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THE BLOODIED face of the monster snarls at the guards. Drool hangs from the upturned corners of his mouth, as he flashes his sharp teeth. Thick, black skin coats its muscled, spore-covered back. The royal guards of the palace look scared. How can they ever beat such a beast? The visuals, the sounds, it’s all too real... except it’s not. The hideous monster on screen, the flashy explosions and life-like palace destruction are all Visual Special Effects (VFX) from the 2018 film Monstrum by Heo Jong-ho. While VFX is commonly used in film regardless of genre and scale, few people would know that t
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Jo Beom-su
2019.04.03 18:11
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COSMETICS HAVE a prominent role in Korean society, as we are often bombarded with images of pale, radiant skin, tinted red lips and perfectly lined brows. Makeup and cosmetic surgery advertisements are exhibited in every corner—from internet banners to subway billboards — and we cannot help but always be conscious of our physical appearance. We constantly run into mirrors installed in school entrances, subway stations, and cafés: a daily reminder and catalyst to society’s collective obsession with beauty. Along with the growing fascination of makeup, many have now become inc
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Kim Kyu-ri
2019.03.06 20:16
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INTERVIEWING JOURNALISTS, for whom asking questions is an integral part of their everyday job, was, truth to be told, a daunting feat. While speaking to two journalists who willingly shared some insight into their work life, I had the opportunity to witness the experts in their true element. They were perceptive—quick enough to understand exactly what I was asking for and what information was important. Those skills have been polished over the years both in the field and inside the dimly lit office cubicles—moments that are often glossed over and glamorized in films. That is why Th
Career
Lee Chae-wan
2019.03.06 20:04
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THE MOMENT I realized what it truly meant to be a duk-hu was when I first revealed myself as one. As I casually selected an opening song from a Japanese anime at a karaoke room, some of my friends scowled and shouted in unison: “Wait, you are a duk-hu?” They started to crack jokes and snicker, and I tried to laugh it off as I continued singing—though I still could not help but feel a sudden surge of shame and regret. Not much has changed since then, yet this particular incident left a deep impression, leaving me not only confounded but also wondering: what is so bad about being a duk-hu
Opinion
Cho Seung-wan
2019.03.06 19:40
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ON NOV. 27, 2018, a woman jumped into the Han River in a suicide attempt. Miraculously, she survived and managed to call 119 for help while desperately trying to stay afloat in the water. However, the emergency operator believed that her emergency call was a prank and stalled the call as a result. When the operator finally sent a rescue team to the woman, it was already too late––four days later, her cold body was found. The operator’s apathetic attitude towards the caller draws attention to the lack of efficiency and reliability in Korea’s emergency response services. What is clea
Opinion
Go Hyun-jin
2019.03.06 19:26
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DRAGONS ENGULFING the sun, gods releasing anger onto people, or the moon and the sun fighting in an intense battle─these myths all explain the existence of an eclipse. Before science was used to explain certain phenomena, humans used stories to explain nature’s mysteries based on their experiences and beliefs. These explanations created folk tales that have been passed down to the present day, allowing people to reflect upon their own cultures. Etiological folklore especially serves as a way of understanding how our country was molded and brought to existence. The Origin of Korea In Korea, par
Take a Break
Yang Soung-hyun
2019.03.06 11:15
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WE HAVE become so accustomed to living in the city nowadays that we might sometimes stop to think twice before planning a trip out into nature. To be surrounded by the beauty of untainted land is only a dream to some who see nothing past the concrete and glass walls we call home. From time to time we need a break, a spiritual retreat to take in the fresh air and spread our wings. There is one such place, beyond the artificial lights and away from the suffocating blanket of fine dust, where there lies a rich culture and history as vibrant as the aurora borealis and where gentle breeze brushes t
Travel Diary
Kim So-yeon
2019.03.06 11:06
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CHOOSING A college major is not a simple choice. Four years and high tuition fees are just some of the opportunity costs of becoming a university student. And if the major of choice is not relevant to one’s dreams, the consequences may be devastating. Yet, the reality is that there is little chance for high school students to learn about different university departments. To remedy such predicaments, the Yonsei Dream Major Conductor (YDMC) has been providing future undergraduates with advice based on first-hand experience. For a deeper insight into this notable student club, The Yonsei Annals m
Behind the Scenes
Park Jae-ha
2019.03.06 10:55
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TAP. TAP. Tap. The constant click of your classmate’s pen from across the quiet room assaults your ears. Annoyance vibrates through your body. Or perhaps, when someone picks food off your plate without asking, you can feel your eyes roll at the back of your head. What about when you are trapped behind a person who is walking slowly without any urgency or direction? We all have our moments─ones that trigger our level of disgust and irritation to the point where we feel an impulse to break free from it. This phenomenon is known as a “pet peeve”─an action or behavior that is particularly irksome
Voice on Campus
Yang Soung-hyun
2019.03.06 10:40
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IF POSSIBLE, the already scenic Seoul becomes even more so around Christmastime. Featuring all the hallmarks of a Nat King Cole carol, the city overflows with chestnuts roasting on food carts, ready to be made into yul-lan*, hip-hopified yuletide carols blast from stores, and folks dressed like modish Eskimos flaunt their long puffer coats. More distinctively in South Korea, December also begets ice-skating, cafe-hopping and sightseeing in twos. In this way, Christmas in Korea is primarily a loud, unofficial reiteration of Valentine’s Day and how much the nation glorifies young love. At the sa
Special Report
Clarissa Kwee, Sarah Perumatta
2018.12.02 19:27
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WINTER IS a season of relaxation and high morale. As the semester draws to an end, students prepare for their finals, professors bring their lectures to a close, and Christmas carols begin to fill the streets. However, as much as winter is a season of caring for others and recreation of self, it is also a time of fearing the cold winds that gust through open windows. With this year’s winter estimated to be even colder than that of last year, Yonseians are exploring various life hacks in preparation for the severe cold. Those who stay at the Yonsei International Campus (YIC) in Songdo, Incheon,
Voice on Campus
Cub Reporters
2018.12.02 18:48
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HAVE YOU ever noticed groups of people gathering acorns from the forest floors of Yonsei’s Chungsongdae? Their actions may seem harmless; some may believe that the acorns have to be eventually cleared and that these individuals are simply doing the school a favor. In reality, however, acorns exist as the main source of food for animals living in the forest. By taking the acorns away, these people are disrupting the vital ecosystem of the forest. Stirred into action after witnessing the plight of the forest and its animal residents, 28 Yonsei students established the Yonsei Acorn Rangers on Sep
Behind the Scenes
Yang Ji-weon
2018.12.02 18:33
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AN ANNOUNCER*, an actress, and now an aspiring YouTuber. These are the labels that follow Choi Song-hyun, an alumna of the College of Communication of Yonsei University. Some people call her courageous; others call her reckless. Regardless, no one can deny her passion for the pursuit of new identities. With the recent creation of her very own YouTube channel, SONGHYUNC FILM, she has once again defined herself with a new status as a content creator. Even in the face of uncertainty, Choi has grasped the tail ends of her seemingly unattainable dreams through her fearless drive to defy the norms.
