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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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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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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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I REMEMBER living in an apartment where Mr. Kim, a guard in charge of my lobby, would greet me every morning before going to school. The way he would smile as he pulled his hands out the window to wave completely coincided with my image of an exemplary security guard; generous, caring, and always on the lookout. Mr. Kim’s presence was something I always took for granted, until one morning while heading off to school, I noticed how awfully silent the lobby was. I looked to where Mr. Kim would normally be, but in his place was a new guard, someone much younger than him. I was shocked to find out
Opinion
Yang Soung-hyun
2019.10.06 21:13
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“DECIDING WHETHER or not life is worth living is to answer the fundamental question in philosophy,” said French philosopher and writer Albert Camus*. Discovering the meaning of life has been the greatest challenge to humanity. To quench our thirst for purpose, countless schools of thoughts and religious doctrines have provided their own understanding of life and the world. Ironically, these ideas that give life a deeper meaning were used to take lives. By invoking their beliefs and ideologies, zealots and fanatics have justified wars, genocides, and other acts of terror throughout history. Tho
Opinion
Park Jae-ha
2019.10.06 21:13
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ONLINE DATING has become one of the most popular methods of finding love in recent years. Comfortably scrolling through your phone screen while looking at a few photos and profile details is much less troublesome than putting yourself in actual social situations, trying to attract a certain someone face-to-face. However, while dating applications have provided a new, speedy way to connect with people, they have also introduced problems. Despite being convenient and appealing, there are numerous dangers that arise in the world of online dating that people tend to overlook when using such servic
Opinion
Kwon Kyu-hee
2019.10.06 21:10
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“YOU CAN’T punish me. What’s wrong with hitting my dog when I’m the one raising it? It’s my property and my decision to make**.” On July 26, a YouTuber was seen slapping his dog during a livestream video. Though multiple viewers reported him to the police, they were unable to handle the situation because the Youtuber had adamantly claimed that the dog was his property, and therefore, other people should not meddle in his life. In Korea, pet abuse takes place frequently due to its ambiguous laws and ineffective protection. Instead of buying pets from a nearby pet shop like picking up a toy from
Opinion
Cha Min-kyung
2019.09.04 20:44
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A CULTURAL lag refers to the phenomenon where cultural advances lag behind technological progresses. When it comes to the fashion industry, however, there is a different yet equally troubling phenomenon: a fashion lag. While racial discrimination has been steadily dismantling across society, the industry that claims to be trend-leaders has been slow on the uptake with repeated occurrences of blatant racism in recent years. It is time that the fashion world is given a stern talking on how artistic expression needs to coexist with racial diversity. Racism in fashion power houses In September 201
Opinion
Kwon Do-in
2019.09.04 20:42
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WHEN TRUMP pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement, environmentalists were struck with rage and disbelief. However, since then, a new hope has arisen to combat climate change in the United States and it comes from mayors. This year, both the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, and the mayor of New York, Bill De Blasio, have rolled out Green New Deals for their respective cities, promising to dramatically reduce emissions and make their cities more sustainable. This phenomenon isn’t unique to the United States— mayors from cities around the world are stepping up to the plate
Opinion
Eleni Sardina
2019.06.04 13:15
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“YOUR ARMS, my god. They look like they are about to break. Have you been fasting lately? You are as skinny as a stick!” It is an average Tuesday afternoon at the bodega.** The lady by the counter starts yelling, and I simply nod, pretending to listen. I shove the rubbery heads of my earphones furtherinas I try to focus on the lyrics of the song blasting sharply against my eardrums. My eyes probe around the room, searching for something I can fix them on. Yet, I can’t help but read the lips of the old woman, who is still shouting. Her wrinkly, fuchsia-lined lips draw words I have been trying t
Opinion
Kim Kyu-ri
2019.06.03 23:29
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KOREA WAS recently shocked by the celebrity sex scandal involving Jung Jun-young, who had been discovered to have filmed and illegally distributed sex tapes of women. His lewd and lascivious conduct was displayed via screenshots of an online group chat, where he had publicly shared videos of his exploits. When the screenshots were released to the public, the blurred content of the photos and videos piqued many people’s curiosity. Consequently, rumors and videos spread like wildfire online as netizens continued to share and expose the victims’ identities. In doing so, however, they have failed
Opinion
Yoon Young-seo
2019.05.07 14:00
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“WE CAME to have dinner! It’s my brother’s birthday!” cried 11-year-old Jeon I-su, as she and her family were kicked out of her brother’s favorite restaurant which originally welcomed customers of all ages*. This unfortunate incident was caused by a rising phenomenon called “no kids zone.” Although it is understandable that some adults may not like to share the same spaces as children as they tend to cause a lot of noise, “no kids zones” should not be society’s answer to their minor inconveniences. What are “no kids zones?” First appearing in 2014,“no kids zones” are usually cafés or re
Opinion
Park Jae-ha
2019.05.07 13:51
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WHAT ARE you willing to do for love? Some spend enormous amounts of money on materialistic goods, others take time off their day just to be with their partners. One man, however, knocks his partner unconscious and locks her up in a glass container when she announces that she will leave him. The Netflix series You puts charming and psychotic together to make one murderous stalker who will do anything to secure his love. The majority of the internet is head-over-heels for Joe Goldberg, an awkward bookstore manager who falls in love with struggling writer Guinevere Beck. While he seems dependable
Opinion
Kim So-yeon
2019.04.03 18:50
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“DEAR USER, according to the photos you have sent us, you have excess fat in your upper lid that is causing your skin to droop... the hooked shape of your nose may cause you to appear older than your age. Fixing these will cost you about ₩3.5 million*.” This is the kind of evaluation you can expect to receive when you upload your photo on a plastic surgery app. Not only does this app save you time from going to an actual clinic, but it takes just a few minutes to inform you of what is “wrong” with your face. The Korean beauty standard is relentless like that. You are beautiful if you have big
Opinion
Lee So-jung
2019.04.03 18:41
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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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MY WEEKLY routine starts with the Eastern Civilization lecture in Veritas Hall A of the Yonsei International Campus (YIC). Sitting for the class among many bright minds of Yonsei might be something I would have desperately longed for last year as a high school student, but not anymore. The echoing of the professor’s voice and the solemn atmosphere of the lecture hall exert pressure onto me as if it’s trying to press out the last breath of air out of my body. Am I the only one who can’t focus? How do people around me have the drive to compete in this endless race, when I realized that everythin
Opinion
Jo Beom-su
2018.11.03 17:10
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SEEKING MENTAL health care remains one of the greatest taboos in South Korea. However, the modern and fast-paced society is suffering from a chronic “flu” through various forms of mental illnesses. There is a silent prohibition against the association with these conditions. This anomaly stems from the fraudulent notions that mental illnesses reflect one’s lack of sociability or predisposition to violence. The South Korean Medical Service Act and the Ministry of Health and Welfare strive to increase accessibility to mental health consultations, yet their efforts have gone astray. The juxtaposit
Opinion
Hong Jee-seung
2018.11.03 17:02
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UNDER THE principle of *if the citizen questions, the government answers*, the *Cheong-wa-dae* (Blue House) launched an online public petition system to celebrate the 100th day of President Moon Jae-in’s inauguration. With the initiation of this new platform, the Moon administration has attempted to implement prompt and unfiltered communication between the nation’s citizens and Blue House officials. BackgroundThe right to petition has always been written in Article 26 of the South Korean Constitution: (1) All citizens shall have the right to petition in writing to any governmental agency under
Opinion
Hong Jee-seung, Kim Peter
2018.10.03 19:27