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SELF-HELP books are regularly on the receiving end of many high-brow criticisms for their general lack of literary sophistication. Yet not a week goes by without at least one such book in both the international and domestic bestseller lists. Considering their widespread success and the huge variety that exists in the genre, it seems rather dismissive to simply chalk up their success as being driven by the poor tastes of the general public. Why should anyone be faulted for trying to better themselves? Surely this is something commendable. Yet I do have a strong personal dislike for self-help bo
Opinion
Ko Young-gyun
2020.03.13 04:15
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WHAT KIND of college experience are you looking for? One stuck in the same old routine, or one filled with new adventures and memorable experiences you’ll never forget? These are the questions that the club, Qualifications of a University Student or DJG*, tries to answer. DJG members share their bucket lists and plan unique events to enjoy together under the motto, “if you’re not having fun, you’re not a college student.” For students looking to make the most out of their college experience, The Yonsei Annals conducted interviews with DJG’s President Cha Ha-min (Sr., Dept. of Clothing & Textil
Behind the Scenes
Nam Hyun-jin
2020.03.13 00:56
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AMERICAN HORROR writer H.P. Lovecraft passed away unpopular and impoverished in 1937, yet his fiction survived to inspire generations of cult and horror creators. Incomprehensible and inhumane, his inventive monsters birthed the genre of “cosmic horror” and are constantly reproduced in games, film, and books. But a dilemma looms in all Lovecraftian fiction: the author’s undeniable racism. The Mythos “Cosmic horror” deals with the fear of the unknown, a vital component in Lovecraft’s universe. Lovecraft created dozens of deities and aliens in his fiction that were enough for his readers to conj
Take a Break
Kim Chae-yoon
2020.03.13 00:43
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BUYEO HOLDS the history of Baekje—one of the Three Kingdoms* of Korea; Sabi, present day Buyeo, was Baekje’s capital. In remembrance of the city’s golden days, historical sites were preserved and restored to welcome visitors to immerse themselves in the heritage of the wise Koreans of the past. Yet, Buyeo is still a relatively less-known tourist destination, and many Koreans have only heard of the city in their textbooks. I planned this one-day trip with a sense of duty to tell others about the hidden travel gem. Go-ran Temple and Nak-hwa-am Rock inside Bu so san seong Fortress site The
Travel Diary
Lee Jong-min
2020.03.13 00:36
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NANO-BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING—what is this up and coming technology everyone is talking about? You may think that the innovative science is only for the Silicon Valley techies, not for average college students. But what many don’t realize is how reliant we are on nano-biomedical technology—from TVs to medicines, nano-biomedical technology has already become a norm in our daily lives. Nanotechnology: the art of the one billionths In order to get a grasp of the seemingly complicated technology, it is necessary to understand each field of science that constitutes this technology. The fi
Lightbulb
Noh Ruby
2020.03.13 00:25
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WHENEVER WE turn on the news channel on TV, we are greeted with news anchors who report the world’s events. While news anchors seem to present news reports only, they are busy coming up with news leads, rehearsing news reports, and double checking the positions of various cameras before they appear on the screen. In order to explore this profession in greater depth, The Yonsei Annals met with Choi Kyu-yeon, an international news anchor at the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), who shared her experiences in becoming a professional news anchor. Annals: Could you please tell the readers the differ
Career
Cha Min-kyung
2020.03.13 00:20
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EARTH, HOME. Ever since humanity could travel, we have found ways to overcome the numerous problems that are part of planning and making the journey, then surviving and adapting to the new environment at the journey’s end. We have traveled across the lands from the far eastern parts of Asia to those of Europe, as well as across the seas from the Old World to the mysteries of the New World. Still, us humans have always looked up at the sky from the times of ancient man to today and pondered to ourselves, “What lies there, above the heavens and away from Earth? How can I get there?” While we suc
Lightbulb
Oscar Jay Rodriguez
2019.12.02 17:10
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OPERATING BEYOND national borders, the employees of international organizations negotiate diverse interests to promote unique agendas across the globe. Depending on governmental affiliation, they are commonly divided into two categories: intergovernmental organizations (IGO), where coalitions of states a range of policies, and international non-governmental organizations (INGO), where missions are conducted outside governmental interests. However, both of these agencies share the objective of fostering peace and aiding the lives of human beings. To discover more about their endeavors to better
Career
Cho Seung-wan, Yang Soung-hyun
2019.12.02 17:08
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SEOUL’S BITTER-COLD winter is just around the corner and many Yonseians are probably pondering about where to take refuge during this blistery season. Popular destinations are either close to Korea, such as Osaka and Hong Kong, or well-known for their warm climate, like Cebu and Bangkok. While these well-known winter break destinations have their merits, they have become too “Koreanized,” meaning that they have lost much of their unique vibes due to the onslaught of Korean tourists. This year, why not venture further and enjoy a one-of-a-kind winter break at three small Spanish villages? Ronda
Travel Diary
Kwon Do-in
2019.12.02 17:06
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UNDERCOVER WORKER at a fluorescent lamp factory, active participant of labor movements, a member of the National Assembly, and eventually the first female leader of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT)—though there are many titles and accomplishments accompanying Minister Kim Hyun-mi (Class of ’81, Dept. of Political Science & Intl. Studies), her passion and drive never seem to be extinguished. Being at the forefront of South Korea’s housing and transport policies since her appointment in 2017, Minister Kim’s plans for transition and improvement might not seem dras
People/Yonseian
Jo Beom-su, Lee Chae-wan
2019.12.02 17:04
