The Survival Of Expresso: Old Media VS New Media

The Survival of Expresso: Old Media VS New Media
By Sandra Ha

The battle between old and new media is now in action. Starting from the advent of search engines before the 21st century, everybody saw this battle coming. Internationally, there is a fierce ongoing dispute between newspapers and Google. According to the newspaper industry, Google is literally taking over the news. On the contrary, officials of Google assert that Google’s existence helps the old media to at least maintain its remaining readership. With new strategies implemented, this war is heading toward the next battlefield which will result in much more causalities once it goes wrong.

Everything started when Rupert Murdoch, a media mogul who is the CEO of News Corporation, pulled his newspapers from Google’s search results in 2010. He claimed that the headline and two line excerpts summarizing print articles on the front page of Google News were causing less and less people to actually click the links to read the entire article. If you go into the front page of Google News, there are headlines that pretty much give a good idea of what the news will be about. The site even provides two line summaries which make it even less likely that people will want to click to see the real details. Mr. Murdoch accused Google News of damaging media’s way of generating revenue from online advertisements and required payments for having its news articles in the search results. Google’s rejection of this proposal led Mr. Murdoch to withdraw his newspapers from Google search results.

This decision, surprisingly, negatively influenced his news industry because most of the viewers, in fact, search Google to get into most of the news sources. If newspapers from Mr. Murdoch’s empire do not show up in the search results, people simply go to other newspapers that were available.  Therefore, in September, Mr. Murdoch decided to provide headlines and excerpts to Google News again—returning back to the previous state.   

The Second Media War

Although the first war between newspapers and Google ended in favor of Google, the second war seems to be a neck-and-neck match. The war is no longer national, but spreading out to be a multinational one. In Germany, politicians are proposing a bill that guarantees copyright protection to excerpts of newspaper articles exposed in search engines’ results, allowing publishers to gather payment from the related search engines. This bill is also being discussed in Italy, France, Austria, and Switzerland as well. It will go through full-scale discussions from this month and could be implemented in as early as next morning. In France, President Francois Hollande directly addressed Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, warning that if Google did not meet the compensation demands of French newspapers, the French National Assembly could pass a law similar to the German one. In order to reclaim their declining dominance, newspapers are literally joining forces to establish a collective society.

Some newspapers have been successful in this battle. In Belgium, a chain of newspapers filed a lawsuit against Google for news copyright infringement and won after a long battle. Google has announced that the company will appeal immediately after the verdict, but it is highly probable that the company will have to compensate the damages. Outside of Europe, Brazilian newspapers withdrew their articles from Google News. By developing other ways to access to the news articles, Brazilian newspapers have not suffered from any palpable damages – online hits only decreased by 5%.

Responding to fierce attacks of these newly joined alliances, team Google is attacking in its own way. The typical Google strategy is simply not posting newspaper articles in the search results when the newspapers demand such payments. This action significantly decreases the revenue of online advertisements because less people are likely to access to the news websites. That was how Google silenced a number of newspaper companies in the past years. Simple statistics are also on Google’s side. Google leads 4 billion clicks to news websites per month–about 75% of Google News readers click in to read the full article in the actual websites. Therefore, Google claims that its very existence is helping the sustenance of newspapers.

What is the point of the War anyway?

Exactly, where is the war going toward? Even though, hypothetically, Google meets all of the compensations demanded by the newspapers, the cause of their ever-shrinking revenue is not because of Google. In France, the $1.54 billion government subsidies awarded to media companies are not helping any single national newspaper to go out of deficit. In 2011, global newspaper advertising revenue barely reached $76 billion, a 41% decrease since 2007. In this trend, online advertising is not even close to the right solution. Many of the online advertisements are not profitable as printed advertisements, as they remain undefended to ad-blocking software. In spite of the rigorous increase in online advertisements, online ads only amounted to 2.2% of newspapers’ advertising revenues last year. Google cannot be the sole cause of this decline.
Maybe it is time to accept the simple truth: old media needs some CPR.

How about Expresso?

Expresso is definitely in the same boat as print media, but it has a different nemesis: Facebook. As a GLP newspaper, Expresso not only provides a succinct outlook of GLP life, but also delineates important issues happening around the world. However, it seems like Facebook is serving the same role for a lot of students. Sometimes, the paparazzi photos in the newspaper were found on Facebook before the issue was published. Sometimes, the events described in articles were vigorously discussed much before on someone else’s wall. Sometimes, the print media seems to be so obsolete compared to other top-notched technologies that are updated the moment you scroll the bar with your finger.

