mono·lith (n)
WordoftheIssue: /presəpəs/
1:asinglegreatstoneoftenintheformofan obeliskorcolumn.
2:amassivestructure.
3.anorganizedwholethatactsasasingle unifiedpowerfulorinfluentialforce.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EmmaShin‘26
BrookeLai‘26
DESIGN EDITOR
NaelLee‘26
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
CarstenHolst‘25
NEWS EDITORS
JamiePark‘27
JayneKim‘27
FEATURE EDITORS
CatherinePark‘27
HelenJin‘27
OPINION EDITORS
MichelleKo‘25
SeunghunLee‘27
SCHOOL EVENT
Homecoming: Once a Guardian, Always a Guardian
Homecoming at YISS this year was a meaningful celebration, marked by a sense of community and nostalgia as the school welcomed back alumni The week featured various activities, including a staff versus alumni basketball game, a pep rally, and alumni recognition.
The festivities began on Tuesday evening, Jan. 7, at 5:30 pm with the basketball game between staff and alumni. Current and former Guardians, including former basketball captains Noah Chung ‘22 and Eric Lee ‘22, faced each other in a six-quarter match, creating a livelyatmosphereinthegym.
“It’s nice to see them, you know, just kind of see how much they’re the still same but also very different,” said history teacher and longtime boys varsity basketball coach Tim Baker. “There’s been some occasions where it’s hard to recognizethem,”hesaid.“Once you, you know, start talking to them, then you recognize, but, from a distance, it’s like, ‘Who–whoisthat?’”
Due to a lack of players, Mr Baker played with the alumni against the staff team in what he said was a “competitive match,” making for a memorablekickofftoevents.
On Wednesday, Jan 8, the entire school gathered for a pep rally from 2:20 to 3:10 p.m. The excitement was palpable as winter sports teams were introducedandvideoclipswere shown, preparing everyone for thegameagainstGSISlaterthat evening. Students and staff displayed their Guardian pride withenthusiasm.
‘WHITEOUT DAY’ was also observed, where everyone wore whitetoshowschoolspirit The gym was full of white as the community came together to supporttheteams.
byLeahCho‘28
The Homecoming basketball games against GSIS started at 3:30 p.m. While it was a friendly, the varsity teams played passionately, supported by cheers from students, alumni, and faculty “I think it wasabiggameforbothteams,” said Mr Baker He explained that, for GSIS, it was the first game of the season with their best player back on the court after injury “For us, it was a big game to really challe ourselves against, you kno goodbluedivisionteam.”
In what turned out to b extremely close game, cap Andy Lim ‘26 “knocked the away from their point guar of his foot, out of boun blocking what was almo fatal comeback by GSIS. “T gaveusthepossessionthat, know, ultimately allowed u sealthewin,”saidMr Baker
Memorableplayssuchas one kept the audience enga “Especially towards the en the boys game, the crowd pretty loud, and it was a lo fun,” said Chloe Lim ‘24 senior superlatives last y Chloe was voted “big yapper” alongside David Ch ‘24 She is currently a fresh atJohnsHopkinsUniversity
SEW 2025 “Restores” Spiritual Fervor SCHOOL EVENT
byAlexisLim‘28
“...itwasabiggameto reallychallenge ourselves...”
Christina Kwon ‘24 said that her favorite part of homecoming was being able to see everyone again As a former cheerleader, she enjoyed seeing theYISScheerteamcontinueto do a great job. While she was at YISS, she was also co-captain of the girls varsity volleyball team. Christina currently attends the University of Southern California
AccordingtoMr.Baker,more alumni came this year than usual, with a wider range of graduating classes as well. He saidhesawsomestudentswho graduated in his first years of teaching at YISS, around 2017, to some who graduated as recentlyaslastyear
“Itwasgreattobebackasan alumni,” said Chloe “All the moms greeted us warmly, and Mr Hale really wanted us to stay for the halftime thing. I wouldlovetogoagain!”
ChristianbandFRVRFREEleadsYISSstudentsinworshipduringSpiritualEmphasisWeek PicturetakenforYearbook.
Spiritual Emphasis Week, or SEW, a communal time of Christian worship for NICS students, occurred from Jan 20 to Jan. 23. During this week, students gathered in the auditorium after lunch to listen to numerous speakers Though each speaker’s sermon contained unique messages, all encompassed the 2025 SEW theme: “Victory: Redeemed and Restored”
This annual event is one of YISS’s many ways of incorporating Christian enrichment opportunities into students’ daily lives, in addition to the wellestablished NICS curriculum andtheneweryouthministry group,Encounter
Thisyear’sthemehighlights not only Jesus’ merciful naturebutalsohisrestorative power,whichoffersfollowers a new life of hope and freedom OnMonday,Levi
Miller,thehighschoolchaplain, discussed the foundations of victory. On Tuesday, Tega Taylor from the Christian band FRVR FREE spoke about how God can use even our sinful pasts for the greatest glory. “I think the sermons were a really moving experience, and a lot of peoplewereimpactedinagood way,”saidIsabellaPark‘28.
Sangmin Lee, the King’s Cross pastor, and James Lynch, the Freedom Village Church pastor, spoke on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. WhileLeetalkedabouthowour brokennesscanglorifythegrace and love of God, Mr Lynch discussed the peace that God brings to those who know and turntoHim.
In addition to sermons, SEW offered worship led by FRVR FREE, a group of Christian singers based in Atlanta. When asked what her favorite moment was, Claire Lee ‘26 said,“Itwasduringtheworship
time, when I saw everyone not scared to outwardly worship” Before each speaker’s sermon, FRVR FREE spent several minutes leading the students in worship music, including original titles such as “More Than Magic” and “Beautiful Day(HouseoftheLord).”
