Two sides of the coin; group tour and independent tour

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” Warren Buffett, one of the richest people in the world left this quote. This quote is related with ‘group tour.’ Group tour is traveling with at least 10 people. Group tour is rising as a type of marketing in which the travelers can get a discount in airplane and tourism fees. What else could be the advantages of group tour? On the other hand, many people think that this is a great privilege with nearly no disadvantages, but could it be true? Let’s listen to proponent Jeju and opponent Hawaii‘s conversation.

Lower price‭, ‬but is it valuable‭?‬

Jeju: As people go traveling in groups, airline companies and corporations give some privileges to them, which is “price discount.” Most of the airlines give 10% to 20% discount of the original price. Tourism companies give more services also with lower price, such as finding good and not expensive hotel. Many people prefer group tour because of the lower price, lower than independent travel’s. For example, one blogger said, “I usually prefer independent tour, because I think it is more important and interesting to know and watch the natives’ life and finding good restaurants. However, the reason I chose group tour is nothing but because of its crazy price. I traveled to Europe for 9 days, paying 1,500 dollars and it was a very pleasurable trip. It leaves no room for doubt, huh?”

Hawaii: Hmm, but following the quote “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get,” do you think that it is valuable enough? Of course, there will be a financial loss in the airlines and the agency. Unfortunately, it would be necessary to reduce the quality of the service. For example, they will try to find cheaper restaurants as possible and thus, the quality of the taste may decrease. Plus, additional price may be added to the original price, also called as ‘option.’ You could think ‘Then, just don’t buy the option,’ but the main events of the travel are mostly these “options.” As a result, it will be more expensive than necessary price, sometimes even more expensive than independent travel’s price.

Comfort vs‭. ‬Freedom

Jeju: Okay, then how about this one? Group tour provides more comfort when traveling. There is a guide who has a lot of knowledge of the designated area and the geography of the place. People could earn more knowledge while touring, also feeling comfortable during the tour. Especially, for people who want to relax during the tour would better prefer group tour. It is comfortable in several ways. Firstly, people don’t have to choose the place to travel, and the guide would take them to the famous places. Furthermore, people could learn more during the tour. From the origin of the artifacts, they could learn the life or culture of that country. Lastly, it could be comfortable. The restaurants are chosen, people don’t have to drive to each place. What a paradise it is!

Hawaii: Wait! It is true that group tour is comfortable enough for relaxing, but the freedom of traveling is limited. People could stay long at the place where they dislike, or they might have no chance to visit the place they wanted to visit. Independent travel has an advantage in which people can choose the place they want to go, the restaurant they want to dine in. If they want to stay in some place longer, they can, and if they want to rest in the hotel for an hour, they can rest freely. However, in group tour, people need to move at the same time with no variables.

This was a conversation of Jeju and Hawaii. To conclude, group tour and independent travel both have their own characteristics, like a coin with two sides. Also, if you are unfamiliar with travel, it would be better with group tour, and if you want to have your own free time, independent travel is for you.

tnwlskos540@naver.com

 

BY Kwon Hyuk-Soo

Sanui Elementary School

Learning about West Africa and Japan’s current issues

Are you having a pleasant trip riding our convenient train, ‘The Journalism Express?’ Starting from the first stop, we have decided to have a serious talk about the issues traveling to several countries, and some important alternatives to solve those issues. Today is a special trip: we have a long way to go, traveling to two different states’ issues. Since the company Journalism Corporation chose to talk about these places, the passengers riding our train will have great opportunities to learn about their issues and disadvantages. Especially for today’s trip, the employees and I have decided to introduce West Africa’s global issues and Japan’s radioactivity issues, which are related to today’s trip. Please listen carefully to the precautions which will make your trip safer and more enjoyable.

The first stop, West Africa, and about its deadly virus: Ebola

Our first stop is West Africa, and this region is one of the most dangerous places throughout the world, currently. West Africa’s infectious disease, ‘Ebola hemorrhagic fever’ or Ebola virus is taking a big portion of decreasing “sightseeing money” from the sightseers. Ebola virus’ fatality rate has a high death possibility. For instance, to make your understanding easier of how serious and deadly this virus is, when one person is affected, at least, half of the citizens in Korea will possibly die. But the most horrifying information about this disease is that it does not have a precaution to cure. Ebola spread in many other countries in a short moment because of easy infection; silently. For this, many countries started to keep a distance with West Africa such as banning West Africans from coming into their countries or forbidding their citizens to travel to the region.