Expresso is not a revenue generating newspaper–we write and we pay, so advertisements or subscription fees are far from the real issue. Our paper’s objective is to provide your news, providing an outlook of a life that all of the GLP students know and experience. Thus, it is crucial that this newspaper continues to be relatable and riveting at the same time. The biggest difference Expresso has from all of the new media outlets is that we strive to provide the best conversation that could happen inside GLP. Reporters spend their entire weekend working on articles that show their fields of interests and also gather details to provide the best overview of GLP events. This is why there is even a movement in domestic class modeling Expresso to publish a Kuknaeban newspaper. As a print media, Expresso is finding its own way to coexist with the influx of new media. This is why Expresso survived well and will survive for a very long time.

Title

Title
Name (Ju Hyun Song)
This is the first sentence of this article. This is the second sentence of this Expresso article. This is the final third sentence that will count itself. This is a sentence to inform you, if you haven’t realized yet, that it is a self-referential article.
This is the second sentence of a second paragraph in an Expresso self-referential article. This sentence is introducing you its purpose, to be lost in memories of GLP. This sentence acknowledges how cliché it is for a soon-to-be-senior to lament the good old GLP days, especially on a last issue of Expresso. This sentence is refuting the previous sentence that it does worth to write about what this article was going to write about. This sentence is questioning what this sentence was going to say.
This is actually the last sentence of this article accidently misplaced. “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die.” This is to inform you that the previous quotation is from another story (a much better and widely read one) and should be ignored. This sentence is compelled to tell its readers the connotation of the previous quotation but suppresses its urge so as to enhance the joy and astonishment of the soon-to-be-juniors during their literature classes. This sentence admits how hard it is for a self-referential article to get its story across. This sentence is promising its readers that the rest of the article will be a bit more productive.
This is the first sentence of a new paragraph. This is the last sentence of a new paragraph.
This is the first sentence of a next new paragraph. The writer of this sentence, Name, has never thought about her life in Daewon without GLP. The purpose of this sentence is to admit that Name has sometimes whined and complained about the hard life of GLP. This sentence, however, points out that Name has never regretted about choosing to be a part of GLP.    It took long for this sentence to start as Name came to tears thinking about her two years of GLP that has just finished yesterday. This sentence, while trying to cheer Name up, acknowledges what Name and Name’s friends have been through and is very proud of all of them that they have finally made it. This sentence is just to warn that not everything is over as there is an essay waiting to be started and finished, and there is still a whole senior year left. This sentence wishes the best for every friends and teachers that Name has met in Daewon GLP.
This is the last sentence of the last paragraph, placed correctly. This sentence is patting on its readers’ back, as it is proud that the readers have made it through another vigorous GLP year. This sentence is trying to wrap up its last paragraph, but can’t fall into proper words. This sentence can’t agree with Shakespeare more that “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” This sentence is saying Thank you.

Thank you GLP. Thank you everyone. Thank you and love you all.