“I think especially because it was after Encounter Retreat, everyone wasn’t shy, and it was good to see everyone with their hands up,” said Claire The short period between the Encounter Retreat, which occurred from Jan 10 to Jan 12, and SEW allowed students to maintain their spiritual high, even amidst a week packed withsummatives
This communal worship experience became especially noteworthy on Wednesday, Jan 22, when FRVR FREE hosted a community concert after school in the YISS auditorium. As stated on the Schoologypostinvitation,this
“special night of live worship music” was open to all “YISS students, staff, families, and friends”
Though only once a year, SEW provides a special time of sermon,worship,andprayerfor all students “For me, I really likedhowinSEWIcouldspend like an hour every day just growing in my trust in God,” said Isabella. “I wish SEW happensmoreoften”
Varsity Soccer Holds Tryouts
From Feb 4 to Feb 7, YISS varsity soccer team tryouts took place In preparation for theseason,athletesweretested on their ball control as well as their stamina through different drills and tests on the field. The boys’tryoutstookplacefirston Feb.4-5,whilethegirls’tryouts were held on Feb 6-7 Tryouts lasted for two hours each day, totaling to four hours worth of hardworkandcompetition.
Boys soccer coaches, Peter Bernstrom and Robert Harrison, took several factors into consideration. “We are lookingforbothimpactplayers whowilllikelystartmost
byEthanSul‘28
games and have a direct impact on getting wins each game,” said Coach Harrison “We also look for players that have positive attributes that can be developed throughout the season and into the future.”
Similarly important is a player’s contribution to “meaningful competitive reps in drills and scrimmagesatpractice.”
The coaches for the girls soccer team are Heather Jaramillo and Katiejo Delisle Excluding those at ACSC Basketball, in total, there were around 45 athletes competing for 22 spots on each team, creating a competitive environmentforboththegirls
and the boys teams to fill their rosters.
An important aspect that affected the players and their conditions significantly was the snow Especially during the girls’ tryout, it snowed heavily, makingthefieldicyandbumpy “One thing that I didn’t enjoy was the weather,” said Chloe Kim ‘28. “Since there was snow pouring everywhere on the first day, it was hard to navigate the ball and teammates Furthermore,onthesecondday of tryouts, the snow had frozen on the ground, making it really hard for me to move the ball aroundcomfortably.”Another
difficulty that the snow created was that it “made [the team] prone to lots of injuries, so tryouts were less intense, and we had to take time to stretch a lot,”saidHannahKim‘27
However, the snow also created happy accidents and unexpected memories. “We were doing this passing sequence and one freshman kicked the ball to pass, but when she did that, the snow stuckinhercleatssplashedonto the junior behind her,” said Hannah Additionally, “during the water break, everyone pointed out icicles forming on everyone ' s hair, and it was a funny moment,” said Claire Lee ‘26.
Despitethedifficultweather, athletes showed up ready to show their skills, stamina, and hard work They have a whole seasonaheadofthemwiththeir coachesandnewteammates
“...thesnow hadfrozenon theground, makingitreally hardformeto movetheball around comfortably.”
Teachers on Tech, AI: Learning Aid or Loophole?
byCatherinePark‘27
Artificial Intelligence, better known as AI, has infiltrated education Though its history stretches back several decades, it has only recently become widespread, available in the form of the crowd-favorite ChatGPTandotherAIbots
While its increasing prevalence poses a concern for several industries, schools have been faced with their own AI problems. Most prominent is the debate over student use of AI,butthisneglectsthefactthat education consists of two parts: students and teachers. Most know how students implement AI.Now,thequestionis,howdo teachersuseit?
Some teachers embrace AI, such as Jason McGrath, a teacher in the Theology, Ethics, and Values Department. In preparation for lessons, AI tools like ChatGPT have helped increase his efficiency, as Mr McGrath inputs content while receiving structured quizzes andlessonplans.
“Now, I don't just take that andthenputitintomylessons,”
Mr McGrath said “I have to double-check that it's actually viable and it's accurate But even with the double-checking, it still streamlines the process In a pinch when I don't have enough time, it is a reliable resource.”
Michael Suhany, an AP historyteacher,hasalsousedAI forsimilarpurposes.“IfindIuse AI most when I'm trying to reduce things down to a more concisekindoflevel,”hesaid “If I have a lot of information and I want to be able to just communicate one of the main ideas, AI is good at looking at information and recognizing patterns”
However,healsorecognizes the limitations of AI, understanding that an AI’s output can only be as good as thedataithas.“SoIalwaystry
to provide the information that I already have that I know is accurate,ratherthanjustasking ChatGPT,”hesaid.
It’s not just Mr. Suhany who sees shortcomings in AI. “I have tried using it for grading, but I don't really enjoy that because it's not as quick,” Mr. McGrath said While he can usually recognizewhetheraresponseis “good” or “bad” at first glance, the nature of AI means that it does not always provide the answersthatheseeks.“SoIonly use it to support the building and the creation of units, not theassessment”
On the other hand, Jill Martinez, a 9th-grade English teacher, has a much more restricted application of AI. “Personally, in my teacher preparation, I have occasionally used AI, but only for tasks that are able to reduce my time investment,” she said “Rarely, whenIdouseit,Iuseonethat's built specifically for teachers” CoGrader AI and Magic School are two such AIs, that help teachers formulate feedback andcreateworksheets
Additionally, beyond streamlining information and creating rubrics, AI has other uses for teachers. “If I'm sick or for some reason I can't make it to school, I'll look up, ‘What is a good one-day short lesson for a yearbook?’ or ‘What are good ideas?’” Keeley Roop, an art teacher, said “Then it can give memultipleexamples,[...]andI canaddonmoreasneeded”
As it appears that teachers generally use a range of common methods, some may assume that just as students pass along secrets and hacks about shared classes teachers also collaborate on AI usage. However, this is simply not the case; not because of gatekeeping, but because it is simplynotapplicable.
“Since we work a little less collaboratively than other divisions and departments in the school, I only have what I hear other people are doing,” Mr Suhany said These exchanges typically take place in staff meetings that focus on AI. “So we try to share what we 'redoing,butit'snotalways
applicable For example, essays, writing, and the strategies that teachers use with AI for that maynotbeapplicableinamath orsciencecourse.”
