Tiger Times Volume 55 Issue 9

Tiger Times Volume 55 • Issue 9 • June 2024 • ttonl.org

3 School News 2 Focus6 8 Extended Viewpoint10 15 HS Winter Concert

HSSC Election Chnages Culture of Korean education Women’s Sports

More outdoor education Atrium: the room full of chaos

cover by Lucy Jang

2 SCHOOL NEWS Tiger Times exercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation, and world.

We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services, is obscene, libelous, or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.

Tiger Times Staff Volume 55 Issue 9 June Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editor-in-Chiefs Yoon Choi Jason Lee

Website Managing Editors Hannah Yi Danny Han

Website Editor-in-Chief Eric Cho

Production Editors Lucy Jang San Schwede

Paper Managing Editor Eric Kim

Photo Manager Jason Shin

HSSC Election Changes

The HSSC announced new policy changes on April 1 regarding the minimum number of male and female representatives for the new 2024-25 council to allow for more female representation in the council. During elections, students were still able to vote for five candidates of their choice without any restrictions, but the two male and two female candidates with the most votes within their respective gender groups would be selected as members of the council,

along with a fifth member who garnered the most votes regardless of their gender.

“We think as advisers that this is going to help ensure that the representatives in each grade level are more representative of the student body within each grade,” Megan Mannell, adviser of the HSSC, said. “So we hope that we can have better representation of various opinions and different voices within the grade level, and hopefully this will help to do that.”

The incentive behind this change was

Social Media Manager Jian Hong (Paper)

Waan Choi (Online) Christie Hwang (Online) Website Design Editor Subeen Shim Multimedia Editor Jiah Hwang Layout Artists Lucy Jang Sean Kim Jason Shin

to promote more female representation in an often male-dominated student council. As of the 2022-23 school year, the ratio of male to female council members was seven to three, with 14 male and six female members. During the 2023-24 school year, the ratio of male to female council members was three to one, with 15 male and four female students.

Candidates of the 2024-25 council election expressed mixed opinions regarding the new policy, pondering on how their chances of getting into the council will be affected. On the other hand, former members running to maintain their spot in the council, specifically male members, expressed negative views different from new candidates, as their prospect of reclaiming a position as a member of the council was affected as well.

“Honestly, although it seems like it promotes equality in genders, it doesn’t promote equality and it greatly affected not only the HSSC candidates like me but the whole school,” Hyeonhong Chang ’26, former member of the HSSC, said.

“Because we are electing grade ‘representatives,’ the top 5 candidates who have the most votes should be the people elected since the majority of the grade has voted for them to become the HSSC

San Schwede Alex Lee Yeonjae Kim Chloe Kim Leah Kim Reporters Jiyu Hong Carey Kim Carson Park Christie Hwang Colin Park Grace Lee Jiah Hwang

Jian Hong Subeen Shim Taerin Kim Anders Christensen Catherine Ryu Minju Chung Jiwu Lee Joseph Lim Jason Chung Hyunjoon Rha Leah Giselle Kim Yumin Jeon Charlotte Kim Kayla Kim

Stella Eu Zoe Chang Stella Ock Chloe Yoon Dom Min Ryan Lee Nathan Ahn Serim Kwon Yeseo Lee Kaylyn Kim Adviser Mr. Stephen Shifflett

member that represents them and the whole grade. However, this policy pretty much ignores this process and makes the possibility where a candidate can win over another candidate that has more votes because of their gender.”

The new policy has increased the number of female students who are ambitious to represent their grades in the near future. While male candidates expressed negative viewpoints and opinions on the policy, so far, the female candidates report that their perspective on it remains mainly positive.

“In my opinion, having at least two girls and two boys in HSSC promotes equality, allowing both genders to participate in the student council,” Hannah Park ’27, incoming HSSC member, said.

“As a girl myself, I appreciated this policy and believe it helped me develop my confidence to run for HSSC, since most of the people chosen in the past were boys.”

By: Joseph Lim

Freshman, Reporter

HS Admin revises club executive selection process

On March 18, the HS office sent a school-wide email detailing the new club executive selection process. These changes were the result of multiple rounds of discussion and feedback that occurred over the course of nearly three months between Athletics and Activities Director Brandon Fraseur, HS Vice Principal Chris Del Vecchio, and HS Principal Gray Macklin, as well as current club executives and club advisers.

“Administration was largely concerned with club nepotism as executives were being chosen based on how close they are to outgoing executives rather than their qualifications,” Chris Del Vecchio, HS Vice Principal, said.

“After many rounds of discussion between current executives, we found there to be a much-needed improvement in the fairness component of the executive selection procedure. By leaving the final say up to the adviser’s discretion, this new policy preserves the student’s voice but doesn’t compromise fairness.”

The email acknowledged that there seemed to be a widespread consensus that policy revisions were needed to make the process more standardized.

Specifically, it stated that the vast majority of club executives supported an increasing role of advisers in the club executive selection process.

“I find this revision to be a muchneeded change to the executive selection process,” Seungwoo Oh ’26, club executive applicant, said. “By making it so that club advisers have more influence on future club executives, I feel like this process became a whole lot

layout by Sean Kim

more fair. Now I feel that the value of my executive application is no longer dependent on how close I am to the current executives, but on an objective analysis of how much I can contribute to the growth of the club.”

The revisions to the club executive selection process consist of four significant changes: the club adviser will have the final say on all executive positions; clubs can form a selection committee to help facilitate the selection process; all club advisors will inform Mr. Fraseur of executive selection outcomes; and earlier transitions to the new executive team around mid-April.

One change that received exceptional attention was the creation of a “selection committee.” Consisting of club members who have not applied for an executive position, student members of this committee will have access to the Google Form application of those running for the position. Members of the committee can attend interviews conducted by their respective clubs, ask questions, give feedback, and act as an advisory body to the adviser. By allowing committee members to provide individual comments or recommendations to the adviser, members of the selection committee are not only able to familiarize themselves with the procedure but also maintain a level of student voice in the selection process.

“Having a selection committee is a great addition to the club executive selection process,” Joon Ho Kim ’26, Youth Investment Club executive, said. “The selection committee was a great way to not only allow new club members to learn about the executive

Photo by Sean Kim (10)

selection process but also to incorporate students’ opinions into the advisor-dominated process. After all, the people who are lending their voice to the process are the ones who are going to be led, so I think this is a good way for members to have some form of input on who’s in charge.”

While the implementation of the revised executive selection process had its share of challenges, including external commitments, which led to most executive teams being unable to fully adjust to their roles, most students feel these changes underscore a

more transparent and inclusive process. With these new improvements reducing club nepotism and the influence of outgoing executives on the selection process, students can look forward to a fairer and more unbiased opportunity for leadership positions in the next academic year.

By: Carson Park

Sophomore, Reporter

SCHOOL NEWS

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NHS hosts Senior Sendoff Laughter and excitement filled the soccer field as seniors gathered for the annual Senior Sendoff event on May 3. After the senior awards ceremony, seniors took a break from their last period and enjoyed playing in a pool and throwing water balloons amid the feeling of wholeheartedness of the long-anticipated graduation season.

“Senior Sendoff is a surprise day prepared by juniors to send off seniors so that they can have a proper farewell,” Jason Baek ’24, National Honor Society (NHS) president, said. “The week after that is AP test season so they won’t be showing up to school most of the time. It is the last full day where they can have fun, enjoy good food, and make lasting memories at SIS.” The NHS annually hosts Senior Sendoffs to recognize the seniors’ hard work from going through countless summative, rigorous AP exams, and college applications. While Senior Sendoffs were previously canceled due to COVID-19, last May the

event was reinstated.

While last year’s Senior Sendoff similarly consisted of water-themed activities, an additional part of this year’s iteration was the water pool. Seniors enjoyed wrestling in the pool and throwing water balloons at each other, along with delicious food including chicken and pizza. Spraying water around and taking photos together, many seniors were satisfied with the event.

“We could all as a grade have fun in the pool and mess around with all the water balloons,” Stella Chae ’24 said. “I think it was a wholesome memory at the end of the year, especially because we didn’t have that many chances to bond and have fun freely as a whole grade. It was one of the last moments regardless of whether we knew each other that well or not, we could all mess around in the pool and have some fun.”

The smooth execution of the event was the outcome of NHS members’ extensive

planning. Starting in March, selected leaders for activities and food teams from junior members met weekly to plan activities, organize how to prepare the water pool and balloons, and make food orders.

Despite requiring intensive logistic planning and budget control, the leaders prepared a comprehensive event for the seniors.

“I think the activity team had a great idea of having the water pool and they carried it out well and the seniors loved it,” Wongyeom Yang ’25, Senior Sendoff food team leader, said. “The food was also enough for everyone and they all enjoyed it. I think all was good but if we were to improve something for next year, we would definitely consider having more diversity in food options other than just pizza and chicken, or maybe prepare cold desserts instead of just cookies.”

Although recurring with a similar theme, with different graduating classes participating and organizing the event each year,

the Senior Sendoff events continues to be looked forward to as one of the last memories seniors make in their high school years with their classmates. Looking back at the event, seniors expressed their satisfaction and gratitude for the chance to make a last memorable moment with their classmates before the beginning of their upcoming chapter.

“The senior send-off event was very well organized by the NHS members,” Sophie Choi ‘24 said. “The food was great, and the water event was a truly exciting opportunity to have fun with my friends before graduating. Senior send-off became one of the most memorable experiences I had in senior year.”

By: Minju Chung Freshman, Reporter

Spring Concerts illuminate the stage On April 18, 25, and May 2, the SIS music department hosted performances for the 2024 Spring Concert. The concert included performances by choir, strings, band, and the HS orchestra. It provided a stage for students to exhibit their abilities and an opportunity for the school to come together and appreciate every performance.