Ebola, the deadly virus, hasn’t only given inconvenience and discrimination to West Africans. It harmed other states and the sightseers from various countries. For instance, Australia’s government had forbidden West Africa’s tourists coming to their country to prevent the virus entering in 2014. This would probably help Australians from the virus spreading, but this is a radical manner for the innocent West African tourists. Not only this, but the families who are separated also won’t be able to meet each other frequently. The serious discrimination was shown by nations club, which was held by Confederation of African Football (CAF). This football club had blocked Morocco, which is an Ebola-sensitive country, from participating in the game. All this wariness brought up some serious problem, related to the trip. Sightseers who have visited West Africa would most likely to look down on West Africa because of the disease, and would not come back to the regions of the risk getting infected. Moreover, not only the West Africans but also many countries with Ebola infection-risk are experiencing inequality and harm from others. As a result, West Africa’s sightseeing money has decreased with less visitors, and the country may, sooner or later, be corrupted. There are two precautions to decrease the issue: one for ordinary citizens, and one for scholars, doctors and scientists. For the latter, they should continue studying for a new expellant to cure patients who are infected by Ebola. For us, the ordinary citizens should understand one fact clearly: It’s not just their own issue, it’s the world’s issue.

The second stop Japan, and its radioactivity’s harmful issues

After the gloomy news in the first stop West Africa, we are heading to Japan, the second stop. Since Japan has several astonishing facts about their increasing travelers during the serious issue; radioactivity. We will discuss more about it, alternatives for it and its great outcome. It is unfavorable news, because radioactivity is giving Japan and the other neighboring countries big trouble. Radioactivity peels off skin when reached nearby, and it also pollutes the environment and harms the land so it doesn’t grow well. As a result of this, much land in Japan is damaged. Examples include Fukushima (already polluted- high rate of radioactivity) and Tokyo (seems to have high danger). However, a strange case has occurred: A surge of foreigners visiting Japan. The main reason is decreased amount of money to travel.

Since Japan’s government decided to lower the price and expenses, many tourists began visiting Japan. Because of the decreased expense, many visitors, particularly Koreans have been hopping over next door. According to the Chosun news, in the ordinary weeks, the visitors’ number of people has increased about 11.54%, and around the special holidays such as New Years, the number of the visitor increased about 45.3% than last year’s visitors’ number. This statistic shows highly increased number of the visitors after decreasing the expense used in the trip. Also, we can understand people are more sensitive toward price of travel radioactivity’s seriousness. Thus, Japan’s issue could be solved stably because of the great alternative: decreasing price for sight-seeing money. However, people should not forget to care about their health and keep a distance from radioactivity-sensitive areas.

By traveling different stops, ‘The Journalism Express’ hopes that all passengers would be able to understand West Africa’s unresolved issue and Japan’s great alternative to solve the radioactivity issue. Before traveling, make sure you are aware of these.

sekang0702@naver.com

 

BY Kang Seo-Eun

Myeongsun Elementary School

Increasing travel, decreasing price of oil: Is this good?

The decreasing price of oil has affected many Korean customers as it has been decreasing for almost 200 days. Currently, the oil price is about 1,400 won per liter. The diminution has benefited many Korean customers, but it also brought another effect; a surge in travel.

Oil price plays an important role when making decisions about traveling. Riding an airplane includes bunker adjustment factor or BAF, which is determined by the price of oil. As the oil price goes down, BAF price automatically becomes much more affordable. For instance, travelers had to pay about 300 dollars for BAF to fly to the U.S., but now they only pay 30 dollars. The same pattern can be seen in South Asian flights with BAF fee from 116 dollars to 12 dollars, and Japan trip with BAF for six dollars now. BAF price surely changes quite often depending on the oil price. However, in general, it has decreased 90% in average.

According to the research by Hana Tour, a travel agency, travelers to Japan increased 71%, America 37%, South Asia 13% than the past. This January, Hana Tour had 256,000 travelers, Modu Tour had 133,000, which was almost 30% higher than last year.

During the Korea’s traditional holiday such as Lunar New Year or Seolnal, the number of travelers is expected to be around 700,000 because the holiday falls on Wednesday through Friday. This gives a longer weekend and thus a better chance to go overseas with friends and family.