While AI usage may differ, Matthew Chaffee, an AP math teacher, explained that he was still able to use AI to enhance howhetaughthisstudents “It's easier to generate project-based assessments [ ], getting away from the old methods of teaching and providing math problems,” he said. “You can create real life examples that give kids an opportunity to show other skills besides just solving math problems, creatingprojects,andsuch” Unlike students, who run the risk of academic integrity violations, teachers are free to useAIastheywish atthevery least, there is no official restriction in the handbook, accordingtoMr Suhany
This is owed partially to the influence of Dr Jae Hwang, the current high school principal and former head of the tech department, and Dr. Caleb Coleman, the high school vice principal. Dr. Coleman’s philosophyis,‘Ifyou’regoingto use it, use it responsibly.’ “As long as it's used for time-saving not for replacing my thoughts [ ],Ithinkthatthat'sokay,”Ms Martinezsaid.“AndIknowthat students might see that as a doublestandard”
On the other hand, student use of AI is much more limited Though she recognizes that some teachers have chosen to introduce different ways to use AI to their students, Ms Martinez decided against this. “If other teachers use AI with students and show them how they could use it for timesaving,that’sokay.Ijustchoose notto,”shesaid
“Ask[your]teachers,‘Isthere a way I can use AI that can help mewiththis?IsthereawayI
should avoid it?’” Mr. Suhany said Choosing to give most of his writing assignments under his supervision, he reduces the number of opportunities that students have to succumb to AI temptations
“Understandtheexpectations the teachers have for you,” he added. “It’s always better to err on the side of caution Because saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t know I couldn’tuseAI,’isnotanexcuse that’s going to fly when you’re potentially facing academic integrityviolations.”
Mr McGrath sees things morepositively.“Itisafantastic resource,” he said “If you are resourceful, you know how to manipulate the prompts to get what you want.” Indeed, it appears that AI offers a great deal of assistance, lightening teachers’burdens.
However, there are dangers to AI, as Mr. Suhany warns. “AI isatool,andjustlikeanytool,it can be used properly,” he said. “But unless you know how to use it safely, you could cause harm” Ms Martinez has a similar view, recognizing that though AI does have benefits, it needs to be balanced with the dangersthataccompanyit
“Ifyou’re goingtouseit, useit responsibly.”
The importance of managing AI only grows as the inevitability of its prevalence becomes evident. Whether they like it or not, AI is turning into an increasingly used tool. “I thinkitcouldendupbeingused likeacalculator,somethingthat can make you more efficient with your work,” Mr Suhany said.Fromrecognizingtrendsin writing to offering main points for grading, there are a plethora ofbenefits
“But nothing is ever going to replace the mind of a teacher,” Mr. Suhany said. “How well they know their students, [ ] how they've delivered their content Soit'satool Itcanbea useful tool, but it's not going to replaceateacher”
COACH PROFILE
Coach Jaramillo: Varsity Girls Soccer
As the air gets warmer, soccer athletes are tying up their laces and heading to their first games of the season. This year ' s varsity girls’ soccer team and their assistant coach, Katiejo Delisle, had the pleasure of being introduced to a new head coach, Heather Jaramillo
Developingaloveforsoccer at an early age and playing throughout high school, Coach Jaramillo had the opportunity to play at the collegiate level at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida Her passion did not stop there, as she continued to play with the Women’s Premier Soccer League out of Orlando, and a women’s semi-pro team out of Cordoba Spain in 2009, after graduating. After that, she coached a high school team inFlorida
Coach Jaramillo described her life as having gone ‘full circle.’“WhenIthoughtIhad hung up the cleats after college, I started coaching,” she said “But once my second child was born, I stepped down from coaching soIcouldbemorepresenton the homefront So to speak, I became a proud soccer mom”
As a coach, Jaramillo described her experience coaching her high school team back in the United States as unparalleled, as in theUS,playersareoftenmore aggressive and start playing at an earlier age than they do here in Seoul Even then, she believes that her main coaching philosophies remain consistent. To her, soccer is more than just a sport, but rather a passion to push one out of their comfort zone. “Soccer is just the tool I usetoteachinvaluablelife
byHannahKim‘28
lessons… it is not all about winning or losing, it's about teamwork!” she said. “We attack together, we defend together, we win together, we losetogether,youknow?”
Not only does the varsity girls’ soccer team have an exciting season to look forward to with a new head coach, but they also have the continued guidance and support from CoachDelisle,whohasadjusted to working with three different head coaches during her five yearscoachingatYISS.Contrary to Coach Jaramillo, Coach Delisle picked up soccer in 2nd grade and later became an assistantcoach.
Instead of soccer, Coach Delisle grew up as a softball player “I was not the best playeronanyteam,butwas
one of the most hard-working players,” she said “I want to teach grit and hard work to all the players that play on this team.” Often finding herself shouting “right here, right now,” from the sidelines at the brink of a goal, Coach Delisle wantstoencourageherplayers, or any athletes struggling for that matter, that sports is a “zoomed-in picture of life” and that “heart over talent” is ultimatelywhatmattersmost.
With the encouragement of new head coach Jaramillo, and an assistant coach of five years, Coach Delisle, the varsity girls’ soccerteamcanlookforwardto an exciting and eventful 2025 Spring season Let’s cheer on the varsity girls’ soccer team for asuccessfulseason!
The Noble Prize OPINION
What It Means to Read Translated Literature
bySeunghunLee‘27
When Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature in October 2024, it marked a moment for celebration in both South Korea and East Asia as a whole.
But underneath the medals and media, the award revealed a concerning reality in the international writing community. Han Kang was the first South Korean author ever to win the Nobel Prize in Literature,andshewasonlythe ninth Asian to have received such recognition Out of 121 laureates who have won the prize, over 30 of them spoke and wrote in English as their primary language Aside from the United States, the top ten countries with the most laureates in literature are all in Europe
This comes as no surprise, especially considering that the founder of the Nobel Prize, Alfred Nobel, was Swedish Moreover, with over 50 countries recognizing it as their official language, English has established itself as the tongue oftheinternationalcommunity Most global institutions and organizations, including those involved in literature, depend on English to achieve collaborationandtogetherness.