The HS choir held the first concert on April 18. The choir performance left a lasting impression by performing wellknown songs such as “It’s Raining Men” and “I’m Just Ken,” both accompanied by humorous skits and dances. Many choir members showed engagement and excitement throughout the concert.

“It felt different from our previous concerts. I liked how we had a pop concert, which was fun to learn,” Sungjoon Hur ’27, choir soloist, said. “Instead of singing church songs like we used to sing, we sang R&B and pop songs that we’ve heard, such as ‘City of Stars.’”

A week later on April 25, the strings and orchestra performed their portion of the concert. The strings and orchestra performed well-known songs such as “Summer” from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.”

“Music is a big part of my life from listening to playing the violin. Being part of the musical field challenges me to break through my boundaries and collaborate

with other musicians; it is these challenges that motivate me to try harder,” says Noella Shin ’27, strings and orchestra violinist, said.

The Spring Concert ended with the final band performance on May 2. The performance continued the annual tradition of the band’s Spring Pops Concert, which showcased a range of songs, from pop hits like “Hand Clap” by Fitz and The Tantrums to video game melodies like “Super Mario Galaxy.”

“For our band concert, it was kind of a fail since we didn’t really have a lot of time to practice; we were choosing which songs to play about a week before the concert.”

Irene Lee ’27, band trumpet player, said.

“Out of about 12 songs, we failed two of our songs, ‘Demon Slayer’ and ‘Pokemon,’ due to lack of time. I thought Mr. Ganus would be mad because it was his last concert but instead, it motivated me to practice more.”

Despite the concerts’ success, the performances also had moments of sadness.

It was the final concert for seniors and Mr. Ganus, who had worked with dedication in the musical department for 11 years.

However, it was also very touching as all the members got together to bid farewell.

“I hope that students will continue their amazing progress with a new director and perspective. I know they will continue their

Photo by Yumin Jeon (9)

performance excellence even if I am not here,” Michael Ganus, orchestra and band director said. “For myself, I hope that I can find a band that needs new life. So when I am in front of my band again, I hope I can do there, what I have done here, and make it strong! You have all been a blessing to me and I will remember these days for the rest of my life.”

As the Spring Concert drew to a close,

SIS Hosts Inspirit AI’s Summer Classes SIS will host Inspirit AI’s Artificial Intelligence Summer 2024 Intensive from July 15-26, an in-person AI seminar for middle and high school students taught by Stanford and MIT alumni.

According to the program’s official banner, Inspirit AI will have two goals in mind. The first is to educate its participants on four foundational concepts: 1. Computer vision, an AI’s ability to recognize objects. 2. Natural language processing, an AI’s ability to regPhoto by San Schwede (10) ister spoken sentences. 3. Recommendation engines, which are algorithms that suggest content tailor-made to a user. 4. Deep learning, where machines learn to mimic human thinking by uptaking human-made data.

The second goal will be AI’s effects on different jobs. Specialists from psychology, astronomy, healthcare, and finance will examine specific ways AI is used in their respective fields and encourage participants to think about their own careers. The depth

of the course and its timeliness have interested many SIS students who saw the banner.

“Anybody who wants to take this course should because knowing AI will become a massive advantage,” Kevin Kim ’27, potential participant, said. “AI is recommending doctor’s procedures, it’s drawing artworks, it’s projecting economic graphs, it’s incredible.”

Ever since the emergence of AI tools, many students have feared that their future careers will be supplanted by AI. For instance, jobs such as writers and painters have been generally seen as replaceableI. By discussing how AI’s can affect different jobs, the program has been even more enticing. But despite the high demands, there was one setback for students: the classes will cost $1500.

“I think that the program should be a little bit cheaper,” Kevin said. “AI should be regularly taught in schools now because AI is the future now. An analogy would be when the cellphone was first discovered. When

everyone starts to get the gist of it, AI will be accessible to everyone.”

The effects of AI have already been evident in SIS. One such example is Open AI’s generative software ChatGPT, which led to concerns about academic dishonesty. For that reason, the ethics portion of the summer program was certainly eye-catching for the faculty.

“It’s important to learn about how AI works, the ethics involved, along with how to practically use it in a particular educational setting,” Marc Montague, IT coordinator, said. “There’s lots of idiosyncratic ideas and feelings about AI, but I would agree there are people concerned about cheating. Any course that deals with writing essays or conducting research and lower grades would benefit from being taught AI literacy.”

Teachers recounted their past experiences with ethical complications of AI. Due to this, they were on board with the idea of

the SIS community reflected on the performances showcased and the collaborative efforts of both students and teachers.

Looking forward, there is anticipation for future musical endeavors and the continued growth of students in their musical pursuits.

By: Catherine Ryu Freshman, Reporter

making AI tools accessible in the educational environment under the condition that they are used safely and credibly. However, they were skeptical if Inspirit AI’s program would achieve this, for the program had yet to be proven credible among them.

“I encourage an awareness of the tool, but the quality of the program still has to be established,” James Kowalski, social studies teacher, said. “It’s a new program, it’s not like it has been around for 25 years, but AI is a tool that can not and should not be ignored. It can be useful depending on what you want to do, but it can also be a tremendous waste of time and be used for malicious purposes. Expectations should be clearly communicated to students about what the ethical usage is.”

By: Hyunjoon Rha Freshman, Reporter

4 KOREA NEWS North Korean missile researcher becomes South Korean lawmaker After fleeing from North Korea as a ballistic missile researcher, Park Choong-kwon became a South Korean lawmaker on April 10. He thus revealed his primary objective of encouraging support for reunification among younger generations, providing insights to the Korean legislature as someone who has lived in both North and South Korea.

“It’s really intriguing that Park Choong-kwon used to be a missile researcher at North Korea before coming to South Korea,” Grace Choi ’25, supporter of North and South Korean relations, said. “I’m definitely curious if Park Choong-kwon will be bringing any changes to the Korean legislature because his main goal seems quite hard to achieve.”

This was not the first instance of a former North Korean becoming a part of South Korea’s legislature.

In April 2020, Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, was elected to become a lawmaker in the National Assembly. Thae Yong-ho publicly revealed his intentions to advocate for policies that support North Korean defectors in South Korea. Similarly, Park Choong-kwon has shown a desire to support policies about North Korean rights, as well as advocating for the reunification of the two Koreas.

“I think he’s taking a good stance, especially considering how the citizens of South Korea generally don’t have a lot of interest towards

Opposition Party dominates parliamentary elections In the recent parliamentary elections on April 10, the main opposition Democratic Party and their allies retained and expanded their parliamentary majority from 156 to 175 seats in the 300-member National Assembly. Meanwhile, the ruling conservative People Power Party won 108 seats, leaving President Yoon Suk-yeol without the voting power to enact meaningful domestic legislation or end political gridlock. Additionally, election victories for opposition third parties, consisting of 14 out of the 17 third-party representatives, further limited the ruling party’s political power. Voter turnout also reached 67 percent, the highest in 32 years.

“Yoon’s apparent lack of political power and the PPP’s disunity gave the public a poor perception of the conservative bloc,” Donghyun Kim ’25, avid follower of Korean political news, said. “The liberal party continued to use their usual rhetoric of YouTube and public slander, along with campaigns based on appealing to the common and poorer demographics to win this election, a strategy that I think worked because of the party’s unity behind this message compared to the general disunity of the PPP and its failures to rally around a singular message.”

Many have attributed the ruling party’s overwhelming loss to public grievances against Yoon, who is currently sporting an all-time low popularity rating of 24 percent. His administration has been blamed for soaring food prices and a prolonged medical crisis, as prices of some agricultural products nearly doubled in March and consumer prices rose three percent from last year, while hospitals have been in a state of emergency since late February due to doctor strikes against plans to increase medical school enrollment. Yoon has also faced intense scrutiny over personal scandals and accusations that he has infringed upon freedom of speech.

“The liberals have been dominating the past three parliamentary elections mainly because poor

layout by Jason Jihoon Shin

people continue to be upset over the conservative party’s support of policies that benefit the middle and upper class over supporting the poor,” Beomjun Kim ’26, President Yoon supporter, said. “While President Yoon could benefit from establishing better press and public relations through open communication, because of the divide between the rich and the poor, I do not believe that President Yoon could have done much to gain the majority he needed to pass significant conservative agendas.”

The success of the Democratic Party and its affiliates can largely be attributed to their campaigns portraying Yoon as a dismissive leader who ignored voters’ daily struggles. The Democrats were also able to capitalize on public animosity toward Yoon over his criticism of the media and his perceived lack of transparency or negotiating tact.

The Democrats’ dominant performance, however, was about a dozen seats short of grabbing a two-thirds supermajority, which would have allowed them to implement constitutional reforms, override any veto, and impeach the president.

“Regardless of the popularity of one majority party, it sets a dangerous precedent and political atmosphere when a party has a supermajority,” Yoonwoo Lee ’26, recent follower of Korean politics, said. “Rarely in a democracy does one party have the power to override the president’s agenda or impeach him solely through partisan support, and so the opposition party not having a supermajority gives President Yoon a chance to not be ousted from office.”

Political gridlock and tensions are expected to continue between President Yoon and the opposition party until the presidential election in 2027. In the meantime, political experts anticipate the potential for Yoon and the opposition party to establish one-on-one talks in hopes of political compromise for key pieces of legislation.

BY: Sean Kim Sophomore, Reporter

North Korean relations,” Russel Jin ’26, Korean politics enthusiast, said.