Many people think going on a trip abroad is good for the economy, but it is still a controversial issue. One of the benefits is that the economy can grow because traveling abroad lets airline companies to earn more profits temporarily. In addition to this, travel agencies also benefit. These conditions encourage money to flow and move within the society, which in turn help the economy grow. For example, last year Asiana Air profited thirty billion won in the fourth term, but this year the figure rose to one-hundred billion won.

However, increase in travel trend also has a dark side. As more people go shopping overseas, such as in Japan, China, and the U.S., this can decrease Korea’s entire amount of profit in tourism. The reason is mainly because Koreans spend more money in other countries than we earned by our tour industry.

Oil decrease provides us with several benefits but there also exists drawbacks. Experts criticize that this can lessen the profit made by Chinese and Japanese tourists entering Korea, because more money or too much it is being used by Koreans overseas.

veeni0502@naver.com

 

BY Han Eun-Bin

Naebalsan Elementary School

Hallyu attracting tourists, but are we ready for them?

K-Drama, K-pop, traditional products, and food like Kimchi are all attracting tourists from around the world. The number of tourists visiting Korea increases every year. Yet, there have been several issues that have kept tourists from having a satisfying trip. Problems arise, such as lack of communication and guides who speak English, and some of these problems keep away tourists from visiting Korea.

Plastic surgery tourism, is it safe and worth the trip?

Chinese tourists are some of the most common tourists who visit Korea. In 2013, the number of Chinese tourists that visited Korea for cosmetic surgery went up to 20,000 (Joseilbo). According to New York Times, Korean government is spending more than 4 million dollars to promote medical tourism. Since Korean dramas are successful in China, Dr. Ro Young-woo who is a founding partner of a South Korean franchise chain of clinics called Oracle Clinic said that many Chinese come to Korea for plastic surgery. And when they come they bring a photo of a Korean celebrity because they want to look like them. This medical tourism is surely a lucrative business but still, there are some dark sides.

In China, as there are many positive responses to plastic surgery, there are lots of concerns and criticisms for plastic surgery as well. One aspect of this is safety issue. There have been many cases of failed plastic surgery that are posted online, especially in China. For example, on Chinese portal site ‘baidu’, there are over 1,000 cases where plastic surgery proved dangerous to the patient. And if the plastic surgery fails, then the patient has to pay extra money to recover. Another problem of medical tourism that Chinese tourists face is dissatisfaction. Even though Korean celebrities are popular among Chinese, there are still cultural differences and standards of beauty. For instance, if Koreans prefer an appearance that naturally makes one look younger, Chinese would prefer bright and fancy looks. Thus, plastic surgery in Korea may not be successful for Chinese in that factor.

Hallyu Tourism, what are the problems and possible solutions?

It is a well known fact that Hallyu attracts many tourists. However, there are matters that are bothering the tourists from enjoying Korea. According to Herald Economy, there are mainly 3 problems that need to be dealt with for the brighter future of Hallyu tourism. One is lack of ‘killer contents’, or in other words, lack of events that can represent Seoul and Korea. The other two problems are lack of guidance and problems with communication. When tourists visit Korea to see concerts or go to certain places, they have trouble doing that because there are not many information centers and communication is hard as well.

As the tourism market is growing, several proposals are being promoted. An application called ‘Seoul Pass’ allows foreign tourists to be able to search hotels, find popular tour spots and even buy a ticket for places like museums. This application is popular among tourists from China, Singapore and Hong Kong. In fact, 65% of these app users are from China, Singapore and Hong Kong. As for the lack of events that represent Seoul or Korea, there are several research projects going on to create events such as fireworks or integrating art and technology.

Tourism in Korea is certainly successful but it still has a long way to go until we can talk about the true ‘success’ of Hallyu tourism. Hopefully, several projects can help improve the weakness of the tourism so that tourists will love their Korean experience and leave with unforgettable memories. Maybe they will even want to come again!

shimhg5@naver.com

 

BY Shim Hyun-Gyun

Bangi Middle school

The Korean Wave (Hallyu): controversial but meaningful

Back in 2010, I lived in the States and attended West Park Elementary School, Newark, Delaware. At that time, some people were very interested in Korea. While studying in my ESL classes, my teacher Maria was interested in Korean soap operas and singers. I was very happy to hear this. She said that she would visit Korea someday. The Korean wave makes some Koreans living in foreign countries glad because it can serve well as an ice breaker for Koreans to adjust to a new environment. Besides, we can have more tourists visiting Korea, inspired to experience the Korean wave. However, a startling number of foreigners were disappointed by the poor infrastructure while visiting. There are not many good chances to meet Korean stars and not many cultural sites providing the tourists with experiences to enjoy the Korean wave. With this kind of situation, what should be the plan for the Korean wave?