Nerds ≠ Party

Nerds ≠ Party
By Seong Yong Steve Lee

I once came to Daewon believing that all students who come here are the brilliant ones that are able to handle both academic pressures and parties. After about a year, turns out to be false. (What a shame…) Everyone needs some kind of a break, such as a hobby, from whatever they do regularly; for Daewoninans it would be from studying. If one is unable to find its break from their main work they are probably unlikely to continue this unhealthy process of zealous obsession, even if you love what you do. And especially for those offspring’s of tiger moms, who are flogged to death to study. Failure to find an alternative result in illness in both mentally and physically, which results in irregular behaviors such as underage drinking, smoking, and etc. This issue is very big in Korea since many studies have shown that considerable amounts of students rely on smoking or drinking to relieve their stress. Also, for those innocent kids who try to find a better way out, the only places they can go are the PC rooms and Karaoke’s.
Byeol Akk had their yearly regular performance on November 8. Students came to relieve their stresses with the rock spirits from very few awesome kids in Daewon. Despite of the fact that the performance was great, all I saw was some nerds wondering in front of the stage starring at the vocal with their huge magnifying glasses on like a lost puppy trying to ask the person with the microphone for help. It was a very disturbing scene to watch and also very disappointing at the same time. What made it worse was that they were trying their best to enjoy the concert.
How do you expect these kinds of kids to become the future leaders of Korea when they cannot even jump to the beat? I am not saying that partying relates directly to one’s success but, through common sense it is reasonable to think that a person with such high rank should have a lot of experience and abilities; the ability to party is actually a vital characteristic required for one to become a leader since it is included in the area of sociability. In fact, Benjamin Franklin once stated that through an overnight party he was able to achieve twice more diplomatic relations compared to his colleague who worked overnight writing a letter.
Some argue that parties throw them off from their rhymes and results in lower grade. Then, are you going to study 24/7 for the next three years? As I said before, zealous obsession over studying not only results in mental and physical stress but also, decrease in productivity. So, the next question I have for them is “Do you want stress and less productivity or joy and high productivity?” The answer would obviously be the latter.
The final question is how do you balance these two things and how do I do it without breaking my rhythm? This is the factor that determines one from being called a “rebellious child” or a “son/daughter of God (meaning that the person is able to do both things without any drawbacks)”. I totally understand that it is hard to jump right back to school after partying and drinking (sodas) until 3A.M. the night before and you have only gotten 2 hours of sleep. It is obvious that you will be half in coma during class, maybe more but, not less. My suggestion is this. Do whatever you need to do to recover from the party to the original state, even if it requires skipping school the next day. (Just say you are sick or something, you can expand on this idea, a lot of creative ways to skip school) I understand that convincing your parents will be a hard step but, this is just another skill that requires to party. Going to class and sleeping on the desk will only slow down your recovery time due to the constant interruption by the teacher and discomfort from the wooden desk. (If you are going planning to sleep on the desk, I suggest a pillow, it leaves no marks on your face and it is more comfortable) So, it would be more convenient to just stay at home take some rest and later in the day, if you get bored, just review the things you have learned. Also for the people afraid of missing class and getting behind a day in their work, do not be so narrow minded. It is only “a” day out of all the numerous days we go to school and what can possibly go wrong during those seven periods? Also, you can make up for all the work just by copying all the notes from your friend or just visiting the teacher during break time. Once again recovery is the most crucial part of the switch and after the recovery you just jump right back to whatever you were doing.
By having the mindset like “I will rock out at the clubs when I go to college” or “I will get plastic surgery after I enter college and that should solve everything.” is wrong. There is no way that somehow you are magically going to learn how to party from the completion of your Sue Nung or SAT, as if you are learning a new skill by the completion of a mission on a video game. It is never going to happen unless you start now because playing is just as hard as studying. In fact, it might be harder. Studying only requires some obsession and patience whereas, playing requires great wit, physical strengths, planning, and everything listed under studying.
If you want to go to college, study hard. If you want to be successful, study and party hard.

Music And Passion

Music and Passion
By Lindsay Lee

A drummer starts a beat and a song begins. Everyone jumps up and down and shouts out loud. On November 8th, the day the domestic department seniors took the suseung, Byulack had its Annual Concert at Apgujeong Club L. The concert began at 7p.m and ended at almost 10p.m. The club was filled with heat and with excitement and never lost its air of passion until it ended.
For this Annual Concert for the year of 2012, we, Byulack, prepared a lot of special performances. Two great singers in the second grade, Hyeonwoo Bae and Yesseul Kim, didn’t betray anyone’s expectations and showed off the fantastic stages. Freshmen members of Byulack also made enjoyable performances together with their sunbaes. Other than the original teams we had organized for FOLA, we shifted around our parts for some songs and tried them on different sessions. There were also special guests who helped out with making this concert more fabulous: several DMC members and Banchi-eum singers in second grade, and two freshmen singers, Chaelim Nam and Minsang Jo.
If there was the most impressive performance, it would be a “drum battle” which was planned impulsively just a few hours before the concert started. This battle was performed in the middle of the concert, by the two male drummers of Byulack: Chang-gyoon Kim and Seong-yong Lee. These two drummers, who are ironically both male presidents of Byulack, gave a big entertainment to the audiences. Seong-yong Lee boldly challenged to his sunbae by going first. He displayed his ability with all kinds of difficult technique which was splendid enough to make audiences to get extremely excited. However, Chang-gyoon Kim also didn’t let this battle to go favorably to his hoobae. Unlike Seong-yong Lee, he showed a completely different performance by making a kind of song with various drum beats. Both of their performances were incredible, and though it was running out of time, they went another short round supported by the audiences.  
To prepare for this concert, which is one of the two main events in a year of Byulack, we had to practice in advance starting from almost a month before the actual performance. One month could sound like a long time, but it certainly was a very short time for us to prepare a concert about two hours long. Since it was the middle of the semester and everyone had a lot of work to do, it was very hard to make time to practice together. Actually we did have many worries and troubles in the process of doing this. However, all this turmoil also made us get closer to each other. As well as spending a lot of time for practice, it was a great opportunity for freshmen to get to know sunbaes whom they don’t usually get to meet and hang out together.
As much as we prepared and waited for the concert, it’s hard to believe that it is already over now. When I meet Byulack members on the hallway, I still feel like we have to talk about the concert. For freshmen members, it will definitely be unforgettable because it’s the first official concert they had ever since they have entered Daewon. And for sophomores, it would have been a meaningful concert since it was their last concert before they move to the Injeonguan to study for a college.
With the ending of this year, Byulack also has closed its last stage. With special thanks to the guests who shouted for the concert, we also say farewell to our sunbaes who will be leaving us soon. We promise we will always cheer for them and wait until their final stage in Daewon which will be the graduation concert about one year from now. Until our next Byulack concert, rock and roll everyone!       