“Differences in culture and government certainly do play a role as to why we’re uninterested, so I agree that someone like Park Choongkwon with both perspectives should input their stance, especially because I believe reunification is unfeasible as of now.”

Attention towards North Korean defectors and reunification has been maintained at a low level within South Korea. Although defectors are accepted as South Korean citizens, many confront various issues including unemployment and family separation. Furthermore, the lack of awareness regarding the rights of North Korean defectors contributes

to them receiving harsh treatment from South Korean neighbors with varying cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.

“I feel like I never really heard a lot about reunification, but if I’m being honest I don’t support it and I’m not very interested either,” Woosung Choi ’26, active follower of Korean politics, said. “I think the younger generations of South Korea find that reunification is negative to them, especially because North Korea has always been stigmatized globally due to its relatively inferior economic status and societal progress.”

Support for reunification in South Korea has been declining, especially for younger generations.

Government surveys have revealed that over 80 percent of the citizens considered reunification essential during the 1990s. However, surveys conducted in 2024 suggest that currently, 40 percent of students believe reunification to be unnecessary.

However, this recent instance of Park Choong-kwon’s election within the South Korean legislature raises the possibility of creating changes in the dynamics of North and South Korean politics and contributing to various future discussions surrounding efforts toward reunification.

BY: Leah Giselle Kim freshman, Reporter

Attempted arson at Changdeokgung Palace

On March 23, police apprehended a 50-year-old man for attempted arson at Changdeokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

At approximately 6 p.m., the suspect allegedly used a lighter, trying to ignite a door hook at the Daejojeon Hall after gaining unauthorized entry through the Donhwamun Gate during restricted hours. The fire attempt did not cause significant damage, but authorities are now investigating the motive behind this incident.

Changdeokgung became an official UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, as one of the five major palaces remaining from the Joseon Dynasty.

However, its revered status has been tarnished in recent arson attempts leaving many disheartened.

“The fact that there are people who are actively trying to destroy parts of our culture…is definitely a problem in Korean society,” Teresa Chang ’25, Seoul Architecture Preservation Club president, said. “There are not a lot of historical places, buildings, and spaces and it is really hard to find communities that are well preserved.”

The attempted arson is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling trend of vandalism targeting cultural landmarks. In December 2023, vandals defaced the walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace with spray paint on two consecutive nights. On the 16th, two teenagers were apprehended for defacing the walls the first night. A

copycat crime was committed the following night covering 36.2 meters of the palace walls.

With concerns rising over the possibility of more copycat vandals chasing fame on the internet, some attribute the lack of education or awareness as the root cause of the ignorance of historically significant landmarks.

“In situations like this, it’s important to explain to people that there’s a lot of ways to voice yourself rather than going to something historically meaningful to past generations,” Cory Desmond, AP Art teacher, said.

“There’s a lot of better choices.”

The Cultural Heritage Administration, responsible for managing the nation’s palaces, has filed a lawsuit against teen vandals from the December incident, seeking approximately 100 million won in damages.

A team of around 20 experts from the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage worked together using specialized equipment and chemicals to restore the defaced palace.

Regarding the recent arson attempt, experts suggest that the vandal could face severe legal consequences, including imprisonment and hefty fines, reflecting the government’s strict measures to protect cultural heritage.

To catch potential vandalism, authorities plan to install 110 additional surveillance cameras across four major palaces and other reli-

gious sites. The government is also considering introducing incentives for individuals who report vandalism against cultural heritage.

Taking cues from other nations’ strategies to increase entry restrictions and surveillance technology, Korea aims to bolster its protection of historical landmarks.

“I think an approach to heritage conservation should involve a checking system before allowing access to landmarks, ” Joshua Han ’27, history enthusiast, said. “This checking system would evaluate whether or not one is eligible to enter the site.

This protective measure would certainly decrease the amount of attempted damage on historical landmarks.”

With over 11 million visitors to Korea last year, these incidents underscore the urgent need to implement enhanced protective measures and inform visitors about maintaining proper protocol in historical places.

“By incorporating technological advancements, legal actions, and community involvement,” Teresa says, “Korea can better safeguard its historical treasures.” She says that these efforts will not only preserve the physical integrity of these sites but also protect the cultural identity and historical continuity for future generations.

BY: Kayla Kim Freshman, Reporter

GLOBAL NEWS

Dubai drowns as rainfall submerges desert city

Deadly storms that struck Dubai caused widespread flooding throughout the entire city, resulting in over 20 casualties.

On April 24, a record rainfall of more than 250 millimeters (mm) in less than 24 hours sank Dubai, the most in 75 years. Scientists attribute this rainfall to a combination of climate change and weather-modifying engineering, alongside the El Niño weather pattern.

While reasons such as cloud seeding were initially suspected to be the cause of the impact, the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), which oversees cloud-seeding operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Director General, Omar Al Yazeedi stated that there was no engagement in seeding operations before or after the flooding. These events underscore the urgent need for stabilized infrastructure and proactive climate adaptation measures in the face of increasingly severe weather events.

Officials and scientists at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change attribute this intensity of rain to a variety of different causes linked to climate change.

Professor Friederike Otto from Imperial College London and the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group believe that global warming has created these powerful storms: the heat pumped into the atmosphere by human

activities intensified the storms, making the rainfall 10-40 percent heavier.

“I think that since Dubai is a hot country in general, they don’t expect flooding often,” Ryan Lee ’27, past resident of Dubai, said. “Because of this, they use concrete tiles on the ground that cannot absorb lots of water, such as floods or even just lots of rain, which I believe is the major factor that caused the flooding in Dubai.

I believe precautions should be taken beforehand in preparation for major floodings, such as changing tiles on the floor to be able to absorb the water without it flooding.”

The intense rainfall impacted the environment due to the unfit manner of Dubai’s landscape, and the lack of anticipation.

Dubai typically only receives 97 mm of rain, with the monthly average being only about 8 mm.

The immediate impacts of the storms were devastating, with the widespread flooding causing significant damage to city infrastructure. The torrential rainfall flooded the streets, homes, and businesses, leading to transportation disruptions, power outages, and the closing of schools and institutions.

“I believe that individuals can help fix with the recovery of the flood, and gather in communities to help recover, such as through events and fundraisers for people

who were impacted severely with the flood,” Yvette Choi ’27, avid climate newsreader, said. They can help with fixing the flooding too, either manually as a group or by using modern technology to get rid of the water.”

Following the unprecedented flooding in Dubai, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) of the UAE government took decisive action by disseminating critical warnings via social media platform X. This proactive measure not only accentuated the gravity of the situation but also underscored the imperative for comprehensive disaster preparedness initiatives. As Dubai enters a phase of recovery and reconstruction, the resonance of these alerts reverberates, emphasizing the imperative of counter strategies to mitigate the impact of future environmental crises.

“After seeing what happened in Dubai I believe that the city should improve their infrastructure and stop using ethical methods such as cloud seeding or things that contribute towards global warming,” Jason Kang ’27, climate impact enthusiast said.

“The technology should instead be more developed and studied to improve other aspects of the city.”

BY: Yumin jeon Freshman, Reporter

USC cancels valedictorian speech amid Israel-Palestine tensions

Asna Tabassum, a first-generation South Asian Muslim attending the University of Southern California (USC), was ready to give her valedictorian speech in front of the student body. However, before Tabassum ever got a chance to stand at the podium, USC Provost Andrew Guzman denied her the right to give her speech, stating that the conflict in the Middle East was posing “substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement.”

While the USC administration acknowledged that Tabassum had no connections to the ongoing Israel-Palestine war, many have attributed the cancellation of her speech to accusations from pro-Israel student groups, who argued that she had previously linked a document on Instagram that conveyed controversial beliefs like the abolition of Israel and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

“The administration justified the cancellation of the speech by stating safety concerns,” Bona Suh, SIS alumnus and current USC student, said. “I believe that if the admin truly cared about their valedictorian, they would have considered other alternatives. The widespread sentiment among students seems to be that the decision was unjustified, with many speculating that they want to censor her because she supported Gaza.”

Tabassum expressed her disappointment in USC’s decision to cancel her speech. She said she was “both shocked by this decision and profoundly disappointed” that the university was forcefully silencing her, and expressed her feelings of

Trump on trial: Tainting his 2024 campaign?

On April 22, former US president Donald Trump went on trial in Manhattan for falsifying documents pertaining to a hush money payment of $130,000 that he made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 Presidential Election. Trump, now the first former US president to have been put on trial, pleaded innocent, calling the case a “politically motivated witch hunt”.

The prosecution has linked Trump’s payment to Daniels to two other hush money cases that Trump was involved in before the 2016 election. Their case argues that Trump purchased rights to potentially damaging stories with the intention of never publishing them, a technique known as “catch and kill,” to influence the election

in his favor. The defense, on the other hand, says that the hush money payment was extortion while portraying both Daniels and Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, as liars influenced by politics. For Cohen, the defense utilized his record of lying to Congress and his public critique of Trump as leverage to support their claim. With the court expected to be in session until the final week of May, the question of whether Trump is to be convicted remains unclear.

This case may be the only trial out of Trump’s four criminal cases to be completed before the 2024 US Presidential Election. While the results of the case will not officially impact Trump’s eligibility to run for president, some have raised questions as to whether

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he is worthy of holding office, and whether the case will impact Trump’s campaign. “[Trump’s] not gonna get as many votes as he’s wanting to get,” David Kim ’25, politics enthusiast, said. “I’m gonna be honest, because of the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel right now, the Democratic Party’s not looking too savvy, so I’m pretty sure Trump’s still gonna be successful in the next election.”

Some say that due to the Democratic Party’s handling of issues such as armed conflicts and climate change, they may not receive the support that they envisioned.