Many concerns about Hallyu are noticeable. Some tourists interested in the Korean wave are very disappointed by the poor infrastructure when they visit Korea. That is, contrary to the expectations that many tourists can enjoy experiencing unique Korean culture and meeting with K-pop stars and K-drama stars in person, they don’t really have opportunities to meet with Hallyu stars or to enjoy activities on the filming sites. In addition to this, it’s a problem that the Korean government is depending upon the Korean wave too much. It’s a little absurd that the 17th Asian Games let the actress Lee Young-Ae carry the last torch in the sports events. Of course, she has completed many helpful actions, such as building an elementary school near Hangzhou, China and spreading Korean culture with her lead role in the historical drama “Dae Jang Geum.” However, other wonderful sports stars could have been the last torch bearer. Moreover, many entertainment corporations are focusing on the foreign countries’ market rather than the domestic one. As a result, numerous K-pop stars are trying to earn money outside of Korea.

However, there are good things about Hallyu. Nami island or Namiseom and some sites in Chuncheon are well known to Japanese tourists because the soap opera “Winter Sonata” was filmed on that island. Also, since the release of “Gangnam style” by PSY in 2012, many young people in their 20s began to visit Korea to experience the uniqueness in Gangnam and Korea. The Korean wave is definitely a source for tourism and an attractive income source for many people in tourism industry. Thanks to many famous K-pop stars and K-drama stars, many Chinese people are coming to Korea, too. The last time I traveled to Busan, I noticed bus signs were written in Chinese characters. This surely proves the high number of Chinese tourists inundating our country. Moreover, according to some people who traveled to Jeju, another island located south of Korea, they were surprised by the number of Chinese tourists in Jeju. It’s no wonder that many tourists are visiting Korea, because many Korean stars are promoting themselves in countries like China, Japan, America, and even in Europe.

Korea is very unique in culture and history. We can attract people all over the world not because of the beautiful Korean singers but because of the unique characteristics of Korea. We don’t have to make efforts to make money solely through the Korean wave. Instead, we have to express our own culture through the Korean wave. Then, more and more people will be fascinated by Korea and it will benefit all. Therefore, I can say Korean wave is controversial but ultimately meaningful.

sngho411@naver.com

 

BY Lee Seung-Ho

Jamsil Middle school

Heading for “Korean Wave 3.0”

Recently a drama called “You, Who Came from the Stars” is starting a boom of chicken and beer not only in our country, but also in China. Similarly, the pink lipstick that Cheon Song-I, the female main character, used in this drama quickly sold out in China. Today, the Korean wave is getting attention from many people all around the world. It has been said ‘Korean Wave 1.0’ is drama, ‘Korean Wave 2.0’ is K-pop, and ‘Korean Wave 3.0’ is K-culture. Nowadays, the Korean wave is changing the 7 billion people who live all around the world. Now, it’s time to jump over one step further and step into “Korean Wave 3.0”.

Starting from a drama called “Winter Sonata” which was broadcasted in foreign countries in the second half of the 1990s, the ‘Korean wave 2.0’ showed a rapid growth while PSY’s “Gangnam Style” again made the whole world turn inside out. One study, from Korean Culture Industry Association, surveyed approximately 4,000 global Korean Wave fans and asked what the most positive factors of the Korean wave was. The important factors for the popularity were “new and unique” (56.1%), “attractive appearance” (52.4%), and “interesting” (50.3%).

However, some experts are already saying that the Korean wave is losing its power and it could also be left just as a culture that was popular for only a while. According to a study of the thoughts of Korean Wave’s maintenance term researched by the Korean Wave Association, some people hvae said it is already finished (15.3%). Others say it will be finished in 1 to 2 years (22.4%), and others believe it will be finished in 3 to 4 years (29.1%). In order to make the Korean Wave the mainstream culture, we need to look at what big countries such as the United States and England are doing. These countries that influence the whole world with their own cultures cover various types of mediums such as art, music, philosophy, and literature. Also, they contain a colorful culture spectrum that contains both tradition and modern times. One step further, these countries also have a big influence on politics, economy, and society of the whole world. This means that if Korea frees itself from its preexisted K-pop or dramas, and show more of our culture, we could also step into similar positions of these countries.