THIMUN

THIMUN
By Sally Hahn

On the 19th of November, two second graders and eight first grade GLPians were extremely nervous, waiting for the airplane that would take them to one of the largest conferences in the world. The total of ten students, accompanied by Mr.Cho as the supervisor, participated in THIMUN for four days  as the delegates of Somalia and Nepal and spent six days both working and traveling around the small country of Singapore.

The plane was scheduled to leave at nine o'clock, but all of the students were to arrive by six. Many of them had to wake before four just to get to the airport on time. Unfortunately, two students were late because they had spent the previous night researching furiously on their respective nations. Nonetheless, Daewon MUN team successfully boarded the airplane.

Monday, the first night had no significance in terms of debate. Teams from around the world gathered on this day to register for the massive conference. Because it was not mandatory for all participants to be present at the registration, the two seniors and Mr. Cho went while the others stayed in their rooms to settle themselves in the hotel and prepare for the lobbying session on the following day.

The real scrupulous training started at ten o'clock that day. Almost all students gathered in one room in order to complete their resolution to be submitted the next day. Some ended before twelve, whereas others had to stay awake until three. Funnily, unlike last year participants, not all juniors were present in the room. For example, student Baek preferred to stay in his room and write his formatted ideas. These students got feedback from sunbaes afterwards. With few participants holding Red Bull in their hands, and others chewing on salt & vinegar chips and onion rings, the first night passed.

The second day consisted of lobbying and the opening ceremonies. Delegations of each committees had a whole day they could spend putting down and merging prepared clauses together. GA 2 committee, for example, had topics of "preserving marine trading routes," and "debt sustainability and development." Delegates who had prepared the same topics gathered to come up with solid, feasible solutions, and chose a main submitter to represent their ideas according to how much they participated during lobbying sessions. More than half of Daewon students ended up becoming the Main Submitters.

With two more days of debate, THIMUN started to come to an end. Desperate to make as much happy memories as possible, the MUN club started to spend more time together. They had luxurious dinners together, went to an island with beaches and the universal studios (although none of them actually went to visit the universal studios), and spent nights in one room eating, chatting and attempting to complete Ms.Lee’s and Mr.Cho’s homework on time. 

One night, all of Daewon MUNers decided to watch a movie at 12 O’clock. After taking a subway to get to one of the biggest cinemas, the majority vote decided that everyone were to watch "Breaking Dawn 2." Half of it was almost porn, with Bella and Edward kissing eachother whenever they could. The girls felt almost sorry for the boys to have been forced to endure the two hours of the movie.

On another day, for dinner, some of the MUNers escaped from the hotel to enjoy a luxurious dinner with an excellent view. Many of them had Rib Eye, while some others chose lambs or the “Woolooroo steak” to enjoy for dinner. The cost varied from person to person: from 40 dollars up to 80 dollars. Those who were already bankrupt had to parasite on their friends to pay for the bill. Even worse, the price on the menu was tax-free.

A student, nicknamed "professor Baek", commented on his trip to summarize what he thinks happened. "Thimun was great, as usual, as with all debates - but I believe it lacked some professionalism." This opinion was agreed upon by many Daewon participants. The MUN might not have reached some people's expectations, but Singapore certainly did.

Why Daewon?

“Why Daewon?”
By Robin Lee

By my friends and teachers in England I was stabbed, shot and bombarded repeatedly with “Why Daewon?” Now that I have arrived at Daewon, it has become a common feat that new friends I meet would also punch me with, “Why Daewon?” Some would even ask while squinting their faces accusingly and it would feel as if I have committed a crime by coming to Daewon. Often, I was hesitant to answer the question since I myself did not know my exact intentions behind it and so I would reply reluctantly, “After being away from Korea for so long, I just wanted to learn Korean.” I knew that this answer was not sufficient and I knew that I would need to battle my way through to find it.

I think the reason behind people asking me “Why Daewon?’ is fairly simple. They do not understand why I have walked willingly to a hell hole that is Daewon. Daewon is hard: 14 hours of school, lessons after lessons, little sports, crappy meals, drills, stress, constant academic pressure, no time to sleep, no time to play, and worst of all, no time to think. I have come to think that we, Daewon students, are the slaves of the Korean society. We only listen to the master and we work our brains off at school not because we want to but because we are told “Your lives depend on it.” We are no better than a piece of machinery, and we follow the road that the previous generation has set us; there is no diverging path, only a straight line—there are no choices. We live day by day with the mutual goal of going to a good university, finding a respectable job, and then eventually dying.