For instance, Democrats faced public criticism in December when President Joe Biden chose to skip the 28th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention

on Climate Change (COP28). However, others say that the Democrats have the upper hand on other key aspects of campaigning, such as advertising.

“Trump’s criminal trial will impact the 2024 election, but not directly,” Donghyun Kim ’25, avid political news reader, said. “The Democrats are able to spend tens of millions on advertisements, talks, and conventions, but the Republicans have been spending noticeably less for Trump’s campaign because they’re struggling to pay for his lawsuits. The continuing legal fees will represent the single greatest limiter in the Republican Party’s ability to effectively market Trump.”

As the Biden Administration gains publicity, some say that more

abandonment from the school.

“I think we’re seeing the unfortunate culmination of years of belligerent and intolerant tactics on college campuses to shut down speakers who have been prejudged as having the ‘wrong’ point of view,” James Kowalski, political enthusiast, said.

“USC’s decision to remove all outside speakers and honorees from its commencement is, I fear, a harbinger of more such decisions to come on other campuses. It’s up to leaders of higher education to return to their mission of creating institutions that welcome many different points of view and open debate, not screaming and shouting others into submission, or canceling them outright.”

The Israel-Palestine conflict has led to widespread student protests across American universities, with students calling for more transparency on their university’s ties to Israel.

Schools such as Columbia University have opted to finish the semester through hybrid learning, and many universities are suggesting students stay away from campus.

“This whole debacle has definitely caused an uproar among the student body,” Sarah Ju, SIS alumnus and current USC student, said. “This is not only because of the various injustices this incident is bringing to light, but also because of the destruction of the only thing the graduating class of 2024 wanted: normalcy. It’s very unfortunate that the last few weeks have been a discouraging and divisive time.”

BY: Carey Kim Sophomore, Reporter

voters may vote blue in the upcoming election. However, others believe that voters’ decisions for the upcoming election will not be significantly influenced by the trial.

“I think people have kind of made up their mind about how they feel about Donald Trump at this point,” Morgan Miller, AP US History teacher, said. “and I don’t think there’s a lot of undecided voters, so whether he’s convicted or whether he’s acquitted, people are going to vote how they’re gonna vote.”

BY: Charlotte Kim Freshman, Reporter

6

SPORTS

Alleged match-fixing scandal in the Beijing Half Marathon At the Beijing Half Marathon, which occurred on April 14, 2024, many expressed suspicions of match-fixing—the illegal manipulation of a sporting event’s outcome. This prompted an urgent investigation by the race’s organizers. The controversy first erupted when footage accumulated via X (formerly known as Twitter), showing two Kenyan runners and one Ethiopian seemingly aiding Chinese runner He Jie to secure the victory, winning the gold medal and a $5500 prize. The clip disseminated rapidly on social media, raising questions about the race’s integrity and fairness.

The 4 runners who finished at the top were therefore stripped of their medals and prizes after investigation showed the 3 African runners deliberately slowing

down their pace to allow China’s He Jie to cross the finish line in 1:03:44 to claim first place.

The 3 African runners were originally invited to join the race as pacemakers by Xtep, a Chinese sports company, which sponsored He and the marathon event; this was however miscommunicated and was not relayed to the race director, Zhonh’ao Lupao of the Beijing Sports Management Company. The committee thus disqualified both the operator and Xtep in which a public apology was announced the following Friday.

Following the scandal at the Beijing Half Marathon, both the Beijing Sports Bureau and World Athletics have initiated investigations. The Beijing Sports Bureau has pledged to disclose findings promptly, while World Athletics

Record-breaking popularity of the 2024 Korean baseball season

The Korean Baseball fans to the sport. He signed Organization (KBO) season a 17 billion won contract started on March 23 and has with the Eagles, the largest garnered much attention, contract in the KBO’s history. with the season being the Ryu played in Major League second fastest to have gath- Baseball for 11 years and ered two million spectators. was one of the top players in Some say that it is because both leagues. He was the 2019 this season is the first season All-Star pitcher in the Major free of COVID-19 regulations. Leagues and a seven-time “During COVID-19, the All-Star in the KBO. His popularity of baseball return to the KBO led to the dropped as previously pop- Eagles making more than 400 ular and well-performing million won without accountteams began to underper- ing for indirect revenues. form.” Jason Kang ’27 said.

“I think Ryu Hyun Jin has “But with COVID-19 regu- contributed a lot towards lations ending, people have increasing the audience,” begun to feel the joy and Jason said. “We saw a similar excitement for watching effect during the Choo Shinbaseball the KBO as teams Soo era where he returned for such as the LG Twins were two seasons or so after playable to be brought back.” ing in the Major Leagues; it The KBO has made many also increased the amount of changes to the sport this audience that was gathered.” season, one of which is the In the already addition of an automated record-breaking season, an ball-strike system (ABS). The all-time home run record ABS is a fully robotic system was broken by Choi Jeong, that calls pitches for the the 3rd baseman for the umpire. This has decreased SSG Landers. He has been the overall game time, first place in home runs per allowing more casual fans season three times in his to enjoy the sport as it does career. He hit his 468th home not require a large amount run on Apr. 24th. By hitting of time investment to watch this home run, he secured games. first place in the all-time Additionally, the Hanwha home run leaderboard in Eagles have been one of the Korea, overtaking Lee Seung worst teams in the league for Yeop’s 467 home runs. This more than a decade. Many was his 10th home run of the Eagles fans have lost their season and also marked his belief in the Eagles, yet in 19th year of hitting more than this season, they have gath- 10 home runs. ered many fans due to their “I think that Choi Jeong winning streak at the start of has been in the league for the season. Their seven-game a long time and because of streak made them first place his performance, he should in the league and they held receive the amount of respect that position for the duration that he does,” David Kim ’25, of March. As an effect of the baseball enthusiast, said. “He streak, the Hanwha Eagles fully deserves the title that have sold out all tickets for he got from Lee Seung Yeop their first 17 home games and contributed largely to the since the start of the season sport.” and broke a KBO record.

Ryu Hyun Jin’s return to BY: Jiwu Lee KBO has also brought many Freshman, Reporter

layout by San Schwede

released a statement, emphasizing the importance of maintaining trust. Amid widespread debate, there’s a call for thorough action to ensure fair competition in future races.

“I think it’s unfair for everyone who participated in the marathon and it’s wrong to have others slow down just to let the Chinese person win,” Noella Shin ’27, former resident of China, said. “The organizers of the marathon should take accountability, and those found primarily responsible should receive fines or even suspensions due to this mishap.”

With the race’s rectitude called into question, concerns about the reputation of one of China’s premier athletic events loom large.

The outcome of the investigations will likely have significant impli-

cations for the future of the Beijing Half Marathon and the trust placed in the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA).

“A full investigation from a global entity outside of the Chinese government should be conducted, to investigate the organizers,” Yuha Jeon ’25, sports integrity believer, said. “I believe that they should identify the people responsible for allowing this within the competition and punish them by banning them from participating or hosting any international events.”

The Beijing Half Marathon scandal is not the first instance of match-fixing to appear. Previous cases across various competitions have resulted in significant penalties and repercussions for those involved, serving as a reminder of the serious consequences of such

misconduct. By examining these past incidents and their outcomes, stakeholders can gain valuable insights into effective strategies for addressing and deterring match-fixing in athletics.

“To rebuild trust in the Beijing Half Marathon, transparency is key”, Sean Chung ’27, track and field member said. “Athletes and spectators alike need clear communication on enhanced safety protocols, fair competition standards, and steps taken to address past concerns because only through openness and accountability can the integrity be restored in the Chinese Athletics Association.”

BY: Yumin Jeon Freshman, Reporter

Porter and Ohtani face gambling scandals

Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter faced a lifetime ban from the National Basketball Association (NBA) for violating its gambling regulations on April 17.

He earned $21,965 in winnings throughout at least 13 bets, disclosing confidential information about the team to sports bettors in the process.

Porter initially signed a twoway contract with the Raptors in 2023.Bouncing between the NBA and its minor league counterpart, the G League. Fans only knew him as the brother of the Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., but a majority were unaware of him before the scandal.

“I can comment, he’s really bad, and he isn’t really available for the team,” David Lee ’27, NBA fan, said. “I don’t think that he has contributed to the NBA at all except bring negative effects by gambling.”

The NBA launched an investigation on Porter on March 25 due to his suspected irregular gameplay and unusual betting from sports bettors. He left games early twice during the month for minor injuries that wouldn’t have warranted leaving under normal circumstances. In both cases, bettors largely profited from his leave,

which led to suspicions from the NBA and fans alike.

“His injuries should not have been something that took him out of the game,” David said. “As a professional player, such injuries would not be something that could end his season or even take him out of multiple games.”

The results from the investigation showed that Porter revealed information about his own health condition to known bettors and placed, at minimum, 13 bets under another name. Consequently, he was banned from playing in the NBA, making him the first NBA player to be banned for gambling since 1954.

Another gambling scandal took place in the baseball world during a similar time frame.

Major League Baseball (MLB) star Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was accused of stealing large sums of money from him to support his gambling addiction.

At first, many showed suspicions toward Ohtani regarding how Mizuhara was able to take $16 million from Ohtani’s bank account without him noticing.

Thus, some initially believed that Ohtani was an accomplice to Mizuhara’s illegal sports betting.

“I initially felt suspicious

towards Ohtani because there is no way you don’t notice 16 million dollars coming out of your bank account, ” David Kim ’25, baseball fan, said. “But I realized that Ohtani had nothing to do with this after learning of the court records. We have to realize how close Ohtani and Ippei are really, because Ippei has been with Ohtani for a long time and their close bond made taking the 16 million much more easier for Ippei.”

