Tiger Times Volume 54 Issue 4

Tiger Times Volume 54 • Issue 4 • December 2022 • ttonl.org

3 Focus 6 Extended Viewpoint 10 School News HS Winter Concert

Culture of Korean education More outdoor education

layout by Katelyn Oh

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

Tiger Times Staff Volume 54 Issue 4 December Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editors-in-Chief Aimee Choi Skylar Peck

Paper Managing Editors Rachel Yoon Rosa Suh

Website Editors-in-Chief Jordan Kim Woojune Kim

Website Managing Editor Daniel Shin

Assistant Layout Editor Hannah Kim

Paper Copy Editors Hugo Lee Junseo Lee

Social Media Manager Katelyn Oh

Website Copy Editors Jennifer Kwon Cherlin Kim Paul Moon

Production Editors Bona Suh Alice Lee Yuzine Yi

Website Design Editor Minjae Chun

Layout Artists Eric Kim Jason Lee

Reporters Jasmine Jeong Erin Choi Jack Lee Grace Lee John Kim David Kim Gyusung Lee Saewoong Ian Park Brandon Choi Joseph Chun Sophie Choi Andrew Shin

Yujin Joe Jason Shin San Schwede Danny Kim Hannah Yi Eric Cho Waan Choi Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Music department prepares HS winter concerts

A variety of school choirs and ensembles performed forcements, and an attentive audience. in the High School Winter Concert at 4 p.m. on Dec. “I feel like all the groups are doing well and are pretty 1 in the auditorium. This included Advanced Band, prepared,” Julia Kim, high school strings and orchestra High School Strings, Concert Choir, Men’s Choir, Blue director, said. “We just had our last HSO rehearsal, and Note Jazz Ensemble, Ladies’ Choir, Wind Ensemble, they sounded good. I think we are ready, and I hope SIS Ambassadors, and the SIS High School Orchestra. a lot of parents, teachers, and students will come to The Winter Concert is an annual school event that is watch.” open to parents, students, teachers, and staff, in which This year’s concert was particularly significant, as performers have prepared for all semester. Last year’s it was the first in-person HS winter since 2019 due spring concert was in-person, but it has been years to COVID-19 restrictions. This is a noticeable change since the last live winter concert. in terms of having an interactive audience and being “I feel confident about the performance and that able to perform live, instead of having a virtual conmakes me feel very happy,” Lesley Scott, choir director, cert—the way it has been for the past three years. Some said. “ I thought it was a great concert, also because songs that the ensembles performed include “Roman it’s the first live one in like 3 years without masks for Carnival Overture” by Hector Berlioz and “Procession singers and players of certain instruments. It’s nice to of the Nobles” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov performed end the semester with a bit of a Christmassy party.” by the HSO, and “Korean Folk Songs from Jeju Island” The performers strived for the best quality of per- by Frank Ticheli, “Medal of Valor” by Steve Hodges, and formance, having started preparations since the start “The Best Christmas Ever” by Paul Clark performed by of the school year. Many well-known Christmas songs the Wind Ensemble. made an appearance, such as “Where Are You Christ“I feel so enthusiastic about the concert,” David mas” from the Grinch by the Ladies’ Choir, “Last Christ- Kim (10), HSO and HSS member, said. “I’m in the HS mas” by Concert Choir, and an arrangement of “White orchestra as well as the strings program, which means Christmas” from the Ambassadors.

I get to play 5 songs for the winter concert. I’m second “I am feeling nervous about the performance,” Kate violin for each one of the songs, and I’m really excited Kim (9), Ladies’ Choir member, said. “It is my first to be able to perform such a variety of different songs.” concert in-person in many years, since it is the first Performing live can offer positive experiences concert after the pandemic hit. My favorite part about regarding audience interaction, teamwork, and opporperforming is singing with my friends. It will be a tunities to test and expand what groups are capable nerve-racking but good experience.” of. Everyone is both excited and nervous to be able to For this performance, choir members were allowed perform in front of an audience. It is a great opportuto take off their masks while performing, which is an nity to gather together and appreciate winter. improvement from the past years of virtual concerts and simple recordings. With the final rehearsals taking place, the directors perfected pieces and coordinated the stage movements of the different groups. It takes a lot to have a perfect environment for a performance, By: San Schwede having all the right equipment, lighting, sound rein- Sophomore, Reporter

Science club hosts fair

Pointing at a graph of her findings, Hyunseo Yoon (10) presents her eye-gazing experiment.

Photo by Yoon Choi (10)

On Dec. 6-7 during office hours, the Science Club (SCIC) hosted the first science fair in the school’s recent history, setting a large milestone for the club as well as the school. Club members divided into eight groups and each presented its respective project in the atrium for anyone wanting to watch.

“We had different executives assigned to each team,” Ryan Jung (11), SCIC executive, said. “My team, for example, made a vacuum cleaner and a bicycle phone charger and whenever interested onlookers came, we presented using slideshows and used the best of our abilities to show our projects that we have been work-

layout by Alice Lee

ing very hard on.”

By providing a wide array of interesting topics, the SCIC aimed at presenting science education in an open and entertaining way. Audiences were able to explore various topics based on their own interests in a short amount of time as they walked from group to group in the atrium. Furthermore, with the science fair being hosted during office hours, it was a fun and casual way for students to spend their time while also learning about important scientific concepts.

“I heard that this was the first recent science fair hosted by the club and the school itself, which was why I was very excited to be a part of the fair,” Kaden Lee (10), SCIC member said. “By making an airplane to show different concepts of physics, our group made sure that everybody was having fun while also learning valuable information.”

The SCIC also demonstrated the large scope of the scientific world as audiences explored concepts and experiments from different fields and subjects. Topics like the plastic bottle vacuum cleaner, the aerodynamic plane, or even the bike phone charger were just some of the numerous interesting topics from the fair that utilized concepts from chemistry, physics, and biology to provide high quality of information to the audience.

By presenting their work in their individual stations, members were able to make sure that their projects were well represented and explained. This way, the audience was able to use the most out of their time to learn the most amount of content while still fulfilling their interests and learning about science experiments.

“Our project was creating a vacuum cleaner by using different concepts in physics to make the device.” Jennah Yoo (12), SCIC member, said. “We used wind power and electric motors to build and we even

Photo by Yoon Choi (10)

showed the audience the cleaner cleaning some particles on a flat surface in the atrium while explaining some basic concepts.”

The impact that the SCIC has brought to SIS not only furthers interest in science, but also helps the SIS community. Some of the projects from the science fair took innovative approaches to improve the school.

For example, one group from the science fair has dedicated their project to the greenhouse at the rooftop of the school. They worked on the aquaponics system and tried to improve the greenhouse’s insulation systems.

“Our goal this year is to prevent the greenhouse from overheating during the day and retain as much heat as possible when it is dark,” Wongyeom Yang (10), SCIC executive, said. “By adding another layer of insulation with plastic film to mimic the double-glazing effect of glass windows, we hope to solve this problem and make the greenhouse hospitable for spring crops as quickly as late February.”

Through student-driven pursuits, utilizing scientific knowledge to serve the SIS community demonstrates one of the core values of SCIC—to ultimately make the school a better place with science. Through education and service, many anticipate the plans that the club will have later in this year, such as providing demonstrations for middle school students, and other scientific projects for the members.

By: Jason Shin

Sophomore, Reporter

SCHOOL NEWS

NHS fundraiser prepares SIS for holiday season As the holiday season approaches, the National Honor Society (NHS) organized various fundraising events to raise money for the Chungwoon Orphanage. Every year, NHS collects donations to purchase Christmas gifts for the orphans.

To continue this tradition, NHS members split into five groups of activities: the Letter Delivery Service, Book Flea Market Sale, Spelling Bee Contest, Push-Up Contest and Coffee Gram. The events took place near the end of November and in early December.

Despite being one of the largest events organized by NHS this semester, all the fundraising was executed by the students alone. As soon as they were divided into groups, the members immediately got together to brainstorm ideas and figure out the logistics of the plan.

