (12), the girls had an unexpectedly successful season, especially considering the fact that the team had exactly 22 players try out. Before going into the KAIAC tournament, the team placed second at AISA and third in the KAIAC conference.

“This year, our varsity girls soccer team showed extraordinary teamwork throughout the season, which was proven particularly during the KAIAC tournament championship game against GSIS,” said Claire Kim (9), varsity girls soccer player. “The team was worn out after a long day, but we all supported each other both physically and mentally even through the bad weather and fatigue. As such, I believe we were able

to end the season with great results because we worked well as a team, supporting one another at all times.”

Entering the KAIAC tournament ranked third, the team had to win two games to advance to the championships. The second of the two was against KIS, a team that had beaten the girls twice during the season. As KIS placed second in the KAIAC conference and third in the tournament, triumphing over KIS for the second time after beating them at AISA was one of the team’s major accomplishments. But above all, the championship game against GSIS was the highlight of the season.

“I can confidently say that this [match] was the most intense, unexpected, and emotional game I have ever played since I first joined this team three years ago,” Karen said. “Everyone including coaches, family, and friends was cheering us on, and this support was undoubtedly what kept us

going. Although we fell short in the penalty kicks, I am so proud of how much we were able to accomplish. This game truly proved to us that it takes the effort and determination of each and every player to fight back with another goal.”

As an underclassmen-heavy team, leadership shown by the relatively small number of upperclassmen was crucial in the successes of the season. Yet the captains also contributed a considerable part of the team’s performance to the large amount of talent that the underclassmen brought.

With these underclassmen building experience over the next several seasons, the SIS soccer program is only expected to grow in the following years.

“The girls set high goals for themselves and work hard to have successful results,” said Tamara Atanaskovic, girls soccer team coach. “While many other teams base their plays on one single player, every player is

equally involved in every play of our team.

All in all, I am extremely proud of the accomplishment of the girls this season. They were both committed and hard-working, which ultimately led to the season’s successes. I think the main goal for next year would be to maintain the team chemistry that we established this year.”

With the successes of this season and a large number of returning players, the girls soccer team is expecting another successful season next year, built upon hard work and experience. Yet above all, the team collectively believes that the exceptional sense of teamwork led the team to success. Since there is a long period of time until the next season, the team is hoping for players to be able to practice more during the fall and winter seasons.

By Hannah Kim Junior, Staff Writer

Tiger Times

April/May 2018

11

First round of NBA playoffs filled with surprises

By the final match of the NBA regular season, the playoff picture had yet to be set, and teams from both the Western and Eastern conferences brawled until the last few games to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

The third to eighth seed of the Western conference was up for grabs, and the Denver Nuggets missed out on the playoffs after finishing as the ninth seed.

“This season ending was extremely intense because nobody knew who would go up to the playoffs and as what seed,” said Timothy Kim (12), starting center in the varsity boys basketball team. “Everyone was fighting until the very last game, and

it was really sad to see the Denver Nuggets narrowly miss out on the playoffs twice in a row.”

Between the first round matchup between the Portland Trailblazers and the New Orleans Pelicans, underdogs Pelicans showed ferocity as they swept the Blazers in four games. Led by dominating performances by veteran point guard Rajon Rondo, guard Jrue Holiday, and All-star power forward Anthony Davis, the Pelicans restrained All-star point guard Damian Lillard and star shooting guard CJ McCollum. Out rebounding and out scoring the Blazers on every possession, the sixth

seed Pelicans advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

“I think the Pelicans were the biggest surprise because they came into every match as the underdogs,” said Andrew Lee (12), starting shooting guard of the varsity boys basketball team. “Every ESPN analyst said that the Blazers would win, and because the Pelicans were down a star center in Demarcus Cousins, it should have been difficult for the Pelicans to win.”

Without two time MVP Stephen Curry, the reigning champions Golden State Warriors was unable to show their dominance as in previous years due to a

string of injuries plaguing their lineup.

The San Antonio Spurs, led by veteran guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, were able to keep the Warriors at bay before they too succumbed to the inevitable, losing the series 5-1.

“The 2018 NBA playoffs presented a more volatile situation than past playoffs because the Golden State Warriors finally showed signs of wear and tear as Stephen Curry was out with an injury,” said Wonjai Lee (12), varsity boys basketball player.