Yet the prevalence of English is no excuse for explaining the lackofrepresentationofother
languages These languages are not marginalized due to the superiority of English, but rather because of inaccurate andinsufficienttranslations
Translating an entire book is an extremely challenging task It requires immense knowledge of both the language and the culture that the book comes from. Unless both aspects are correctly translated, there is a high probability that international readers will distort or misinterpret the messageofapieceofliterature
Languages are complex concepts that can take years to fullyunderstand.Eventhemost simple alphabets and characters – such as Hangeul –require extensive experience for the learner to reach proficiency. Besides learning dozens or hundreds of characters, translators must also be aware of the various rules that are followed in each language. Grammar, punctuation, and wordplacementalldifferacross languages–evenbetweenthose with shared or similar histories. Some words and phrases may also be unique to their language, meaning they have no corresponding terms in othercountries
While a dedicated translator may be able to learn the pure linguistics of another language inseveralmonths,ittakeseven
more time to comprehend its culture. In fact, it takes more than just time: it requires direct experience and exposure to the daily lifestyles of other communitiesaroundtheworld. The values and beliefs that are upheld in a country are often reflected in its literature, especially in the plot, the setting, and the characters. As a result, while being aware of cultural customs can significantly increase the accuracy of a translation, not being familiar with these traditionscanleadtodangerous misunderstandings
Sowhyaremistranslationsso potentially harmful? Can a single incorrect phrase be so detrimental?
While one mistranslated sentence rarely does much damage, these minor errors are not the main issue The most urgent problem is when books are translated in such a way that they lose their cultural impact and significance to a reader outside of the intended audience. And when a book loses its original message and gets misinterpreted, the entire culture becomes vulnerable to variousmisconceptionsthatare oftendifficulttodispel
Please Look After Mom is an award-winning novel written by South Korean author Shin Kyung-sook Thebookwonthe
ManAsianLiteraryPrizein2011 andsoldovertwomillioncopies within three years of publication.Thebookdivesinto the case of a missing mother and how her disappearance affects a family that is slowly falling apart. By incorporating Asian family dynamics and common social expectations found in South Korea, Shin tells a touching story that many Koreanscanrelateto.
The book experienced a sudden surge of controversy after Maureen Corrigan, a veteran book critic and lecturer at Georgetown University, provided a scathing review of the novel Throughout her review, Corrigan shared several concerns, but one of her most noticeable claims was that the novel had an overly masculine and “anti-feminine” tone. She mentioned that the book was a piece of “cross-cultural selfpity” and criticized it for providing no “reprieve” for the mistreatedmother.
Towards the end of her review, Corrigan even recommended Just Kids by Patti Smith as an alternative book. Herjustification?Shestatedthat the American book is an “empowering female adventure” that will get readers “pumping their collective fists in the air” instead of “reaching forthecheapconsolationsof
ImagefromPexels
kimchee-scented Kleenex fiction”
Corrigan quickly received criticism from her contemporaries in both Korea and around the world. While she eventually apologized for her review, her comments left a lasting impression on Korean literature and culture. Her review made it appear as if Korean society was actively opposed to female empowerment and respect for maternal figures And yet what might appear as an “antifeminine” narrative was actuallymeanttobeanaccurate depiction of family dynamics in Koreanculture.
Like in other East Asian countries, various Confucian values that emphasize specific roles for each family member are ingrained in South Korean society Mothers are often expected to take care of the home and look after the kids, whichexplainswhythemother in Please Look After Mom also made sacrifices to feed and educate her children In the perspective of Korean readers, the selflessness of the mother represents the love of their own parents, not an aggressive masculinesociety.
Whilereaderswhoareaware of Korean culture and family structures can feel a powerful response to the book, an unfamiliar audience may perceive the plot to be overly emotional. In her book review, Corrigan described the novel as a “manipulative sob sister melodrama” and a “guilt-laden morality tale.” But this “guilttripping”wasthepurposeShin had intended for her Korean audience: to reveal to readers h h f d i
unconditionallove
PleaseLookAfterMomwasnot poorly translated Many internationalreadersareableto understand the lessons of family relationships and their fleeting nature through the Englishtext.However,thereare still countless translated books that fail to deliver the true message that their authors are intendingtoconvey.
It is unrealistic to try to force or teach translators to interpret books in a way that will allow all readers to feel the same impact. Besides the fact that it would take significant time and resources, even with decades of training and learning, it would still be impossible to produce a translation that will yield the same natural response from two different audiences After all, even readers from the same background can have contrasting reactions to a book abouttheirculture
Instead of waiting for the perfect translation that will somehow enable readers to interpret literature in the exact same way, it is the reader’s responsibility to uncover the intended lesson of a book By taking the time to learn more about the cultural context of another language, anyone can start to realize the significance ofcertainsymbolsanddetailsin thetext
Translations will improve over time But as of now, a translation can only go so far in capturing and describing what is inside the mind of an author. It is the reader who must complete the translation by connecting what they are given with parallel values and concepts in their own culture.
The Political Impeachment of Yoon
Korea’s Real Life K-Drama
byRyanCha‘28
At 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2024, Yoon Seok-Yeol abruptlyimposedmartiallaw on the country of South Korea, only to rescind the order just a mere four hours later.Eversince,anationonce renowned for its resilience and innovation has been undergoing a period of political dysfunction and extremesocietalpolarization
At this critical moment, citizens and lawmakers alike are grappling with the question: Does Yoon deserve to be removed from office, or has his presidency simply become a victim of partisan politics?