“Korean Wave must not be a culture that temporarily popularizes depended on place or time. In order to make Korean Wave 3.0 coexist with people all around the world, we need to create new contents and step further,” Seong-Hyun Park, an expert in the Korea Culture Industry Association claimed. Actually today, Korea is already working on this. Several years ago, an apartment that contained ondol, a Korean under floor heating system, in the kitchen and even in the bathroom was built in Kazakhstan. This apartment was famous globally because of its unique system of keeping the house warm. Also, some countries such as Russia, China, and Japan wanted Korea’s well organized and developed system for women after childbirth. In Korea, when a woman gives birth to a baby, she is excused from her duties such as house works and child care. She is given very healthy and nutritious food and get enough time to recover, normally about 2 weeks to 1 month, in a specialized care center. Of course it isn’t free of charge, but to have this kind of service is what other countries are envious of. Furthermore, Korean foods (such as Kimchi, Bulgogi, and Bibimbap), the Korean Language, and even the hanbok is considered part of Korea’s culture. We don’t want foreigners to think that idols and dramas are the only part of our culture. The kind of houses we live in, the cars we drive, and almost everything that is associated with our daily lifestyle could also be part of our culture that influences the world.

“Korean Wave 3.0” doesn’t mean creation. It means showing our own culture. Think about Japan’s Sushi. This wasn’t a unique food in Japan; however, it was new and unique to foreign countries. Our country also has this specialty. By spreading these things, we could head for “Korean Wave 3.0”.

sihyoeun@naver.com

 

BY Kim Si-Eun

Jamsil Middle school

Is Hallyu a profitable business?

Ticketing for the hologram musical of SM Entertainment, “School of OZ,” began in January of 2015. It is the world’s first hologram musical. SM Entertainment is quoted, saying that for this they have invested five billion won. Is this hologram musical important enough to invest this much money? To some people, this large amount of money is embarrassing and seems like a waste.

Hallyu is important to our country and we want this popularity to last. Big companies should help these succeed. However, SM Entertainment has poured too much money for it. It has failed many times with dramas and musicals, so to cover the loss, they started selling items with SM idols’ pictures on them. An increase in price items and tickets took place. For example, tickets for the musical “Singing in the rain” cost about 130,000 won. More than a half of the fans of K-pop are students. The price is very burdensome and the length of time is also too long; it takes 2 hours. Some of my friends saved their allowance for at least 2 months for the ticket. Surely, it can be a negative influence on sensitive teenagers.

There are millions of Hallyu fans, but not all of them are fans of SM Entertainment’s idols. The money used to hold the hologram musical could have been used to help science develop. Critics worry about the money SM spent on the hologram musical, because SM Entertainment is still a developing company. If SM Entertainment runs out of money, the company will go belly-up. This will strike a heavy blow to hallyu, as other idol companies will have a hard time covering it up.

Helping and investing in hallyu is a good idea, and hallyu has the right intentions. However, doing too much can lead to failure. The companies should be aware that, in conducting such behavior, they may ruin themselves and eventually, hallyu.

kmyky0428@naver.com

 

BY Koo Min-Jeong

Daecheong Middle School

Is ‘sexy’ concept leading Korean Wave?

Clothing is getting shorter and shorter, and dances are becoming more and more erotic. Nowadays, criticisms about suggestive choreography and stage attire of girl groups are in controversy. Sometimes a girl group will dance with only short tights and tank tops, lie down on the stage, and even pass their hand over their breast or hip. Performances held abroad are no exception. Suji, a member of a girl group named “Miss A,” wore a top which exposed her breasts at 2014 MBC Korean Music Wave in Beijing. Taeyeon in “Girls’ Generation” wore a see-though lingerie outfit.

As such, online communities are inundated with criticisms. ID fmte**** posted a comment, “The level of Korean girl groups’ sensationalism has exceeded the permissible limit. They are spreading injurious culture instead of Korean culture.” ID the bette**** also said, “The behavior of girl groups is embarrassing.” Also, Kang Shin Joo, a Korean humanities scholar, criticized that girl groups are consuming voyeuristic pleasure and interrupting the diversity of popular music. However, despite these backlashes, girl groups continue to stick to suggestiveness. Why?

