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YOU MIGHT have seen him on the TV program, Entertainment Weekly, you might have seen him in a number of movies, and you might have seen him as a goodwill ambassador for the 2018 Paralymics as well. Shin Hyun-jun (Class of ’87, Dept. of Physical Education) is one of Korea’s most beloved movie stars, famous for his roles in Stairway to Heaven, Barefoot Ki-bong and General’s Son. In an interview with The Yonsei Annals, Shin shared with us his story of how he became one of the most well-known actors in Korea. Annals: You originally applied to Yonsei’s Dept. of Physical Education but later received
People/Yonseian
Cha Min-kyung
2020.06.13 23:38
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AS THE COVID-19 pandemic reaches its peak, world financial markets are experiencing severe instability. Stock markets are plummeting as experts expect the worst-case scenario this outbreak may trigger: another global recession. However, here in Korea, small-time investors, namely the ants are bulk buying domestic stocks of major Korean conglomerates, yielding a seemingly patriotic outcome of protecting the domestic firms. As their unfounded behavior has drawn much public attention, media outlets have ended up naming this phenomenon, the Dong-hak Ant Movement.Presumed origin of this neologism A
Special Report
Mun Su-hyeon
2020.05.02 02:21
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In popular culture, famous scientists are often depicted as eccentric and obsessive recluses who discover and generate great findings by themselves. Such images could not be further from the truth. The scope and depth of modern-day researches necessarily require intense collaborations as a team, and at the Institute of Basic Science Center for NanoMedicine (IBS CNM) in Yonsei University, interdisciplinary and collaborative research is the usual modus operandi. IBS CNM’s faculty consists of one of the most brilliant scientific minds in Korea, but almost as important to the success of their orga
Behind the Scenes
Ko Young-gyun
2020.05.02 00:00
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A BEAUTIFUL face catches your eyes from the side of the street. There in front of a café, people are taking photos of a blown-up poster of a K-pop idol with “Happy Birthday” written across it. Whose birthday is it, you wonder. And why weren’t you invited? Well, it turns out everybody is invited. These celebrations, known as café events, are organized by various dedicated K-pop fans to celebrate important milestones in their favorite idols’ lives, from birthdays to debut anniversaries. Commemorating important milestones and anniversaries The most common occasion for a K-pop caf&ea
Take a Break
Ding Jaimie
2020.05.01 18:55
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IF YOU are feeling a bit stir-crazy these days, perhaps it is time to cautiously venture outside for some fresh air. Sure, social distancing must be obeyed—but if you are willing to venture outside of Seoul and sacrifice a bit of your morning sleep, you could just as well enjoy the outdoors while also observing your civic responsibility. 15 km east of Seoul is the Bukhan river bike trail, which is almost empty in the early morning save for a few cycling enthusiasts. In its entirety, it is a 70 km journey that begins from the mouth of the river and snakes into the city of Chuncheon. Howev
Travel Diary
Ko Young-gyun
2020.05.01 18:16
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COVID-19 HAS effectively ground modern society to a halt. The virus has claimed countless lives, stressed the healthcare capabilities of many countries to their breaking point, and forced millions of people into effective social isolation in order to avoid further infections. As the consequences of the global outbreak continue to grow, a concerted effort is being undertaken to develop a potential vaccine for COVID-19. However, most experts seem to agree that any potentially effective vaccine is more than a year away from completion. So, what makes vaccine development such a lengthy and difficu
Lightbulb
Mun Su-hyeon
2020.05.01 18:12
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MEMBERSHIP TRAINING(MT) is a retreat or small trip organized by a company, school, club or group where the members of the group break the ice and connect with each other. For students looking to make the most of their university experience, it is a rite of passage and a chance to make new friends. However, not everyone considers it a necessary milestone for a fulfilling university life. To give some insight into what MTs mean to university students, The Yonsei Annals asked Yonsei University students about their most memorable MT experiences. Jeong Ji-hye (Sr., Dept. of Russian Language & Lit.)
