The Islander // Issue 13

ISSUE 13

|

T R A D I T I O N

THE ISLANDER ISSUE #13 SPRING TERM 2016 TRADITION

•1•

•2•

Making and Breaking Traditions

Each year, these adventures motivate my chilly spring bike rides and bring exhilaration to family holidays in the summer.

I love traditions. I love cycling. I love the Tour de France and for me, this bike race encapsulates the value of tradition.

Of course, sometimes we have to break with tradition. Take Founder’s Day, for instance. Many of you will remember how the entire Senior School fitted into the Auditorium and the orchestra used to fit onto the stage. Of course, this is no longer possible and we are continually looking for solutions to the issues that have accompanied our success.

In fact, since we opened, Founder’s Day has been a dynamic tradition. Houses have added their own traditions such as the planting of daffodils and Easter Egg rolling.

A PAC service has been included, an early morning staff swim at Jungmun was initiated two years ago and this year promises to have even more significant additions. Fortunately, for those of you that remember the first Founder’s Day rehearsal, breaking the leg off a grand piano has not become a tradition!

In 1903, the first Tour de France was staged by an enterprising newspaper owner whose main aim was to sell more papers. And sell more papers he did, but this has become a small detail over the years, as the Tour de France has become a sporting spectacle like no other. The concept of 200 riders racing 3,500km in 21 stages over mountains, across swelteringly hot plains and along bumpy, cobbled roads has captivated millions and the traditions that have formed alongside the tour have become almost as significant as the race itself.

Traditions that, for me, would be unthinkable to change. Take the historical mountain stages, for instance. There are many different roads that could be taken over the French Alps and the Pyrenees, but some have acquired a particular significance because of the incredible feats of sporting endurance that have taken place. Cyclists have become immortalised for pushing the limits of human endurance and some have even died in their pursuit of glory.

For this reason, it has become traditional that those memories are relived through the races held on these roads each year. Hundreds of thousands of dedicated spectators from all over the world camp for days, often in exactly the same spot. The Dutch even have a corner of the most famous of all climbs, Alpe d’Huez, named after them.

The atmosphere in the mountains is remarkable as the traditions continue to bring France and a multitude of other nations together like few other events.

It is fast becoming customary for me to ride these roads with other cyclists, up and down the infamous routes.

As I write this I am coming to the conclusion that I am a traditionalist at heart. Yet, I am never content with keeping things exactly the same.

For me, the emphasis on values is most important. The ability to be creative within a traditional framework is what keeps me inspired. Should we break with tradition? At times, we have to and should do. I love bikes, but sometimes cycles need to be broken.

Mr Tamlyn.

•3•

Mr Tamlyn with his bicycle in France.

•4•

Contributors Junior Islander Yeonju Shin Angela Joo Sarah Yoo Janis Park Bonnie Hyun Angela Seo Jungho Han Justin Kim

Senior Islander Editors Celine Tae Jinn Park June Song Ji Won Moon

Writers Youngmin Lee Badminton Squad Dain Ahn Chloe Moon Chelsea Park Lizzy Lee Esther Song Dabin Moon Yeasung Lee Gabriella Kim Jeongmin Lee Jihyun Youn Joe Lee Kwang Eun Lee Jini So Jimin Bang Shunto Shigetomi Jessica Jeong Adrienne Yoon

Chaeyeoun Min Wonseo Cho Kyung Joon Jang Jinn Park Joonyoung Huh Brian Ha Donggyu Lee Jimmy Park Adriana Lozano Joe Hyun Cho

Designers Diane Da-Eun Lee Daniel Son

Art & Photography Editor Jane Lee Photographer Justin J H Cho

Staff Mr Raymond Mayer Mr Neil Tamlyn Ms Myung Hee Lim Mr Angel Lozano Mr Alan Nesbit Mr Ben Brown Ms Eun Kyung Kim Intern Dong Hyun Seo

Gap Year Student Matt Ward

•5•

The Islander Team

We are creative & passionate about what we do!

What do you think about our articles? e-mail us: marketing@nlcsjeju.kr

•6•

Note from the Student Editors Note from Jinn Park This edition of the Islanders is unique both in its final product and its process. As the Chief Editor of the Creative Team, I was touched to see the two Year 11 boys engaged in their poetic endeavors, three Year 9 girls creating a wild and frankly, quite twisted version of traditional story and another team of Year 11 boys slowly maturing into conceptual designers of their very own ‘Easter Hallabong’ project. I believe that everyone- everyone- has that unsowed seeds of sparkling fantasies, of truth and of randomness. I witnessed while being the editor of this issue the gradual process of those unsowed seeds slowly growing into beautiful flowers, and hope that the works of these students inspire you, the readers, to let your own flowers bloom.

Note from Celine Tae Ever since the first issue I took part in, writing for the Islander had always brought me stress and anxiety, as well as frustration and, of course, hard work. But it was addictive: the sense of accomplishment, the giddy thrill of quickly flicking through a freshly published issue to find my words in my sentences sleekly laid out made me sign up for another term, then another, and then another, until I eventually became an editor.

Here is another issue of Islander - another issue of toil and joy. I hope the experience of looking through this brings you as much happiness as it brings us.

Note from June Song In this issue, we have tried something slightly different in order to give a more coherent structure to the Islander. Each editor was in charge of a certain theme within a theme; my theme for this issue was school.

It seems like that students thought the idea of school and tradition didn’t exactly lend itself too much creative work or fun discussions; not a lot of people wanted to wright under this semi-theme. So I had it easier than the other two editors. Still, there were some interesting issues regarding school that the students raised, and I was thrilled to see some good pieces of writing actually on paper.

I hope you would take the time to go through the re-innovated Islander this time - it would be sad for the work and effort that has gone into this to be wasted. After all, it is a traditional school magazine writing about the theme of tradition under a newly formed, non-traditional group of student editors, and I guess that pun summarizes why the Islander deserves your attention.

My last words are these; why don’t you start a tradition of reading the Islander page by page?

•7•

On Behalf of Islander Team, Student Editors

PRINCIPAL’S

NLCS Jeju is known for its high-achieving students, and indeed, all of these are recognised in one way or another. This year, however, the school came up with an unusually prestigious award to congratulate students with extraordinary achievements; the Principal’s Award.

The award is presented on Monday/Wednesday morning assemblies, and the winners are invited to the Principal’s Tea in the following week. Here is the list of winners and their achievements.

AWARD

Chelsea Park, Year 11: Over the break, Chelsea attended a MUN conference in Seoul. She did so well that not only was she recognised with an award, the conference offered her a trip to the UN headquarters – and what’s more, all her expenses were covered by the organisation itself.

Nick Oh, Year 13: An academic paper is hard to write, but harder to get approved by a legitimate organisation. Our very own Nick had successfully published an academic paper in a prestigious economics journal, and the paper was included in a pamphlet along with papers written by professors.

Chelsea Kim, Year 11: Last summer, Chelsea participated in the Harvard Summer School Programme, intended for university level students. The course is offered for degree-level students, so they could earn credits for their following school year. She successfully completed two courses, Journalism and Aeronautical science and was acknowledged for her academic excellence.

Minji Kim, Year 12: Last year, Minji and a group of girls participated in a National competition for raising awareness for dementia, a rather sad degenerative disease.

However, Minji didn’t stop there. With the prize money she won in the competition, she organised her own raising awareness for dementia campaign in NLCS Jeju, which was a huge success.

•8•

PRINCIPAL’S

AWARD

Our students with Mr Paul Friend, the Principal of NLCS Jeju. Congratulations to ever yone!

Jane Lee, Year 12: In her IGCSE exams last year, Jane managed to score the highest in the world in her Korean Language exam. Indeed, her academic excellence deserves to be recognised.

Diane Lee, Year 12: NLCS Jeju has been building a special relationship with a Nepal school through an organisation called Mountainchild. However, after the earthquake last April, the schools lost touch. Diane decided to organise her own group of students and take a trip to the school, to continue on with the relationship. Team Artless, as they are called, also organised an exhibition with video footages and photos they have taken during the trip.

Nicola Park, Year 11: ABRSM is a rigorous music exam taken by talented musicians all around the world.

ABRSM Grade 8 in any instrument is considered very, very difficult, and is worth UCAS points. And that seems like the epitome of music exams; but, no.

The ABRSM Diploma is head and shoulders above Grade 8 exams, and expects students to be able to actively discuss pieces of certain composers or even, a certain period of time in musical history. Nicola managed to pass this hard exam with a distinction, the highest possible grade, and indeed, his musical genius should not have gone unnoticed.

•9•

Rachel Cho: Year 9: Rachel, like Chelsea, participated in a huge MUN conference in Seoul. Her achievement was recognised with an award, and an all-expense-covered trip to the UN headquarters.

Ben Kang, Year 12: Like Jane, Ben took his IGCSE exams last year.

He scored the highest in the world in his Mandarin Language exam, and rumours say, he scored 100 in his UMS marks.

• 10 •

Humans of NLCS Jeju

Yeasung Lee & Jae Hyun cho, Year 10

Twin Girls Lauren Cosson & Gemma Cosson

Have you noticed the gap student who seems to be both in Geomun and Mulchat?

Actually, they are two different people, Lauren Cosson and Gemma Cosson; just twins. We have never had a twin gap student before and many find it interesting and want to know more about them:

• 11 •

Q: How did you get to know about this school? What interested you to come?

Lauren: One of the previous gaps, Millie, is our very close family friend. She came over in the summer and at Christmas told us all about the school. It was a mixture of everything she said about this opportunity.

Gemma: Being at a place so culturally different interested me. It’s so weird how Millie was showing us all of these pictures two years ago, but now we are here for the same reason.

Q: What did you first feel and think when you came to this school?

Gemma: Although I was extremely tired, it was lovely how Mrs.Waterson offered me some doughnuts and the girls were helping me carry my luggage even though it was quite late. It felt like home already.

Lauren: I remember thinking how everything is so massive. I loved it when I first saw my room, thinking it was my room for 5 months. It is strange how familiar it is to me now.

Q: How do you think this experience would help you in your future plans?

Gemma: It will make us very independent and confident. Helping Year 9 biology, sharing my techniques and knowledge with the students is very engaging. The skills I gained would certainly be taken to university.

Lauren: I am in the art and dance department, but will actually study English and history. It still helps me because I could do what I enjoy as hobbies and they are different from my actual course. Also, being in such an environment where everyone is so driven and hardworking, I really want to work hard at university.

Q: Before you came here, did you know anything about Korea?

Gemma: The only song I knew was ‘Gangnam Style.’ This is quite embarrassing, but Lauren actually thought k-pop was one band. It was so exciting to come here, because we didn’t know much about it.

Lauren: We wanted to get to know about Korea when we got here, so that we were open-minded to everything.

Q: Having been here for some weeks now, have you learnt anything about Korea?

Gemma: To be honest, I really don’t like Kimchi and what upsets me is everyone here loves eating an octopus when it is my favorite animal. I like to see it swimming in the sea.

Lauren: I loved learning some k-pop dances from the girls, although I have no idea which dance goes with which song. I especially enjoyed going to a ‘Noraebang’ with my girls. I hope we would adopt it in England.

• 12 •

Q: Do you have anything in particular that you miss from home?

Gemma: We particularly miss porridge, but miss our family too. However it helps us a lot because we are together. Although we do miss our friends, most of our friends are spread out doing different things too.

Lauren: We miss our daily routines like family dinner, but we know it will still be there when we go back in the summer, so it’s alright. It is the people we miss, but we still make things work. We are coping well!

Lauren and Gemma’s advice for boosting your mood on a depressing day: Be busy, be cheered up by people around you, do what you enjoy and keep positive :)

Now that you are more familiar with them, get to know them better by talking to them and in fact about the other gap students too!

Gemma and Lauren are waiting for fan mail that you could send to Mulchat and Geomun. You could even make an appointment to meet them!

• 13 •

Beauty Of Multicultural Marriage Melissa Raye Woo

Many teachers at our school have a multicultural family, where their wife or husband has a different nationality to theirs. However in the junior school, we have a beautiful teacher who is married to a man from this country, Korea. Her name is Melissa and she now works in the nursery at the junior school.

Not only is she fluent in speaking Korean, but she can also cook Korean food. Get to know about her:

• 14 •

Q: How did you get to know about this school?

I have already been to Jeju before, but I got to know about this school when I heard it through some friends of mine at church. They were talking about NLCS Jeju and how they wanted to send their children here to learn English. Then, my husband applied before me and told me about it.

Q: How did you meet your Korean husband?

We met through mutual friends, a ‘sogaeting’(blind date). It wasn’t a first date, but I wanted to learn more Korean and he wanted to learn English, so our friends set us up that way. Now, I have been married for just over two years. I think the advantage that I got from a multicultural marriage is that I do not get bored. I always learn new things and my husband does too. I really enjoy the excitement of getting to know about each other’s culture. Being married isn’t easy, but I am happy. I was married in America, since I didn’t like the Korean wedding style. It seemed very stressful and in America, a wedding is an event for the couple, but here it seemed like it is an event for the parents. However, I do want to wear the Hanbok.