Having been around Daewon for couple of months, I now know what it feels like to be terribly sleep deprived and to be over-overloaded with work. I have seen my friends weep because they did badly on mid-semester exams. I have seen my friends’ gloomy faces. I have seen them work during lunch breaks. I have heard them saying “I want to die” too many times. These made me realise that all Daewon students are emotionally attached to school grades. All Daewon students have formidable aspirations to go to the top universities. It is a tragedy that only a few Daewon students achieve their goals.

It is somewhat embarrassing, stupid and excessively depressing but I had thought about suicide. I am not sure whether other Daewon students have also felt the same but for me, the sudden change was too much to bear at a certain point. In England, only the students who wanted to work, worked. Only the students who were clever enough even dared to apply to top universities. Most were happy to just go to local universities with average grades. For the cool kids, receiving a D in a subject was something to boast about, not something to cry about. This kind of stress-free education meant happier school life. Unlike in Korea, you don’t die if you don’t get an A!

However, even if I had known all this prior to my entrance, I think I would have still come to Daewon. My ignorant and westernised mind could have not possibly acknowledged the intensity of Korean education, especially Daewon’s. Also, my optimistic attitude would not have helped me to stay away from Daewon either. As an outsider who was completely oblivious to Korean education, Daewon was a prestigious, one of the best if not the best high school in Korea. To be honest, this was my real reason to coming to Daewon, the real reply to “Why Daewon?” However, I have been too embarrassed to state this as my motivation. My fragile and ignorant reasoning would have sounded so stupid in front of my friends.

Does this all mean I regret my choice of coming to Daewon? Definitely not. Although it is true that I am having a more difficult life here in Korea, it feels somewhat more meaningful. I am uniting with my Korean heritage and filling in the ‘Koreanness’ that I lack. I am learning new things not just in lessons but just by being in Korea, being surrounded by its people and speaking Korean. Trivial school routines such as daily bus rides to school and back home, cleaning our classroom in the morning, and going out with friends for dinner are experiences that I never had previously. Singing in front of my class, preparing for debate with friends in a café and looking out at the beautiful sunset and the view of Seoul from the terrace on the sixth floor, playing ‘Truth or Dare’ with Ms. Lee and my GLP class on the day before Halloween ... these are memories that I hope I will never forget. For most of you these might be normal, but for me they are new and invaluable memories to treasure.

I also feel like I am more active, participating in MUN and writing articles for a school magazine. I have realised that I try harder to be happy and to make other people around me happier. At some point, I started to go to school hoping that I would make my friends smile; I wanted to loosen the hardened and gloomy faces my friends and to do that, I try hard to stay optimistic and smile.

There is a law of life that I try to follow: “You create your own experiences.” You cannot dodge responsibility for how and why your life is the way it is. If you don’t like your school, it’s your fault. If you are overweight and you hate how people make fun of it, it’s your fault. If you are unhappy, it’s your fault.

Don’t play the role of a victim, or use past events as excuses. Act, so that you change your life to the way you want. If you choose the right behaviour and thoughts, you will realise that you are happier.