Voice on Campus
Oho Yun-seo
2020.05.01 18:08
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AFTER 38 years of representing the Republic of Korea, Oh Joon, former South Korean Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), currently serves as the chair of Save the Children Korea. Oh was the South Korean ambassador to Singapore from 2010 to 2013. He later practiced multilateral diplomacy at the UN, where he was elected as the 71st president of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Oh’s remarks at the Security Council Meeting—“for South Koreans, people in North Korea are not just anybodies”— is recognized as one of the best speeches delivered at the UN. In an interview with T
People/Yonseian
Lee Jong-min
2020.05.01 17:55
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JOSH FROM the YouTube channel Korean Englishman is one of the most popular YouTubers in Korea. His channel is comprised of a variety of skits, daily blogs, reaction videos, and even interviews with celebrities. What his contents have in common is that they revolve around Josh introducing Korean culture to foreigners. Though Josh himself is not Korean, he has a passion for the culture. Unfortunately, people like Josh have been the target of ridicule by being labeled a “Koreaboo.” Koreaboo is meant to be an insult, to make someone feel ashamed; but is it really such a bad thing to like another c
Opinion
Kwon Do-in
2020.05.01 17:52
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EVERY WEEKDAY, Yonsei students and professors have been convening over Zoom for classes—and despite the safety this medium provides, many are unhappy with the arrangements. As the administration extends online lecture periods under continued threat of COVID-19, dissatisfied students are calling for a refund in tuition. Yet, even though the students’ indignation is understandable and deserved, it seems unlikely that administration will field their requests. Debate over class quality With many professors claiming to have put more effort into their online classes than their physical ones, s
Opinion
Kim Chae-yoon
2020.05.01 17:35
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MANY CINEMATIC masterpieces are revered for their meticulously planned details: from the innocuously placed origami unicorns in Blade Runner to Da-song’s “self-portrait” in Parasite. The classics are able to convey meaning in every detail; nothing is there without a reason. One such small feature that contributes to fleshing out a believable character is their choice of drink.James Bond: “shaken, not stirred” martiniReleased in 1962, Dr. No marked the start of 007’s worldwide fame and popularity. It was also the first, but certainly not the last time Bond ordered a “shaken, not stirred” martin
Take a Break
Kwon Do-in
2020.04.05 02:59
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AS COVID-19 continues its onslaught, it has been filling the general public with fear and anxiety from the perceived threat of danger. The constant text message alerts, news updates, and rising number of infected individuals make it difficult for anyone not to be distressed by the possibility of contamination. People are responding by avoiding high risk areas, searching for health information, and stockpiling food, face masks, and disinfectants. However, for those with a fear of illness, these types of concerns and behaviors during a health crisis characterize the norm of their daily lives. Th
Lightbulb
Nam Hyun-jin
2020.04.05 02:54
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WINE IS the staple of every romantic dinner in a high-end restaurant and the drink of choice for the sophisticated drinker. Choosing the right wine to be paired with the right food at the right place is one of the many responsibilities of a wine sommelier, and something they are trained extensively for. To understand what being a wine sommelier is like, The Yonsei Annals has interviewed Cha Jin-seon and Yang Dae-hoon, wine sommeliers who have years of experience working firsthand at various events and restaurants.Choosing to be a wine sommelierAnnals: What exactly does a career as a wine somme
Career
Oho Yun-seo
2020.04.05 02:44
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EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION is increasingly available online, providing much-needed information to prospective employees about the company they are seeking to work for. However, without self-awareness and prior job experience, new entrants to the job market may find themselves at a loss in deciding what kind of organization, boss, goals would be suitable for them. The Yonsei Annals has interviewed students with some internship or job experience to learn about their insights on what kind of jobs they wish to work for, or what kind of jobs they will avoid at all costs. Ilaria Fornari (Sr., UIC, Compa
Voice on Campus
Ko Young-gyun
2020.04.05 02:34
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A NANOMETER is only one billionth of a meter. Technology on the nanoscale operates on the level of molecules and atoms. Its impossibly miniscule size has opened new avenues of research in the field of medicine ranging from alternative treatments to cancer to improved techniques for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One of the leading chemists in inorganic materials and a pioneer of nanomedicine is Cheon Jinwoo (Prof., Department of Chemistry), the Director of the Institute for Basic Science Center for Nanomedicine (IBS CNM), whose current research is in the field of magnetogenetics*. As the di
People/Yonseian
Nam Hyun-jin
2020.04.05 02:29
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“PEOPLE SEE me and just ignore me,” said a woman who took the subway when she was seven months pregnant. “They looked away like it wasn’t their problem.” This is just one example out of countless cases when pregnant women take the subway, only to be ignored by commuters seated in front of them. In order to tackle such situations, South Korea introduced “pink seats”—separate priority seats in subways designated for pregnant women. Yet, as someone who takes the subway on a daily basis myself, I have seen more men and the elderly sit on these pink seats than I have seen pregnant women. This
Opinion
Kwon Kyu-hee
2020.04.05 01:39
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BLACKOUT. BACKGROUND music fades out gradually and then, a moment of silence. Tak! A warm, yellow light illuminates the stage, and act one begins. All eyes turn to the stage as the actors speak their opening lines, seamlessly slipping into their chosen roles. It is easy to be in awe of these performers who so naturally switch from ordinary people into characters often larger than life. It is also easy to believe that this is a world where only the talented can thrive. But here, at Yonsei University, there is a theater club which says we are all actors in our own worlds. To learn more about thi
Behind the Scenes
Mun Su-hyeon
2020.04.04 15:54
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AT ONE point in our lifetime, we have all experienced some kind of discipline from our parents. While some might have done chores around the house, in Korea, discipline usually involves children receiving a beating or caning from their parents. The so-called “rod of love*” is a well-known concept in Korea, where parents use corporal punishment to discipline their children out of love. However, when parents are found to be the main source of child abuse cases, it makes us question whether they should be given the right to take such disciplinary actions. To do, or not to do? Up until last May, A
Opinion
Cha Min-kyung
2020.04.04 13:56
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MANY OF us are familiar with the anxiety that comes with talking to strangers or a large group of people. The prickling sensation of eyes trained on us make us self-conscious about every word we murmur. We dread such situations and may do anything to avoid them. People always tell us that, with time and practice, it is something that we will grow out of. However, for people suffering from selective mutism, such a simple solution is too good to be true. These stressful situations can paralyze them with fear, unable to utter a word.Grasping the situation People with selective mutism are perfectl
Special Report
Oho Yun-seo
2020.03.14 22:09
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AFTER THE spread of the novel coronavirus, anti-Chinese sentiment has grown worldwide. More than 600 thousand people have signed the Blue House online petition requesting travel bans on Chinese visitors, and social media sites have been bombarded with racist vitriol and hate comments. Even bigoted expressions like “Yellow Alert” and “Coronavirus, made in China” made headlines of the foreign newspapers, aggravating Sinophobia—fear or hatred against Chinese nationals. The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus has spawned not only Sinophobia but also a multitude of dangerous beliefs that
Opinion
Mun Su-hyeon
2020.03.14 21:44