Q: How did you learn to speak Korean so well?

Originally, I studied Japanese. So when I started to learn Korean, I was able to pick it up quite quickly because the grammar is so similar. Also for a few years, all my friends were Korean, so I always listened to them speaking. I didn’t know what they were talking about, but I just listened and listened. And when I started studying it, I was again able to pick it up quickly since I’ve heard it so much.

Tips for teachers willing to be a fluent Korean speaker: 1. You have to be immersed, not stay in the bubble.

2. You should use whatever you learn.

Go outside and meet Korean friends, go to restaurants, don’t stay in this tiny little campus!

Q: What do you like about Korea?

Having been here just over a year, I definitely love Korean food and especially how everything is so quick. In America, it takes forever in everything. I love the fast delivery service too, when I order ZaZangmyun and chicken. I love chimaek. I also love Korean people because they are really friendly. Many people think Koreans aren’t very friendly, but I think it is because they can’t communicate with them.

Even if you try, Korean people are really nice. They especially give you lots of food.

Q: Can you cook Korean food?

Yes, but it doesn’t taste good. At my house, we always have Korean food. I can cook Duenjangjjigae, kimchijjigae, dumpling and rice cake soup. I cook Karae (curry) very well and I try to make some banchan (side dishes).

Q: What do you like about your job in this school?

I just love the kids. I think they are really funny and inside, I am still a child too, so I get along with them very well. The working environment is very good since everyone is nice to work with and I have no worries of having problems with the teachers.

• 15 •

Secrets of the Former Headboy Kiwan Hyun - Stephano

Everyone knows the former head boy, Stephano. The high profile role in school, as a member of the Big Six, suited him well with his calm voice and English accent.

However, did you know any more about him? Did you know that he carries a handkerchief around school? Learn more about him through his stories that will also leave you with some powerful advice.

• 16 •

Q: Many people, especially girls find your voice very gentle, and in someway attractive. Do you think your voice relates to your personality?

I went to England and studied there for a year and I maintained my accent from then.

Many people tell me that I am quite reserved, which may have a connection to my calm voice and I also find myself more attuned to British culture than American, which is another reflection of my personality. If many girls found my voice very attractive, it would be a misjudgment. It is a rare comment that I get.

Q: Why do you carry a handkerchief around?

It was my father’s influence. When I was young, I would wash my hand, and then wipe it off on my clothes, but he hated it and told me to carry a handkerchief. However I use it more often for others than myself. It isn’t only an important item for women of its literal usage, but it shows that you are a caring and meticulous person.

Q: A reply to “What is so unique about yourself?”

That question appears in every university interview, but that particular interview was special to me because it was not until then that I could answer the question properly. I replied that it would be my name. Although my name is common, it is special because it has a special meaning for me. My name is composed of two Chinese characters: Ki standing for foundation and wan for perfection. So I was born with a message to become a person with a perfect foundation and I think I have lived to acquire that. A foundation for a human to survive, thrive and prosper would be the adaptability, and more importantly, being happy. As someone may say that life is the pursuit of happiness. But then, whatever circumstances or environment I go into, I adapt and survive and I would eventually enjoy everything and be happy by the end of it.

Q: Why do you think this school is so special?

This school is special to me because I can see the changes that have occurred and being able to participate in that change and be a pioneer, having a role in the Big Six made me stack one more block onto this colossal cathedral of education. To the public, it would be special because it provides exceptional education, full of chances and opportunities to build experiences.

• 17 •

Q: How do you feel about leaving this school very soon?

I can’t express what I am feeling, but I am very sad to leave this community. I won’t be able to forget the experience that the school provided me. But, what would be exciting is to have a different view of the school. The school feels quite oppressive and they always have deadlines and teachers supervising, but once I get out of school and look at our school from the perspective of a university student, that is what I look forward to, being able to really appreciate the efforts that members of staff put into us and being able to understand the responsibility that you have.

Q: Do you have any advice to the future Big Sixes?

1. Remain as a six 2. When people say it was a good Big Six, it isn’t that they made less mistakes, it is about how well they reflected upon their mistakes. Once you are in a high profile role in a society, you become very afraid and sensitive, but maintain your innocence and pure virtues that you have, but at the same time don’t fear making mistakes.

3.Try to do something rather than to be someone. Sometimes you have to strike a balance between whether you are doing it to become someone or doing it so that you could help the community. Bury your pride to an extent.

A message to the whole school: NLCS Jeju is definitely a place where you can get an exceptional British education and I think education is the only place where you can achieve things if you try. So as much effort you put in, you will get something back. You must remember that everything you learn is valuable. I want to tell you to always keep a positive mind. In a school like this, the more you endeavor, the more you will conquer. So it is okay to sit back sometimes and relax, but you must have that momentum inside you; that always makes you want to go forward and explore. I think that is what would make this education an even more exceptional one.

• 18 •

Amnesty Club

Young-min Lee, Year 11

Over the past year I have established a new tradition at NLCS Jeju with Scott Seo, Iris Shin, Yubin Kim and Sharon Park. Together, we run the ‘Amnesty Club’.

Having made direct contact with Amnesty International in USA, requesting for permission to organize the club, we were granted approval to conduct the club during the summer holiday and commenced the club from the beginning of year 11.

The Amnesty Club members assemble in the Sarah Atrium every Tuesday during the co-curricular time and approach specific cases shown on the Amnesty International website. Our main purpose is to raise awareness amongst people of unjust treatment and arbitrary punishment and so we try to appraise people in this school of relevant cases. We also foster change by collecting signatures in the school.

We submit these to the Amnesty International headquarters in New York City and Amnesty International will utilize this for the protection of victims. Unlike our Amnesty club, the Amnesty Society, run by Cion Choi also contributes by focusing on human rights infringements in Korea. The Amnesty Society mainly focuses on fundraising and campaigns.

The fight for human rights has been an on-going war since the beginning of world civilization. Even though various milestones have been attained, it has become arduous and almost impossible to fight for the rights of prisoners. Victims’ fundamental human rights are infringed in many ways including discrimination, the death penalty, torture and violation of freedom of speech.

Amnesty International originated in 1961 when a lawyer read about two Portuguese students imprisoned after raising a toast to freedom. Amnesty believes any punishment involving violence should be abolished, such as torture, as this impacts victims physically and psychologically. Not only is it barbaric and inhumane, it is strictly banned under international law. Torture corrodes the rule of law and undermines the criminal justice system, which can never be justified.

Amnesty International has highlighted a countless number of cases. The fight for human rights will be stubbornly resisted. Amnesty believes it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness and help continue to keep the candle of hope and freedom burning.

• 19 •

Many thanks to the club members & teachers who got involved for this matter.

• 20 •

This picture is a poster from our club. This case is about women in Atenco, Mexico, who were repeatedly abused physically and sexually during their way to the court by police officers. They were arrested because of their illegal flower selling, but soon it was revealed as false. Amnesty International and we feel that unjust violence by police is barbaric and unreasonable. We made this abstract poster hopefully enlightening people about this case involving the victims in Mexico.

A white flower in the middle of our poster to show the chastity and innocence of victims, two guns to show the assailants, police officers, and the box blocking the gun shows the strength of the petition. Your signatures can make a difference to the victims around the world. ※ If you’re interested in Amnesty, please visit my personal blog: https://youngminsamnesty.wordpress.com

※If you want to donate directly to Amnesty Interntional, visit the website: http://www.amnestyusa.org.com/donate-to-amnesty

• 21 •

History of the United Nations NLCS students have established a tradition of participating in the Model United Nations conferences and have enjoyed enormous success at the events. Here, Jeongmin Lee, Year 12 Halla, a recent participant in the conference held on Jeju, explains some of the history of the United Nations.

After World War I was over in 1918, the League of Nations was formed to ensure the world’s peace. Their primary objective was disarmament, which can help lead to the absence of physical conflict between nations. Even though the League of Nations had an idealistic target to maintain peace, everyone can tell that the League of Nations failed to achieve that goal when they see that the second world war occurred in 1939.

Indifference of Germany’s rearmament process and the unsystematic nature of the League of Nations were the pivotal causes of World War II. Thoroughly aware of this, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the president of the United States, came up with the idea of the ‘United Nations’ in 1941. Winston Churchill, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, was also positive about this idea. Their aim was to create a robust and permanent organisation that contributes to maintaining world peace.

The movement of the formation of the ‘United Nations’ began in several conferences in 1943. Agreed declarations, that included a call for “a general international organisation based on the principle sovereign equality of all nations”, was issued in the Moscow Conference (October 1943). Then, in the Teheran Conference (November 1943), Roosevelt met Joseph Stalin, the leader of Soviet Union, and proposed an international organisation to discuss social and economical issues, led by four big countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and China.

• 22 •

Meanwhile, many different ‘task-oriented’ organisations were founded: Food and Agricultural Organisation (May 1943), United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (November 1943), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (April 1944), International Monetary Fund and the World Bank (July 1944), and International Civil Aviation Organisation (November 1944).

In order to articulate the United Nations, representatives of the ‘Big Four’ nations drafted the ‘Atlantic Charter’, which is comprised with 111 Articles. This became the foundation of the United Nations.

The main points of the Charter are: All countries should have a democratic government.

All countries would engage in trade freely with one another.

All countries would share in world prosperity.

All countries would seek to reduce their weaponry.

The Charter was finalised in June 1945 by representatives of 50 different nations. Then the main bodies of the United Nations began to form: General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, a Trusteeship Council, and a Secretariat. When the Charter was ratified by 29 nations on October 24th 1945, the existence of the United Nations became official.

Although the United Nations made some mistakes in its plans, it is certain that their systematic and sophisticated organisation of many different bodies contributes to world peace. Nowadays, the United Nations has become one of the largest and most respected organisation in the world. Young students are even studying about the procedure of the United Nations via numerous Model United Nations. For sure, the United Nations is a successful organisation, at least more successful than its former body, the League of Nations.

• 23 •

Left: Irene Jung, Year 9 & Jimmy Park Year 9 Right: A student from KIS with our student Adrianne Hwang, Year 12

• 24 •

Founder’s Day - A tradition or a waste of time?

Gabriella Kim, Year 10

What is the very first thing you can think of when you hear “Founder’s Day?” The ugly, yellow, daffodils? No school?

A day when you go home? To me, the first thing that comes up to my mind is “waste of time.” Yes, Founder’s Day is a total waste of time - why in the world do we have to go around the auditorium with a silly flower (which changes colour and smells really weird towards the end of the principal’s prayer) in our hand, parading about? Can’t we just go home a day early and have an extra day of rest? After all, in Korean schools where most of us come from, students don’t go to school on their Founder’s Day; when I was at my old school, I used to remember the exact date of Founder’s Day because it was the day when we got a day of no school in the middle of the school term!

Then, why do we actually celebrate Founder’s Day at NLCS?

Well, according to some of the staff members who are expert-in-Founder’s-Day-traditions, we have to commemorate Frances Mary Buss, the Founder of our link school, NLCS UK. It is true, up to a certain extent, that we honour our founder who has, after all, done something that should be praised by the school. However, there could be many alternatives, or other ways to commemorate what she has done - there could be a week of ‘celebrating Frances Mary Buss week’ (similar to a society action week) or a small lecture or a tutor time talk about what Frances Mary Buss has done that we should acknowledge her for. There are many other ways, so why do we have to walk along the auditorium looking and feeling like utter fools and listen to a boring and meaningless prayer that makes our eyelids droop every year? In fact, students do say that the parade is not too bad (they can just about cope with it), but the never-ending prayers! It’s like torture!

Why does Mr. Friend have to recite it out loud for when it goes on for what seems like centuries, and nobody actually pays attention? Even some of the staff

doze off in the middle of the prayer, and approximately three-quarters of the student body are asleep!

On top of having to sit in the auditorium listening to what seems like nonsense, it is pretty obvious that the school uses up some of their budget in buying those daffodils, and why don’t they use that money for other things such as remodelling the canteen which is virtually too small, or reconstructing the junior school to make it a bit larger so that the seniors can use the first floor of the girl’s school? If the school does not buy daffodils annually and saves that money for several years, it is certain that positive changes will be made in the school, which is what the students truly want. In addition, in order to “save money,” the school asks Mrs. Waterson, the ‘daffodil lady,’ to plant daffodils in the school campus. Planting daffodils in school - no problem. It will actually look very pretty before they are cut for the daffodil parade. However, some of the Mulchat girls are “asked” to help pick out the daffodil bulbs, plant them, etc., etc. If it was helping for something that the students will directly benefit from, it would be okay. But for the Founder’s Day ceremony? No thanks.

Traditions are there for them to be kept, and they should be kept. However, they can be a bit boring as time goes by, and as the Big Six said, traditions often need a twist every once in awhile. Some will prefer not adding on any changes to Founder’s Day and leaving as it is now, and others will want to give it some minor touches to enhance the quality.