“Our group sold themed letter papers that people wrote their messages on and delivered them to the receivers,” Joyce Kim (11), NHS member, said. “These letters were supplemented with candies and packaging. Through the letter drive, we hope students were able to share heartwarming messages this holiday season.”

Last year, members had to collect donations from the teachers and students. For this, some students prepared a small event individually while others planned an event together with their friends. However, this year was a bit different—all students were assigned to groups and received the task of planning an event together to raise money.

“Instead of having smaller individual fundraisers, I thought having fewer, more organized ones would be more effective in collecting funds,” Jay Park (12), NHS Executive Managing Officer, said. “I thought it would be a good merit point opportunity for the members to brainstorm ideas and have a sort of competition to raise the most money.”

As the end of 2022 approached, NHS members hoped that the fundraiser would be a fun event that students could look forward to. The Letter Delivery and Coffee Delivery

services were meaningful ways for students to express their gratitude towards their teachers or friends. The Book Market Sale was also useful for freshmen and sophomores who were looking to buy practice books for future AP exams. Finally, the Spelling Bee and Push-Up contests were fun ways to get together with friends and enjoy a bit of a competition.

“I was most excited for the Book Flea Market Sale, because I thought it was a great opportunity not just to pick up new books and textbooks, but also to be more familiar with relationships between upperclassmen and underclassmen through the trading,” Jian Hong (9), aspiring NHS member, said. “But I also looked forward to the other events after seeing their advertisements on the NHS Instagram.

Furthermore, after discovering that the fundraiser was for a good cause, I was even more inclined to participate.”

The students displayed the four pillars of NHS—scholarship, character, leadership, and service—through the organization of these events. Character was demonstrated through the members doing their own part of the job and taking responsibility. They also showed leadership by planning the events and being leaders of the school community. The use of the funds, which will be used to improve the school community or for the Chungwoon Orphanage, demonstrates Service.

“With finals approaching, I thought these events like the Spelling Bee Competition were fun ways to relieve stress and take our minds off from summative,” June Jeong (12), eager participant of the events, said. “The Coffee Gram and Letter Delivery Service also gave me the opportunity to thank my friends and teachers for a wonderful semester.”

New prom committee excites students

Winter sports season starts

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n November, SIS welcomed a new prom committee upon the proposal of Gray Macklin, high school principal. Prior to the creation of this committee, the SIS prom was planned by the HSSC. The new student-and parent-driven prom committee will now have the responsibility of planning the prom and catering to the student body’s interests.

“I signed up for the prom committee because I think that students should be actively involved in school functions,” Olivia Park (10), prom committee member, said. “Prom is an important part of high school student life, and I would like to be a part of this memorable experience.”

The new prom committee is a collaboration of parent association members and the student committee, who will communicate with each other regarding logistics but will focus on distinct tasks. Participation in the committee was open to all high school students who were interested.

On Nov. 9, Mr. Macklin announced that the committee will proceed under the leadership of co-chairs Katelyn Oh (11) and Amy Cha (11). With the exception of their first meeting, the committee will be fully autonomous and function without teacher supervision.

“This club is student-driven, so there is no teacher involved,” Amy said. “It is completely up to us: when we are meeting, what we are planning, and more. The prom committee will plan everything, including the location, photographers, food, and more.”

The new prom committee will require members to take on a variety of responsibilities, from choosing a theme to fundraising for the event. By joining the committee, students are able to spend time aside from academics to hone their skills in event planning.

“I am excited to play a part in organizing this year’s prom,” Sophia Lim (10), prom committee member, said.

“In this committee, those who like to plan and design can have first-hand experience.”

Even with the change in planning, many upperclassmen are looking forward to prom. Last year’s prom could certainly be considered a success, with the night centered around the theme “Happily Ever After.” This year’s seniors and juniors are expecting prom will similarly be a night to remember.

“Prom is one of the defining moments of high school,” Eunice Rhee (12), future prom-goer, said. “Since we didn’t have a lot of events during high school, because of COVID19 and other things, I’m excited to make memories.”

By: Yujin Joe

Sophomore, Reporter

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Photo by Fabian Roh (12)

By: Hannah Kim

Senior, Assistant Layout Editor

Following the end of the fall sports season in early November, SIS has transitioned into the winter season, consisting of basketball, cheerleading, and swimming.

Varsity and JV team rosters were announced and they are now participating in several tournaments. The athletes that were chosen for the teams are passionate about their sports and show impressive physical skills.

“I joined the swim team because even though it consumes a lot of my time and energy, swimming is one of my passions and favorite activities,” Jane Park (11), varsity swimmer, said. “I love this sport because, despite the small number of people on the team, everyone there creates a team spirit and bond that is stronger than a lot of other teams.”

Athletes underwent a series of rigorous tryouts that determined whether they would join the varsity or JV team. The tryouts for varsity and JV basketball, cheer, and swim were held after school on Nov. 1. For swim and cheer, the tryouts lasted two days, and for basketball one day. During the tryouts, athletes had to go through multiple physical tests. For example, prospective basketball players had to scrimmage for 30 minutes, run for 20 minutes, and demonstrate techniques such as layups and passing. Athletes were also required to provide a full health physical, along with a signed SIS Athlete Code of Conduct.

“I spent a lot of time and effort training and preparing for this season because I wanted to become one of the new captains for our team,” Anika Kurebayashi (11), varsity basketball captain, said. “With my years of experience playing basketball and diligent work, I was able to earn this position. It will be exciting to lead the team as we go on more KAIAC tournaments.”

Winter sports teams have already competed in several

Arms emerging from the surface, Alma Tyvand (10) successfully performs a breaststroke.

tournaments and games, the first of which took place on Nov. 16, when basketball teams held a home game against YISS to start off the KAIAC tournament. The cheer team also had its first sideline cheer during the basketball match. At the same time, the swimming team went against KIS and GSIS in its first KAIAC tournament.

Two days later, the JV and varsity teams for basketball went to TCIS for the first KAIAC Tournament.

“A week before the tryouts, we had to learn the dance routine consisting of jumps and tumbling and practice them in clinics,” Sylvia Lee (11), cheer member, said.

“After our first sideline cheer, our captain Erin Choi (12) emphasized teamwork and being synchronized. We will have to improve these skills to win in our KAIAC competitions.”

There are a lot more games left in the season, as KAIAC tournaments will continue until early February of next year. In addition, there will be more overseas competitions this winter sports season compared to last season, because of loosened COVID restrictions. As a result, parents, students, faculty members, and teachers will be able to spectate these games and watch as athletes improve and win awards this season.

“I’m really excited about the new members this year, because the 9th graders are very good and well trained,” Morgan Miller, JV and Varsity basketball girls coach, said.

“The future is looking bright for our teams. We are also planning to have a new strategy, by having our captains Jasmine and Anika focus more on offense during the games, and to be more competitive on half-court.”

By: David Kim Junior, Reporter

Photo by Saewoong Ian Park (10)

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GLOBAL NEWS

Conspiracy Corner: Superstition and shamanism Grigori Rasputin was a man of many accomplishments—he was a mystic healer, a close companion to the final Russian Tsar, a major factor in the fall of the Russian Empire, and, according to the famous song by Boney M., “lover of the Russian queen.”

While his story may seem like an exceptionally rare occurrence, a similar situation is unfolding right here in South Korea, with the incumbent president Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee.

In the first few months of 2022, before Yoon’s inauguration, Kim was accused of being a fervent believer of superstitions and shamanism. The first instance of this was in January, during Yoon’s campaign, when Kim’s phone calls were released by media outlets. The record-

ings revealed that Kim had expressed a desire to move the Blue House’s state guest house after a fortune-telling shaman had advised her to do so, claiming that numerous former presidents had suffered significant misfortunes due to the poor location of the guest house. She also claimed that her husband had “spiritual energy” and that their marriage had been recommended by a Taoist monk.