In 2021, Mizuhara started placing illegal bets, and his frequency increased over time as he simultaneously started betting larger sums of money. It was shown that Mizuhara impersonated and lied to the bank in order to collect money from Ohtani’s bank account.

Ohtani was cleared of all suspicion after he provided and revealed his cell phone history, which showed that he had no connections to Mizuhara’s actions.

Ohtani’s lawyers accused Mizuhara of massive theft, and he turned himself in on April 12. He was fired from the Los Angeles Dodgers almost immediately.

BY: Jiwu Lee Freshman, Copy Editor

LIFESTYLE

A Brief in AI Filmmaking

Besaleel, a Polish director, released the official trailer for “Putin” on April 23. The video included numerous shots of an AI-generated Vladimir Putin—a private technology spearheaded by Besaleel and developed by filmmakers in Ukraine.

Besaleel and his team were not the only ones to integrate generative AI into the film industry. This year alone, Shy Kids, a Toronto-based film production company; Don Allen Stevenson II, a digital artist; and August Kamp, a musician, were seen embracing a similar text-tovideo AI software: Sora. For the first time, artists and directors were able to produce short films and music videos within the confines of their computers. This sudden surge in AI-generated content prompted a variety of different responses from consumers.

“There are massive concerns,” Iain Cowieson, drama department director, said. “You’re using the face of a person and having a public figure acting in a way that they didn’t act.

It’s deceiving from that point of view.

If you just come home and punch into your AI generator starring Harrison Ford and Marilyn Monroe in New York in the 1930s, love story, enter, and it churns something out

ADOR tries to leave HYBE

for you, then that obviously has no real artistic merit. At the moment, I try to avoid it as much as possible.”

Generative AI has only recently emerged, with Sora being released on Feb. 15. Consequently, there are limitations to what it can produce.

For instance, many viewers point out the software’s inability to render human hands convincingly: the joints will often twist into impossible anatomies and flicker frantically.

Water can disobey the laws of physics, and objects often clip through one another. Generated footage is also limited to a single minute. The trailer for “Putin” also demonstrated similar errors.

“Do I think that’s art? Probably not,” Donghyun Kim ’25, technology enthusiast, said. “Some of the people in that film were missing eyes, and most of the people had at least eight fingers on their hands, and all their legs and their arms were disfigured in a lot of ways. Conversely, I think it is going to allow a lot more artists who are unable to exactly secure very top-class actors to be able to create films that they otherwise would not have been able to create.”

Hopes for a healthy incorporation of AI were also prevalent among casual moviegoers. Although they

were not proactive about every single innovation AI brought, they were inevitably exposed to AI content.

“I hope it’s used to an extent that doesn’t disrupt the actor’s impression on people,” Jayden Oh ’27, casual moviegoer, said. “I watch movies with my friends when I have the time. The ethical problems do concern me to an extent, but if the movie overall receives a good impression out of the audience, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Avid movie-goers were positive about the potential AI innovations in the video-creating industry. However, they did not ignore the fact that nobody knows the direction generative AI will take the industry in, nor when.

“Sure, there are some ethical considerations, but I think we can push those aside,” Daniel Gohde ’27, avid moviegoer, said. “We can do some cool stuff with this, so we might as well try it. Unfortunately, I think there’s a very thin line between what is considered creative [and not]. If we’re all able to create movies, none of us are.”

BY: Hyunjoon Rha Freshman, Reporter

On April 22, entertainment company HYBE sent a document prompting Min Hee-jin to resign from her position as the CEO of ADOR, a record label founded by HYBE. ADOR was founded in 2021 and quickly rose to prominence in 2022 after founding the recent K-pop sensation NewJeans. Currently, 80 percent of ADOR’s stocks are owned by HYBE, while the remaining 20 percent is owned by Min and ADOR executives. However, ADOR was reportedly caught trying to leave its parent company, which caused HYBE to send the letter.

“Although I am not familiar with the company HYBE, I do know many artists under them,” Sophia Lim ’25, Jungkook fan, said. “I sometimes see their artists pop up on my For You page on TikTok, but I didn’t know they were under HYBE. I have heard a few people at school talking about this incident, but I have not looked into it that deeply.”

It was stated that HYBE’s audit team had caught Min leaking confidential information about HYBE’s artists to ruin the company’s image, attempting to have investors persuade HYBE to sell their shares of ADOR to her. It was suggested that her intent in doing this was to take full ownership of ADOR. So far, HYBE has allegedly uncovered substantial evidence proving Min Hee-jin guilty and is planning to take legal action.

When Min was interviewed during her press conference on April 25, she stated that she had never met with any HYBE investors and never tried to take over the managing rights of ADOR, mentioning how she would not be able to take over when she only owns a fifth of the company. She further explained the situation and said that HYBE was suddenly trying to get her to resign due to her accusations of K-pop group Illit plagiarizing New

Jeans’s concept.

To provide evidence, she showed the controversial messages Bang Si-hyuk, founder of HYBE, had sent to her. In the messages, it was revealed that Bang had threatened Min Hee-jin about the “OMG” music video by New Jeans.

Netizens later assumed that this was because hints of HYBE being part of the pseudoreligion, Dahn World, was put into the video.

“I think it’s correct that Min Hee-jin made New Jeans who they are today, but I do not think she created the y2k concept,” Ellen Park ’26, New Jeans fan said. “I believe some of the things she is saying since she included some valid evidence, however, I think some of the information she stated was driven by her strong emotions.”

After issues began rising about Min-Heejin, netizens began suspecting that HYBE was part of a pseudoreligion called Dahn World. Fans began to notice weird lyrics in songs and dance movements, making them believe that they were part of this cult. However, later on, Dahn World released a statement mentioning that HYBE is not part of Dahn World.

“Min-Heejin seemed a bit crazy during the press conference, but I also think that she is correct,” Edward Yoon ’26, New Jeans fan, said. “I think that the way she was talking during the conference was pretty unprofessional as she used swear words and called people names, but I understand her anger. I also believe that what she is saying is correct since she is the person who created New Jeans, so she does have the right to accuse groups that have a similar concept to them.”

BY: Chloe Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Kim Sae-ron axes acting comeback after drunk driving incident On April 17, after a two-year hiatus caused by a drunk driving scandal, Korean actress Kim Sae-ron announced her return to acting with the play “Dongchimi.”

Performed from May 3-12, the play is a poignant story about the family dynamics of an elderly couple and three immature siblings who must care for them.

Despite appearing in promotional videos and going on a trip with fellow actors prior to the performance, on April 18, Kim decided to remove her name from the play. Many say that Kim’s sudden decision to step down from her role was due to the public’s sustained response to her drunk driving incident.

Kim first debuted in the movie “The Man from Nowhere” as a child actor and continued to gain

recognition for her acting skills, receiving several awards as an alleged prodigy. However, on May 18, 2022, Kim was caught drunk driving, leading to her taking a break from her acting career.

“When I first heard the news, I was shocked because I’ve enjoyed watching dramas featuring her,” Serena Lim ’27, K-drama enthusiast, said. “I think she was too unaware of how that action would impact her reputation as an actress. I know that this happened two years ago, but I still just think of her as an actress who was in a drunk driving scandal.”

Although there were no casualties, Kim damaged several lampposts, guardrails, and electric transformers, which cut off electricity in nearby buildings for

7

several hours. The actress was heavily criticized for her decision to drive away after the incident.

The public was particularly disappointed because the incident contrasted with her original reputation as a disciplined and humble actress.

The drunk driving incident ended with the court’s decision to fine Kim 20 million won. However, due to immense amounts of backlash, Kim withdrew from her upcoming drama “Trolley,” and her scenes were edited out of the drama “Bloodhounds.”

On May 19, the actress publicly addressed this issue by uploading a hand-written apology letter on her social media account.

“I don’t think the legal punishment or her apology allows her to return to acting through the play,

even after two years after the scandal,” Julie Lee ’26, K-drama enthusiast, said. “Since she is an actress, what matters more is the public opinion because she needs support from them anyway if she wants to be successful again in her acting career.”

While some argued that the 20 million won fine and twoyear hiatus was a sufficient punishment, others expressed discomfort, voicing concerns over whether Kim should return to her acting career.

“I hope that the decision was made in good faith,” James Kowalski, Communications teacher, said. “I mean, she is a very accomplished actress and could bring joy to a lot of people by continuing to pursue an acting career. Answering for one’s mis-

deeds is appropriate, but only up to a point. If she’s made amends and answered for what she did, then let’s not feed into the endless public shame parade that social media encourages, but rather move on in a positive and productive way.”

As the controversy continues, many voiced concerns that Kim’s drunk driving incident links to a greater issue in Korea’s media culture as a celebrity’s wrongdoing shapes a negative reputation that is irrevocable even through amends, shaping a rigid expectation on celebrities to maintain an ethical attitude both on and off screen.

BY: Minju Chung Freshman, Reporter

8

FOCUS

Women’s sports sexualization

By JIAN HONG (10)

Women’s sports have recently become increasingly popular, with star players like Caitlin Clark drawing attention from sports fans regardless of their gender.

With shinier trophies and rising ratings for women’s games, women’s sports have come a long way in the past decade. Yet, behind the achievements and progress, one dark aspect of women’s athletics has largely remained the same: the sexualization of female athletes.

The problem is systemic in nature. Some tournaments require unnecessarily tight and revealing uniforms, the public psyche often hyper-sexualizes women’s sports, and renowned coaches abuse their power to sexually harass players. For instance, Norway’s female beach handball players were fined for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms, while their male counterparts could wear thigh-length shorts. Sports team doctors like Larry Nassar sexually assaulted young female players who could not protest due to the power imbalance.