And some, as always, won’t even care; because they are determined to sleep through it no matter what. Although Founder’s Day shouldn’t disappear, it is about time that some changes are made. Several things that aren’t needed should be taken off daringly, and other elements that would make Founder’s Day more fun, enjoyable, and approachable should be introduced.

What do you think?

• 25 •

• 26 •

Will You Marry Me? Adriana Lozano, Year 10

As you know, this terms topic is “traditions”. Let me be honest here, not very exciting.

Most traditions are nice in principal but pretty dull to read about. However, I know of one that I find the history behind it fascinating. So, here goes… LEAP DAY! Yes, it is the extra day that we get every four years due to the earth spinning around and getting ¼ of a day extra for three years until the fourth year we get a whole day. Yippee. More days. Okay, but did you know that there are special traditions that occur on this day?

I bet most of you did not. So, now I have your interest, don’t I? There are a number of traditions that occur all across the globe on Leap Day. My favorite tradition comes from Ireland. Leap Day is said to be the one-day that women can propose to men and it is good luck. The story behind this is that a fifth-century Irish nun asked St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, to grant permission for women to propose. This idea came about after the nun heard women complaining that their men where too shy to propose. At first, St. Patrick only allowed women to propose once every seven years, but the persistent nun got him to allow proposals every Leap Day. So, it is said that the nun bent down on one knee and proposed to St. Patrick right then and there. Unfortunately, he refused. He did, however, kiss her on the cheek and offer her a gown to soften the blow. Poor Irish nun, but at least she got a free dress. So now the Irish tradition is that any man refusing a woman’s leap day proposal must give her a dress.

Many argue that the tradition is anti-feminist and should be abolished. Okay… Some women feel that shame makes it difficult for them to “man up” and do what their man did not have the guts to do, but somebody has to do it. Some believe that the tradition is empowering to women. These women take advantage of the tradition and propose saying that they were tired of waiting.

My question is, do women really need a special day to propose to men? If so many people believe that men and women are equal, then why is it odd for a woman to do what a man “should” do? I believe that women should do what they have to do. Think about it, women have come so far in the last century, be proud of what you have done and do not be afraid to do was is necessary.

Footnote: Leap Year, the 2010 comedy staring Amy Adams and Mathew Goode, is something to add to your “to see” list.

• 27 •

Korean Tradition 101 - The ‘Soellal’ Power

Chelsea Park, Year 11

While the West celebrates New Year on the fixed date of January 1st , based on the solar calendar, the East (countries in Asia, including China, Korea and Japan) celebrate based on the lunar calendar, notably on the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice (usually in February). And just as we can see in the West, people flock to famous locales in major cities, such as Times Square in NYC and along the Thames in London, to echo the countdown leading to the New Year, we can also see, in the East, a massive exodus of people making a pilgrimage to their ancestral hometowns to pay homage to their ancestors leading to the new year. In fact, when it comes to South Korea, nothing can be more indicative of the traditional values and ethos of its homogeneous populace than its sacrosanct annual observation of the three-day Lunar New Year celebration.

Seollal – Korean Lunar New Year Seollal is known as the time to respect ancestors and also the opportunity to get in touch with relatives who live abroad. Every family spends weeks preparing for the holiday. Many businesses and restaurants are closed during this time, and sometimes paid leave is also given so families can travel.

The roads get packed with cars and

buses of people returning briefly to their hometowns. Some people head towards their hometown around midnight so they can arrive before sunrise because they know that it takes double the time, or even more, than normal hour travel during the day due to heavy traffic.

When families gather together, they cook a lot of traditional Korean foods together such as jeon (전), chapchae (잡 채), and gusaek-namul (구색나물). After preparing the food, some wear Hanbok, the traditional clothing of Korea, and then gather to perform the ancestral ritual called “charye” (차례).

Charye – Memorial Services “Charye” are memorial services that are performed on Korean New Year’s Day. Scattered families gather at the eldest son’s house and prepare bountiful kinds of foods. Typically, the descendants set the paper screen facing north. At the front is the food arrayed in five rows laid on a lacquer table. Fruits are laid on the first row, meat and fish on the second, vegetables on the third and cooked rice and soup on the fifth and last row.

On the west of all five rows are rice, meat and white fruits and on the east are the soup, fish and red fruits. At the center and top of the table is the shinwi or ancestral tablet, symbolizing the

• 28 •

ancestor’s spirit, and, if not, families set up a written prayer. At both ends of the table are located two candles.

The Charye ceremony follows several steps: First, comes the “Kangshin”, which are greetings to call the spirits down.

Then, comes the “Choheon” or the initial offering, which is where the eldest male descendant and his wife make the first offering of rice wine. After, the eldest son makes a bow twice followed by his wife with four bows. Then comes “aheon” or secondary offering which is when the second eldest male descendant offers liquor. “Jongheon” or final offering is the liquor offering by the third eldest male descendant.

After all the male descendants have had a chance to give a liquor offering, the eldest male descendant serves the main course by sticking a spoon into the middle of the rice bowl, called “Sapsi” or the spoon insertion.

To allow the ancestor to partake in the meal called Yoshik or “urged meal”, the eldest male descendant clears his throat twice as a sign to the participants to leave the room, called “hapmun” and, after a few minutes, returns to the room, called “gyemun”.

Subsequently, the family offers tea, brewed from roasted rice, a step called

“heonda”. During the “chelsang” or removal of table, all the attendants bow twice to send off the spirits until the next year. Then, the table is cleared and the written prayer recited during the ceremony is set a fire.

Finally, participants perform “eumbok” or drink blessings by consuming the offerings, which symbolises that they have received the blessing bestowed upon the family. After having finished the Charye table ceremony, most families perform ‘seongmyo’ which is to head to the ancestors’ tomb to greet and bow once more.

Customs - Eating Etiquette Seating Unlike the Western culture, where people don’t have to take their shoes off in the house or restaurants, Koreans do take off their shoes before stepping on to the floor. They have a special relationship with their floor, on which they sit, sleep, and have low-rise tables for meals.

Therefore, they always keep the floor clean and are intolerable when the floor is dirty. So, during the harsh winter in Korea, the floor is heated by the “ondol” system which is “hidden” underground so people naturally would just sit on the warm floor rather than on cold chairs.

• 29 •

Chewing In the West, it is common for people to silently chew down their food with their mouths closed. Westerners take umbrage at “eating with your mouth open”.

However, it is a different story in Eastern cultures where most people make loud chewing, slurping and sucking air sounds when they eat their food.

The reason behind this seemingly philistine and unrefined act of mastication is explained through the types of main dishes each culture attains.

In the west, except for soups served only as appetizers, the dishes are mostly hard food, such as meat and vegetables, whereas in the East, some main dishes are soup, stew and noodles that are hot and prone to burn. Hence, this requires the person to blow on the hot food and lean closer towards the bowl to prevent spillage. The texture of the foods may have caused the different eating sounds, but may have also led to different eating etiquettes. Unlike Western cultures, Eastern cultures believe that sounds convey deliciousness. Hence, Easterners purposefully or customarily create loud noises to politely indicate the enjoyment of the food.

Burping Burping in front of others is considered rude in the Western culture and in Asian culture as well, but, in certain settings, it can signify a well-digested meal in Korea.

As strange as it sounds, burping after a meal and clearing their throats noisily is considered as a good table manner, especially for elders. Furthermore, though blowing your nose is generally acceptable in the Western culture, it isn’t the same case in Korea.

It is disrespectful to blow your nose in public because the gooey noise portrays grossness and rudeness and it also displays poor hygiene because their hands would be full of germs.

Forces of urbanization and globalization have forced many people to leave their ancestral homeland for economic prosperity and viability. But it is through this distinct and venerated tradition of Soellal that continues to preserve the sacred bond among the family members. Moreover, it is important to know that such cultural differences are to be embraced through education to promote diversity and harmony in this multicultural world. Perhaps the next time you are offered a hot spicy noodle soup by your favorite Korean friend’s mother, you should take the cultural liberty to slurp and gorge away with impunity. But, I would go easy on the burping thing...

• 30 •

• 31 •

Love on the Shelf Jihyun Youn, Year 10

Nowadays in Korea, people celebrate many different types of ‘days’ that seem to have permanently settled, especially among youths. Some of these traditions are imported from other cultures, whereas others are invented as a response to those foreign influx.

For example, consider about Valentine’s Day. For most, Valentine’s day means chocolates and the significant other, real or imaginary. But how much do people actually know about the historical origin of Valentine’s Day? It would be hasty generalisation if I were to assert that hardly anyone is aware of the origin of the rituals associated with the fourteenth of February, but I for one wasn’t sure what the origin exactly was before I investigated into it for the purpose of writing this article.

As it turns out, Valentine’s day was first introduced to South Korea during the 1980s by the Japanese, which means it’s been at most 35 years since this tradition started in Korea. Through the years, dramatic posters and TV commercials designed by the confectionary industry slowly succeeded in making Valentine’s day a ‘tradition’.

More specifically, Valentine’s day was an excellent justification for sweets manufacturers to prod more people to buy more of their products, and as a result, Valentine’s day gradually became firmly rooted in the Korean society.

Besides Valentine’s day, there are many more such ‘day’s that are celebrated by the Korean mass culture. These include: ‘Pepero day’, ‘White day’, and ‘Diary day’. Some of them are very famous and popular, some aren’t. These so-called traditions seeped into the Korean culture without anyone ever realising or having a chance to think about it. Naturally, one is drawn to ask: do they deserve to be called true ‘traditions’, alongside the truly traditional Korean holidays such as Seollal and Chuseok?

My answer to this question is that these newborn ‘tradition’s and the older, more strictly ‘traditional’ national holidays are completely different and thus must be categorised separately. It’s not a matter of age; what I thought was significant was the actual origins of the two different types of traditions. The newborn traditions do not occur from history nor from logical reasoning; they are simply created by the

• 32 •

industries scheming to boost their sales. The single reason why the eleventh of November is celebrated as ‘Pepero day’ is that the numbers in the date, four 1s, look like a row of Peperos, which are long stick biscuits covered with chocolate. But, in all seriousness, does that qualify as the only reason for a traditional anniversary?

I personally think they are just savvy marketing strategies, where business owners create certain ‘~days’, instilling special meanings for those days, brainwashing consumers sensitive to trend, mostly teenage, to buy specific products. Although it surely is pleasant to occasionally exchange small gifts and cards, I think must understand where the tradition stems from.

At the same time, we must not overlook the positive aspects of the influx of new traditions simply because the intentions behind are impure. Especially members of our school community, as global citizens with international education, we should always be open-minded towards new traditions from other cultures, as doing so would doubtlessly enhance our understanding of the world at a global scale.

Moreover, the new ‘days’ traditions are economically beneficial for the whole of Korea as well as individual businesses. For an economy in a slowdown, this types of anniversaries can contribute to growth, as they lead to a boost in the demands for specific products.

Also, as I have briefly mentioned above, these anniversaries do make people happy, at least temporarily. Providing reasons for people to share presents and enjoy time with others is crucial in this modern world lacking in true connection. Because of busy work or lots of prep to do, many of us don’t get to fully relax and enjoy the small daily happinesses; for those of us, these new ‘days’ can be opportunities to once again appreciate our loved ones. Also, they occasionally give opportunities for timid people to become courageous and confess their love.

Even though tradition is often defined along the lines of ‘a belief or behaviour passed down with origin in the past’, it is undeniable many traditions are altered and modified through time. Some traditions with complicated rituals get simplified, or even it become a completely different occasion; often, these changes are unavoidable.

At the same time, changes that alter the very essence of a tradition must be prevented.

Especially, it must not be allowed for businesses to transform the fundamental basis of historic traditions with ethnic significances for the purpose of bigger profits; this is practically half-deceiving the consumers. Therefore, it is important for us to find a balance between change and maintenance. I hope this article will wake the readers up to the possibilities that what they consider traditional may not be anything close to a tradition.

• 33 •

CREATIVE

WRITING

Easter Hallabongs This Edition’s addition of tradition

Celebrating a new year, we’ve decided to do something special. We are going to make a new tradition for the Islander!

Pixar is famous not only for its animation movies, but also for their tradition of including hidden ‘easter eggs.’ Easter eggs are usually subtle references to their previous movies, such as appearance of Rapunzel and Flynn from Tangled as guests attending Elsa’s coronation in Frozen. This is kind of what we’re planning to bring to Islander.

Where did we get this idea from? Well, after hearing this term’s Islander topic, “Tradition,” we thought- why can’t we start a tradition? Every tradition must have a beginning, and we decided that WE shall be the beginning!

The hidden easter eggs will be small symbols that somehow relate to Islanders in some way or the other, and includes: ID card photos of students from 2011 : ※ Daffodil ※ Mr Peter Daly ※ NLCS Boat ※ Hallabong

When you get tired of reading the heavy texts, take a break and look for the hidden easter eggs!

P.S. If you’re a keen-eyed person, you might find one in this page! There is a rumour that anyone successful in finding all of the hidden easter eggs first shall be given a pizza. This is only a rumour.

• 34 •

On earth, one sees all kinds of things.