Moon Jae In: The Problematic Man

Moon Jae In – The Problematic Man
By Cathryn Kim

Moon Jae In, the Democratic United Party candidate, claimed he would abolish all special-purpose high schools, but he seems to have only one specific target in mind:   foreign language high schools. He made one exception to his utilitarian policy: specialized science schools. His ambitious policy would have been perfect if not for his last “condition”. NOT.
On the 5th of November, Moon stated that “we need a fundamental innovation in education policies if you think about the astronomical influence college entrance has on them. The special-purpose high schools, which have diverged from their original goal of becoming privileged prep schools, will gradually become ‘just high schools.’”  The candidate also made comments about the overheated “English boom” that seems to deviate from the normal high school curriculum, criticizing the “detriments caused by the excessive requirements of foreign language abilities and extracurricular activities.” Yes, Daewonians. We are the fruit of the “detriments”.
We can learn two things about this canny candidate Moon through his extremely ambiguous proposals: one, this candidate certainly did not go to a foreign language high school – or maybe he dropped out. It is clearly demonstrated that he is very inconsiderate of the currently enrolled students to think he could just mow them over or something. Which leads to thinking, he is targeting the mediocre majority, whose sons and daughters are currently enrolled in public schools or do not have enough specifications to apply to foreign language high schools. I am almost sure that he was very clever on this pursuit, because if I myself were not enrolled in Daewon, I would definitely have been tempted to believe in his words.
Let us not be biased like sophisticated people. Take a step back, and put ourselves in others’ shoes. For this country’s educators, I am sure Moon’s policy will make their job easier. They definitely have less to consider. What I notice in Korean educational policies is a very furtive movement of standardization, as we have seen with the unifying high school entrance procedures of Foreign Language Middle School students last year. It was thought, because there had been a specialized selection process, that competition amongst students in those middle schools was of a higher level. Accordingly, educators had implemented a policy to treat them differently, may it be giving them a relative advantage in high school admission. After two years of the novice schools’ establishments, however, the policy was removed. All middle school students are now mandated to meet the same qualifications. Poof. Hundreds of idiosyncratic cases gone extinct in the blink of an eye. How could this not be much more simplistic for educators to come up with policies now?
I know that my parents are going to break into preposterous hysteria if they hear of this – and they probably would have, I would like to know their reactions. Most parents of South Korea, however, are less burdened. They would no longer feel a dark and oppressive entity, something like a hand crawling up, on their shoulders. No more prestigious schools, just all equal, mean that no more nagging their children is necessary to send them to those schools. They could take a rest in enduring placidity, for up to three years. Those of low-income families will not feel burdened nor apologetic for not being able to send their children to those schools. The inexplicable popularity of second language education will also flicker, to die out sooner or later, since there are no longer competitors who study Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, be it any language, 9 hours a week. This would kill private education, in a mild sense.
Then to break the surface and dig into the deeper grounds of the issue, our issue, we must ask ourselves, “Is this true?” Should Daewon Foreign Language High School more specifically and precisely change its name to Daewon Prep School? I know most of us would agree; I, for instance, did not apply for Daewon just because I loved English nor did I desperately want to learn Spanish. Maybe Moon had a justifiable point: it was just that he expressed his wishes in an unfavorable way for some people. Yet, what is the problem of prestigious prep schools? If college admission is what students ask for, should the government not provide it?
Amidst the arousal of quarreling questions, asking ourselves the justification of the recognition by the universities we are approved of should be very significant. Maybe this incident is a whole underscore on the effort we will have to put in to prevent the recognitions of our school going to waste.

Backstage

Backstage
By Ju Hyun Song and Henry Siwoo Song

NOTE: This article was originally intended for publication in August 2012.

For Daewon students, FOLA is a stage where they can release their talents and receive acclamation. Meanwhile, there are those behind the scene that work their best to make such students shine, DFBC. Today, DFBC is to step in front of the scene and explain procedures they go through to present a memorable stage for both the performers and audience.

Arrangements for FOLA slowly started off in July. On a website for FOLA where every leader of Daewon clubs can read, DFBC posted instructions of methods to burn CDs that fit the audio systems equipped in the broadcasting room.Meanwhile, production for our festival was going through preparation. The club members were divided into four groups: Drama, CF, News, and Music Video. Each group was scheduled to come to school day by day for filming the clips needed. Second graders stood behind the camera while the first graders acted in front of it, despite their embarrassment (especially for the boys who had to dress up as a girl group). Announcer sunbaes also had to teach the newbie announcers how to read news script and perform it in front of a crowd. As time went by, freshmen began to adapt, not feeling afraid of the camera or the crowd anymore, and became fluent at reading the scripts.

From August 20th to 22nd, along with many other clubs, DFBC was wrapping up its preparations for the festival. During the preparation, we had to go to Daeyang Hall in Sejong University to learn how to operate the equipment in the hall. We were extra busy as we had to manage the performances of not only ours but of every other clubs. Before the rehearsal, which took a day before the FOLA, we took great care to receive any necessary CDs or USBs needed for a club’s performance. For any clubs that had special requirements regarding PPTs, music, or lightings, we received written out instructions by the leaders for us to follow. Like always, a great number of clubs forgot to bring appropriate CDs or written out instructions (please don’t say you expected us to memorize those instructions you blurt out; we have a whole lot of other clubs to take care of). As the rehearsal started at 9:00 a.m. sharp, we went to the gym at 7:30 to set the microphones and microphone poles of ten different kinds, and get other machines ready. During the rehearsals, the freshmen were able to take over the stage managing juniors had done for an year, and actually learn how to take control of the various machines in the broadcasting room. Rehearsals allowed us to learn what to prepare for each and every show, and allowed other clubs to get rid of possible communication failures that may have existed.