This incident on its own did not cause any significant damage to Yoon’s or Kim’s reputation, with many of their supporters claiming that their private lives had little to do with their campaign. However, later in May, the two were accused of allowing the shaman’s claims to influence their political decisions when Yoon decided to actu-

Itaewon crowd crush investigation expands

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n Oct. 30, just hours after the tragedy, Korean officials launched their investigation into the exact underlying causes behind the Itaewon crowd crush that took 158 young lives. Recently, on Nov. 24, a special parliamentary committee initiated its own 45-day probe into the incident. While the investigation has only confirmed a handful of offenders and still has much progress to be made, many officials have been put under investigation.

“While some people think the Itaewon tragedy was simply an unfortunate accident that no one can be truly blamed for, I think there was definitely corruption and irresponsibility that resulted in a failure to manage the crowd, ultimately costing lives,” Ryan Jung (11), avid follower of Korean news, said. “I fully support the investigation.”

The investigation started with crime scene investigators and officers visiting the littered alleys of Itaewon. Led by special investigation teams set up by the National Police Agency, the investigation aims to find those accountable for poor response and prevention measures for the crowd crush.

“Considering just how many lives were lost in the Itaewon crowd crush, I think it is imperative that offenders are punished harshly to ensure justice,” Samuel Hong (12), politics enthusiast, said. “The Itaewon crowd crush is arguably the largest Korean tragedy since the Sewol ferry incident, and the punishments should be proportionate.”

The investigation has made considerable progress over the past few weeks. On Nov. 7, the special investigation team suspended Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae along with Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency senior emergency monitoring officer Ryu Mi-jin for charges of professional negligence and consequent dereliction of duty. Similarly, the head and subsection chief of Yongsan Police Station’s intelligence section was charged for deleting a safety report for the Halloween festival.

layout by Jason Lee

On Nov. 17, the investigation expanded significantly when the special investigation team raided 22 locations including 12 emergency response-related offices.

With the start of a parliamentary probe on Nov. 24, the investigation has nearly doubled to include the state affairs monitoring team of the presidential office, the prime minister’s office, the national crisis management center, the interior and health ministries, and the Supreme Prosecutors Office.

“I just hope the investigation does not throw innocent lower standing individuals like the cops and the restaurant owners under the bus,” Patrick Young, frequent visitor of Itaewon, said.

“No one stands above the law and if the President really did divert resources from the crowd for his own security, he should be the first one to be held accountable.”

The investigations, however, have not been without their own complications. Under the pressure of the investigations, some subjects have resorted to drastic measures. On Nov. 11, two senior officials, a police officer and a Seoul city government employee, were discovered dead in suspected suicides.

The police officer, Jeong, was under potential charges of abuse of authority and destruction of evidence, while the government employee was the final approver of documents of emergency checks on local festival safety measures involving the Itaewon tragedy.

Although even more unexpected deaths are arising from the expanded investigation, the investigation team is continuing its effort to hold authorities accountable for the crowd crush.

Hugo Lee

Senior, Copy Editor

ally move out of the Blue House at the start of his presidency, spending an estimated $40 million on moving into a new office when far more pressing issues such as economic recovery and rising housing prices were on the minds of the people. Many were also concerned about the problem of weakened national security resulting from the abrupt move, with North Korean animosity persisting as an ever growing threat.

The controversy was once again brought up in public discourse in August, when a shaman monk named Geonjin flaunted his closeness with Kim, prompting the administration to distance themselves from the monk. Several news outlets reported that the monk had played a major role in

Yoon’s election campaign and had attempted to use his close relationship with the president’s wife to evade tax audits and curry favor with Korean conglomerates.

Particularly in Korean politics, where instances of corruption and nepotism have been historically commonplace, the possibility of shamanism influencing the Yoon administration is quite concerning. Not only has this news discredited the Korean government and further reduced Yoon’s reputation, shaking the public’s trust in his ability to resolve the many economic and global issues converging on Korean society, but it also demonstrated how easily the personal lives of politicians can influence their decisions in the public sphere.

This mixture of socio-political issues and an inept government prompted many to see parallels between the current situation in Korea and the final days of the Russian Empire, when an incompetent Tsar Nicholas II and his wife had been duped by Rasputin into believing he was a holy healer, ultimately leading to their downfall as their reputation and credibility plummeted.

While Geonjin will likely not have as dramatic an effect on South Korea as that of Rasputin on the Russian Empire, it is essential for the Korean public to stay wary and informed on the inner workings of the Korean government to ensure that sensibility, not superstition, remains at the helm of the nation.

Democrats withstand Red Wave

On Nov. 8, the American midterm elections took place. Many voters, awaiting the final election results with anticipation, cast their votes early, with 42 million votes

by Nov. 7.

Despite the Republican or Democratic states that remained unpersuaded, efforts from both parties have influenced the votes in swing states, while also strengthening the views in states that already supported the respective parties’ platforms.

“In the numerous presidential elections I studied during AP US History (APUSH) class, I saw that most states stayed true to their political affiliations,” Keanu Park (10), APUSH student, said. “But I saw this time around, some states actually seemed to be more open to change.”

In an effort to support his party during the midterm elections, former President Trump mentioned his prospects for the presidential race of 2024 at a rally in Robstown, Texas. He praised his Republican supporters as “patriotic” compared to the “lunatic” Democrats, affirming his republican ideologies.

State-level controversies also contributed to swaying votes, especially in moderate states. Outside the Republican Central Commit-

tee in Easton, Maryland, citizens expressed economic dissatisfaction, the highest since 2010. With increasing inflation and tax rates, many encouraged the election of the Republican Party, hoping for a loose tax system.

“I personally thought the lower progressive tax system Republicans proposed was persuasive,” William Park (9), avid follower of American policies, said. “It was a continued policy of the Republican Party, clearly contributing to the Republican win in the House.”

Despite their loss in the House, Democrats secured a majority in the Senate. Many found this surprising, especially considering that the party without control of the executive branch usually shines in the midterm elections. Experts attribute this result to not only the nationwide controversy with the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade but also the Democrats’ new, seemingly paradoxical strategy.

“This election specifically had to do with abortion rights,” Alexander Weir, a follower of the midterm elections, said. “It partially lays out the future of America. It seems that for the most part, most Americans support reproductive rights, contributing to the Democratic majority in the Senate.”

Per the unorthodox strategy of

the Democrats, instead of solely focusing on campaigning for the moderates, the Democratic Party spent millions of dollars attempting to garner the support for the far-right Republican politicians during the primaries. In fact, six Democratic organizations won their state contests against extreme Republicans in the Senate during the midterm elections, of which all six of them were funded during the primaries. They had funded those who they deemed easy to win over in the primaries for an advantage during the midterm elections.

The unexpectedly narrow Republican victory in the House also highlights implications for the party’s future.

“It looks like Americans want a change: they don’t like the extremes anymore,” Steve Nave, World History teacher, said. “They want moderates. We should aim to compromise instead of just Democrats versus Republicans.

Because of the midterm elections, the Republican Party is now at a crossroads: do they follow the direction of Trump, or do they go with a more moderate nominee?”

Eric Kim

Sophomore, Reporter

SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

MORE THAN JUST A GAME

Jason Lee

How to build a gaming setup on a student budget Christmas and the end of the semester are right around the corner. With that, the annual problem for students, to find a fun way to spend their winter break, has been reignited. To our parents’ despair, many of us know the obvious and deeply satisfying solution to this problem—video games. Now is a better time than ever for students to make a new gaming setup. However, the current state of the consumer PC building world is more confusing—and expensive—than ever before. What does a gaming setup actually require, and how can students spend as little money as possible with the highest performance returns?

First, one must choose how they want to get a setup in the first place.

There are roughly three options as to how one can buy a gaming computer.

You can either buy a prebuilt setup on the market, buy the individual parts necessary to build a computer and assemble it yourself, or pay someone to assemble the individual parts for you.

Buying a prebuilt setup is more beginner-friendly, as buyers do not have to go through the difficult process of assembling a computer. However, prebuilts are usually heavily marked up in price and do not have the most optimal combination of computing parts.