The Little Prince, by Antonie De Saint Exupery

• 35 •

FRAGMENT SERIES

Fragment: What is it?

Shunto Shigetomi

A fragment is officially defined as “a part broken off or detached; an isolated, unfinished, or incomplete part; an odd piece, bit, or scrap” in a website we frequently use—“www.dictionary.com”. Albeit a tedious, cliché start to an article, I wanted you to keep in mind the “fake” definition imprinted in the minds of the modern people, like you.

A bit of philosophy to start with: what is the world we are currently living in? Yes, by that I mean, “What is the planet Earth?” Also, why does it exist? If you answered that, then why were we even born? Not scientifically, but with just sheer imagination and sound judgement. Although we all may have different opinions, there is one thing that we must all agree with: that we are, and the world is, merely a fragment.

The world to me seems a bit like a gleaming blue marble spinning feverishly in space, with a few occasional green stripes and dots and a white top. However, it actually isn’t.

Geography just proves my statement wrong: the world has shattered long before we could possibly imagine.

The Phanerozoic Eon is the current eon that started approximately 532 million years ago. At that period of time, all the continents were clustered into a single supercontinent widely known as the “Pangaea”. However, due to perverse tectonic movements, it broke down into separate continents we love still to this day. But that’s not the point.

Through geographic investigation, we are able to see that the continents were once a unified body, until it divided to become “fragments”.

This shows how significant and profound this world truly is.

But that can’t be because of this one example regarding the world. Let’s take a look at a different example. Civilization. Mankind. Humanity. There are a number of synonyms for this massive ideology, but what has this got to do with fragments?

Let me tell you a story. According to the Bible, Genesis 11:1-9, all humans once used a common language just like how we do in our respective countries. However, humans somehow decided to exploit the privilege and started to build a tower that was supposed to reach the heavens. Of course, the God got mad and razed it. He also got

• 36 •

himself insurance and muddled the common language, so that humans won’t be able to plot such an evil deed again. We are also fragments: fragments of a once united civilization, fragments of our once prosperous ancestors, and fragments of our family.

Everything around us is fragments: language, life, science, history, and nature. Even the most trivial of matter roots from a greater purpose. But what is the definition of fragment? Is it something that is broken down from a greater subject? Is it a single flower petal of a daffodil during Founders Day? Is it just a piece missing from a puzzle?

Then rises another question: how are fragments created?

We can never know, but there is one thing to be sure of. A fragment is not simply a detached part of something. It is something that we can never get to know.

Everything extant is a fragment of something that is of a larger scale. There is no absolute original, since the object must have both a bigger part it originates from and a smaller part that further roots from it. There are countless examples and evidences I can throw at you, but no one will truly comprehend the essence of the term “fragment”.

It’s difficult and interesting, the potential the term “fragment” holds within. The only thing we can do with this word is to use it at our own accord, and create it in stories, essays, articles, and in different types of media. Although shrouded in the curtain of mist called philosophy, what we do is utilize it, and that is how fragments are created even at this very moment.

We create fragments through using them.

• 37 •

FRAGMENT SERIES

The Scattered Fragments of Memory

Have you ever wondered why memories get lost, even though you don’t want it to?

Yeasung Lee

“Remember when … “

Whether with family members or a friend, that moment when you realise others that share the same memories, you cannot help yourself from smiling. Our world runs fast with unexpected surprises and events that tire us up. However, time does not stop and our life is ongoing. You would never be able to stop at a moment when you would like time to stop. You will have to pass by it to face different, thrilling, heart breaking, joyful moments that awaits you. Our busy life is built up of innumerable moments—from minor memories to major memories and from happy memories to sad memories. Our brains are unable to keep track of all the moments that take up our lives and that is why, unfortunately, some memories stay with us forever while some disappear temporarily or even permanently.

The mystery behind our precious memories is that some stay with us while some are gone forever, unable to be remembered again. For the past decades, scientists have determined that there are two memory systems in our brains. The short-term or working memory holds brief information about what we think at one moment.

The long-term memory or long-lasting memory, on the other hand, can hold massive amounts of information that we absorb throughout our lives, but may not necessarily be clear or specific. However, a cognitive neuroscientist Timothy F.Brady and his colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggested that long-term memories are not as unspecific as we think.

Their new research has convincing evidence that the massive amounts of information that we hold in our long-lasting memories are actually detailed, because we leave hints and pieces of memories in detailed and precise forms. This leads back to the mystery of why our brains can’t get hold of some memories. If our memories are kept with specific information, why can’t we remember the details of an event? Nobody is sure about this. However, the most popular theory suggests that although our brain leaves detailed representations of our memories, we can’t always find the information when we want it. Actual research reveals that if we are shown an object, we can often be very accurate and precise at being able to remember whether we have seen it before. However, research continues to reveal the secret for us to be able to voluntarily search our memory for the right answer.

• 38 •

“Time flies. The years go by and life takes its own turns, but memories remain forever.”

Although not all memories are remembered and found, our dearest memories and strongest memories tend to stay. Unfortunate, but true; painful memories tend to linger us all the time. The Hebbian plasticity theory suggests a reason for why painful memories are so vivid and strong. The theory states that in the face of trauma, more neurons in the brain fire electrical impulses altogether at the same time, making stronger connections to each other than in normal situations. Stronger connections are what make stronger memories. Everyone has horrible memories and scientists are trying to find the answer of how the Hebbian plasticity works, so that they can develop treatments to help people who are suffering from unpleasant memories—patients of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

However, strong memories are not the only ones that stay with us. The complete opposite; joyful, memorable, significant memories also keep their place in our minds.

A typical example would be childhood memories. Childhood memories are often the dearest memories that tempt you to return. Scientists suggest three reasons why childhood memories are so strong. Firstly, childhood memories help you to build a sense of self-continuity or personal identity. As you recall those memories, you feel “I am still the same person I was before” or “I have changed from who I was before”. The experiences and personal values that are shown in childhood memories often support individuals to grow stronger. Secondly, childhood was when all of your experiences were lessons of decision making and acknowledging. Thus, memories from that time serve as directive functions and guide behaviors. You recall those memories when you try to avoid repeating past mistakes. Lastly, childhood memories remind you of when you were naive and faithful in bonding relationships. The first experiences of communication and interaction with others act as a key significance to our childhood memories.

Apart from these three reasons for why we miss our childhood so much, childhood memories are so dear because we can never go back. In fact, all dear memories are so strong because of the same reason. Time pass by and the people, environment and even ourselves change. Everything changes and ages with time, but only memories stay with us forever, unchanged. Since memories shined so beautifully at the moment but can never come back, memories are so important to us. Whenever with your family or friends, try to recall memories of the past that you share with them. You will not be able to help yourself from smiling. Go find the scattered fragments of memory.

“Remember when …”

• 39 •

Diffusion by Fusion

Joon young Huh & Brian Ha, Year 9 What do you think of Korean food? Many foreigners say Korean dishes are far too spicy and salty, while others fall in love with them. In order to attract the foreigners in Korea, many restaurants create ‘fusion dishes’, which refer to dishes that combine the culinary traditions of various cultures. However, a controversy over fusion dishes persist; while some call for assimilation of cultures through food, some take offense at the thought of ‘contaminating’ Korean culture with foreign inputs. To jump to the conclusion, we think there is little, if any, problems with creating fun fusion dishes.

But at the same time, we know there are many out there who would disagree. So, to answer the question once and for all, we asked the students and teachers of NLCS Jeju from a variety of cultures to find out what they think of Korean food, and what should be done about fusion dishes.

Lu Feng Son, Year 9, from China

Q. What do you think of Korean food?

A. I actually like Korean food. It’s not too different from Chinese food.

But sometimes when I am provided a Korean dish that is too spicy, I try to avoid eating it because I hate spicy food.

Q. Then what can make Korean food more approachable for foreigners?

A. I think if Korean food is less spicy and a little saltier it will be more popular among foreign people with tastes like myself. As you know, many cultures don’t have dishes as spicy as Korean ones, while some cultures enjoy dishes with much more salt than most Korean dishes. Oh, also, I think there should be more fried dishes if Korean dishes were to attract foreigners.

Q. Then do you agree with ‘fusion’ dishes?

A. Yes, of Course. That way, I think many more foreigners will be able to enjoy more Korean food, which will help the globalisation of Korea and its culture.

• 40 •

Minhong Bae, Year 9, from South Korea

Q. What do you think of Korean food?

A. Since I’m Korean, I don’t have any problems with Korean food. Still, it’s true that there are ones that I like as well as ones I dislike.

Q. Then what can make foreigners be more familiar with Korean food?

A. I’m really not sure, but I know many people from outside of Korea struggle with the more spicy dishes, so perhaps promoting the less spicy dishes would help.

Q. Then do you agree with creating fusion dishes?

A. To be honest, I’m against fusion dishes. As a Korean, I feel proud of Korea’s unique and magnificent culinary traditions, and so I think we should protect the authenticity of what little tradition we have left, as much as we possibly can. Fusion dishes for me represent loss of identity as well as disastrous taste - I believe, as proud Koreans, we shouldn’t create such strange in-betweens.

Mr. Malley, BHM of Sarah House, from the UK

Q. What do you think of Korean food?

A. I actually quite enjoy Korean food, and I don’t understand why people say Korean foods are too spicy. I especially think kimchi is wonderful. I also particularly like the Korean seafood restaurants, because although the seafoods are rather expensive, the restaurants serve so many side-dishes that they can barely fit on a single table.

Q. Then what can make foreigners be more familiar with Korean food?

A. I think the key to making Korean cuisine more attractive for people from a broader range of backgrounds is adding a wider range of carbohydrate sources. Rice is central to Korean diet, so it’s understandable that it can be rather difficult for people whose staple diet isn’t rice to get used to Korean meals that are heavily based on rice.

Q. Then do you agree with creating fusion dishes?

A. I agree with creating fusion dishes, because as the saying goes, it will be killing two birds with the same stone. Fusion dishes will attract more foreigners to visit Korea, and that would subsequently lead to much positive economic effects. I don’t see why not.

• 41 •

We have seen a variety of opinions. While some claim that fusion dishes will definitely be a great variation, some assert that spread of fusion dishes can lead to the loss of Korean traditions. It seems that the controversy is truly difficult to resolve - both sides of the argument seems equally reasonable, and the decision is a matter of a wide variety of factors ranging from one’s own values and beliefs to one’s definition of national identity. As trivial as the topic of fusion dishes sounds, it seems like it indeed does pose a grave question. Now, rather than hastily drawing a conclusion, we invite you to answer it for yourself.

• 42 •

Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

Walt Whitman, American poet and journalist

• 43 •

THE JUNIOR SCHOOL ISLANDER

• 44 •

Senseless Culture - Not a Tradition Yeonju Shin, 7GL

“If you do not create change, change will create you.”

Changes are important in every process of development. We are constantly evolving to be innovatory and developmental and this has enabled us to become the way that humanity currently is. New generations bring new thoughts, ideas and ways to make things better, yet we often accept these thoughts negatively, leaning on our context of culture and tradition. These stubborn thoughts and beliefs are what hinders the progression towards the present day and the future.

The word ‘tradition’ is used in two distinct ways. The religious tradition holds the sense of practices, beliefs and values of a religion. The traditional practices are the customs of marriage, initiation, invocation and so on. These rituals are held to bring the community as one to share values, to commemorate ancestors and to pass down generations reinforcing their identity. Once the cultures are accepted, people would consistently obey the rules and laws of their tradition. People with equal beliefs and traditions would often pass down myths, stories and beliefs that would strengthen the group to become a ‘community’ as well as a ‘clan’. On contrary, going through these processes of sharing and inheriting, we often exclude the others with different traditional rituals. In general, these strong traditions and cultures we take make us stereotypical and to regularly cross the borders of ethicality.

Although they may be traditional, there are some traditions that are unacceptable that are being performed in the international community.

These traditions are continuously being held demanding rights for cultural values.

When looking at this conception from a different standpoint, people who were being forced to follow these traditions such as foot-binding, preferences for sons and early marriages would have felt rather abused and alienated. After all, some of the traditional practices could be looked as a senseless and destructive act of a certain group of people purposed to fulfill the function of their beliefs. If a traditional practice is adverse or unfair to a large group of people, either physically or mentally it has to be modified.

• 45 •

The traditions that change and adapt through time has better possibility of being inherited. We need not insist on our traditions nor judge others for breaking traditions. We need not let our younger generations to carry on worrying about losing their traditions. Let’s question ourselves. Are our traditional practices life-affirming?

Is the whole community included? Does it affirm the equality of different genders?

Does it appreciate the existence of every human being? Does it help you to share your beliefs, stories and identities? Does it help rather than harm?

• 46 •

• 47 •

How Do Traditions Come To Be Traditions?

Angela Joo, 5EB

There are traditions all around the world. But some wonder how could traditions come to be traditions. They say, if we start to do something, is that a tradition? It’s really not obvious.