Martial law was imposed by Yoon under the pretext of rooting out and eliminating the “anti-state and procommunist, pro-North factions” that he claimed had permeated the South Korean government and society. Yoon also cited government paralysis – and by extension socialupheaval–asoneofhis justifications, lambasting the “legislative dictatorship” that he claimed had manifested itself with the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) within theNationalAssembly.
He lamented over the repeatedrefusaloftheDPKto pass budget proposals for 2025 and its string of impeachments against government officials in Yoon’s Administration (the most numerous in South Korean political history), and alluded to possible cases of election fraud in the 2024 legislativeelections.
On Dec. 7, Yoon issued an apology for declaring martial law and pledged never to issue the order again On the same day, the National Assemblyfiledthefirstoftwo
impeachment motions against Yoon However, the motion failed to pass as it fell short of the required 200 affirmative votes out of the 300 total members of the National Assembly. This was due to the fact that although all 192 members of the opposition parties gathered to vote to pass themotion,108membersofthe People Power Party (PPP), Yoon’s own party, walked out and boycotted the vote. Although three members later returned to cast their votes, the rest stood their ground and refused to reenter the main assembly hall, effectively “killing”themotion.
Then,onDec 12,Yoongavea televised address to the nation, saying he would “fight to the end” and claiming that the imposition of martial law was a “constitutional act of governance” to protect the Free Republic of Korea from harmful forces
Days of chaotic infighting ensued within the PPP over whether to allow a free vote of all of its parliamentary representatives without pressure, “whip” them into voting against it by issuing an official party stance of antiimpeachment, or support impeachmentaltogether.
But, on Dec 12, 2024, the PPP ultimately chose not to boycott the vote, and the impeachment motion against Yoon passed, with204ballotsvotinginfavor, 85 against, 3 abstaining, and 8 declared invalid Then, the political fate of Yoon was handed over to the Constitutional Court, which wasgiven180daystodeliberate on whether to uphold the suspension of Yoon and officially impeach him, or to nullify the impeachment and reinstatethepresident
After the impeachment motion passed, Han Duck-soo assumed the role of acting presidentforthesecondtimein Korean political history. However, his interim state was short-lived, due to disagreements between him and the DPK (official opposition) controlled National Assembly about appointing three additional justices, two of whom were nominated by the DPKandonebythePPP.
Han wanted to hold off on appointing the additional justices, claiming that doing so would overstep the authority of the Acting President He also cited insufficient bipartisanship whenthethreecandidateswere nominated as another reason, apparently hinting at the second pick of the DPK, known to have a left-leaning and partisanhistoryinlaw
However, the DPK hit back, claiming that his refusal was just a political ploy by him and the PPP to better the chances of Yoon’s reinstatement. This was because back then, the Constitutional Court only had six justices: three nominally centrists, two from the left, and one from the right, and the Constitution of Korea mandated a 2/3 majority of justices to agree in order to uphold the impeachment, whichwouldtranslatetosixout of nine maximum justices deliberatinginfavor
The DPK wanted the three extrajusticestobeappointedto furtheritschancesofgainingsix votes in favor of impeachment, which contradicted their stance from 2017 during the impeachment proceedings against former President Park Geun-Hye. During these proceedings, the DPK had claimed that the acting president should not appoint extrajusticestothecourttofillit up, as it was advantageous for them as the opposition to maintain the court – instead of adding to it – to heighten the chancesofimpeachment.
After these disagreements, Han, who was viewed as a steady hand for the Korean economybasedonhisextensive past career in both economics and bipartisan politics, was ultimately impeached by the DPK-controlled National AssemblyonDec 27,2024,
SouthKoreaPresidentYoonSuk-Yeolin2023. PhototakenbyJungYeon-JeforGettyImages
becomingoneofmorethantwo dozen civil servants subject to impeachmentbytheDPK.
However, another constitutional crisis emerged in a conflict over the threshold of lawmakers needed to impeach the acting president The DPK argued that the threshold should be 150 seats out of the 300, as with any government minister or public official, since Han was also the prime minister and only served in an acting capacity for the presidency However, the PPP directly opposed this assertion, claiming that Han was still presidentevenifhewasserving in an interim capacity, and set the bar at 200 seats The PPP also stated that since Han was being impeached as the acting president, instead of the prime minister, according to the proposedimpeachmentmotion of the DPK, the threshold should be at the 200 members required to impeach a sitting president.
In the end, Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Wonshik, a representative whose origins were with the DPK, decided to impeach Han with the 150 threshold, which led to the impeachment motion passing with 192 votes in favor The PPP, refusing to accept what they viewed as a partisan result, filed a legal complaint against the ruling with the ConstitutionalCourt.
After Han’s impeachment, for the first time in Korea’s politicalhistory,ChoiSang-mok rosetotheroleoftheinterimfor the interim president, also assuming the position of acting primeminister,alongwithhis
original duties as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. His tenure started off chaotic, with the occurrence of the Muan Airport Tragedy among other events, but he gradually began to stabilize Korea. That is until the debate on appointing the additional three justices aroseagain Choiinitiallydidnotcomment, but after weeks of pressure, he partially relented to the DPK’s demands by appointing two of the three justices to the court –one nominated by the PPP and one by the DPK – setting the balance of the court as follows: threeleft-leaningjustices,three left-leaning justices, three centrist justices, and two rightleaningjustices.
In addition, on Jan 3, 2025, the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which had been established by the previous administration and had been suffering from a chronic lack of relevance, tried to arrest Yoon for not appearing on court summon orders by obtaining a controversial and debatable arrest warrant However, Yoon’s supporters and the PPP ralliedagainsttheattempt,now unified and consolidated after the effective dissolution and dispersion of the pro-Han and de facto anti-Yoon faction with the resignation of Han Donghoon, the former PPP leader. After an intense hours-long standoff,theCIObackeddown. However, they reattempted the arrest on Jan. 15, and althoughYoon’ssupportersand the Presidential Security Service (PSS) tried their best to block the CIO, the hoards of CIO officialsdispatchedtothe
Presidential Compound in Hannam-dong ultimately succeeded, arresting Yoon and detaining him Before leaving the compound, Yoon delivered a short address to the nation and to his supporters, telling them not to be afraid, reiterating the corruption he viewed as haunting Korea’s stable governance and highlighting the illegitimacy of the CIO’s authority to arrest him.