Even in South Korea, nearly 40 percent of professional women athletes have claimed to have been sexually harassed at least once. 93 percent of Olympic athletes have reported having been sexually harassed before, highlighting the prevalence of such incidents in sports. The respondents of the survey were also predominantly white heterosexual women. While white women are often seen as less susceptible to being victims compared to other racial minorities, they are also often seen as easier targets when it comes to unwanted sexual advances.

Such narratives surrounding women’s sports are often established by media exposure and broadcasting shown through a patriarchal lens. Women are often portrayed as being beautiful, sexy, and physically attractive instead of strong, well-performing, and skilled. This type of treatment is indiscriminate; from the most to the least successful, women are often described with an emphasis on their physical features.

This problem was exemplified in a recently revealed

layout by Alex Lee

issue in Caitlin Clark’s interview with a local sports columnist. During the interview, the reporter brought up how Caitlin makes hearts with her hands at her family, and told her that she should also send hearts to him in order for them to “get along.” This particular exchange caused a large uproar among fans, who pointed out how Clark was visibly uncomfortable at the unwanted romantic implication. The reality that she is subject to harassment even with her recent fame and success shows that these behaviors are deeply rooted in normalization, rather than random incidents. Yet, in the modern era, there are ways to stay far more actively informed and aware.

One such method is through the use of public backlash in social media. As many citizens called out the reporter, Gregg Doyel, he issued a public apology on his social media for those involved. However, most did not find the apology sufficient, assuming that he must have had other instances of inappropriate behavior based on how familiar the exchange was for him. In fact, during the “#MeToo” movement that took the world by storm, a large part of the movement was from female athletes testifying about their experiences. These practices have led to a gradual increase in awareness for women speaking out about their struggles, regardless of their occupation; nonetheless, problems persist.

The recent rise of transphobia in women’s sports has not helped either. The future that many critics of new transgender-related policies feared has come true, where not simply transwomen but ciswomen have also become targets of unwanted sexual inquiry and harassment.

Ciswomen seen as “manly” or “fitter” are often subject to criticism and hate from the public for being transgender even though they are biologically women. In these cases, it is often demanded that a “check” be done to ensure that the woman is indeed cisgender. These tests and requests to verify the sexual organs of another person can often be invasive and dangerous to both women and transgender

women alike.

Many ciswomen oppose transgender women joining women’s sports due to biological differences and advantages transitioned women may have, especially for those who have gone through puberty as their sex assigned at birth. An opposing view states that complaints most people have can often be resolved by better regulations on hormones and muscle mass. Another point brought up by those who support transgender participation is that sports are often decided based on the biological advantages one has, and many of them are similarly unfair, such as a swimmer having an unusually long wingspan. The key premise here is that bodily differences or certain features being identified as “masculine,” “unbelonging,” and “unfair” may risk both women’s security and recognition of their actual ability.

Recent progression has been made by most officials who recognize the issues within women’s sports and make efforts to adopt “sport appeal, not sex appeal,” as a mantra. Zooming up close to an athlete’s body has been banned, and additional efforts have been made to not focus on the clothes or uniforms of female athletes.

These policies are a step in the right direction, which aim to limit the media that can influence the larger public.

Some further steps may be to reconsider traditional sports “rules,” continue social media exposure on unfair circumstances, and open up discussions on gender-based issues such as transgender involvement. While inequality and discrimination have exponentially decreased over the years, it is of no dispute that more efforts are required to create a safer space for women athletes.

FOCUS

Women’s sports advancement—it is different this time

By SEAN KIM (10)

From the coast of Argentina to the streets of Zimbabwe, billions watch one of the most popular entertainment genres: sports. At various hours of the day, people all over the world tune in to TV channels broadcasting games from the NBA, MLB, World Cup, International Cricket League, and NCAA. However, when it comes to women’s sports, female athletes have grappled with disparities in popularity and coverage compared to men. Yet, despite sexism and unequal funding, glaring underrepresentation, and lacking leadership roles, women’s leagues have recently seen an unprecedented rise in viewership and engagement. In a first-ever for the industry, women’s sports were estimated to earn over $1 billion in 2024, a 300 percent increase from 2021. Representation of women in the Olympic Games is also set to become equal to that of men for the first time in 2024. Additionally, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament had a record-breaking two million attendees.

This elevation in the popularity of women’s sports has been fueled by record-breaking performances from electrifying star players. Most notably, Caitlyn Clark, a sharpshooting point guard compared by some to the NBA’s greatest shooters, has broken several college basketball records. She became the men’s and women’s NCAA all-time leading scorer on March 3, a game witnessed by more than four million viewers and, as a result, the most viewed regular season game since 1999.

Additionally, several other high-level players like Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese contributed to high viewership throughout the women’s NCAA tournament, with the championship match reeling in about 18.7 million viewers. With peak viewership reaching 24 million, this was the most-watched basketball game since 2019.

While overjoyed with their leagues’ exponential growth and popularity and seeking to maintain it,

league executives continue to be limited by barriers to the advancement of women’s athletics. The most recent example pertains to the controversy around Clark’s yearly starting salary of $84,514 after being drafted by the WNBA Indiana Fevers team. By comparison, the NBA’s minimum salary is $1.1 million.

However, increasing the salary of players has often been considered an impossible solution to this pay disparity because the WNBA has never generated a positive net worth, with the NBA covering unpaid expenses. The same goes for the Women’s World Cup, which despite earning $900 million through record viewership and sales, only broke even in budgeting. To allow for women’s sports to bring in positive net worth and advance from the shadows of previous expansion failures, leagues have been addressing three issues: viewership, popularity, and investment.

While viewership increases with media coverage, only 15 percent of sports media coverage pertains to women’s sports, which leads to less compelling narratives about female athletes’ journeys and achievements. For instance, SportsCenter provides 91 seconds of coverage for the average WNBA game and 266 for an NBA game, despite similar fan interest.

Gender stereotyping also continues to have a negative impact, with 35 percent of girls having limited visions of success in sports because of a lack of support. In response, organizations and institutions have been implementing global strategies to grow women’s participation. For example, through its Gender Equality in Sport initiative, the EU invests around £16 million yearly into increasing the equipment and coverage of professional women’s sports. Furthermore, international initiatives like “SheIS” and “See Her” have enhanced participation in women’s sports by challenging entrenched gender stereotypes.

More fans and coverage make it more appealing for brands to advertise on their sports broadcasts, raising profit margins and investments in women’s sports. This year, 44 percent of WNBA fans claim to have visited the websites of the brand’s advertising during the game, with 28 percent purchasing from the brand. Additionally, 69 percent of sports fans believe brands are more appealing when they sponsor sports, and 59 percent of them would pick the sponsor’s product over a rival’s. Such numbers are why brands pay for commercial spots on sports broadcasts, and if women’s sports are able to bring in huge audiences, companies will begin to invest more into advertising using women’s endorsements.

“In 2023, over 500 companies entered the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) space to get women to represent their brand,” Kate Kim ’26, girls varsity basketball player and basketball fan, said. “The top seven athletes to ink new NIL deals in 2023 were women, and Catilyn Clark also just signed an eight-year 28 million dollar deal with Nike. I think these investments are signaling how women can bring in profits as women’s sports continue to be elevated.”

Given the yearly increases in online searches and spectatorship in women’s sports, improved visibility, media coverage, and financial investment have clearly helped grow interest in women’s sports. However, unlike previous years, women’s sports have the opportunity to establish a unique identity separate from reliance on funding from men’s sports, an identity that will finally make women’s sports leagues a prominent entertainment and economic industry.

9

10 FEATURE

Always & Forever: the last year, the last dance

Photo by Yoon Choi(11)

While the end of a school year heralds a new semester for most students, for seniors, their high school careers near a conclusion. After years of studying, taking tests, and finishing projects, the seniors had finished their difficult high school journey. To celebrate the end of their high school years and start a new chapter in their lives, the prom committee hosted prom once again on May 21 at RAUM. The prom committee started preparing for the event from the first semester, working on planning for the event and earning money to fund for Prom. Although the committee was planning for the same event, there were differences being made to the event itself.

Just like every year, the seniors showed much enthusiasm toward the event, as it was the one time the grade could dress up and get together for the final time. In alignment with the color theme for this year which was white, gold, and burgundy, RAUM was

layout by Yeonjae Kim

decorated with the said flowers, balloons, and name cards.

In addition, the seniors wore formal wear of those colors, adding to the vibrancy of the scene. The theme of the event was “Always & Forever,” symbolizing the everlasting memories and relationships the seniors had established over the years.

“We spent a lot of time outside of school meeting through online meetings to plan for prom,” Isaac Lee ’25, prom committee member, said. “It was definitely difficult communicating with the members and the school to prepare for the event, but I think it turned out to be successful.”

Students started getting ready for the event the entire day, picking out their outfits, putting on make-up, and meeting up with their friends or dates ahead of time. As prom is one of the most memorable events for a high school student, people take lots of time preparing for the event.

Students started arriving

at the venue between 5-6 p.m, meeting up with their friends and dates in the garden. The garden was decorated to match the theme of the year, which allowed it to become one of the photo spots for the event. Throughout the entire event, attendees got a chance to take photos with each other, storing this memorable event through the pictures.

“The garden was a great location to take photos because the decorations and the venue itself was so pretty,” Ellen Park ’26, prom attendee, said. “I really enjoyed taking photos with the seniors because it was one of the last times I would be seeing them.

I took a lot of photos with the seniors because I wanted to remember this event and the seniors because I’m going to miss them.”