The first meaning of traditions is of a belief or behaviour that is passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with originates in the past. Some kind of Hanbok or Kimono would be examples of this as a form of traditional clothes. Nevertheless, some are confused with meaning of custom.

Another concept of tradition is the meaning of custom: this being an action or way of behaving that is usual and traditional among the people in a particular group or place.

Custom is indeed like traditions but the chronological order is different.

Moving on, with traditions, you can make your own. What do I mean by this? For instance, you are decorating your Christmas tree, but are you going to follow your nan’s way for your entire life? Of course not. You might now be influenced by a different social understanding of Christmas or you may be living in an environment completely opposite to your grandma’s. As such, you adapt the traditions. Therefore, by changing it and doing it your own way, a new set of traditions are born for you. However, some say what about Kimchi, a traditional food of Korea, which has stayed and will most probably remain the traditional food of Korea. A Korean national may change how they serve it or its flavour, but it will always remain a tradition of the Korean culture and never be truly your own tradition. It would seem the amount of people that a tradition affects equally has an affect on how permanent a tradition is.

Therefore, how traditions come to be traditions can not be as clear cut as I would have imagined. We can start something that is passed on, however it evolves as time passes. Is it still the same tradition? Perhaps not but it still gives us a meaning of custom while also making us feel that we are part of a greater whole.

• 48 •

photo: www.korea.net

How Korean Traditional Food Was Spread: Secret Revealed Sarah Yoo, 7GN

• 49 •

When you were little, do you remember travelling to a foreign country and asking yourself, ‘Why isn’t there any kimchi, rice and any Korean traditional food in this country!’? Well, that was the first sentence I said the night I arrived at Singapore for the first time. As time went, I could find Japanese, Chinese, French restaurants around but that made me wonder why there wasn’t any KOREAN food around. On the other hand, when I visited Singapore recently, I found small bags of kimchi in the supermarket near the hotel, and even found a kimchi flavoured soda, plus a lot of ‘made in Korea’ products in shops. Travelling always seems to make one ponder ; How did Korean Food develop so quickly? Do people in Singapore, or any other countries, honestly ‘like’ Korean traditional food?’ In addition, as I watched recent TV shows where people from different countries currently living in Korea talk about the current issues, I again wondered about the secret behind the rapid development of Korean traditional food.

The SECRET is revealed in this article!!!

Korean immigration was a huge factor. Throughout 1970s and 1980s, Korean immigration to the United States increased dramatically and as a result, spread a lot of Korean culture like Korean traditional food. However, what also played a big role was the United States Force in Korea, the USFK. To the soldiers living in Korea, Kimchi and many other Korean foods were unutterably unfamiliar. However, as they lived in Korea, they had lots of chances to know about them, and that’s how kimchi was spread to the USA. This new spicy taste affected the American diet and consequently food with hot spice was beloved between Americans, and kimchi became not so weird after all. Also, Korean traditional food, which is mainly made out of vegetables, helped Americans lose weight and nowadays people view Korean traditional food as a new type of diet.

Getting China to learn about Korean food was another huge factor, as the Chinese population is humongous. Before a decade ago, Chinese people were not that interested in Korean food. However, after South Korea overcame the SARS outbreak with no deaths in 2003, Chinese people started to think that something in the traditional Korean diet made Koreans immune to the SARS virus and frantically began to look for kimchi along with many other traditional dishes.

How did Japanese people get to know about Korean traditional food? In the 1970s, meat consumption in Japan began to rise and from Korean people living in Japan, the local people learnt that kimchi and meat like bulgogi tasted tremendous when eaten together, therefore that was how the Japanese people got interested in Korean dishes. Later in the 1980s, as spicy food gained popularity in Japa, Korea began exporting kimchi to Japan.

Frankly saying, I didn’t even know Korean food had these massive impacts on the world, even as a Korean. I didn’t know that restaurants like Busan BBQ and Galbi Bros even existed, moreover that they were creating public interest about Korean traditional food. On the other hand, I was curious about how Korean food spread so quickly.

Well, actually Korean food was not spread so rapidly, but little by little, slowly but surely gaining interest over a few episodes that made it possible.

• 50 •

The Gap Assistants Yeonju Shin, 7GL

New NLCS students are always curious about Gap Assistants when they first arrive.

To give the new students an idea about the Gap Assistants, I will explain about the Gap Assistant’s traditions and their duties.

Gap year is a period of time during which a student has various experiences and takes a break from studying after they have finished high school and before they start college or university.

The Gap Assistants programme started from 1960, in the UK. After the gap assistant system became well known, most of the European countries started to reflect this system. Finally, in the 21st century, Japan and Korea began to use this system as well.

Originally in Britain and the United States, they had this opportunity when they finished middle school (years 7~9), but now it has been changed to when students finish high school (years 10~13).

At NLCS Jeju, staff members help Gap assistants to have various experiences and tasks. Gap assistants help students to achieve success in their work. At the same time, they prepare for their university or college. Through the boarding house programme, co-curricular programme and Bryant activities, they get a variety of unique experiences.

To know their special experience, I spoke to ‘Emily’ who was a former gap assistant in Geomun girl’s boarding house. She worked as a gap assistant for six months. During the school day, she helped out in lessons and departments of English, French and ESL. Sometimes she helped with the administration tasks. When the school day was over, she helped house staff and students. She checked students to make sure they were focused on their prep and she made fun activities for the boarding students.

While being a Gap assistants, she had some things she desired but couldn’t have. She liked to sleep a lot, but she couldn’t. She had many jobs so she always had to go to bed at eleven and wake up at seven. She didn’t have enough time to take a rest.

She wanted some more time to take a rest . Also, she wanted students to wave their hands and say “Hello” to her . Even just hearing the word ”Hello” made her very happy.

One thoroughly hopes for bright future about the gap assistants who are an integral part of our school and are slowly becoming a traditional part of what we experience at NCLS Jeju.

• 51 •

Traditional Folk Remedies of Korea; Do They Really Work?

Bonnie Hyun, 7GN

The definitions of the folk remedies are ‘the treatment using the medicines that we can get easily’ or ’the simple things we can do in our life’. Most of the folk remedies came from Africa and Asia. Korea, part of Asia, is one of the countries that accepts folk remedies. In the past, when the medical treatment or medicines hadn’t developed, people started to make their own treatments to prevent illness. So what they created was folk remedies, as they used what was around them, and this has continued until now.

There are lots of folk remedies that are currently being used in our daily life.

For example, if we accidently bite the inner part of our cheeks and bleed, holding cold water in our mouth for several minutes is traditionally passed down as a treatment.

When it stops bleeding, holding honey or green tea in our mouth for another several minutes helps. Honey and green tea are good for curing a wound. Also, if we have a stomach ache, rub the stomach gently drawing a circle. Rubbing the stomach is good for circulation of blood and digestion.

However not all folk remedies work. Truly, there was a famous movie in Korea, called ‘서부전선 (The Long Way Home)’,and in that movie one of the men got stung by a bee, and the other man applied doenjang (Traditional Korean soybean paste) to the skin, which is a traditional folk remedies in Korea. Several minutes later, the bruise inflated and caused an even bigger problem. We must remove the sting first in this situation. The side effects of Traditional korean folk remedies usually appear in Korean dramas too.

Recently there was a popular Korean drama “응답하라 1988 (Reply 1988)”, and one of the main characters who had a problem with hemorrhoids, so he performed an enema using a clove of garlic! He was carried away to hospital straight away by an ambulance.

But there are plenty of folk remedies, that really work too.

Sometimes we can get lots of good advice that is easy to carry out in our daily life.

For example, there was a woman who had a problem of coughing. She got a nasty cold so she surfed the internet, and finally found a folk remedy good for stopping coughs.

She bought some yoghurts, put it into a hot pot, boiled it down and drunk it. It was effective and her cough became better and better. This is something many Koreans use to this day.

There are lots of traditional folk remedies in Korea and around the world. And because there are lots of them, some might have a real helpful effect for our body but some might cause bigger problems. Also, people have different constitutions. For example, if we imagine two people A and B, who had very different constitutions and tried the same folk remedy. A became better but B got even worse. It might depend on the constitution that each person have, and though it may seem that many folk remedies do not work, perhaps for the person who created it, it worked a treat. Nevertheless, when faced with a headache, some simple pain relief is probably what everyone will reach into their cupboard for.

• 52 •

• 53 •

Where Did The Tradition Of Giving Eggs On Easter Come From?

Angela Seo, 7GN

Everybody is looking forward to Easter these days. Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays and this year, it’s held on the 27th of March 2016. he Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on this day and give each other Easter eggs and edible chocolate bunnies, colourfully decorated. But do you really know where the tradition of giving eggs at Easter came from?

Many Christians worldwide celebrate Easter with music, special church services, candlelight, flowers and the ringing of the church bells. No one actually knows when the egg started to be used as a symbol in the festival time, however it has known to be long before Jesus’ time.

Long ago, people gave gifts of eggs carved from wood or precious stone. The first edible eggs that were eaten were made in the last 110 years from sugar and marzipan.

Since then chocolate eggs have become very popular and began to be given at Easter.

The name ‘Easter’ is originated from Eostre, the goddess of spring and sunrise. She is also known as Eastre. The direction of Sunrise, East, is named after her. Eostre’s sacred animal is a rabbit and the egg symbolizes fertile purity. So Easter eggs are packed with symbolic meanings of rebirth and renewal. For Christians the egg is a symbol of Jesus’ resurrection, as when they are cracked open, they stand for an empty tomb and the egg can also be an ancient symbol of new life.

This year in 2016, we have Easter on Sunday 27th of March. Let’s all enjoy Easter having chocolate eggs, remembering where it came from and what it symbolizes.

• 54 •

Travellers and local Christians in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel.

The church receives many Christians during Easter.

This picture was taken by our graphic designer Myung-hee.

• 55 •

A Rugby Tournament to Remember, Score Lines to Forget!

Mr Maher

Developing a great sporting tradition at NLCS Jeju, the school hosted an excellent Rugby tournament on the last weekend before we broke up for the winter break. The school invited Dulwich College Shanghai, and British International School Shanghai to compete in a Festival of Rugby over the weekend of 5 th December.

Friday saw some short fun games, ten a side, with all teams checking each other out for the serious matches on Saturday. Seyeon Kim says that ‘I checked out who were the fast guys, the slow guys, who I could run into and run around’. The opposition did the same! Having met both teams twice before all players were fairly familiar with the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats each other posed.

NLCS fielded two teams in these matches, Blue and Gold. Mr. Long is not from Tipperary but obviously forgot this when picking the colours! Red and white would be more in keeping. However the NLCS Blue team beat BISS 7-3, the Gold team defeated DCS 7-0 and BISS 17 – 0 while the Blue team drew nil all with DCS. A lot was expected of the NLCS team, particularly as a unified team would be fielded by NLCS next day.

On a bright, cool Saturday morning, Junior School children ran out to play a variety of matches and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, running in tries from all directions.

The satisfaction showed on their faces as they grappled with each other and the ball, eluded the opposition by running wide and firmly planting the ball beyond the try line. As Mr. Mills said, after refereeing, “Rugby was the winner.”

The weather remained crisp and clear as busloads of NLCS students made their way

• 56 •

with their House staff to the pitch to cheer on their team. Upwards of a hundred students, staff, parents and well-wishers hogged the side lines to get a better view of proceedings. Refreshments for players were provided in a small marquee while students could support a Year 12 committee fund raising drive ably organized by Jenny Oh, Kelly Kim, Minki Park, Adrianne Hwang, Steven Hwang and Chaee Kim.

With eager anticipation, the first match started. NLCS played DCS. Missing their captain, Stephano Hyun, the game commenced with the crowd only having “handbags” for entertainment and NLCS were down a try. When Tom Kim was fed the ball and shimmied his way around a number of players to score, the game came alive. This set up an entertaining game with NLCS doing a lot of the attacking and successfully prodding the opposition defence, which proved shaky. This was a bit of a grudge match as NLCS had lost to DCS in the final of ACAMIS a few months earlier.

NLCS eventually ran out the winners by about 14 points. The actual score has been lost in the myth building up about the prowess of the NLCS Rugby boys!

Spectators began drifting to the return busses as DCS took on BISS, which is just as well because when NLCS came to play BISS, tired from earlier encounters, they lost by about 7 points. However the after party, DJed by Daniel Peck was a roaring success, everybody forgot their earlier altercations and the Shanghai boys went home having very much enjoyed their weekend and looking forward to hosting a tournament in March. The support given by the school was reminiscent of the kind of support students, staff and parents provide in the UK and long may this continue on our enclave in Jeju.

• 57 •

• 58 •

Badminton Squad

Juhyun Kim

Badminton has established itself as a premier sport at NLCS Jeju.

Juhyun Kim (Year 11) profiles a number of the leading lights in the NLCS Badminton squad.

Minjoo Jeong Year 12

Soyoung (Innes) Kim Year 11 Who is good at badminton?

The ones who are speedy and fast in reacting.

Juhyun Kim Year 11 Who is good at badminton?

One’s who have enthusiasm and passion in badminton.