As the impeachment hearings for Yoon continued, the Constitutional Court deliberated on the case of the impeachment filed against the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission by the DPK on Jan. 23. Four justices voted in favor of upholding the impeachment, and four against, with all three left-leaning justices and one centrist judge voting in favor Both right-leaning justices and the remaining two centrist justices voted against the impeachment.
The impeachment was ultimately nullified and the Chairperson was reinstated However, this deliberation raised questions about the partiality of the Constitutional Court, as an increasing number ofpeoplebegantoquestionthe rationale for voting to impeach a chairperson of the KCC who wasinofficeforonlyacoupleof days.Intheireyes,therewasno justifiable reason to vote to uphold an impeachment against a chair that had been in place for two days, and for the justices who voted for the impeachment to do so, they believed, was a direct act of partisanpolitics
Soon after, calls began to pressure two of the three leftleaning justices who had voted in favor of the impeachment of the KCC Chair – both of whom were appointed by former president Moon Jae-in – to voluntarily resign or risk impeachment. In response to this new controversy, supporters of Yoon also began staging large-scale rallies all across the country, from Gwangju to Busan to Daegu to Seoul, brought to prominence the “Save Korea” movement, and established a “National People’sDefenseLawyerCorps” toassistYoon
As of now, many on the right of Korea’s political landscape view the impeachment against Yoon as being purely motivated by partisanpoliticsandseemartial lawasafullylegitimateexercise of presidential and executive authority by the president However, many on the left believe that Yoon was trying to stageacoupagainstthe
government and impose martial law to strengthen his own authority, bypass the National Assembly, and do as he pleases, especially with his historyasProsecutorGeneral In the coming days and weeks, with the outcome of Yoon’s impeachment trial expected to be announced sometime in earlytomid-March,reportsofa
political comeback by the formeroustedleaderofthePPP, Han Dong-hoon, in late February, and Lee Jae-myung’s numerous legal troubles and scandals, the political future of South Korea looks vulnerable anduncertain
Many on both sides of the politicalspectrumaregrappling andpreparingforthepossibility
of an early general election, which is mandated by the Constitutional Court to be held within 60 days of an impeachment.
But, in light of the recent situation, the best course of action is to stay vigilant and fight for the values that you believe Korea should move forwardwith.
AP Economics is Meant for Everyone
byKatieChoi‘26
As Mr Michael Suhany prepares lesson plans for his two AP Economics blocks, the phrase “In the long run we are all dead” rings very frequent andverytrue.
At first, this striking phrase mightseemtodescribehowMr. Suhany feels after grading the tall stack of Econ FRQs on his desk Indeed, as Mr Suhany covers both the AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics content in one AP Economics class, transitioning from the financial sector in AP Macro to perfect competitionmodelsinAPMicro can be overwhelming not only for the students but also for the teacher.
However, this phrase is often quoted by Mr. Suhany, not out of exhaustion, but in teaching the Keynesian economics of short-run monetary policies, derived from John Maynard Keynes’ A Tract on Monetary Reform. In his book, Keynes emphasized the importance of economic monetary policies in the short run in the face of classical long-run economics, explaining the importance of short-runpoliciestoremedythe immediate economy. The phrase “In the long run we are all dead” is a critical foundation of modern economic policy, which in turn fortifies the foundations for understanding the numerous academic fields intertwined with and influencedbyeconomics.
In Mr Suhany’s Econ classroom, students don’t just learn how to make or manage money. AP Econ students see money contextualized in the complex, interdisciplinary financial and social systems in which it interacts with the rest of the world When students study the financial system during semester one of AP Macro, not only do they learn about balance sheets and stock markets, they also learn about the Federal Reserve and its implications on fiscal and monetarypolicy.
In the HS course descriptions, AP Econ’s official name is AP Economics: Micro and Macro YISS combines CollegeBoard’s APMacroeconomicscourseand AP Microeconomics course in one class, so taking AP Economics means covering the content of both Macro and Microeconomics in one year. This also means students must taketwoAPtestsinMayforone class Macroeconomics, which studies the whole economy, is taughtinthefirstsemester,and Microeconomics, which studies individual economic behavior, is taught in the second semester. Due to its rigorous nature, the course is only availableforjuniorsandseniors.
Mr Suhany’s predominantly sophomore AP World History classes have many students interested in pursuing the humanities in areas such as historyorpoliticalscience,
which often leads them to take AP European History or AP Comparative Government in their junior or senior years. However, the percentage of students from AP World or otherhistorycoursesalsotaking APEconisconsiderablylower.
At YISS, AP Econ is known as the only AP class of the two finance/business-related courses offered (along with Comparative Government and Economics, taught by Mr. Miliken). Thus, a majority of students who are drawn to AP Econ are usually interested in studying business or finance Manystudentsinterestedinthe humanitieshaveoftenbeenless interestedinAPEconthaninAP EuroorCompGovinthepast
“Beingwellversedin economicsis necessaryfor anyfieldthat dealswith social forces...”
However, as made clear by the integration of the new business classesforthe25-26schoolyear (International Business, Finance and Investment, BusinessAnalytics),thefieldsof economicsandbusinessarenot entirely synonymous. While business focuses on studying wealth management and marketing, economics studies the production and transfer of wealth. In fact, previous students of AP Econ find that economics has been closely tied to other humanities fields, such aspublicpolicy.
There’s a reason that the Princeton School of Public and InternationalAffairsrequiresa course in microeconomics for its public policy degree Understanding economics is a major part in understanding otheracademicdisciplines,such as the implications of inflationary monetary policies on political opinions about President Donald Trump and why President Franklin D Roosevelt spent an unprecedented amount of the fiscal budget on American involvementinWWI.