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AS SOON as Ji-young enters the public bathroom stall, she scans the small cubicle for any holes and traces of blinking red LED lights that indicate the presence of hidden cameras. After a careful yet somewhat frantic search, Ji-young reluctantly steps out of the public bathroom. Upon watching this scene from Kim Ji-young: Born in 1982, I was lost with words as I was reminded of how often I undergo the same routine in public bathrooms. Though I was not born in 1982, my heart still ached for Ji-young because at that moment, the movie did not portray the life of Ji-young in isolation; it was the
Opinion
Noh Ruby
2019.12.02 16:46
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“SMILE, BECAUSE it’s easier than explaining what is killing you inside.” For so long, I related closely to this quote by Joker in the film The Dark Knight, as it was representative of my own mental struggles. After a bout of mental trauma that struck me last year, 2019 has been a wayward journey of overcoming depression. Looking back on the year, the lessons I learned help to do away with a pretentious smile and put on a genuine grin. The downward spiral Ever since I was a child, I believed that helping others was the most noble thing a human being could do, as I regarded human life as somethi
Opinion
Cho Seung-wan
2019.12.02 16:44
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WHETHER IT is knocking on wood three times to ward off bad luck or not eating seaweed soup the day before you take the su-neung*, almost everyone believes in a superstition, passed down within their family or learned from their experiences. Although there is no clear evidence to prove the validity of their various beliefs, many end up abiding by their superstitions for different reasons and refrain from taking certain actions. The Yonsei Annals has asked students currently at Yonsei University to share some of their superstitions. Antony Guzman (Soph., Dept. of Computer Science, Dartmouth Coll
Voice on Campus
Cub Reporters
2019.12.02 15:53
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THERE IS a great deal of ways we can heal our minds and worn-out bodies. Some may prefer to wrap a soft blanket around themselves and watch their favorite movie, while others may choose to go out for a run. Ring Ding Dong is a new student club at Yonsei, formed by students who share a similar interest of trying out new “healing” activities. Their main activities include visiting board game cafés, playing with playdough, listening to their favorite music, or anything that allows them to take their minds off pressure or anxiety coming from everyday life. To find out more about how they re
Behind the Scenes
Cha Min-kyung
2019.12.02 02:36
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“TELL ME your story. I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction. No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin color, gender identity: speak yourself*.” After 14 months and 62 shows in 13 countries, BTS has finally wrapped up their “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” tours with three final gigs in their hometown, Seoul. As BTS’ popularity continues to soar across music charts and continents, the tour’s core message has undoubtedly struck the hearts of millions of ARMYs** across the world. Breaking the Scene: Breaking records and boundaries BTS kicked off their history-maki
Take a Break
Fan Vivian, Noh Ruby
2019.12.02 02:17
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IN SEPTEMBER 2019, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced an indefinite suspension of its redesign project of Gwanghwamun Square, which had aimed to transform the landmark area into a public space for the transportation and recreational needs of municipal residents*. The shelving represents a blow to plans, included within the project, to conduct key historical restorations to restore the environs and edifice of Gyeongbokgung Palace to their forms during the Joseon Dynasty (e.g. the rebuilding of a distinctive elevated platform called the woldae and the linking of the southern palace wall
Opinion
Andrew Soohwan Kim
2019.11.03 22:33
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THE AVERAGE Korean has never had to pause in the middle of a convenience store visit and think of certain items, like individual units of string cheese or crabsticks, as anything out of the ordinary. From the viewpoint of an uninitiated foreigner, however, items like pairs of hard-boiled eggs stick out like sore thumbs because they are not quite snacks or meals, neither are they a prudent decision when shopping for groceries. Perhaps it is important that the convenience store aisles reflect not only that what we consume is different from the rest of the world, but also that there is a differen
Take a Break
Prairie Soh
2019.11.02 22:34
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EYE-POPPING posters, awe-inspiring movie trailers, and an excited audience scurrying to their seats are what anyone would expect to see only in the cinemas. In Yonsei University, a smaller version of this can be seen every week as students fill in the Multimedia Room located on the 3rd floor of the Office of Library & Information Technology Services, eager to watch carefully picked movies that follow a central theme. In charge of these events is Yonci, a student-run cinema club that hosts various film screening programs for all Yonsei movie-lovers. To find out more about how they reach out to
Behind the Scenes
Park Jae-ha
2019.11.02 22:27
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WE HAVE all been there. The nausea, muscle ache, and thirst are all telltale signs of an impending hangover. While most enjoy the light-headed and giddy feeling that accompanies drinking alcohol, the aftermath can take a toll on one’s body. It is no wonder there is so much advice on how to alleviate hangovers and just as many hangover remedies. Frequent drinkers have their own know-hows for alleviating the effects of alcohol. Some people suggest simply drinking plenty of water and resting while others swear by a bowl of boiling hot soup after a night out drinking. In Korea, where drinking cult
Lightbulb
Kwon Do-in
2019.11.02 19:01
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WHEN THINGS do not go as planned, we often feel let down as if we have failed to accomplish something. Sometimes, though, we can gain valuable lessons from experiences we once thought we would never have by making spur-of-the-moment decisions. Spontaneity can bring out excitement, nervousness, joy, regret, fear, and confidence, to name a few. Its beauty is that nobody knows the outcome, so you can follow whatever path your heart desires to take, without having to worry about ruining your perfect “plan.” The Yonsei Annals explores the adventurous side of Yonseians. Kim Gyo-bin (Jr., Dept. of Bu
Voice on Campus
Cha Min-kyung
2019.11.02 18:59