When did you start badminton?

Since I was nine years old.

Badminton is great because…

I can play inside, without getting affected by the weather (it ruins my hair and I am worth it!) as it is an individual sport. Also, it allows me to challenge myself.

Who is good at badminton?

People who are committed and come to every practice.

Inji Park Year 10 Who is the best player in the school?

Minjoo Jeong among the girls.

• 59 •

Badminton is great because… it requires physical coordination.

What is your favourite shot?

Smash and dropshot.

Badminton is great because… it makes me enjoy life and move smartly.

What is your favourite shot?

Short shots that make the opposition run.

Badminton is great because… it requires a lot of techniques.

Soh Ohn Park Year 10 Who makes the best badminton players?

People who are fit and fast reacting because badminton requires a lot of fitness.

Woo Seok Shin Year 10 Why did you join NLCS Jeju badminton squad?

I wanted to learn skills like a profession and try this out at matches.

Inwoo Lee Year 10 Who is your favourite player?

Lee Yong Dae What is your favourite shot?

Smashing.

Geon Woo Kim Year 10 Who is the best player at NLCS Jeju?

Me - Geon woo Kim. Is my head still growing?

Who is your favourite player?

Woong ji Jung

Who is your favourite player?

Lin Dan Who is the best player in the school?

Woong Ji Jeong

Who makes the best badminton players?

Who have enthusiasm on badminton.

Andrew Kim Year 12

Badminton is great because… it makes me happy.

What is your favourite shot?

Butterfly shot.

When did you start playing?

From year 6.

Who makes the best badminton players?

Active people.

Who is the best badminton player in the school?

Ted Cho

Kyeong Hwan (Bradley) Min Year 11 Favourite shot?

Drop is my favourite shot, especially the trick drop shot. Since I am very short in height, I like tricking people with this shot.

• 60 •

Who makes the best badminton players?

Who have enthusiasm on badminton.

Who is your favourite player?

Peter Gade Why did you join the NLCS Jeju badminton squad?

I like all Racket sports, including badminton.

Woo Hyun Yang Year 10 Why did you join the badminton squad?

Because it is the only sport I am good at and enjoy playing. Also, I wanted to compete against other schools so I joined the squad.

Who is the best player in NLCS Jeju?

Woongji Jeong.

Badminton is great because… not even one mistake(bounce) is allowed. It is pure skill without much luck.

Jeongwoo Nick Kim Year 10 Who is good at badminton?

A person who is tall and agile.

Badminton is great because… you need to control yourself in a small, specific area.

Joong Wook Ryu Year 10

Woong Ji Jung Year 10

Why did you join NLCS Jeju badminton squad?

I started badminton for my school curriculum, and I found it very interesting.

When did you start playing badminton?

When I was 7 years old.

Why did you join the NLCS Jeju badminton squad?

I was a badminton player in the past.

Who makes the best badminton players?

Players who are fit, fast and strong.

What is your favourite shot?

I love smash.

Why did you take up badminton?

Since badminton is quite famous sport in South Korea, I asked my parents to teach me.

Written by the NLCS Jeju Badminton Squad

• 61 •

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

Milton Berle, American Actor

• 62 •

Designed by Diane Da-Eun Lee

BULLFIGHTING:

Cool Fighting?

by Dain Ahn and Chloe Moon, Year 10s

A fictional piece discussing the controversy over the tradition of Bullfighting from different viewpoints.

• 63 •

Illustration by Jane Lee, Designed by Diane Lee

PETA CHIEF I am the chief of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA is an organisation that take actions to enhance the treatment of animals. We focus especially on four areas; factory farms, the clothing trade, laboratories, and in the entertainment industry. Bullfighting is a huge breach on our ideas about the proper treatment of animals in entertainment, and so I believe bullfighting should be banned.

In a typical bullfight, the bull is mentally tormented before being forced to enter the arena, where it is subject to cruel attacks. They are gouged by lances, harpooned by brightly coloured rods, and finally brought to death by a blow from a sword. It’s a repetitive sadistic cycle that goes on and on - a cycle of ritualistic slaughter.

Bulls are not the only animals killed in a bullfighting show; horses, the forgotten victims, are also killed. This is done through the most imaginative and horrible ways.

Horses are often gored by bulls, despite the fact that they are wearing “petos” to protect themselves. They are blindfolded to prevent them from panicking because of the rush of the bull. In addition, their ears are covered with cotton-wool to prevent hysteria and their vocal chords are cut to avoid screaming. In the end, horses bleed to death after giving the bloodthirsty crowd a satisfying “entertainment”. This cruel and inhumane form of entertainment is regarded as tradition and “cultural heritage”. How ironic is this?

PETA is devoted to the heightening of animal welfare and treatment, and bullfighting is most definitely a tradition of tragedy that must be brought to a close. Animals must not be used wrongly for the entertainment of humans.

• 64 •

• 65 •

Illustration by Jane Lee, Designed by Diane Lee

SPECTATOR I’m the president of the bullfighter Casimiro’s fan club, Chad. As you might have noticed from my title, I am a huge fan of bullfighting, and especially, a particular bullfighter. I fell in love with Casimiro when I first watched his bullfights in Spain. I was in Spain for a holiday and decided to stay because of him. Not only is his appearance attractive, but his movements are so dextrous and charismatic. Thanks to him, I got interested in bullfighting, which eventually led me to join his fan club. I studied diligently about bullfighting and during my studies, I found that Casimiro, my idol, is the most famous and skillful bullfighter. This made me pay more attention to him. I watch the bullfight show twice a week and the reason for that is that when I watch the show, I feel excited, inspired, and delighted. He acts as if he is in a passionate and exhilarating relationship with the bull. Every movement of his joints captures my heart and captivates me by his avoiding skills. I cannot stop fawning over him.

Some people call bullfighting barbaric, and cruel. The animals don’t suffer as much in the modern rings; that’s all old-fashioned rubbish. What’s more, bullfighting is an art! There are huge crowds and the performers wear fabulous outfits.

There’s a reason why matadors were thought to be regal in the old days. They look simply splendid in their full gear in the arena.

At a show there’s always a buzz of excitement in the air, and heated debates over the day’s fights. Banning bullfighting? That’s like banning football from England and rugby from Wales. It just can’t be done! It’s a tradition, an artform and sport in Spain, which also powers its economy. I say keep the tradition going!

• 66 •

Courtesey of our graphic desiger Myung-Hee The picture was taken in Mijas, Spain 2011.

• 67 •

THE YELLOW IDIOT BOX JINI SO JIMIN BANG

• 68 •

Designed by Diane Da-Eun Lee

• 69 •

Small Delights: Selected Poems Wonseo Cho, Kyungjoon Jang, led by Jinn Park,

Breaking FreeIn this edition of the Islanders, we decided to break away from the traditional articles and try something wildly new. Here we present three poems written by two Year 11 boys, Wonseo Cho (Mulchat) and Kyung Joon Jang (Jeoji), both of whom never expressed poetic sentiment before. Also, two additional poems are presented, both written by the Year 12 student editor, Jinn Park. Hope you enjoy our little spark of sentimentality.

Trench Coat

Wonseo Cho

Before the Sun

Wonseo Cho

The Last Escape

KyungJoon Jang

Nightwalk

Jinn Park

Pomegranate

Jinn Park

• 70 •

Designed by Diane Lee

T r e n c h C o a t Wonseo Cho

The Lady Walking, on trail of plain white cover.

I saw a person not shadyPrayed, that her smile remain forever.

Never saw a lady that bright SuddenSmall flakes from heaven, Angels in a pillow fight.

The blissful thoughts.

I wished I could be, her worn coat So beautiful; I would never find a word To fully describe her grace.

• 71 •

Oil paint by Deborah Lee, Designed by Diane Lee

Before the Sun Wonseo Cho

Now winter’s here, blooming isn’t far away.

Already you have the blossom.

We will now see the bliss of the day, And remember where we started from.

Although we met young, we are growing old And our cherished, blooms a while.

Allow your thickness of love to be bold, We shall welcome new days with a smile.

Let me take your hands and begin the story Before the sun melts all our memories.

• 72 •

Photographed by Sydney Shinoo Kang, Designed by Diane Lee

THE LAST ESCAPE Kyung Joon Jang

On the day of the great escape Footsteps headed my way Behind me was the dying sun and Down the lane came brothers and friends.

My companions, we’ve made it to the end!

At last, we feel the freshened silence hugging our ears.

No one can say how we made the great escape.

Some were too flare, some too gloom, like the missing piece of a puzzle.

Yesterday. The bars of the cage and the stripes of our uniform stared into each other for so long- as if they belong to one.

When it was time for us to run, there came a tremor; we dashed through the hall’s colonnade.

One chased after you, another after me.

Lost us, thrashed their guns at the hollow air.

Every footstep was followed by a loud bang, We had no choice but to pray for those tall gates to stay open.

Every gasp of air could’ve been our last but here we are, children of smoke.

As we gaze at the dimming sun, we shall laugh off, andrun inside, to wait. \

• 73 •

Designed by Diane Lee

• 74 •

Jinn Park Chequered gifts handful Red tie, slips away zealous a fruit of cupid-

ah, my lolita

bite into my pomegranate let me reel in your bitter moan.

• 75 •

Designed by Diane Lee

Pomegranate

Jessica Jeong, Adrienne Yoon, Chaeyeoun Min; Year 9s

O

Illustrated by Jane Lee, Designed by Diane Lee

KongG and the BEANSTALK

The stepmother and PatG gave all kinds of dirty and hard work to KongG, laughing their heads off as they watched her work night and day. She had to farm a whole plot of land by herself to earn money which was then wasted by PatG and the stepmother. Since KongG, like any other main character in a fairytale was too stupid- I mean, kind- to complain.

nce upon time, in a small town, a beautiful girl named KongG lived with her parents. Her parents loved her so much and KongG also loved her parents so much. They were a perfect family. Sadly, on a random sunny day, KongG’s mother caught the deadliest disease and died, leaving KongG and her father deserted. KongG’s father cried everyday, missing his wife that he used to love and adore so much.

After mourning her for a week, KongG’s father brought home a new wife (for KongG’s sake, said he- but was it really?), a stepmother for KongG. The stepmother had a daughter named PatG. PatG and the stepmother acted as if they loved KongG whenever her father was nearby. They shared their beautiful dresses and adorable accessories with her and respected her as if KongG were their real family.

However, when KongG’s father wasn’t there, they would pretend that she was invisible. KongG felt left out, but she was kind- stupidly kind, to be honestso she decided not to tell her father, for the step family’s sake.

But life had in store another “twist” just for her, nicely wrapped and ready to be shoved in her face.

After a few months, KongG’s father followed her mother to heaven leaving poor little KongG all alone with her stepmother and PatG. After the father’s death, the stepmother and PatG turned into two little sadistic devils.

One day, KongG was working by herself when she heard a small squeak nearby in the field. The constant squeaking noise sounded as if it was desperately waiting for help. KongG, slightly annoyed, but too kind-hearted to ignore it, ran off to help the person… Only it turned out it wasn’t a person, it was a small brown sparrow. The sparrow flapped it’s wings trying to move, but its legs were broken. KongG saw the brown sparrow and ran off to get a piece of cloth. She tied the cloth as carefully as she could and straightened the broken leg of the brown sparrow. The brown sparrow flapped it’s wings again, and despite the fact that KongG was not medically trained in any ways, the bird was magically cured!

The brown sparrow flew over KongG’s head, and chipped a song of promise to return the help she gave it, although KongG didn’t understand a chirp.

• 76 •

A few days after the accident, the brown sparrow flew back to KongG while she was working in the field as usual. The brown sparrow sat in front of KongG and gave her a small, green bean on the palm her right hand. The brown sparrow flew away, without a single chirp. KongG knew the bean was a gift from brown sparrow, a token of its appreciation. Although she was slightly irritated that she was given a bean in exchange for saving its life, she dutifully planted the bean at the corner of the field when the stepmother and PatG were sleeping.

PatG eating all the food. The leaves closed at night, giving a warm, safe place for KongG to sleep, as if they knew how her life was so miserable. After a tough journey, she finally stepped on to the cloud in the sky at the top of the beanstalk.

She was awed by the beauty of the heavenly scene. Beneath her feet she could feel the soft clouds. KongG had always wondered what it would be like to touch the cloud; it was exactly like what she dreamed of, or even better. Pleasant breezes tickled her pink cheek as they passed by. The sky was burning in all kinds of colours. Then, a spark of light struck KongG and woke her from the fantasy. Instinctively, she held out her hand to block the bright light hindering her sight. Moving away from the flashes, KongG’s eyes followed where the light lead to. At the end of the light’s path stood a brick house. (Yes, I’m aware that a brick house on the cloud is physically impossible considering that cloud is basically groups of water vapor. But this is a fairytale.

Put up with it.)

The next day, PatG and the stepmother was busy getting ready to go to the royal party and to see the prince. They heard that the prince was unmarried and immediately assumed that he must be in want of a wife.