Historically, economic forces have played a defining role behind revolutions, wars, and nationalcrises.How governments approached economic policies shaped societalchangeanddetermined successes and failures of social institutions A popular example wouldbethattruly
understanding the Great Depression and its socioeconomicimpactsrequires knowledge of Keynesian economic theories that explained the American crisis. As seen in notable historical developments, such as the rise ofpoliticalsocialisminresponse to capitalistic economics, historical theories and economic theories have always beeninterdependent.
Being well-versed in economics is necessary for any field that deals with social forces, such as political science, sociology, and public policy Economics helps the studies of human behavior, decisionmaking,andresourceallocation at multiple levels Basic economic concepts, such as fiscal policy from the government and monetary policy from the Central Bank, are critical in understanding how governance, power, and political thought arise. Macroeconomics studies government systems and how their fiscal policies affect their markets and people, decoding the political economy and how politics affects economic policies, such as tax laws, trade policies, and minimum wages Economic institutions, such as the American Federal Reserve andtheEuropeanCentralBank, are heavily involved in modern politics, which makes it crucial for political scientists to understand economic systems. Furthermore, studying individual economic behavior through Macro and Microeconomics explicates sociological concepts, such as income distribution and class inequalities.
In the long run, not only are we dead, we are also in need of economics to fully understand thecausesandeffectsofhistory, political science, sociology, public policy, and countless other fields Many people misread economics as a purely business-focused class, which ignores its merits as a vast field that discusses the internal systems of governments and social institutions While economics is considered the “math-ier” of the social sciences,itisequallyasrelevant inconnectingtheoriesacrossall fieldsofthehumanities
MUSIC REVIEW
Sabrina Carpenter Makes Short n’ Sweet a Little Longer
Theshow’snotoveryet, folks! This Valentine’s Day, singer and pop icon Sabrina Carpenter released the encore for the “album of the summer,” Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe), with five brand-new songs supplementing the original album. [Cue Mr. Cha making fun of my mispronunciation of theword‘deluxe.’“Day-looxe?”
Track #13, Deluxe Track #1
heasksincredulously.]
byJayneKim‘27
It’s no wonder why Carpenter would release a deluxe version of Short n’ Sweet: the album won two Grammys; the hit singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” respectively reached No 3 and No.1ontheBillboardHot100at their zeniths; and the album skyrocketedCarpenter toanew
echelon of fame, truly cementing her place as a “pop princess.”
The album blends pulsating party pop, country twang, and even boogie-worthy R&B sensibilities, all wrapped up in slightly risqué and downright explicitlyricsattimes.Pitchfork, the world’s premier music reviewmagazine,ratesShortn’
A dance-pop, disco song infused with infectious waves of energy and cheeky lyrics, this song is Sabrina Carpenter at her finest. It’s the catchiest of the deluxe tracks, with Carpenter claiming, “But I can do a lot with 15 minutes / Lot of pretty boys, lot of funny business / Take a couple bucks, turn ‘em into millions.” Carpenter exudes the type of exuberant joy that could only come from an artistwhowasveryrecentlyestablishedasahouseholdname,with sold out stadium tours and multiple accolades to boot The title of the track refers to her “15 minutes of fame” she’s going to have funwhileitlasts
And here’s another Easter egg, intended or not Although Carpenter says “15 minutes,” it almost sounds like “50 minutes,” which is exactly the length of the Deluxe album She sure can do a lotwith15 or50 minutes.
Sweet at 8.0, and places it 35th place on its compilation of The 50 Best Albums of 2024. Although I’m no Pitchfork, I do have acclaimed credentials in musiccritique;thatistosay,my friends say I have good taste. Let’s see how the deluxe tracks holdup.
Minutes”
Listening to the song, you’ll be convinced that you, too, can fulfill yourwildestdreams Andit’llonlytakeyou15minutes
Rating n’ Reaction:
4.5/5.
The song’s just plain catchy and satisfying to listen to. Gold star.
Track #14, Deluxe Track #2
This track Dolly Parton-ifies Carpenter’s Top 1 Billboard hit, replacing the original’s synth-pop instrumental with acoustic guitarandamelodicfiddlethatsnakesaroundthewholesong The endresultissomethingthathaslessoftheoriginal’sgroovydanceabilityandmoreofCarpenter’ssoftsincerity,beggingherboyfriend to not break her heart. Dolly’s feature on the second verse and her deliciousharmonieswithCarpenter’sleadvocalscertainlycreatea different atmosphere to the song entirely. However, whether it’s a positive or needed change is debatable The original version is simplymoreFUN,whichisCarpenter’swholething!
The track is worth listening to once for its novelty, and to listen to Dolly’s Southerness, which is rare for a mainstream pop song. (Well, Dolly’s feature alone transforms the track into a country song.) If you’re into that, go ahead, but I won’t be listening to it twice Sorry,Dolly
Rating n’ Reaction: “Please Please Please (feat. Dolly Parton)”
3.5/5. On Repeat? ❌
Track #15, Deluxe Track #3
The saddest and most character-lacking song of the deluxe tracks. The instrumental starts off with melancholic guitar, then transitions to bold background vocals during the chorus and whispers of strings after the second verse. What’s Carpenter downhearted about this time? She laments in the chorus: “But I couldn’t make it / Any harder to love me.” The slightly selfmartyring lyrics can be praised for their authenticity but don’t evoke any gut-wrenching empathy for her, relegating the track to theuncomfortableareaofvaguepity It’snotasituationanyperson orsong wouldwanttobein.
Rating n’ Reaction:
“Couldn’t Make It Any Harder”
Track #16, Deluxe Track #4
At replay the chorus of this song is very reminiscent of “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from the Grease soundtrack The aforementionedlinesinthechorusabovearemelodicallyacarbon copy of the latter song’s “But there’s nowhere to hide / Since you pushed my love aside.” Unfortunately, Carpenter’s lackluster attempt at sampling “Hopelessly Devoted to You” lacks the iconic rawforceoftheoriginal.