“Also in the Eastern conference, the dominance of Lebron James has begun to crumble given the underperformance of Lebron’s supporting cast.”

In the Eastern Conference, the series between the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards and the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers have become tense. While most predicted that the Raptors and the Cavaliers would easily take the first round, resistance by the Wizards’ John Wall and Bradley Beal and the Pacers’ Victor Oladipo and Lance Stephenson has kept the series up for grabs.

“The Toronto Raptors will win everything,” said John Ban (12), varsity boys basketball player. “It’s common knowledge that the Raptors are overpowered, Lowry and DeRozan deserve to be co-MVP, and Drake is the best celebrity NBA fan in the entire league. They will win.”

By Justin Chang Senior, Staff Writer

Soccer teams approach end of season with AISA tournament

Jumping to head the ball, Isaac Lee (11) successfully removes the ball out of their defensive side.

Photo by Angela Choe

On April 12, the varsity girls soccer team traveled to Yokohama, Japan while the varsity boys soccer team stayed at home ground to participate in the Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) tournament.

Teams from Yokohama International School (YIS), Busan International Foreign School (BIFS), Senri Osaka International School (SOIS), Korea International School (KIS), Saint Maur International School (St. Maur) and Asia Pacific International School (APIS) also participated in the games. Throughout the four-day tournament, players shared memorable moments as well as building attributes of a team full of camaraderie and compassion.

Placing second in the tournament, the varsity girls soccer team brought a plaque home from Japan. Their first match against SOIS was a struggle, losing the intense fight with a score of 1:3. Despite their loss to SOIS, the girls were allowed to come back with a victory against St. Maur with a score of 2:0. Once again, the girls regained their success and defeated BIFS with a score of 1:0. Maintaining their streak, they competed with KIS and the game concluded with a score of 1:1. After an intense round of PKs, by 4:3, the Tigers won KIS in four years of SIS girls’ soccer history. Their final match of the tournament was against SOIS, the team deemed undefeatable. Unfortunately, despite the girls’ fascinating performance, the Tigers lost by a score of 5:1. SOIS placed first, followed by SIS, KIS, YIS, BIFS and St. Maur, in that order.

“This year’s AISA tournament was undoubtedly my favorite,” said Diane Lee (12), defensive mid-fielder of the varsity girls soccer team. “AISA was the peak of our season and the intense games that we had to fight through created a compassionate team

that cared about each individual. Given the time span of two days, we encouraged and supported each other and tried to help out each other, in any way. AISA was significant during our season because we placed second, but more because we moved on from a school soccer team to an actual, tightly bonded family.”

The varsity boys soccer team achieved the title of third place, also earning successful results at home ground. On the first day of the tournament, the boys kicked off with a triumphant game against YIS, beating the team with a score of 3:0. Continuing their success, the Tigers defeated BIFS with a large score difference of 9:2. Unfortunately, the boys lost against KIS with a score of 1:2. After an outstanding performance on their first day, the varsity boys started their second day with a challenging game against SOIS in the semi-finals. Nonetheless, the Tigers fought hard, ultimately losing the game with a score of 0:1. Still, the Tigers came back with a glorious win against the APIS Hawks with a score of 5:0 in the following game. KIS placed first, followed by SOIS, SIS, YIS, APIS, and BIFS. “Our team performed well in the AISA tournament through bondage and teamwork,” said Yoonjae Seo (10), mid-fielder of the boys soccer team. “Although our team stayed at SIS for the AISA tournament, we were able to encounter new experiences and unforgettable moments during the series of games. Personally, this year’s AISA tournament would be my last and the most memorable AISA tournament in my life, as being part of this particular tournament allowed me to learn as an individual and as a team.”

By Claire Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

12

SMALL TALK

SOCIAL JUSTICE WORRIER POLITICAL SENSITIVITY

BY EJU RO A few weeks ago, I received a Google Forms survey from a few sophomore students. The survey asked, “On a scale of one to 10, how ‘woke’ is our school community?”

I rarely take the time to do the frequent AP Psychology and new-club-making surveys—but I took a minute and contemplated this one. Indeed, how sensitive is SIS? Not very, I immediately caught myself thinking, as the numerous racial slangs, sexist jokes, and sarcastic comments about being “woke” played through my head like the YouTube advertisements I am always eager to skip.