After dressing up as luxuriously as they could, they went off to the party, leaving KongG at home to do the cleaning.

Miserable and feeling excluded, KongG went to the back garden to check on her bean, and there, in place of the little mound of soil she covered her bean with was a giant green beanstalk. It was so big that it reached into the sky, and the end was not visible. KongG decided to go up the beanstalk, mainly because she needed some sort of excitement in her miserable little life but also because she had this sudden impulse to see the step-family’s reaction when they came back home to see her crushed body beneath a giant beanstalk. So although her rationality screamed at her, “DO NOT CLIMB UP THAT BEANSTALK, IDIOT!” she ignored it and started climbing it.

KongG climbed up the thick dark green beanstalk step by step, trying her best not to fall down to the ground. Days passed, and she rested by the leaves that that were so thick that it could support KongG’s weight. It wasn’t a surprise really, because she was already seriously underweight, thanks to the greedy stepmother and

The door of the house in front of KongG was enormous; the house seemed fit only for a giant. KongG gulped once and bravely knocked on the door.

Silence.

She tried once more.

Silence again.

KongG carefully pushed the door.

The door opened without a single creak. The house was quite dark; all the blinds were down. A speck of light, some distance away, was all that was in KongG’s vision, so she had no choice but to head that way.

KongG was surprised to find a beautiful dress underneath the light. One glance was enough to know that the dress fit her perfectly.

• 77 •

KongG fell in a deep moral dilemma. Take the dress with her, and she could go to the party and dance gracefully with the prince, but, the dress was not hers. What if the owner became angry after finding out the disappearance of the dress? But he would not know that it was KongG. Besides, nobody would ever know that she even visited this place at all!

KongG’s hands trembled as they clutched onto the dress. KongG ran and ran, not daring to look back.

Just then a boy, just about KongG’s age, came into her view. She ran to him, very surprised.

“Hey! What are you doing here? Who are you?”

“Who are YOU?” the boy asked, even more shocked than KongG. “I’m KongG. I’m from … the village just down here.

Where do you come from?”

The boy was from a village far away from hers, and he came here climbing the magic beanstalk KongG used. Surprisingly, he had stolen a golden harp from the same house where KongG stole the dress.

“Where did you get the beans, then?”

“I exchanged them with the only cow we had. Apparently my mother was angry and she threw the beans outside, and the next day, I’ve seen what you’ve seen.”

“Well, you said you stole that harp… Do you know who owns it?” KongG asked, trying her best to disguise her critical tone.

“Are you trying to tell me stealing is wrong? You wouldn’t if you knew how I have lived. Besides, I think I’m not the only one who should be ashamed.”

Jack replied, eyeing the dress KongG held.

“Well, I was just curious. I, I think I should head down quick. My stepmother would be angry when she finds out I’m not in the house.” KongG said farewell, blushing in shame and guilt as she pretended to not notice there was an excessively shiny dress in her hands.

“Yeah, well, good bye!” Jack said, hurrying down his beanstalk.

Down and down she went. She didn’t stop, rest or take time to sleep- all she wanted to do was go to the party that her stepmother and PatG went to.

(This is what happens when you leave a child alone in a house for too long). When KongG’s feet touched the ground, she ran to her house and quickly changed to her dress. Her stepmother and stepsister were at the party again.

When KongG arrived at the party, (according to the story the party must’ve been going on for weeks now, but who cares when you’re having fun) and

found all attention on her, including that of her stepmother, stepsister, and even the prince- the prince, who was amazed by her beauty. And *GASP* the prince came and asked her for a dance!

Meanwhile, the big bad giant was so angry having found out that his magic harp was stolen by Jack that he couldn’t think of anything else other than punishing that nasty little boy. He screamed, “I don’t know who you are, but I will find you and I will KILL YOU!” (The details of how he planned to kill the boy will not be described because it may make some of our poor Year 7s cry.) He searched through the clouds to find the beanstalk which Jack climbed up to get to the village of the Giants.

The giant smiled in the most sinister smile a giant could pull off, and started to climb down the beanstalk.

He reached the ground only moments later. Amused by the sight of a small, beautiful village, he went looking for Jack thumping and pounding on the soft ground with his giant feet. But instead of finding Jack, the giant bumped into KongG; the beanstalk he climbed down brought him to Korea rather than England.

Nonetheless, hoping to find some clues to the boy’s whereabouts, he asked KongG if she knew a boy who stole his harp. It was a little foolish of the giant assuming that anyone would have the answer to his question, considering he lived up in the clouds, but he was lucky that it was KongG who knew perfectly well what he was talking about.

“Oh, I know him! I met him there a few days ago, up there! But why are you looking for Jack? He doesn’t live in this village.”

The giant replied, “I WILL FIND HIM, KILL HIM BY-” (Details deleted.)

After listening to the most disgustingly vivid description of how the giant planned to execute Jack, KongG said, terrified, “Oh my, Mr. Giant! Why would you do such a thing to him? He is a lovely boy, although sometimes he might be a little naughty.”

The giant huffed, “THAT RASCAL STOLE MY FAVOURITE HARP!” KongG, scared of the giant and what the damage he might bring to the town when he finds Jack cried, “Oh Mr. Giant! Please forgive Jack! He is a poor boy, living with his mother. His father has passed away, and they have no money. Please, you can take me instead if you so desire to find him!”

• 78 •

Of course, KongG had no way of knowing if Jack actually was a poor boy living with her mother with no father and no money. But who cared?

“Oh Mr. Giant! KongG has been mistreated by her stepmother and her stepsister PatG for the past 12 years!”

“What? What are you? A good friend of Jack?”

“Well… Yes, I suppose so. Although we just met a few days ago.”

“What? Then how can you care so much for him? I do not understand. Are you an angel?”

“No no, of course I am not an angel. I just don’t want people to be killed in… such fashion, that’s all.”

“Little miss, you are in fact the most beautiful girl I have met in my whole lifetime. Your tenderness and love moves my heart. Make a wish, for I will help it to come true.”

“Oh, how kind of you! Thank you so much Mr. Giant, but I don’t have any wishes- I am happy as I am now.”

So PatG and the stepmother was blinded and thrown out of the town (literally thrown out) by the giant , and Jack and his mother earned lots of money using the magic harp. Well, he certainly wasn’t poor anymore. KongG was married to the prince, and everyone lived happily ever after. Well, except the little brown sparrow that KongG sold to the zoo at a handsome price.

Suddenly, the brown sparrow appeared, sat on KongG’s shoulder and chirped,

-THE END-

“Is that true?”

“Yes yes, of course!”

“How dare they mistreat such an angel like her? I must punish them!”

• 79 •

Illustrated and Designed by Diane Lee

What is

Art? Joe Lee Yr.10 Geomun Kwang Eun Yr.9 Geomun

• 80 •

Marchel Duchamp ‘Fountain’

(1917)

After World War I, Duchamp went to America and submitted a factory-made men’s urinal as his entry to the Independent Artist Association. He didn’t spend much time making this work of his. He simply bought a urinal from a store and signed a name on it. The committee discussed whether his work, ‘Fountain’, can be classified as a piece of artwork. Eventually, his work was rejected, and was not displayed in the exhibition. Duchamp, however, caused a serious controversy over what is considered as art. A realist painter, who is highly skilled at drawing an object as realistically as possible, may not have considered Duchamp’s work as an art. Duchamp, who claimed that a men’s urinal was a work of art, argued that an everyday object could be turned into an artistic creation. By doing so, Duchamp challenged the traditional notion of art.

• 81 •

Kurt Schwitters ‘Constellation’

(1920)

Kurt Schwitters is best remembered for his collages.

He made this collage, ‘Constellation’, from metal sticks, wood, ropes and scraps that he found on the streets of his home country, Germany, where he was drafted to work at a machine factory during the last stages of World War One. While working in the factory, he felt that machines could be metaphors of human activities. Such insight led him to work with the various materials he collected from the streets around the factory. As we can see in this artwork, he beautifully arranged and glued various fragments together so that the bits and pieces could come to form an artistic creation.

• 82 •

Marchel Duchamp ‘L.H.O.O.Q’

(1919)

Duchamp reproduced Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa by adding moustache and a goatee on the face.

Title of this work is L.H.O.O.Q, which is a French pun; French pronunciation of these letters sound like ‘Elle a chaud au cul’, which can be translated into ‘She is hot in the arse’. Duchamp seemed to have intended the pun to make fun of the people that insisted only traditional pieces of artwork like ‘Mona Lisa’ were valuable. Shocking as it may have been for Duchamp’s contemporaries, his criticism against the conventional form of art has survived, enabling modern-day viewers like us to enjoy and appreciate Duchamp’s humour.

• 83 •

Jean Tinguely ‘Homage to New York’

(1960)

Artist Jean Tinguely made a sculpture that combined art and technology in the Sculpture Garden of the Museum of Modern Art in New York with Billy Klüver and Robert Rauschenberg. This work performed for 27 mins during a public performance for invited guests. Professional described this work as a self-destroying mechanism.

In the end, the public browsed the remnants of the machine and took some as souvenirs.

This representation of the energy of a city that keeps rebuilding itself time after time is a good example of the different and sometimes conflicting conceptions of artists and engineers on how machines should work.

• 84 •

Illustrated and Designed by Diane Lee

What We Think We discussed whether or not Dadaism can be considered as legitimate art.

In the beginning, we thought the word ‘artistic’ only meant what is traditionally considered aesthetic on the outside.

However, investigation into the meaning behind various pieces of artwork often considered Dadaist let us conclude that an enormous range of objects can be considered artistic.

There seems to be little or no rules about what qualifies as an artwork.

Creativity, as well as skills, must be highly recognised.

Thus, it seems absurd to declare Dadaist works as non-art; indeed, the artist’s freedom to decide however and whatever they create must be respected and understood.

Joe Lee Kwang Eun

• 85 •

ORANGE YEASUNG LEE Y10 NORO

It is the monarch butterflies that paint the world in their migration season. The tiger shows it off with patterns of black, the clown fish with curtains of white. Day lilies, marigolds and California poppies in your garden, the persimmons picked by the maggots on the top of the tree. The other trees lose their leaves that were dumped in paint of the monarchs.

The elegant fox’s desirable coat, burning like fire. The light that decorates the night when children shout “Trick or Treat”. The pumpkins glare its fluorescence through its eyes and mouth, while its creamy soup warms the shivering children. It is the cheesy crackers that melt with the pungent saltiness on your tongue. The comrade of all our childhood, is the goldfish that swam in the glass, reflecting the last blending of the sun in the sky before darkness falls.

The ball bouncing on the court twirling in loops and hitting white squares on boards are like the piquant, juicy tangerines, bright upon the white snow in winter. The long noses of snowmen were once buried under the dirt, only its hair showing out. When its hair was pulled out, it showed its honey sweet colour that continued its journey down the children’s throat as carrot cake.

It symbolizes the optimistic and extroverted as well as the uninhibited as on cones and fences in construction sites. It is known as bringing back our youth, not as passionate as red, but still stimulating and exciting. It represents courage, energy, vitality, adventure and warmth, ironically being a royal in some, but a prisoner’s wear in America. It is ambiguous in the middle between go and stop, but is strong and significant as it stands for the Protestants in Northern Ireland.

The more like a peach, it puts people at ease and is gentle and soft as if a lullaby flowing through a warm breeze and more golden, it encourages vitality and control. Amber it gets, it inspires greater self-esteem and illustrates a sense of elegance. When burning, it suggests pride and tension, the darker it burns, the evil it gets being an overly selfish opportunist.

If you get what it is, why not squeeze an orange and have its sweet juice?

• 86 •

YELLOW DABIN MOON Y12 HALLA

A chick hatches from an egg. The yellow blob of life springs to life as it cracks the white egg and comes out of it. The sun is here. Warmth is here. The chick sees the bright sunlight and chirps cheerfully. It is the brightest time of the day, and the liveliest day of the year—the day of birth.

Everything is shining in yellow at the moment. Even the yellow sunflowers glance at the chick as if to say, “welcome”—welcome to this peaceful yellow world, little baby. Then there are other colours; green petals of sunflowers, a blue sky, the red comb and brown feathers of its mother. Then the chick notices that the red and brown colours mingle with the yellow colour of its beak. The white colour of the egg gets along with its own yellow feathers. The blue colour of the sky is the background for the yellow sun. The greenness of the grass and flower petals is also a background for the bold yellow sunflowers. Everything revolves around yellow.

I am yellow! I must be so important to the world I have just born in. Oh, the beautiful world is welcoming me with warmness of yellow! I am so thankful to be one happy yellow life in this colourful world.

• 87 •

SILVER

SHUNTO SHIGETOMI Y10 NORO

Silver, it is a colour that never attempts to change. It has always lain between the lines of extravagance and insufficiency, equidistant from positives and negatives. It is not as expensive or beautiful as gold, but is brighter and superior than copper. It is not black and rusty, or is it white and lustrous. Silver is what I believe to be the symbol of consistency and equality, and has acquired a unique trait, which no other colours have: the inability to change.