3/5. Altogether a mild track. On Repeat? ❌
“Busy
Another Carpenter classic, filled with her usual tricks: coquettish synth-pop, relentless disco beat, lyrics peppered with innuendos Carpenter relates how quickly her switch flips when she’s rejected versuswhenshe’snot:“Butifyouneedmylove /I’mcomin’over toyourplace/Andifyoudon’tneedmylove/Idon’twantyou[...] anyway” She’s a “busy woman,” she asserts, she won’t let just about anybody come into her schedule that is, “unless you call tonight” In that case, she’s immediately happy to oblige The production quality on this track is superb, thanks to multiple Grammy-winning producer Jack Antonoff, and this song belongs onShortn’Sweetproper.I’mjustgladshewasn’ttoobusyandhad thetimetoreleaseitontheDeluxeversion,sowe’vegotachanceto listentoit.
Rating n’ Reaction:
Woman” 4/5. On Repeat? ✅
This song is definitely recommended. It’s fun. It’s flirty. It’s wickedlyfunny What’snottolove?
Track #17, Deluxe Track #5 Rating n’ Reaction:
“Bad Reviews” deserves its coveted position as the grand finale of Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe). Lyrically, the song is a reprise of “Please PleasePlease”:Carpenter’sinlove,butthemanshechoseisstupid, she admits in both songs. But who says you can decide who you want to love? Carpenter plays this off on “Please Please Please” as playful exasperation, pleading her boyfriend to treat her right, but on“BadReviews,”herresignationisheartbreaking.“Beenalonefor solong,I’vegotsomethingtoprove/IfIcloseaneye,it’salmostlike yourredflagsareblue/SostillIchoosetobeinlovewithyou,”she sings
But what really sold this track for me is the complexity Carpenter weaves into the song. The instrumental section and third verse is quite upbeat, with stringed instruments spinning about and rapidly culminating in an intense crescendo. But amidst the building tension and action, there’s always an undercurrent of sadness: “‘Cause I refuse to be wrong again / And I can’t lose another boy that’s not even my boyfriend,” Carpenter pleads, beforeendingthesongbydesperatelycrying:“Still,Ichoosetobein love with you.” This breaktaking juxtaposition alone makes this songworthlisteningto.
“Bad Reviews” 5/5. On Repeat? ✅ GO LISTEN!!
Most people may place this lower on their Short n’ Sweet song ranking because it’s quite distinct from Carpenter’s trademarked carelesspoplike“Espresso,”butthissonghasaspecialpathostoit that’sunmatchedbytheotherdeluxetracks.Andthus,Icrownthis songasmyfavoriteoutofalltheDeluxetracks!
“AndI’mfresh
outofanygood judgement/I’m intentionally careless,atleastI gotself awareness/Just wantsomeoneto lovemewho doesn’t...”
“BadReviews”bySabrinaCarpenter
Final Verdict
Overall, Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe) definitely has some bangers, and I recommend it! I encourage you to listen to the Deluxe tracks yourself and see whether you agree with my assessments World’s (selfproclaimed) greatest music criticsigningout
Cupid’s Arrow Across YISS
The moment red hearts, Ferrero Rocher, and flowers appear on the scene, one can easilytellit’sValentine’sDay,an annual holiday where people send messages of their love to thosetheyadmire.
However, many people are unaware of the historical significance of this holiday Originally, Valentine’s Day was a Roman festival to honor the death of the Christian martyr, Saint Valentine While various versions of Valentine are linked to this holiday, the most prominent saint is the one who was martyred in Rome by Emperor Claudius II on February 14 around 270 AD When it became difficult for Claudius to recruit soldiers for hisbloodymilitarycampaigns,
byOliviaSuh‘28
he outlawed marriage and engagement in Rome, as he believed that men were reluctant to join the military because of their wives. Nevertheless, Valentine believed that the laws were unjust and continued to support marriages for couples insecret
Butthiswasonlyatemporary solution; once Claudius discovered Valentine’s actions of defiance, the emperor had him mercilessly arrested, beaten with clubs, and decapitated. Legend claims that before he died, he left a note for the jailer’s daughter, a close friend, signed “From Your Valentine.”
This legend of the compassionatesaintisthe
backbone of the culture of romance, flowers, and chocolatesthatpeoplecelebrate today. In modern culture, Valentine’s Day is often recognized as a day for couples to celebrate their affection for each other, and loved ones commonlytaketimeonthisday to buy flowers and enjoy a nice dinner in honor of their relationship Tommy Kang ‘26 shared how he “went to go buy flowers,andIreservedittheday before… we ate dinner together”
However, those without a romantic partner can celebrate Valentine’s Day too. Ryan Cha ‘28 said that he received “a box of gifts from [his] grandmother, and then also received a box of biscuitsandchocolatesfrom
[his] mom” He also believes that the holiday is “overrated” because “there’s like, a whole historical thing about Saint Valentine This whole concept of‘Iloveyou’istoomuch.Itwas just a normal day for me” It doesn’t matter who you receive sweet treats from – Valentine’s Day is a holiday all people can celebrateforfun.
Thoughthisholidayhasbeen glamorized and reinterpreted over centuries, at the end of the day, Valentine’s Day is more thanjustpassingoutchocolates and launching an investigation to find your secret admirer It’s important to remember the historical context behind why thisholidayiscelebrated.
While keeping this in mind, spending some quality time with your loved one on Valentine’s can be a great way to thank Cupid for shooting his arrowtotherightperson.
SabrinaCarpenter’sShortn’Sweet(Deluxe)AlbumCover
MusicEdition BRINK ASKS
The Crossword
byTheBRInkEditorialBoard
ACROSS 4. Cold. Has a tendency to deport. 5. Class offered every other year. 8 Fetty Wap on repeat
Japanese cooking class
Warrior 12. Dress coded! Shoes edition. 13. Samuel L Jackson's alter ego. 15. GirlTalk fundraiser destination.