Assembling a computer firsthand, on the other hand, is significantly cheaper as one only has to pay for the individual parts and not an assembling premium. Also, it gives the buyer more say in what the final computer contains regarding the quality of its parts and how it looks.

The third option, strikes a balance between the aforementioned two methods. It is possible to pay someone, such as a computer mart worker, to assemble a PC to order. However, this also comes with the downside of a hefty assembling price. Between the three options, I would recommend that beginners who have never owned a PC do not attempt to assemble their own PC. If you’re not a beginner, you should assemble your own PC for the aforementioned economic and customizability benefits.

After understanding the various buying options, what parts should you look for in your PC, especially if you are building it yourself? In terms of hardware, to make an optimally performing setup, you need a motherboard, a CPU,

a CPU cooler, memory (RAM), storage (SSD or HDD), a video card (GPU), a power supply, and a case. With all of these different parts to buy, it is easy to succumb to buyer anxiety or even purchase parts that do not work with each other.

An easy way to avoid these problems is to go on a website called “pcpartpicker.com,” which gives a digestible rundown of which PC parts are of highest quality, what price they usually go for on the market, and which parts are compatible with others. This will allow you to make informed decisions regarding which parts you want to include in your setup, even without much computing knowledge. It also allows you to see where and how you can spend your budget when making a setup.

Computer parts are extremely expensive, and when considering the customs, taxes, and shipping costs, purchasing them from international retailers is not a viable option for most students. Fortunately, there are directly feasible domestic options. The first and perhaps best option in terms of variety is the Yongsan Electronics Market.

Not only does the Yongsan Electronics Market provide a rich variety of computer parts along with knowledgeable vendors who can recommend specific parts to suit a buyer’s purpose and budget, but also the nature of the market itself encourages robust competition between the different vendors, leading to comparatively lower prices and the opportunity to barter. If you are looking to shop somewhere else, there are also well-known online platforms, such as Coupang, where you can purchase computer parts. The downside of using such online platforms, however, is that they usually import from foreign distributors, leading to higher prices.

Also, there is generally a smaller selection of parts on such platforms.

Making a new gaming setup as a student is a daunting task, yes, but it can be broken down and facilitated if you understand all of the options at hand and know where to look for parts. If you are looking to make a new setup, following this article will make the process significantly easier. Happy holidays and happy gaming!

Qatar holds 2022 FIFA World Cup

On Nov. 20, the 22nd FIFA World Cup started with a match between Qatar and Ecuador. First hosted in 1904 by seven European nations, this year’s iteration is the first to be held in the Middle East and during the winter, instead of the usual summer.

“I believe that since the World Cup only happens every four years, it is really special,” Carys Ayala (11), an avid football fan, said. “Since the World Cup is being hosted in the Middle East, it gives people an incentive to travel to a new region and experience a different culture.”

South Korea’s Taeguk Warriors, previously considered underdogs, captured global attention with their skills on the field. While they tied with Uruguay and lost to Ghana, they seemed to beat the odds by winning against Portugal. This guaranteed Korea a place in the round of 16—only the third time since they joined the World Cup. “As Koreans, we tend to be really united in big sports events when the national team is playing,” Daniel Kim (12), varsity boys soccer player, said. “It is not often that it plays, especially in a tournament as big as the World Cup.” Despite the interesting matches, this year’s World Cup was not without its controversies. Concerns over human rights violations in the construction of stadiums and controversial rules, like banning alcohol and activism, drew scrutiny toward the host country. Some accused Qatar of bribing FIFA officials to give them the hosting rights or even

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ hits theaters

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n Nov. 9, Marvel officially premiered its sequel to the 2018 film “Black Panther.” Titled “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” the movie features a revamped cast, with Letitia Wright playing the lead role of Princess Shuri. As the final movie of the fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and a follow-up to a well-received predecessor, the film was highly anticipated, making it another box-office success.

“I have to admit that I was very skeptical going into the movie since it was following up on such a huge original film,” Alex Lee (10), avid Marvel fan, said. “Also, it seemed like recent Marvel movies had been forcing messages instead of telling them

through compelling stories, which became quite repetitive. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the film, and I believe that it was one of the best projects in this MCU phase.”

Despite high standards among viewers, the film has garnered mostly positive reviews. The film received a 95 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a well known American film critique website. It also received a 7/10 from IGN, a 7.3/10 from IMDb, and a 4/5 from Common Sense Media.

Additionally, the film is hitting historical numbers at the box office, as it rolled in $330 million in global ticket sales in its first week in theaters.

“As someone who really enjoyed the first film, I was really excited to

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see what the second one had in store,” Danica Derksen, viewer of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” said. “It did not disappoint. It was one of the most fun Marvel movies I have ever watched.”

Students and teachers at SIS have also given generally positive feedback on the film, expressing their satisfaction with the sequel.

“I really loved the new movie; it might have been the best one I have watched this year,” Anika Kurebayashi (11), viewer of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” said. “It was very interesting to see how they continued the story and developed characters that had more minor roles in the first movie. I think the public attention and

bribing certain teams to deliberately lose matches.

“Considering the fact that FIFA itself holds a lot of corruption-related allegations, I agree the accusations against Qatar may hold some truth to them,” Bin Ma (12), politics enthusiast, said. “Especially with the expulsion of Joseph Blatter, the former president of FIFA, FIFA’s claims that the process was not corrupt are hard to believe.”

Such issues have raised questions of whether host countries should adhere to global standards or whether the global audience should conversely respect the host country’s culture. These questions also arose in previous World Cups, like the 2018 World Cup in Russia due to racism in Russian football, leading viewers to question its participation in future iterations.

“If you want to be part of the larger global community, there are expectations as to how you behave within that global community,” Robin Ibbotson, long-time football fan, said. “There is a balance that needs to be shown in terms of respecting culture, but also adhering to a modern, global view. It seems that Qatar has not necessarily made the same compromises in this tournament as another nation might have.”

Rosa Suh & Rachel Yoon

Seniors, Managing Editors

praise the film is receiving are very well-deserved.”

The movie was not without controversy, however. The passing of Chadwick Boseman, who played the titular main character of the first movie, cast doubt on whether the new actors could fill his shoes and continue the legacy of the renowned American actor.

“It would have been extremely difficult to continue the series, due to the unfortunate death of Chadwick Boseman, but I think the film did a great job,” Jay Choe (10), viewer of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” said. “The CGI was stunning, and the introduction of new characters really surprised me.”

With this film marking the end of the MCU’s phase four, recent news of the new phase has started to gain momentum. Phase five will officially begin next year with the film “AntMan and the Wasp: Quantumania,” which is set to release on Feb. 17. So far, news has been released about seven movies in the phase, including a final Guardians of the Galaxy film, a Deadpool 3, and a new Fantastic Four film. With most of the original cast being replaced with new faces, this new MCU phase will likely be highly anticipated by audiences.

Yoon Choi

Sophomore, Reporter

6

FOCUS

Korean education: roots and beginnings

By Gyusung Lee

Today, Korea is well known for its extraordinarily high education standards and rigorous curricula and has the most highly educated labor force among OECD countries. But Korea’s current reputation for exceptional educational outcomes is relatively recent. Though Korean education has long operated on a set of strong foundational values, it was the combination of the government and citizens’ dedication to education that spurred the rapid development of the education system we know and respect today.

The earliest records of education in Korea date back to 108 BC, when handwritten textbooks were used to educate citizens on topics such as agriculture, justice, and medicine. In the age of the Three Kingdoms (57-688 AD), governments established national educational systems and standards heavily influenced

by Confucianism, whose values emphasized the importance of education. In this period, Korea's slogan for education was Hongik Ingan, which means to “live and work for the benefit of mankind.” The idea that education is for the good of the nation would persist until the 20th century when Korea underwent significant societal and economic upheavals.

After over a millennium of education built on such a foundation, the Korean educational system changed significantly under Japanese rule from 1910-1945.