While the rehearsal was busily going through in the gym, juniors were crammed in the school broadcasting room, editing video clips we have filmed during summer break. All the necessary video clips were already taken, but it took a long time for us to finish editing each of them (thanks to those cicadas who just HAD to cry out loud at THAT important moment). Some of the members left in the school broadcasting room overnight, editing.Through consequent days of editing, we were able to finish off with a forty-minute video that we were really proud of.

On the very day of FOLA, all of us were very nervous, just like the performing clubs. As we had responsibility for every performance, we were stressed by the fact that we may ruin other’s performances. We arrived an hour and a half early to the school gym before FOLA to check on every equipment once again.

Thankfully, during FOLA, the freshmen who were in charge did a great job in managing the stage fluently. Unfortunately there were some abrupt microphone problems that dumfounded us, but we overcame them. Yes, we had to bear with some club leaders yelling and blaming at us for our mismanagement and had to deal with those who just couldn’t acknowledge the fact that we were human beings that needed to eat dinner. But we were able to learn how to deal with various types of people.

The second day of FOLA was held in Daeyang Hall in Sejong University. The broadcasting equipments were very different from those in Daewon broadcasting studio, especially that the room with sound facilities was separated from a room with lighting facilities. We panicked as we knew how this will inevitably lead to communication failures that can easily lead to broadcasting accidents. To make things worse, the room with lighting facilities was placed in the corner behind the stage, where the operator couldn’t see how the stage lighting is being done. Although FOLA was to be started at 9:30 a.m., we arrived at the hall once again earlier, at 7:30 a.m. Short rehearsalsfor traditional folk dances took place, but due to unaccustomed equipment, we made mistakes during the rehearsal. A woman in charge of traditional folk dances scolded us harshly for being irresponsible, which, honestly, was very offensive.Although we knew that stage managing deals with a lot of people that would simply blame us with their short knowledge, such accusations did startle us. After the tough two hours, second part of FOLA began, and fortunately, there weren’t any broadcasting accidents. After FOLA, we left behind others to organize used equipment, and that’s how FOLA went for us.

This year’s FOLA was certainly a very stressful but memorable event. We were able to enjoy soulful performances of each and every club at least two times, thanks to the rehearsals! Although the claps weren’t for us, our hearts swelled with greatest pride that we were also a part of the performance. Throughout this FOLA all of us were able to grow once again.

Guests From Germany

Guests from Germany
By Paul Kim

             Peculiarly enough, many have wished to climb Daewon’s treacherous mountain to find what’s on top. I’m sure This year, a group of lively German students risked their lives and made it here. The exchange student program turned out to become a fun, resourceful, and interesting experience for both the Koreans and German students. Today, I met with one of the victims, Falk Simmelbauer, who took refuge in my house for two weeks. I asked him some questions about his survival and his hometown.

             1. Of all the places in the world, why would you want to come here in?

I’ve never been to an Asian country before. I wanted to feel the culture because it’s so different from Germany.

             2. While you were here, you woke up at 6:00 and slept at 11:00 for 2 weeks; how does that feel?

That was especially very difficult for me. In Germany, I used to get up at 8:00 and sleep at 10:00 or earlier. The first week was so difficult but this week was better.

             3. It would be better if you stayed here longer. Did you like Korea?

Yes! Korea was one of the best countries I have visited. I don’t think that I can ever forget this experience I had in Korea.

             4. What did you enjoy the most?

Karaoke! In Germany there are no places where you can get a private room and sing and dance. I think this kind of place is very cool.

             5. Do you think Karaokes would be successful in Germany?

Actually, no, because German kids are mostly shy and they are afraid to become as crazy as you Koreans can be.

             6. Koreans sure know how to party! Aside from that, how was the food?

The food here was all very good. A lot of meat! You Korean kids eat a lot more than we do. For example, normally we don’t eat a lot of breakfast and lunch as much as you do.

             7. About Daewon’s lunch...We’re terribly sorry.

Ha ha. No problem. Actually the food here was quite good. Much better than our school’s. Usually we go to town or go back to our houses to eat lunch in Germany, because the food is so terrible. I think your school’s lunch is quite good.

            8. If German Food is better than ours, I have to assume that that German Lunch meals are..(censored). How was Seoul in general?

Seoul is a great big city. It is also so alive at the same time. As an exchange student I’ve also been to Paris, but Seoul is much bigger and has taller buildings. The city tours we took were amazing. It was nice to see all the culture from the museums and palaces we visited. I want to see more parts of it but we are too tired and busy for a two week schedule.

             9. You guys weren’t the only ones, however we were very busy as well. We are sorry that we couldn't pay more attention to you guys.

No, don’t worry. I see these Korean students studying and you guys are always so busy. Maybe this is the reason you guys eat so much. You Koreans eat a lot more than we do.