The inside of the venue was decorated with balloons, physical tickets, and name cards for each person. The decorations allowed the venue to seem very professional and

majestic, allowing attendees hosting, the prom committee to immerse themselves into was able to create a successful the event. event, making it memorable Once the event officially for the seniors. Prom, being started, the attendees enjoyed one of the few events dedidinner with their friends at cated to a specific grade level, their designated tables. Dinner felt like the perfect way to was followed by different end seniors’ high school years games and performances. Stu- and the first chapter in their dents participated in different lives. Students thought of this activities such as guessing the event as a reward to their hard baby photos, spin the wheel, work throughout high school, and balloon popping. and definitely a memory they “It was very fun because I would treasure forever. got to play different games and “I think prom was a great spend time with my friends,” way to end off the school year,” Anika Kurebayashi ’24, senior Jacqueline Lee ’24, another attendee, said. “I think this prom attendee said. “ Prom event was very successful was on the same week as gradbecause everyone seemed to uation this year, so it really felt be enjoying the food and the like the end of high school for activities.” us. It was a very exciting and The highlight of the event memorable time.” were the superlative announcements for prom king and queen, best couple, and more.

Kevin Kim was nominated prom king, while Amy Cha was nominated prom queen; the best couple was Hanjoo By: Yeonjae Kim Lee and Yevene Hwang.

As it was their second year Sophomore, Reporter

FEATURE

11

Hidden Heroes: the ladies of the Tiger’s Den

Photo by Chloe Kim (10)

The Tiger’s Den is one of the most popular locations around campus, lined with students at any given time of day.

Many visit at least once a day, and even the most reserved turn their steps toward the corner near the cafeteria once a week.

It is no surprise then that with so much demand, it takes much effort to continue the production of pastries and drinks all day long, effort that often goes unnoticed. The ladies hidden behind the cafe counters partially take the main stage this time, though too shy to be named.

“I clock in early in the morning every day,” one lady said. “There’s really not much to say as to what I do. Because I’m in charge of the bread on most days, I just bake and bake and bake bread all day long until my shift ends. It’s quite tedious in

some ways, but we work through it because it’s our job.”

Teachers get their appreciation on Teacher’s day, and administrative members are acknowledged as a core part of the school’s function. Yet a fact that’s often forgotten is that like any other job, the jobs of the cafe ladies are physically demanding and straining after a long day at work, especially as each day is a repetition of the former.

“It’s tiring, but if the kids enjoy it then we feel like it’s worth it,” another lady said. “Especially because they love our bread and drinks, we know that we are appreciated. The morning menus sell out really quickly, which is why we always need someone working on the pastries, and another working on the drinks.”

Although the job has its ups and downs, the ladies

find it a rewarding experience. One of the factors that prevent the job from becoming too repetitive is the changing menus and recipes. For instance, the Tiger’s Den offers seasonal menus, such as the Green Grape Ade and Strawberry Banana Smoothie. At other times, the recipes for existing menus are redeveloped and momentarily paused to research ways to increase the quality of products provided, such as the recently changed cheese mochi and the new madeleine breads.

“Sometimes we have special events or seasons, which is why we release some specific menus,” she said. “We also help out in specific situations, such as when the younger students have after school activities and need a snack, that’s when we can step in. At times, we develop new menus

because of difficulties in continuing some of our existing menus.”

Thanks to the effort the ladies put into the menus, many students are regulars at the cafe. Some even have favorite orders that are consistently requested everyday without fail, becoming a part of their routine.

“My favorite menu item is the ice tea,” Jimin Son ’26, Tiger’s Den regular, said. “It’s always predictable and refreshing, which is why I drink it a lot.

When we had smoothies, I also really enjoyed them because it gave a similar effect to ice tea when I was stressed.”

Most students have been in a situation where they urgently need coffee to focus or a sweet treat to lift their mood. Although most do not recognize the efforts of the ladies in the midst of their own busy schedules, the Tiger’s Den

ladies can be seen as the true heroes that support students’ academic pursuits.

“Of course I appreciate the Tiger’s Den ladies,” Ashley Croft ’26, community citizen, said.

“Although I don’t think of it every day, everytime I need coffee before an exam, I’m thankful that the cafe exists. I wish more people could recognize their efforts, because it’s really not an easy job.”

By: Jian Hong

Sophomore, Reporter

12 MULTIMEDIA

So long, seniors; their fare My favorite memory at SIS would have to be Family Fun Day. Although they got rid of it now, I still remember the event as an exciting day that I looked forward to. I enjoyed playing with my friends in the pool and going on the trampolines when I was younger, and it is disappointing that we no longer have Family Fun Days.

Jane Park

My favorite memory at SIS was winning the Boys KAIAC Basketball tournament, so I think I will miss my basketball teammates the most, except for Andrew Kim ’25. My favorite place in SIS is probably the bathroom because I go there every day.

Joseph Park

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layout by Chloe Kim

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MULTIMEDIA

s; SIS seniors say arewells

13

My favorite place at SIS is the senior lounge since I am able to comfortably hang out with my friends. I think my favorite memory during my time at SIS was winning the KAIAC boys' basketball tournament; therefore, I will miss my basketball team the most.

Joshua Hwang

My favorite memory from my 12 years at SIS would be hanging out with my friends during free periods. After stressful classes, I look forward to being with my friends in the senior lounge and chatting. I have made many new special memories in the lounge, so after leaving SIS, I will miss my friends and the senior lounge greatly.

Anika Kurebayashi

Yeonwoo Choi

I think I will miss the small interactions with all my peers, starting from simply greeting one another daily, to hanging out and engaging in group activities in a variety of academic and recreational settings. My favorite thing would be being able to play basketball with my friends and underclassmen during activity period, especially during the basketball varsity season because of the exciting competitive nature. My favorite memory, although it didn’t happen yet, would definitely be graduation.

BY: Chloe Kim Sophomore, Reporter

14 VIEWPOINT Editorial How do you measure a year in the Times?

by Yoon Choi & Jason Lee

editors-in-chief 525,600 minutes.

How do you measure a year? In articles? In edits?

In the number of times Junseo gets sick? How do you measure the moments in the Times?

As the idiomatic torch of Tiger Times executive responsibilities gets passed from the outgoing seniors to us incoming ones, the emotional weight of the class of 2024’s absence is heavier than we initially expected.

The class of 2024 was truly remarkable. They diligently operated in every pocket of the school, and—while a notoriously quiet and studious grade—what they did not say in words, they more than compensated for with actions. Each outgoing senior, from our own staff’s John Kim toiling away at violin solos in the annex’s practice rooms, Katelyn Oh perfecting Forensics oratory speeches in the drama room, or Amy Cha refining her paintings to be worthy of perfect AP art scores, had an exceedingly unique identity that left a lasting impact.

Working with such passionate, thoughtful, and interesting people was truly a privilege and an honor. It’s hard not to look around at some of the empty seats in the newspaper classroom that were once populated by Junseo Lee, Grace Lee, and David Kim and not feel bittersweet nostalgia over what memories we shared. We already dearly miss the presence of the class of 2024 in our newsroom and on campus beyond.

Even as we sit drafting this article in the senior lounge, sentimental remnants of the graduating seniors’ legacy remain: in photos of “Hodung” (Kevin Kim ’24) pasted to the window beside drawings of Pokémon, a countdown of the days left until graduation, and encouraging messages egging on peers to push through until the end.

As we wipe down the now-outdated graduation countdown and replace it with our own, the class of 2025 inherits the responsibility that the previous class and numerous ones before them all faced. Vessels of our school community, such as sports teams, music, art, clubs, and Tiger Times, have fallen on our shoulders.

After surfacing from the gritty, hellish depths of AP testing season, saying farewell to some of our favorite seniors and teachers, and scribbling countless “HAGS” on peers’ yearbooks, we finally feel a semblance of calm.

However, even as we head home for our last ever summer break as high schoolers, this moment of closure is far from the end. As the 300-day graduation count above the senior lounge never fails to remind us, we still have a long way to go. Still, we’re excited about what the following year has to offer.

Avid readers may have noticed that this issue felt thicker in their hands compared to previous ones.

That’s because the paper is adding six reporters going into the 2024-’25 school year, bringing our staff to a record-high 24 members. Subsequently, the size of the paper expanded to ten sections from the previous seven. And, of course, instead of one editor-in-chief, there’s two of us now.

As we close down Tiger Times for the summer with the publication of our final issue, we close behind us a chapter filled with articles, idea discussions, and scathing Mr. Macklin edits, and turn the page toward a new beginning. The new editors— San Schwede, Lucy Jang, Eric Kim, Jason Shin, and Jian Hong—have already begun laboring to release our final issue, fixing every little grammatical mistake, InDesign error, and camera exposure fault along the way. The paper now lies in our hands, and we are all tremendously excited for the year ahead.

Perhaps 525,600 minutes from today, we’ll have an answer for how to measure the moments in the Times.

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

layout by Yeonjae Kim

K-pop Idols: Improve so we can approve

As K-pop has grown into a global sensation, more and more people show interest in both the music and the artists. K-pop groups having fans from all over the world elicit both positives and negatives. Although the artists have gained more popularity, they have also received similar levels of hate amidst controversy. Among K-pop artists these days, girl groups in particular have recently been targeted by netizens for one reason—the artists lack vocal talent.

Compared to previous K-pop generations, the current generation seems to especially lack vocal skills. This has caused many netizens to question labels’ priorities when choosing idols for debut. Recently, the lack of vocal skills caught the attention of netizens due to the Coachella performance of girl group LE SSERAFIM. They received lots of backlash from fans as their live vocals were unstable during the first week, and they used music recorded (MR) backtracks during the second week to cover up their live singing. These instances where idols receive significant criticism for their singing demonstrate that although visuals are a key aspect of being an idol, having the performance skills is just as important.