Though the Japanese occupation was certainly oppressive and cruel, it had some positive effects on education. After Koreans’ demands for independence and against coercive assimilation in the March 1st Movement in 1919, the Japanese government strengthened its policies—which resulted in the equalization of the colonial education system. Specifically, with the amendment of the Korean Education Ordinance in 1938, schools under Japanese control in Korea were compelled to match their curriculum and quality with those of

layout by David Kim

schools in Japan. In the end, the 3 decades of Japanese occupation established over 5,000 schools in South Korea.

Just a few years later, the Korean War significantly crippled Korean society, as the conflict left the majority of industrialized infrastructure in ruins and tens of thousands of young men dead.

The renowned reputation of the Korean educational system today started forming after the end of the war in 1953. The country was in the midst of a complete economic catastrophe, still an agricultural society and one of the most impoverished nations in the world. But today, Korea is the world's twelfth-largest economy and the fourth-largest in Asia. This unbelievable recovery was primarily due to the country's laser focus on education from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Not only did the government implement educational reforms, but Korean families also began to devote more of their resources to their children's education.

The national mindset at the time was that education was the only way out of poverty and to success. This acceptance of education as a core national value is still upheld today.

Later on, legislation helped cement a thriving educational system in Korea. In the 1980s, the Ministry of Education took drastic steps toward educational reform.

For example, to promote fair competition, the government outlawed private tutoring and academies (though this was reversed after a few years) to diminish the stark contrast between the social classes’ educational opportunities in Korea at the time. To combat this further, the Korean government established standardized testing, known commonly as Suneung, in 1994, which is the main factor universities use to judge their applicants even today.

In the mid-1980s, the government issued the 5.31 Reforms, which restructured the Korean educational system,

shifting its focus from a skill-based system to a knowledge-based system and working to award students' talents and aptitudes.

Its objectives were summarized with 48 goals that included several educational aspects, such as administrative deregulation, decentralization of schools, and the addition of information and communication technology into the curriculum.

In the mid-1990s, the Korean government eased regulations for establishing universities and colleges, resulting in the rise of newly founded universities and colleges across the nation, allowing significantly wider access to a higher level of education.

Today, the Korean government invests immense amounts of its funding towards education. 20 percent of government funding goes to the Ministry of Education, which has a budget of 38.8 trillion Korean won. Earlier this year, President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration announced that it would dedicate another 11.2 trillion Korean won to its educational programs.

Korean citizens also have and continue to invest significantly in their children's education, with 3.4 percent of the national GDP spent on schooling. Another 10 percent is spent on outside education, such as tutors and academies.

The Korean government continues to expand and improve its educational system by continuing educational reforms and alterations to its curriculum. As globalization continues to expand in the modern world, Korea’s educational system must also adapt to prepare its students for their future. Only time will tell if the Korean education system will be able to continue its trend for a better future.

7 Korean education: culture

By Grace Lee

The Suneung, a 9-hour test Korean high schoolers take that determines their future, took place on Nov. 17, and students now await the announcement of their results on Dec. 10. Though the education system in international schools differs from Korean high schools greatly in the lack of a final standardized test and the set-up of the school curriculum itself, both types of students face similar emphasis on academics from a young age—a culture that sprouted following the Korean War and highlights the importance of education as a pathway to success.

But the learning does not stop at school, and instead extends into non-school hours.

Most Korean students attend hagwons, or cram schools, in order to gain a head start on content and receive better grades at school compared to their peers. The culture surrounding hagwons underscores academic success to the point that the government had to mandate a hagwon curfew of 10 p.m. to prevent students from being stuck at hagwons up till the early morning (some students even totaled up to 16 hours a day in hagwons). Some hagwons, however, still continue to skirt the law altogether and hold classes in secret.

While the pressure by itself is enormous, Korean school education policies often fluctuate under different government administrations. Governments understand that the education system is often a key concern for voters, especially those raising children, and wield policy changes to the system as a way to garner more support. Consequently, the path for children’s education becomes increasingly unclear as the curriculum continuously shifts its focus, which only contributes to the stress around their future.

As a result, Suneung is often more stressful than other standardized tests like APs as college acceptance results hinge only on their scores, while US colleges tend to view students more holistically.

As a result of the stress and overwork culture that begins at a young age, Korean teenagers have one of the highest rates of depression and suicide in OECD countries, with suicide being the leading cause of death for adolescents at 7.2 deaths per 100,000 people—fourth in the world. Furthermore, according to a survey by the National Youth Policy Institute in 2020, almost a third of Korean students revealed they had considered taking their life within the past year.

40 percent of those who had thought about committing suicide cited academic pressure as a main cause, which may even be underreported as mental health issues carry heavy social stigma in Korea and little treatment is available for those who suffer.

Furthermore, the pressure is not always internal. With the future of their children essentially resting on their academic performance, tiger parents are both products and perpetrators of the toxic education system in Korea. Tiger moms, who are well aware of the importance of education as former students themselves, drive the importance of academic success and extracurriculars, such as classical instruments, into their children. Furthermore, to supplant their children’s academic performance, many parents work harder to support the extra fees of tutoring and hagwons, with some parents even taking out risky loans to support the financial gamble as they invest in their children’s future. On the darker side, some parents resort to more sinister alternatives of “achieving” success by buying off scores

and bribing school officials discreetly. As a result, to stop education from devolving into favorites, Korea passed several anti-graft laws restricting students and parents from giving teachers gifts in any form.

Despite all the negativity surrounding the issue, however, change is arising—although slowly. “Sky Castle,” a K-drama about ambitious families and students working to get into top universities, provided insight and reflection into the toxic, cut-throat culture of college admissions in which tiger parents and students do as much as they can to secure admission to the elite SKY (Seoul National, Korea, and Yonsei) universities.

Furthermore, mental health awareness is slowly rising among all countries and dissolving the stigma surrounding the issue.

Hopefully, for the good of both students and parents, the culture will slowly expand to embrace not just school achievement, but also the students’ health and alternative modes of success.

And though to some it may seem so, the emphasis on education is not purely a toxic byproduct of Korean culture. The shared hopes and dreams of students everywhere to achieve academic success have led to churches holding services for students for the Suneung in hopes of increasing scores, bolstering community goodwill. Furthermore, uniquely for Korea, approximately 3000 police cars and 200 fire trucks are on standby to ensure that students get to their testing centers before they close in the morning. It is always important to consider not just the widely-known negatives of the culture, but the distinctive shared community goals this culture has produced for which everyone in the country respects.

8 Meet Ms. Kim, the new front desk lady STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Photo by Alice Lee (12)

She picks up the telephone in a professional manner, tucking the device between her ear and shoulder as she jots down important notes with incredible speed, and uses her spare hand to search through the internet archives. Her voice is firm and her diction immaculately precise, yet she commands pleasantness: she has the power to make any member of the SIS community feel welcomed. This is Sun Hwa Kim, the new front desk receptionist at SIS. Ms. Kim joined the SIS family as the new receptionist in September 2022. Brightening the once-unfamiliar school with warm directions, Ms. Kim welcomes students, parents, and guests with a bright smile as they enter the halls of the main building. Her day consists of guiding visitors, constant phone calls and emails, reporting other school functions, and hourly checks on the Air Quality Index for the student’s well-being.

It has been three months since her arrival, and like those who are still getting to know Ms. Kim,

layout by Eric Kim

she is also getting to know the school and the people.

“For the first month, time went by so quickly for me while getting used to my tasks,” Ms. Kim said. “Now I can look around and enjoy SIS’s beautiful facilities including its buildings, gardens, gyms, and swimming pools.”

Starting a new career can always be daunting because of not only the new commute and the feel of the new physical location, but also the new social atmosphere. Most of the students should be able to relate to Ms. Kim when thinking back to their first day in their new school. Nonetheless, Ms. Kim expresses pleasant memories of her initial interactions with the SIS community.

“The most impressive thing to me here is the wonderful people and pleasant atmosphere,” Ms. Kim said. “On the day of my interview at SIS, I had a small chat with a guard at SIS. After I passed, he sent me a congratulatory message!”