The students who casually make insensitive comments are not the majority of the student body. There is no doubt that the majority of students are, in fact, sensitive and politically respectful. Whether that means they do not play along with racist jokes or they tell their peers to cut out the offensive slang, a growing number of students are becoming aware. Such increasing sensitivity is perhaps reflected in the creation of activism clubs such as the Gender and Sexuality Awareness club (GSA) or ThinkHer (the unofficial feminism club).

However, a troublingly large portion of students use offensive slurs without a second thought. The frequency of this occurance and the fact that nobody around these students says anything still bewilders me; even after

FAUX NEWS Most Read, Most Trusted HIGH SCHOOL SECTION I, Part A Time—1 year Number of questions—Excessive Directions: Solve each of the following problems, using the available space for sleep and procrastination. After examining the form of the choices, decide which is the best of the choices given and take a singular action.

No credit will be given for anything uncommunicated to others. Do not spend too much time on any one problem.

learning about the Middle Passage in AP US History, how could these students possibly find it acceptable to throw the n-word around?

In addition to using offensive language, another common display of political insensitivity is not taking activism seriously. The number of times students have jokingly shouted “#MeToo” when their friends accidentally touched them is disappointing—and not to mention the number of times students in AP US History class have snickered whenever the gay rights movement of the 1960s was brought up.

Political and social issues can often feel distant when we are confined to the walls of SIS, and I infer that it is one reason for our students’ political insensitivity. What we read in a history textbook stays there. What we read about on our Facebook feeds stays on our phones. We find it difficult to care strongly for feminism if we have never faced overt sexism. Similarly, we find it difficult to understand why using racist slang is harmful when there are no people of color (POC) around us.

Empathizing with seemingly distant causes may not be easy, but how we behave in response to those causes is something we have full control over. For instance, even if we cannot personally relate to the plight of African

AP High School Exam, May 25, 2018 1. Nesquick is draining out of a bottle at 14 gallons/minute. Find out at what rate a 0.1M NaOH solution must be added to the orange juice to keep the Nesquick in the bottle at a pH of 7.

2. If some junior eats one pack of Oreos and one Nesquick every breakfast, and pulling an all nighter burns 400 kcal, how much weight will she gain by the end of the academic year?

In this test: Unless otherwise specified, everyone is out to get you.

3. The length of a year is defined as 180 school days. If a student has 5 breakdowns over the course of the school year, how many friends will she gain?

HIGH SCHOOL Section I, Part B Time—1 year Number of questions—Excessive

HIGH SCHOOL Section II, Part B Time—1 year Number of questions—Unknown

1. If a student takes a three-hour exam for the first time, how many deep breaths will the student take over the course of those three hours?

1. Examine carefully the experiences you have had over the last 18 years.

Then write an essay analyzing how you have employed decision making abilities to develop the complex meanings that you attribute to your own world.

2. To what extent does school spirit manifest in a hardworking sophomore that has access to largescale school events?

HIGH SCHOOL Section II, Part A Time—1 year Number of questions—Too many

Americans, we can, at the very least, have the decency and respect to not use racial slurs. In a similar vein, activists deserve to be treated with such respect. Making jokes out of #MeToo can seem funny when we are not directly involved in the movement and no one on campus seems to be either, but it is belittling toward the people fighting for the cause.

Moreover, many of us will be moving to the US for college or work, and there will no longer be a safe bubble of a homogeneous Korean American population of students; as a racial minority, we will be encountering these very issues on a personal level. Whether we feel comfortable or not, activism will be the norm, and we will be surrounded by people from diverse backgrounds--an atmosphere in which a joke about lynchings will elicit more than a frown.

But simply complaining about the problem is not the point; we need to make an effort to be more considerate, and the first step can be to think about our “jokes” before we let them slip out of our mouths. Slow progress is already being made by a growing number of activists on campus, along with a gradual increase in awareness of social issues. With slow baby steps, beginning with basic respect, we can certainly be more politically sensitive.

2. Compare and contrast the first part of this exam to the final, and evaluate the differences.

3. Explain how those around you have changed your world forever.

STOP END OF EXAM

BYJOYCE JOYCELEE LEE BY

At the AP Art Exhibition on Apr. 25, Sarah Cho (11) talks about her struggles and successes in AP Drawing class.

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