“I think that idols should be picked based on their skills and not their looks because the role of an idol is to sing, dance, and rap in front of an audience and deliver a message,” Lucy Park ’26, K-pop fan, said. “However, if idols aren’t even skilled then why are they debuting? For example, LE SSERAFIM Coachella was extremely embarrassing for many viewers, especially Koreans, as they were one of the only teams that performed at Coachella meaning that they somewhat

represented our country. Idols should be group to perform poorly in all of their other skilled and be able to make the audience performances as well. Whenever the group happy and proud while watching their per- has a comeback, for example, people genformance.” erally have lower expectations of the group K-pop’s hyper-focus on idols’ visuals can and become less interested. Even if a group be attributed to Korean beauty standards. changes their visual concepts to cover up Current standards are much more specific for their vocals, every time they perform than in the past, as people start using on stage, fans are reminded of their vocal make-up from a younger age and plastic issues. surgery becomes normalized. There are even In terms of modern girl groups, while the criteria that are unique or more prominent members of LE SSERAFIM or ILLIT fit the in Korean standards such as Aegyo-sal, Korean beauty standards much better than accentuated under-eye fat, double eyelids, or the members of other groups, like NMIXX, a V-line shape face. Therefore, as standards they receive much more criticism because become increasingly complex and specific, the members of NMIXX are all skilled record labels tend to focus on the looks of singers. The difference in skill levels and their groups. physical appearances between different However, idols should not be chosen groups has created a toxic environment for based on only Korean beauty standards fan bases because they compare the groups because it limits people’s first impression to one another. This has caused increased of the idols to be solely on their looks and hostile debate over which group is better, not how they perform. So when they later making it even harder to fit the standards show a lack of skill during their perfor- of an idol. mances, it raises controversy, as they receive For new generations of idols to come, a substantial amount of sudden hate. For companies should make sure their checklist example, another girl group, ILLIT, received when choosing idols includes both visuals criticism during their first encore for their and skills, as it will result in the company unstable live vocals. If beauty standards had itself receiving less backlash as well. For not played such a big role in determining idols who have already debuted, record who debuts, the group could have received labels should devote increased effort to less backlash, as the company likely could vocal lessons, so that the idols can improve have focused more on choosing members their singing. If an idol wants to survive in based on skill. the harsh Korean entertainment industry, Additionally, whenever there is some- they must be able to not only look attractive thing online about a K-pop group, the news but perform well and prove they are suitable about someone being a poor performer for the title of a K-pop idol. lasts longer than news about them being unattractive. If a group is criticized once By: Yeonjae Kim for their vocal skills, netizens expect the Sophomore, Reporter

Budget shopping apps: the economy invaders

In December of 2022, budget shopping apps like AliExpress and Temu were ranked as the top two fastest-growing applications in South Korea, accumulating over 8 million annual users. While these apps have been enjoying soaring popularity, these companies inflict harm on both the Korean economy and society as a whole.

The largest appeal of budget shopping apps is their low prices, which is possible due to several reasons. Firstly, these companies do not follow standard commodity chains but instead ship directly from manufacturing plants to consumers, which removes the need for wholesalers and, therefore, keeps prices lower. This direct supply chain also makes it easier for apps to avoid third-party investigation and involvement, allowing for more questionable practices to go unregulated.

Secondly, many companies and consumers benefit from a loophole in the Korean tariff system: for products under $150, tariffs are not applied. This results in a win-win

situation as companies simply have to ship products under $150, which is especially beneficial as budget-shopping apps don’t have many products over $150, and consumers don’t have to pay for the tariffs that follow more expensive items. Additionally, Chinese brands also enjoy relatively lax regulations on production, quality, and accountability in mainland China, while South Korean companies must abide by stricter regulations. The low product prices can also be attributed to China’s high production rates, which create a surplus of products that allow bargain prices for Chinese companies. This gives them an edge over Korean companies who do not have access to such cheap resources.

Supporters of such apps claim that the low prices are a strong enough incentive to continue buying from such budget companies. However, while they may be appealing in the short run, budget corporations result in unhealthy consumer habits like impulsive purchasing. Because consumers don’t give their products too much thought as they

understand the risk of buying lower-priced items and have lower expectations, they don’t feel the responsibility to manage or use the product properly.

This also increases waste and environmental pollution, as the products often end up in landfills and are difficult to recycle.

While AliExpress does try to restrict environmentally harmful sellers, multiple products have gone unnoticed and have been suspected of releasing harmful synthetic chemicals that harm the ecosystem. Temu has also come under scrutiny for its lack of transparency on the environmental footprints it produces.

“I usually buy small accessories like keychains or stickers off AliExpress,” Olivia Lee ‘26, AliExpress user, said. “Honestly, the quality is not bad, and it’s really easy to buy stuff as they have multiple easy ways to pay. I am aware that there is controversy surrounding their practices, but I think this is the same for every other company, and I don’t get how their products are comparably bad.”

Additionally, many platforms engage in questionable practices that many customers are unaware of. Both AliExpress and Temu have been added to the United States Trade Representative’s notorious piracy list for fake goods as they are suspected of being involved in counterfeiting or content piracy.

For instance, Temu has come under scrutiny for alleged forced labor practices in the Xinjiang province of China, which violates the rights of minorities like Uyghur workers, who are often exploited. The South Korean government has also recently launched an investigation into the data use and management by AliExpress after concerns about data privacy were called into question.

As cheaper brands continue to increase in popularity, questions and concerns have also arisen and persist, and it is time for consumers to not only consider the immediate consequences of cheaper products or be misguided by the lure of low prices, but also to make informed and responsible consumer decisions by taking into consideration the many factors involved in making and selling such products.

By: Carey Kim

Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

June 2024

15

Viewpoint Feature: How often do you use the atirum.

Most students use the atirum on a daily basis, participating in activites, hanging out with friends, and just utilizing it as a short cut to get to classes. Although this location is a great addition to the high school building, it is often used excessively.

How can the atrium be used less?

What are some alternatives to using the atirum?

Atrium: the room full of chaos

Every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., there is one place in the high school always occupied by students: the atrium. As the atrium is accessible to everyone in the high school, it is always busy with activity. Being an open space in the middle of the building, everyone is welcome to enter the atrium to attend events, watch performances, or just hang out with their friends; it is simply a place for students and teachers to interact with each other continuously throughout the school day. However, because this space is located in the middle of the building for easy access and everyone is so used to utilizing the atrium, it is often overused for events and activities.

Although having a place in the middle of the building for everyone to socialize is a great addition to the high school community, not everyone can fit in the atrium when large events are hosted.

During the AP Research showcase, for example, many found it difficult to move around because of the high number of attendees.

Many students left the atrium, as they were unable to view the students’ work properly. Even larger events held in the atrium are the sports award ceremonies. Due to the sheer number of JV and Var-

sity athletes, it was hard to fit everyone, and students who were not a part of that season were not allowed to enter.

Additionally, because the atrium is large and hollow, it is difficult to understand what people are saying even when using microphones. During club performances such as ones by D$Q or MP3 club, it is hard to hear the music over the clamor of the audience, which echoes throughout and reduces the quality of the performances.

Although clubs get more engagement when they use the atrium, improved acoustics could make performances more enjoyable.

Not only is the atrium overused for events during the school day, but it is regularly used after school. Because musical clubs have to practice their performances, they usually utilize the atrium after school because it has microphones and a piano.

While clubs should be allowed to practice, they often disturb other after-school activities. Specifically, students in the after-school test center have expressed much discomfort, due to sounds from the atrium disturbing their summatives. Students taking atrium use for granted has led people to use it whenever they wish with-

out considering other people in the building.

A potential solution is utilizing other facilities in the school such as classrooms or the auditorium.

The auditorium specifically has better acoustics, is soundproof, and is larger than the atrium, serving as the ideal location for performances or ceremonies. Assemblies or grade-level meetings are already held in the auditorium because they involve a large number of students, so larger events such as the sports awards ceremony should also be held there. If students want to practice performances after school, they could also utilize practice rooms, as they are in a separate building and have soundproofing, comparatively being much less distracting.

If the location of activities such as award ceremonies were to be moved to a bigger venue, it would be more inclusive.

Because the atrium is located where people can see it from the second and third floor, hosting smaller events such as college visits is ideal, as it will attract more people; however, for more well-known or mandatory events such as award ceremonies and club performances, even if it is not in plain sight, people will

likely show up regardless.

“I wish the sports ceremonies were in the auditorium,” Sylvia Lee ’26, student athlete, said.

“During the winter season, I wanted to see if my friends would receive an award or not, but I wasn’t allowed to enter because I didn’t play a sport during that season. I think if we do it in the auditorium it will allow the ceremonies to be more inclusive and we can recognize our friends more. Also, whenever there are events like that in the atrium, we can’t really use it to hang out, so it’s kind of uncomfortable.”

Although the auditorium is suitable for events involving lots of people, college visits, and art displays, award ceremonies, and performances should be held in the atrium. Considering all locations in the high school when deciding where to hold an event will help to improve the quality and inclusivity of events.

By: Yeonjae Kim

Sophomore, Reporter

16 SMALL TALK

photo of the

month

Brandon Cho ‘24 and Brandon Choi ‘24 enter RAUM together for their senior prom.

Cartoon by Yeonjae Kim (10) Photo by Yoon Choi (11)

Cartoon by Alex Lee (11)

Cartoon by Chloe Kim (10)

layout by Leah Giselle Kim