Ms. Kim has studied in Korea

and worked abroad, so she enjoys being in a multicultural environment. By its very nature of being an international school with a diverse faculty body, SIS gives a familiar feeling to Ms. Kim. SIS also comprises students who have collectively lived and studied in over a dozen countries, reflecting a level of diversity similar to what Ms. Kim experienced while she lived abroad.

“I have preferred an international work environment ever since I worked in Australia during the time I was in college and was taking semesters off,” Ms. Kim said.

Ms. Kim has pivoted her career path several times, building a diverse work experience prior to joining SIS. Ms. Kim was able to learn the SIS system and protocol while meeting new people and dealing with new personalities.

“I started my career as a marine investigator and researcher, and my last job previous to SIS was as an operation manager,” Ms. Kim said. “During the time I was

a marine investigator, I rode on a boat for a whole month and kept doing experiments after getting back to the laboratory. It was quite exhausting, but it was worthwhile because I was a part of offering important data at the national level. Also, I really enjoyed visiting all the mat-jibs (delicious restaurants) during the investigation. For example, the mackerel sashimi in Yokji Island was quite memorable.”

Additionally, Ms. Kim shares her hopes for her future.

“I want to be a great granny,” Ms. Kim said. “To me, it means to be a respected elder, who excelled at her work and took great care of her family. Kind of like a silver woman. Currently, I spend my free time exploring a variety of my hobbies. I play the piano, ukulele, and I love to bake and cook. I would like to continue to expand my interests and hobbies throughout the years.”

Ms. Kim encourages students to stop by her station during the day to introduce themselves and ask for any help they may need.

For instance, those who have lost

their belongings can scan the QR code located at the front desk.

“Please scan the QR code if you have lost your belongings.

We will be notified, and there will be a greater chance of you finding it. There is also a ‘Lost and Found,’ so make sure to check it out.”

The front desk can be used by anyone who has questions about the location of various administrative offices, teacher offices, and the gym and cafeteria. When students expect their guests such as family to visit the school, they can point out to Ms. Kim as a resource for any information about the school. She may even encourage some to visit our well-maintained gardens for a relaxing respite.

“Students are always welcome to visit me at the information desk, located on the 1st floor at the main building of SIS,” Ms. Kim said. “With any eye contact and smiles, I will say ‘hello’ and give you any help you need!”

Yujin Joe

Sophomore, reporter

MULTIMEDIA

9

What Christmas traditions do you have?

While millions of people celebrate Christmas worldwide, with traditions varying among different households and cultures, they are united by one theme: the joyous holiday spirit.

People might bake gingerbread cookies, decorate Christmas trees with ornaments, hang stockings, count the days of December with an advent calendar, and drink eggnog or hot chocolate.

Everyone has their own touch or spin on these common traditions that make them unique. As students and faculty at SIS get in the holiday spirit, here are some of their Christmas traditions.

“My favorite Christmas tradition is baking. I like to bake cookies and gingerbread houses by myself or with my family. Then, I decorate these houses with icing, sprinkles, and other kinds of candy. On Christmas Eve, I also enjoy staying up late and playing Just Dance until 4 a.m. because there are no restrictions on when I need to go to sleep.” - Christie Hwang (9)

“When I go to America and see my extended family on my mom’s side, we have Mexican food for dinner on the night of Christmas Eve. We have a bunch of presents, and we like doing a Secret Santa event with all of my cousins. We also have this thing where we hide a pickle ornament in the Christmas tree and whoever finds it in the morning gets to open the first present.” - Alma Tyvand (10)

“My family and I usually go Christmas tree shopping and decorate the whole house while listening to Christmas carols. We always celebrate Christmas on the 24th by giving each other gifts and eating dinner all together. We end the day by watching Christmas movies!” - Amelia Chung (12)

“I usually find a book or two I want to read. In the morning, I always make cinnamon rolls for our breakfast. This year, I plan to go to Sokcho and sit outside in a hot tub looking at snow—I don’t like going in the snow though.” - Gray Macklin, Principal

“For Christmas, I do Secret Santa for fun with cousins and other family members. I also always have Christmas dinner with my family and sometimes friends as well. We’ll typically open the gifts all together the next day. Also, since my family is very musical, we sing carols and other songs together a lot.” - Anna Piscioneri (11)

“When I was a kid, I had a calendar where you move a little mouse counting down each day of December, and my sister and I would take turns moving it every day. Now, my kids have a similar calendar, but they use a different fake ornament in each day’s pocket and take turns putting them on a little tree.” - Megan Mannell, English teacher

San Schwede

Sophomore, Reporter

10 VIEWPOINT

When stars are within our grasp

Editorial We wish you a woe-free winter Aimee Choi & Skylar Peck editors-in-chief When we interviewed members of the SIS community on their favorite holiday traditions for this issue’s Multimedia feature and they cited activities like Christmas countdowns and Secret Santa, we were secretly delighted— and slightly surprised. Perhaps this reflected a nascent trend of SIS students truly enjoying themselves during the holiday season.

But to accept this as a definitive trend requires as much suspension of disbelief as does the idea of Santa Claus shimmying down our apartments’ nonexistent chimneys to deliver Christmas presents. Indeed, as the end of the semester approaches, it is difficult to miss the echoes of “SAT” and “apps” (always accompanied by groans) wafting through the hallways upon any mention of winter break plans: the age-old trend of students spending an academically rigorous winter break is evidently here to stay.

For underclassmen, this might manifest as early preparation for standardized testing; for AP students, as long hours spent at hagwons in Apgujeong. For seniors, suffice it to say that our winter break will be a slightly different story.

In the last week of the semester—approximately when this newspaper will reach readers’ hands—the majority of US colleges will release their decisions for the early application round.

To put it bluntly, many of us will kick off our holiday season with an unwelcome gift: rejection letters from our top-choice schools. This, of course, is by no means a reflection of our worth but an inevitable product of the countless applications sent to the same two dozen most selective colleges in the US. But no matter how much we brace ourselves, it is equally inevitable that rejection will breed disappointment. Many seniors find it frustrating how often we hear that our self-worth need not be contingent on the arbitrary number that US News prescribes to our chosen college or that we need to have realistic expectations— there is not a single senior who does not know this. Yet, knowing this does not detract from our disappointment, considering the immense effort we put into our applications.

That being said, it would be disastrous to let that consternation consume us whole.

What can help us, then, is the knowledge that long hours spent regretting wasted time only accumulate into more wasted time as well as emotional exhaustion. Instead of spending the holiday season filled with dejection, we ought to direct our attention to the present, where we have the ability to maximize our chances of success in the regular decision round by perfecting our January-deadline applications.

And so, students of all grade levels may find themselves chasing productivity and academic achievement this holiday season. To its credit, an academically focused winter break is certainly helpful in allowing students to increase their understanding of course material and catch up on required tasks, whether they be college applications or SAT preparation.

At the same time, students ought to prioritize rest, as overwork and fatigue can lead to burnout in addition to more pernicious mental health problems. Let us not forget that allowing ourselves to relax will be necessary to preserve our all-around health—not to mention that the holidays are a time meant to be enjoyed with our loved ones.

So intersperse your hagwon classes with visits to Apgujeong CGV. Take an afternoon off from essay writing to bake Christmas cookies with your family. And if all else fails, there is always the new year to look forward to. Happy holidays!

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

layout by Bona Suh

M

usicians have long held a strong influence over their fan bases, from external aspects like fashion to internal aspects like the vulnerability of their music. However, the relationship between artist and fan has been transformed by social media. The increase of intimate and targeted content has paved the way for the rise of parasocial relationships, defined as one-sided relationships in which people are emotionally invested in someone who does not know they exist; this phenomenon usually occurs after repeated exposure to media featuring a certain character or person. As the lines between digital spaces and reality are blurred, it is more important than ever that fans are aware of the risks that parasocial relationships pose.