             10. I saw you eat and you ate much less than I expected. Aside from food, what do you think about the Korean education system?

             I see you guys are always busy, but I think it is better than ours. In Germany, you don’t have to work that hard for school, and as a result I think that German students are not learning anything in school. But you guys work hard in school and much longer as well. Just look at your German skills, you guys learned it for 9 months and you guys are this good? Wow! I learned French for 5 years and I can’t say anything besides “hello” and “yes.”

             11. So what about the students there?

Mostly, I don’t think there are any major problems. I do think, however that Korean teenagers are much well behaved. There, in Germany, there are always fights between gangs at night, so it’s not safe to walk in the streets there. Plus a lot of teenagers drink and smoke because they are much easier to find. In that aspect I think Korea is better.

             12. This means that Daewon is a school filled with role-models! Anyway, one last thing to the viewers?

My time at Daewon was fun. I hope I can visit again and stay for a month so that I can see the country and the city better. I hope I can see you in Germany, till then, Auf Wiedersehen!

The Last Month Of GLP - How Does It Feel?

The Last Month of GLP – How Does It Feel?

By Cathryn Kim

             We are busy as we have always been. “Occupied” is what exactly epitomizes the GLP students: we are occupied with homework, SATs and APs, performance assessments, and play. And the busy year is coming to an end–with only one month of GLP left. For the freshmen, the end of the year is an omen of an approaching opening of the Hell Gate; the sophomores get to catch a few breaths from what is perhaps the busiest year of their lives, and yet they are surprised by how fast time has flown for them. Now, personally and from up close, I want to ponder how the year has been for me and how I feel about the last month of GLP.

             As we students first entered GLP, we were granted the freedom and privilege to make acquaintances with students in other departments–and they turn out to be even more awesome than we thought. Awesome. Some relationships with friends were fortuitous, some weren’t that bad. There had been mild scandals between boys and girls, even during the few hours we spend confined in the “sleep chamber”. Gossips, those that I know and cannot mention, have been going around a lot, too. At the end of the year, as we would feel in almost anything else, we feel grateful for all relationships we’ve encountered and formed.  Among the realms of GLP, nothing seems wrong, every relationship seems safe. But outside, I’d have to admit, it is very hard to keep relationships intimate with the domestic department kids. Although this being something all seniors have experienced, it comes to us, we freshmen, rather, as a surprise. Experiencing the unspoken boundary of the domestic department students and GLP students, I personally felt a sense of apologetic and lingering regret. I also felt an unperceivable tension between the two groups, either side too sensitive or prudent to speak of which course is more onerous. This type of thought could almost be called perfunctory since it has been there for the entire history of the GLP program, but the pain remains fresh every year as more GLP students come in to fill the classrooms in the afternoon.

             This year, the GLP curriculum also underwent a lot of radical changes – as we have felt. Maybe we are a little overexaggerating, but the freshmen felt insecure and frightened by the various changes that happened or were to happen. There was talk; there were even some that resigned from GLP. A beloved teacher left us, and it was hard for all of us to get back on track. But above all that, we learned a lot of valuable things, and we ourselves noticed the tremendous development we went through–development that cannot be seen or heard, of course. For me, I know that my vocabulary and reading speed has definitely gotten better. There remains only one huge, major problem: I don’t think we necessarily have to learn the domestic department curricula. I think students are just merely coping with the, I dare say, ineffective system that I think students only use for the sake of GPAs. Now that there were changes in the student acceptance system, I wish the curriculum had also altered accordingly.

             One thing that keeps me in GLP despite all the hard work is the teachers. They are very caring, and care about the students to an extent I’ve never seen other teachers do. They are cheery, and their classes take form in a creative environment like that I have experienced in my few years of living in America. They are the best at taking the students’ honest and sincere opinions about their teaching, and are very understanding about each and every student’s situation. I feel ashamed that some teachers we’ve had during the freshmen year will not continue to teach us during the second year as well; however, I do hope that many more acquaintances with even more fascinating teachers await us.

             I bet many students feel both regretful and. It is how people feel every year, looking back at the busy days that have flown by, but for a year spent in GLP, it is more special. It is how soldiers feel when they are more equipped for the coming war. Or perhaps, it is more like starving, aching soldiers who have received aid after a considerable length of time. The time, however, was definitely not a waste; we had many companions, supportive teachers and an intense but engaging curriculum. Henceforth we are able to advance and proceed with assurance; we GLPians are now ready to raise our limits to the infinitude.

Writing a school news report

Writing a report, thankfully, is fairly simple as long as you keep several important things in mind,

1. Maintain objectivity.


2. Remember to sample.


3. Emphasize the biggest points.