Every colour has its own identity, its own name, and its own background. Bleu de France, a shade of blue, is a mixture of blue and a slight shade of white. Yes, it is a type of blue, was created by blue, and it belongs to a certain category. However, silver is the one and only exception, and is always alone.

Nothing can engender silver, but many are produced by it.

Every colour reflects a part of the world. Red symbolizes blood, love, and rage, while green symbolizes nature, life, and jealousy. Purple symbolizes royalty, grandeur, and lust. But what does silver symbolize? Nothing. Some say elegance or modernization, but in reality it symbolizes nothingness and oblivion. Silver cannot be categorized, therefore unable to change.

Then we ask: what exactly is silver? Silver cannot be explained by words or phrases. Silver can be interpreted as a name for a metal represented with the initials “Au”, and is also used by many authors or poets to describe sleek, inanimate things such as moonlight and reflections of light. But if silver cannot be specified, why do many people use it? Is it because it is an ‘idee fixe’ or a rigid stereotype?

The reason is because it is irreplaceable. It is nothing, but it is something. It cannot be described, but is able to describe. It cannot be made, but is able to make. It is changeless, unexampled colour which nothing can replicate. It is a bona fide colour which completely contradicts its true meaning: it is nothing, but changes everything around it.

This is why I chose this colour. Silver both approves and disapproves of this term’s theme “Change”.

• 88 •

GIRL WITH PURPLE EYES ESTHER SONG Y12 HALLA

The founders of Blackland had been a rather simple-minded bunch.

They had been walking for long and deeply fatigued when they heard-a crunch.

This sudden rupture in their silence was soon followed by countless more, until the whole group came to a stop, feeling there was something about to explore.

Sure enough, the founders’ hunch soon proved itself to be true. When looking up from their tattered shoes, founders’ eyes were met with a sea – except it was black as could be.

“Coal,” one said, and one couldn’t have been more right.

The land was covered with mountains of coal that seemed to undulate like great waves on a turbulent night sea. It was truly a sight of stunning novelty, a sight of great wonder that could be met with nothing but glee.

And there and then, it was decided that the land should be called precisely what it presented itself to be: Blackland.

Exactly 500 years past this eventful night, a girl was born under the same setting October sky. She was an amiable little thing from the very beginning with a remarkable tendency to comply. In her mother’s belly, she was placid, and in the hours of her labour, she didn’t make her mother’s face once go wry. It seemed like the birth of a perfect little girl, and her mother joyed at the thought of having her by.

That was, until the moment she opened her eyes.

• 89 •

• 90 •

Perhaps it had been god’s will to make her so genial, so as to requite for this one patent quirk. For the girl, with her fair raven hair and soft porcelain skin, had eyes the shade of a truly peculiar hue. It was a colour never witnessed in the realms of Blackland, where all its folks blinked eyes of pitch black and all other things shades of white, brown, or blue. Hence this alien colour that the girl brought to life was naturally an object to eschew.

Rumors of witchcraft, curses, and illnesses made their way through the coal trodden roads. And soon enough it had reached the doors of all neighbours, and eventually the child’s own mother’s abode.

The loving woman, who had instantly grown to cherish her child and her strange little quirk, was heartbroken to find out that the subject of such slander was her daughter and none other. And every time her little girl looked into her eyes with those peculiar orbs, she shed a silent tear at the thought of her daughter’s bleak future and all she would suffer. However, time proved the mother’s worries wrong—for each year, the girl grew more charming in demeanor and her character into one equally gentle and strong. By the time she reached the age of 16, she was a fair maiden admired by all for her radiant disposition. Wherever she was, laughter knew no submission and joy and delight seemed to know no resignation. The colour of her eyes that had first marked her a pariah now seemed to serve as a testament to her exotic charm—indeed, her gaze now did more to enchant rather than to upset and alarm.

On the day of her 20th birthday, countless young men lined up at her doorstep to ask for her beloved hand in marriage. After some days of earnest consideration, she finally made up her mind to marry a man who could make her laugh and be merry rather than one that could give her a calf and a carriage.

This was a good man, a botanist with a true knack for finding joy in the most ordinary of things, and when she bashfully offered her hand in marriage, he was most elated and promised her she would be forever more cherished. And on the day of their wedding, the husband surprised her with a batch of flowers, the shade of her very eye colour. The girl happily took the flowers and planted them right then and there, vowing that the flowers should flourish by this time next summer.

Time continued down its relentless path, and the girl was now no longer a girl, but a content wife and the mother of three beautiful children. One of the children, the second oldest girl, had her mother’s eyes, the same peculiar shade of no given name. But of course, by then, the shade was of no unfamiliarity to the folks of Blackland.

The batch of flowers that had been planted on the day of the wedding had long made the land much of a home. The shade manifested in the backyards of the black stone houses, along the fences of the churchyard, and even in between piles of coal here and there.

Blackland was no longer a barren black, but full of the shade that the girl bore in her eyes. Though no one openly admitted, all knew that something had changed after the birth of this peculiar girl.

The flowers of course, but not only that; the effect of those simple palpable shades were, in fact, comparably mild. For when time brought us to the girl’s final deathbed, she smiled her radiant smile one last time and said, “It was a good life, being Purple in Blackland. I feel like I’ve brightened things up a bit.”

Years after the girl’s last words, the people of Blackland now had a name for the colour that ran along every road and every wall of their land – purple. After all, what better name would there be other than the name of the very person that brought the shade to life in the first place?

Thus the colour of fresh cut lilacs, of plump juicy grapes, and of the sky at its finest moments at dusk came to be called precisely that, purple, and still is today.

• 91 •

• 92 •

Change in Colours The Story of Pink Lizzy Lee, Year 10

Think of pink. Do you have any images that just instantly pop up in your head? Let me guess—I am quite sure you have a general image of ‘girls’ in your mind. It’s normal for everyone to think of pink as a colour for girls. This is apparent as the prejudice has been set in us since a long time ago. However, pink wasn’t always a girl’s colour. As late as the early 1900s, pink was regarded by many as a colour that suited far better on boys—while blue was a colour for girls.

In 1914, newspapers such as the The Sunday Sentinel suggested some tips for new parents: “If you like the colour note on the little one’s garments, use pink for the boy and blue for the girl, if you are a follower of convention.” In 1918, The Ladies Home Journal wrote, “There has been a great diversity of opinion on the subject, but the generally accepted rule is pink for the boy and blue for the girl. The reason is that pink being a more decided and stronger colour, it is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.” The paper also stated that since pink is similar to red, it is more fitting for boys—red being a “bold and powerful” colour— while blue is more relevant to girls, because the Virgin Mary is customarily dressed in blue.

Disregarding the initial connotations of blue and pink, it’s evident that the convention has now switched the original nuances so that pink is more correlated with girls, and blue with boys. There have been many studies which suggested that female just “innately” get to like pink more than other colours, and blue is a colour that males prefer naturally. A number of other media approached this issue that the current colour consensus, which arrived to have emerged during the 1950s, came from the Nazis stigmatising homosexuals with pink triangles in their concentration camps.

• 93 •

Whatever the reason may be, the connotations of two colours may not be insistent and resolute. As a matter of fact, there are some indications that pink is making its comeback as a colour for boys, so stay tuned. We never know—decades later the trend might be repeating itself by printing out pink cards for congratulating baby boys.

This example of colour pink was one of numerous common prejudices that we live with, and we feel absolutely no rejections towards it. As we live in a community where one another influences each other significantly, prejudice can be a more serious obstacle for our betterment and development than we think it is. Prejudices prevent ideas from developing and changing. Therefore, although certain prejudices can be believed without doubts—maybe because some studies have proved the theory, or it has been existing for a vast amount of time, that it had technically became a truth— prejudices can always reverse itself into an unexpected doctrine in a blink.

Interesting fact!

Unruly prisoners and belligerent patients? Pink is a soothing colour and is needed to splurge the prison and mental health care facilities’ walls to boost the care effect of taming those who are out-of-hand. Therefore, pink apparently has a convenient area and purposes, apart from embellishing a prom outfit or Barbie’s dream house.

• 94 •

Time for Change!

The tradition of NLCS Jeju student insight continues Chelsea Park, Year 11

This article was written for the last issue but, due to unforeseen circumstances, didn’t make it into print. However events have since demonstrated the foresight of the author and we produce the original article below.

It’s that time again – time for change! Every 4 years, the U.S. goes through a reshuffling of elected federal officials, or, as the pundits like to call, the presidential election. So as an educational experience, I’ve decided to follow the US Presidential election, notably the Republican candidates, that is, until the Democrats have their go at it. After all, what better way is there for a Korean teenager to learn about civic duty and global leadership than by studying the leaders of the free world in real time… or so I thought.

My reaction you ask? Five words - “I don’t get it, America.”

Better yet, I don’t get these people who actually come to rallies and stand behind someone like Donald Trump, a narcissistic businessman/entertainer whose rhetoric continues to feed on the xenophobic element of the society at large, to be the next president of the United States of America. I single out Mr. Trump because, despite his scathing and sophomoric rhetoric, he leads the polls by a significant margin. Just listen to what he said about the Mexican immigrants when he announced his run for the presidency back in July:

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best.

They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime.

They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they’re telling us what we’re getting.”

And no, that was not a typo. And the craziest part is not labeling Mexicans as “rapists”, but having whatever verbal decency and rhetorical propriety was left of him to suggest with reservation that there may exist some good people in this monolithic mix of social deviants and reprobates. Bless his heart… I guess?

• 95 •

Now I don’t deny that there are and will always exist an undesirable, albeit small, demographic in any society, but to denigrate an entire population into a dark corner defies logic and can only be interpreted as an artful manifestation of Trump’s perpetual quest for attention, recognition and self-promotion at whatever the cost. And this is just the beginning.

To further his point, Mr. Trump has stated on record that he will build an impenetrable wall along the 2000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. He even went on to say that he will have Mexico pay for it; back in August, I kid you not, he said:

“I’m gonna say, ‘Mexico, this is not going to continue, you’re going to pay for that wall,’ and they will pay for the wall.”

While this may sound eerily reminiscent of the gloomy Berlin wall with a strange twist, I am confident that Mr. Trump will keep true to his flamboyant style and emblazon it with a strong message of hope - a gigantic gold Trump logo at every 2 mile interval… you know, to give the people on the other side a little taste of what the American dream is all about. But I don’t want him to stop there just yet.

I understand that Mr. Trump bills himself as a hard-headed businessman interested only in efficacious results. And to that end, I humbly suggest a border he should strongly consider as a model: the one between North and South Korea, better known as the Demilitarized Zone. I mean, if you want something done right, this is it.

Just as quick background info, the DMZ was built in 1953 to separate the belligerents in the Korean War. Technically speaking, however, it’s not a border but an armistice line because the war has never officially ended. More importantly, it is not demilitarized either. Rather, it is equipped with concertina wire, high fences, flood lights, cameras, two million land mines and several hundred thousand soldiers on each side of the line. I believe all this makes the DMZ the touchstone of impermeability, and I’m sure that if Mr. Trump follows the DMZ model, everything will turn out just fine… or we would like to have him believe.

Believe it or not, unlike North and South Korea, the U.S. and Mexico are not currently at war with each other. To jog back memory lane, the Mexican-American War ended in 1848 with a peace treaty that established most of the current boundary. Another glitch, as any politician and businessman would appreciate, is that Mexico is one of the U.S.’ strongest allies in the world. It is the third largest trading partner with the U.S. after Canada and China. When ranked in order, more American tourists visit Mexico every year than the next four countries on the list combined.

• 96 •

Illustrated by Jane Lee

Mr. Trump is certainly not alone in this, as I too have heard many times in the past that “a nation without borders is not a nation.” True, a nation must have and secure its borders. The question is how will a nation go about demarcating them – with mutually incentivizing diplomacy or with defensive and isolationistic fences DMZstyle? Differently put, how has the latter approach worked out for the North Koreans?

While the answer to the border issue may appear unequivocal to many, if not most, I do not want this one issue to detract people from the bigger picture or what is really at stake here – the health and survival of a nation.

I believe the U.S. was and still is a country of and by immigrants – immigrants who sought not only freedom from the shackles of socio-economic oppression in their home countries but also a better future for their posterity. But if such rhetoric of hate and bigotry by the likes of Mr. Trump is indicative of the prevailing Zeitgeist in the U.S., then I’m afraid the “land of the free and the home of the brave” is no longer living up to the very ideals that made it the hegemonic bastion of democracy and greatness.

I hope this is not the case, and I await the next debate…

• 97 •

• 98 •

• 99 •

• 100 •

THE ISLANDER IS

BRO U GHT

TO

YOU

BY

STUDENTS AND STAFF OF

N LC S

J E J U

I S S U E 14 W I L L B E AVA I L A B L E

J U N E theislander

2 0 1 6 NLCS Jeju San 1-6 Gueok-lee Daejung-Eup Seoguipo City 699-931 // Korea

Enquiries +82 64 793 8004 admissions@nlcsjeju.kr www.nlcsjeju.co.kr