The most recent and concerning example was on Nov. 14, when lead singer María Zardoya of the band The Marías posted on Instagram that she had been sexually harassed by drummer Brandon Fried of another band, The Neighborhood. The drummer was swiftly fired from the band, and fans took to social media platforms to discuss the incident. While some fans were disappointed that their favorite band had been “tarnished” by this news, others criticized the fans, saying that they were being overly sympathetic toward the harasser instead of the victim.

Social media has undoubtedly helped users feel closer to musicians, as well as

other types of celebrities, than ever before.

The seemingly authentic posts, which might be closer to performance than personality, can more easily be accepted by fans and manifest into emotional connections. So, there is a certain extent of emotional damage when people are let down by their favorite stars, who feel like more than someone they follow on a screen.

Sadhbh O’Sullivan writes for Refinery29: “no matter how often we repeat the message that social media is ‘not real’ and is ‘only the highlights’ of someone’s life, we can’t help but attach ourselves to the version of that person we see online.”

It is when fans start to believe that they truly “know” their favorite musician or band member that parasocial relationships can blind them to real-world consequences. Fans will naturally be upset when a musician they listen to or admire is “exposed.” It is when they feel like they have been personally affected by an artist’s actions that the real victims become overlooked.

Of course, the strong fan culture that exists in the music industry is nothing new. Beatlemania, the term coined by British media describing the excitement that female fans expressed around or about the Beatles, is one example of the fascination young people have had with their favorite stars. However, there is a difference between being obsessed with someone and thinking you know who they

Baby, it’s… feminist?

Small flakes of frosted snow float through the air, families begin decorating their houses with ornaments, stockings, and wreaths, and all you can hear blasting on the radio are Christmas carols and Michael Bublé. But despite all this early-December Christmas cheer, something is amiss. While almost all of your favorite Christmas songs fill your ears, one of them seems to be missing.

Chances are, that missing song is the 1944 classic “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

The song, which depicts a woman attempting to leave a man’s house while he insists that she stays, has sparked significant controversy in the 21st century.

Most of the criticism has been made by feminists and supporters of the #MeToo movement, some of whom claim that the song’s lyrics are indicative of date rape and sexual assault. While a case certainly can be made against the song that predominantly features a man continuously persuading a woman to stay in his house against her wishes, others passionately defended the holiday classic, claiming that modern-day values should not be

imposed upon songs that were written in the past.

Though aspects of the #MeToo movement and fourth-wave feminism are both certainly beneficial characteristics of the contemporary world, they were largely non-existent when “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was written. The song represents a major part of the fight for gender equality through the challenging of traditional gender norms and should instead be celebrated as a symbol of women’s empowerment throughout history.

In fact, much criticism regarding the song’s lyrics has been proven to be the result of misinterpretations. Critics often point to one particular line stated by the female singer—“Say what’s in this drink?”—as a reason to banish this song from yearly Christmas playlists. Today, this line may seem like an unmistakable reference to “roofies,” which are drugs used to spike drinks commonly associated with crimes such as date rape and sexual assault. However, it is important to keep in mind that this song was written in the 1940s, when drink spiking

are away from the limelight.

It is frightening how effectively social media can lure viewers with consistent engagement and relatability. Ironically, the personality they see is something that is carefully curated by PR teams, managers, and record labels—factors working behind the scenes to ensure celebrities maintain their fan base and image.

In this way, parasocial relationships seem almost unavoidable. Whether it be showing off dinner with their friends, updating their stories between flight delays, or answering questions on stories to “talk” to fans, the virtual proximity granted by social media has made it easier for people to be emotionally invested. It also makes us feel better: musicians, who have often existed on a higher plane of life (fame and glamor) for so long, are brought back down to Earth as ordinary people.

The compromise we can come to is the acceptance that we probably only see a stylized version or a fraction of the true nature of musicians. People cannot help but admire someone who produces music that resonates with them. They can, however, resist putting their full confidence in musicians and stop assuming what they are capable of doing or who they are behind the screen. by:

Rachel Yoon

Senior, Managing Editor was a problem that was far outside of general public perception, with the issue only becoming well-known as news of such crimes became more widely spread through the Internet.

The innocent nature of the song is supported by the history behind its creation in 1944, when songwriter Frank Loesser wrote it as a party trick to be performed by himself and his wife for special occasions. Considering that the song was meant to be played for large gatherings and parties with family and friends, it seems highly unlikely that Loesser would have written a song advocating sexual assault for such occasions.

Furthermore, criticism regarding the overall misogynistic message of the song has been debunked by music historians such as Thomas Riis, who explain that the song was revolutionary at the time of its release for challenging gender norms. In the mid-1900s, the traditional expectation for young women was to be chaste and innocent, denoting the idea of an unmarried woman staying in an unchaperoned room with a man as being scandalous and improper. Thus, the risqué nature of the song effectively makes the song’s lyrics a direct challenge to restrictions on young women and an important symbol for sexual freedom.

Of course, despite the fact that the song’s lyrics are largely misinterpreted today, there is the valid argument that modern opinions should be the deciding factor if a song is appropriate in today’s society, and that the intentions of the songwriters are irrelevant if the lyrics still harm feminist values.

While this is true, it is equally important for modern feminists to accept and understand past efforts toward challenging traditional gender roles in order to further modern efforts at achieving gender equality. Only by acknowledging and celebrating the historical movement for gender equality as a whole can further progress be made for the modern feminist movement. Hopefully this Christmas, individuals will not shy away from “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” and will instead appreciate the values that it stood for as a product of its time. by:

Junseo Lee

Junior, Copy Editor

Tiger Times

December 2022

11

Viewpoint Feature: With SIS students often lacking exposure to outdoor environments, more outdoor classroom activities would allow students to develop a greater understanding of the outer world, boost their engagement in class, and enrich their learning experience. To this end, teachers could implement outdoor activities that range from simply holding classes outdoors within campus grounds to going on field trips.

What are the key benefits of outdoor learning?

What are some ways that teachers of different subjects could implement outdoor classroom activities?

Beyond classroom walls: let’s go outside As the falling snowflakes gently rest across the land, winter embraces the Earth with a white blanket of pristine snow. Breathing in the cool winter breeze, I relish the atmosphere of the great outdoors. If only I could study outside under the pine trees of the garden and listen to the delicate songs of the sparrows, there would be no better environment for learning. Looking outside the windows displaying vivid scenery, I sometimes wonder how great it would be if there were more outdoor classroom activities.

Whether it be simply holding an outdoor classroom activity within campus grounds or going on a field trip, SIS high school teachers can better foster students’ learning by incorporating outdoor activities or trips into their classes when appropriate.

In terms of direct academic benefits, outdoor education can enhance students’ understanding of class content by encouraging them to observe or apply learned concepts to the outer world. Outdoor environments foster the engagement of different senses, thus helping different learners––visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners––all develop a deeper comprehension of course material.

For example, AP Environmental Science students at SIS visit the Tancheon to investigate the quality of water flowing through the river. During this lab, they collect water samples while drawing on the scientific concepts they have learned.

Such outdoor classroom trips help students participate in hands-on learning,

helping them to better retain content.

Some may say that outdoor education is only effective for science subjects that are more involved with outdoor environments. Though it is true that science is inherently more relevant and easier to see in activities implemented outdoors, teachers of other subjects can also effectively implement outdoor activities.

For instance, art teachers could have their students draw landscape paintings of nature outside. English classes could also hold outdoor writing sessions, which is a method that professional creative writing workshops and college classes use. In both of these artistic disciplines, engagement with nature is often effective in inspiring new ideas and approaches.

Another concern that may arise is that the outdoors pose more distractions to which students could more easily lose their attention. While it may be true that a silent, enclosed environment allows for better concentration, distractions outdoors are not necessarily disadvantageous to students’ education. The distractions students encounter in outdoor environments such as the sound of the wind or birds chirping—elements of nature that students often do not notice—in fact drive their curiosity of the outer world. Outdoor education can thus encourage students to better understand the world around them.

When students go out into the world outside of school, they are not always going to be in a distraction-free environment.