People/Yonseian
Kim So-yeon, Lee Hyun-kyung
2018.12.02 16:37
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“GOING TO bed early is like admitting my defeat,” says Lee Ju-hee, a junior in high school. “The more I sleep, the more I feel like I’m lagging behind.” The competitiveness in today’s modern society has contributed to the idea that sleeping is a waste of precious time which could be spent more productively. Sleep deprivation has become a social norm among the younger generation, and university students are especially prone to this phenomenon. Pulling an all-nighter before an important exam, staying up until three in the morning to finish a paper, and chugging coffee to compensate for last nigh
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Kwon Young-sau
2018.12.02 16:26
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BEFORE THE emergence of scientific theories and principles to explain astronomical patterns and anomalies, ancient peoples used to construct stories to explain the phenomena they observed in the sky. It is said that the Babylonians associated celestial bodies with certain attributes by metaphorically interpreting their characteristics and movements*. Mercury, for example, symbolized deceit because of its quick movement and difficulty to locate. Such interpretations marked the beginning of what we now call “astrology,” which derives from the Greek word astron (“star”) and logia (“study of”). As
Take a Break
Yang Ji-weon
2018.12.02 13:48
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WITH CAROLS filling the corner of each street, department stores announcing long-awaited holiday sales, and trees undergoing a fresh make-over of twinkling lights, the most joyful season of the year has arrived. What adds a finishing touch to the blissful atmosphere of wintery wonder are colorful and mouthwatering assortments of cakes, cupcakes, puddings, and cookies that are displayed beyond shiny windows of bakeries. The hands that skillfully craft each dessert into perfection belong to pastry chefs who are masters of bot fine arts and pastry. Although there are many people who have picked u
Career
Lee Chae-wan
2018.12.02 12:58
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MARKING THE end of autumn and the beginning of winter, December has finally arrived. The piercing chill works its way through our thick jackets, and not even a cup of hot tea is enough to keep ourselves warm. As trees are stripped of their leaves and our breaths puff white clouds, a visit to Onyang Hot Spring offers a great means of melting away the cold. Onyang-dong has already been a popular winter travel destination for the elderly, as it is easily accessible through public transportation and it provides them a chance to relieve their nerves in public baths. Although enjoying hot springs ha
Travel Diary
Lee Hyun-kyung
2018.12.01 19:27
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CHAOTIC. THIS word encapsulates the everyday scene in anemergency room. Those who have visited the facility will recall the overwhelming confusion as people frantically come and go, with different levels of pain and anxiety etched out on their faces. It is the job of the emergency department personnel—doctors, nurses and paramedics—to give acute commands to locate and resolve the patients’ source of discomfort, and provide medical care to the suffering individuals as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, due to a lack of capital and the problem of understaffing, most users of the eme
Special Report
Yoon Young-seo
2018.11.04 21:57
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MANY STUDENTS dream of becoming “the boss” one day. A boss would have the authority to set the timetable, hire employees, decide the direction for big projects, and even bring his or her own creative visions to life. The webtoon industry is a marketplace full of self-employed “bosses,” whose comics have been gaining interestfrom other media industries, as well as readership in countries outside of Korea. The profession of a webtoon artist has attracted interest from university students, both in and outside of art majors, as a dream job that entails freedom of expression and artistic creativity
Career
Kim So-yeon
2018.11.04 14:17
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IN SOUTH Korea, November is a month of remembrance. On November 3 and 17, millions of Koreans commemorate the Student Independence Movement Day and Patriotic Martyr’s Day, respectively. On these days, people pay homage to the likes of Yu Gwan-sun, a martyr who died in 1920 while fighting against the Japanese occupation, and Jang Jae-sung, a high school student who led the first student protests in Gwangju. Like these great figures, there are many whose lives and actions have greatly influenced future generations. Thus, *The Yonsei Annals* decided to discover and honor these legacies by asking
Voice on Campus
Kim Min-seo
2018.11.03 17:21