Through exposure to sensory stimuli in

nature, outdoor classroom activities can prepare students to accomplish necessary tasks in the face of distractions. The role of high school education is to ultimately prepare students for their transition to adulthood, and outdoor education could be the key to this.

Outdoor education can also boost student engagement in class. Physical and mental fatigue, as well as drowsiness, are common among SIS students. Though there are many factors that contribute to this exhaustion, prolonged time spent indoors is a common one. This can be mitigated through lessons in nature, which have positive effects on classroom engagement, according to a study in Frontiers in Psychology.

Furthermore, throughout the day, students continuously stay indoors, moving between classrooms as soon as each period is over and sitting through each class. By allowing students to occasionally move out from this cycle that can seem monotonous at times, outdoor classroom activities can provide students with a fresh twist in their school life. This will also engage them in more direct interactions with nature, thereby bringing additional enthusiasm to their learning experience.

Implementing and reaping the benefits of outdoor activities can be a simple task, especially considering that SIS is home to a beautiful campus of hilly gardens, gazebos, and pine trees that could be used more frequently by students and teachers. Even small outdoor activities

within campus grounds, such as holding class discussions or seminars in the gazebo, could provide a fresh new setting to learning. Patrick Young, English teacher, once held his English 11 class in the gazebo after students’ requests, and Sophia Cha (11), one of his English 11 students, described the experience as special.

“Mr. Young brought us out into the gazebo to talk about ‘Othello,’” Sophia said. “I enjoyed the class outside because the fresh air is way better than being inside all the time, especially with masks.

I also think the outdoor SIS campus provides a good environment for studying because of the relaxing scenery with a lot of trees. It is also a secluded area, so it is quite quiet too.”

Any outdoor classroom activities, ranging from simply holding classes at the gazebo to going on field trips can enrich the educational experience at SIS so that students can go beyond using their textbooks and computers and engage in practical experiences in the outer world. It may be difficult to hold classroom activities outside during the winter, but teachers can provide these valuable experiences to students when the weather becomes warm next semester. Especially with COVID-19 restrictions having become less strict with masks being optional outside, why not go outside? by:

John Kim

Junior, Reporter

12

SMALL TALK

Photo by Fabian Roh (12)

Point

Counterpoint

By Katelyn Oh and Grace Lee

Black Friday… …refers to the day after Thanksgiving and, above all, the biggest retail sales day in the US. Often considered the beginning of the holiday shopping season, Black Friday is the most popular shopping festivity of

photo of the

month

Selling handmade ceramic works during office hours, Celadon members work to raise funds for charity.

FILMS TO LIVE BY

By Saewoong Ian Park

To the hummingbirds in search of homes As teenagers, our struggles sometimes seem like those of hummingbirds, whose relentlessly flapping wings cost them so much energy that they collapse into twigs the moment they can afford a bit of rest. Adolescence is a period of growth, but often, relationships with others impact the flight of hummingbirds, helping them find the right flowers or leading them astray.

“House of Hummingbird” is a Korean independent film directed by Bora Kim and released in 2018. “House of Hummingbirds” received 50 international awards and became a rare success story for an independent film.

The film takes place in 1994 and centers around Eun-hee, a typical 14-year-old girl who loves to draw, has a secret relationship with a boy, and meets a girl named Yu-ri who has a crush on her. However, beneath this visage of an ordinary teenage life, she is physically and verbally abused by her brother, and all her parents’ attention goes to her brother’s university preparation.

Suddenly everything goes downhill, and misfortune after misfortune comes down on Eun-hee. After being caught shoplifting together, Ji-suk, her best friend, puts all the blame on Eunhee. Soon after, Eun-hee discovers that she has a tumor under her ear, which has to be surgically removed. Her boyfriend’s mother forces her to break up with him while Yu-ri suddenly ignores Eun-hee completely.

Fortunately for Eun-hee, while she experiences these abrupt changes, her new free-spirited Chinese teacher, Young-ji, is there by her side. She

Layout by Yuzine Yi

encourages her to have hope, saying that “there is always good coming along” and “When you’re tired and sad, try looking at your fingers …you feel like you can’t do anything, but you can move your fingers.”

But as her emotional turmoil subsides, her Chinese teacher is suddenly nowhere to be found, and later Eunhee finds out that she died in a bridge collapse. Eun-hee falls down a rabbit hole of misery once again.

The film ends with Eun-hee waiting for a field trip, lonely yet confident, as she reads through a letter of hope left behind by her late Chinese teacher.

Eun-hee is no longer a lost hummingbird, instead, she has a clear path ahead in her life.

Every character in the film is a hummingbird trying to navigate life to the best of their abilities. None of them knows how to cope with their personal struggles healthily and that leads them to take out their feelings on others. Eun-hee’s brother lets out his academic stress on Eun-hee. Similarly, Ji-suk, scared, puts the blame on Eun-hee. Eun-hee’s parents struggle to express their love for her.

Reflecting back on the relationships we have with friends, teachers, and family this year, we realize how complex our lives are and how we can have a significant effect on each other. There is nothing easy about having relationships with people, and it is even more difficult to maintain them, but through people like Young-ji, we can learn to bring a healthy perspective to them. We can make a difference if we become a Young-ji in someone else’s life.

…offers great deals for consumers.

As perhaps the most obvious benefit, Black Friday puts forward massive clearance offers and hence an opportunity for consumers to shop affordably.

Prices are often among or even the lowest they have been the entire year, with many retailers discounting up to 80 percent on selected products or providing special package deals, free shipping, and extra coupons.

During such a shopping-friendly period, consumers can easily take advantage of the bargains and save on coveted products and daily necessities. The sales period is also an appropriate occasion to begin Christmas shopping, as it allows consumers to purchase presents in advance with markedly slashed prices. As the busiest holiday shopping season since the pandemic, 2022’s Black Friday has stores spreading out such deals a lot longer than a single day. …is the epitome of extreme consumerism.

Invigorating consumers to reach the pinnacle of overspending, the Black Friday sales period is remarkable at evoking a sense of materialistic urgency through the time-limited nature of the event. Hence, people often end up purchasing unnecessary gadgets that they would not have procured otherwise and overspending.

However, this issue cannot be attributed to merely consumer choice: the retailers share the burden. According to analysts, some shops maintain prices artificially high before Black Friday to announce a larger discount. These aspects altogether can be perceived as a representation of the generation’s extreme consumerism, which overshadows perhaps more meaningful traditions—such as Thanksgiving, a tradition that celebrates the gathering of friends and family.

the year, with many retailers reserving their highest discounts for that specific day. The event has spread globally over the last decade, advanced by US giants such as Amazon and then adopted in different countries. …benefits the economy.

Black Friday sales in the US surpassed a record-breaking $9.12 billion this year, according to Adobe Analytics, marking a strong start to the holiday shopping season despite economic concerns. With an ability to increase economic transactions and activity in the country, Black Friday is considered not only a sign of healthy consumer demand but also an invaluable chance to strengthen banks while downgrading real estate and utilities.

Furthermore, Black Friday heavily benefits large retailers like Walmart, with many holding not just day-long sales but even week-long ones. Companies take such risks because analysts predict an increase in yearly consumer spending at such events, but it is worth noting that sales have slightly subdued in recent years as fuel prices continue to skyrocket and the scarce food supply adds to economic concerns. …incites violence with crowd turbulence.

Black Friday has almost become synonymous with mob scenes—in which people trample over each other to grab anything and everything at a steep discount, even resulting in physical altercations as customers try to seize items from others. With people waiting overnight in tents and sleeping bags to exploit great deals, the bargain-seizing urgency of the day is predicated on the perception of a limited supply of big-ticket items. Traffic jams and long queues to try clothes on have now become an ingrained part of the culture.

The term “doorbuster deal” speaks to the violence of such occasions; Jdimytai Damour, a seasonal Walmart worker, was crushed to death as he opened doors to Walmart and the crowd rushed in, trapping him—a 1.95-meter-tall man— underneath. He was only 34.