Simple! Most of them who got into trouble because of lewd choreography or an outfit have gained popularity abroad. For example, a song named “Like a Cat” by AOA, was criticized heavily in Korea because of the choreography which strongly emphasizes the buttocks. However, foreign media such as Billboard Magazine, MTV, Fuse TV have given a thumbs up to them. In addition, “Red” by Hyun-Ah, a member of 4Minute, was also condemned due to sexual choreography and lyrics. Yet, the responses overseas were surprisingly positive. The song hit the first place for 3 days on Taiwan’s music charts and was placed in “10 Best Music Videos of 2014 from Asian Artists” by the Rolling Stones. These are only just a couple of examples out of many.

However, foreigners’ opinions of them aren’t always positive. On a Japanese community site, criticisms appeared, such as the ones that said, “It is like an adult video disguised as girl groups,” and “Girl groups wear provocative clothes because K-pop is losing its shine.” What should girl groups do to help the Korean Wave? They should not take off their clothes to gain popularity. Instead, they should focus more to write meaningful lyrics, and appropriate choreography.

okidoki0822@naver.com

 

BY Kim Jung-Hyun

Bansong Middle School

Exploring possibility of life in outer space

The Soviet Union’s Vostok 1 was the first manned spacecraft ever to leave Earth, launched on April 12th, 1961. It was on this expedition that we saw Earth as the stunning blue marble that it is. It also marked the beginning of an era of space exploration.

There are several purposes of space exploration, but the fundamental one is to find a planet where life could exist or have ever existed. Many scientists and astronomers believe we are not alone in the universe. “Sometime in the near future, people will be able to point to a star and say, ‘that star has a planet like Earth’,” says Sara Seager, professor of planetary science and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 2011, Sara’s prediction became true. Using NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, astronomers discovered Kepler-21b, a new Earth-sized planet orbiting a star just 352 light years away. Scientists named it Super Earth. (Super Earth is a planet made of calculogenesis like Earth and is heavier than Earth in mass.) Some scientists believed the possibility of extraterrestrial life on Super Earth to be very high and that liquid water might exist on it.

On the other hand, Dr. Cooper, a British astronomer said “Kepler-21b is only 1.6 times the radius of the Earth, so it’s probably a rocky planet. The problem is that it’s far too close to its parent star to sustain any life. It goes round the star in 2.8 days, so it’s going to be searingly hot. Mercury goes round in 88 days and that’s also searingly hot.” NASA reported that the surface temperature is likely 2,960 Fahrenheit, or 1627 Celsius. Unfortunately, this temperature is nowhere near the habitable zone in which liquid water might be found.

However, on April 2014, Kepler-186f, another Earth-sized planet was discovered. Kepler-186f is the first Earth-sized planet in the “habitable zone” where liquid water might pool on the surface of an orbiting planet. As reported by NASA, the size of Kepler-186f is known to be less than ten percent larger than Earth, but its mass, composition and density are not known yet.

“The discovery of Kepler-186f is a significant step toward finding worlds like our planet Earth,” said Paul Hertz, NASA’s Astrophysics Division director at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. “Future NASA missions, like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the James Webb Space Telescope, will discover the nearest rocky exoplanets and determine their composition and atmospheric conditions, continuing humankind’s quest to find truly Earth-like worlds.”

Besides these two, there exists yet another planet that scientists have studied for a long time because of its possibility of life existence. Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, is about one-sixth the size of Earth. NASA has used spacecraft and robots to study Mars since 1965. NASA has assumed the existence of a great lake on Mars from hundred millions of years ago, but they still doesn’t have a definite answer for whether life existed or not.

However, NASA’s Mars rover, Curiosity, succeeded in finding evidence for life existence. It captured the eruption of methane near Gale crater with a diameter of 154km. Methane is the by-product when organisms go through a digestive process or plants decompose, and therefore, it is considered as strong evidence for life.

Yet, research leaders, Dr. Seusil Artres from Michigan University and Dr. Ann Arbor from Curiosity research team, explain, “The temporary increase of methane tells the relation between methane and the origin of life. There are several pieces of evidence that indicate it could either be a living creature or non-living thing such as water or rock.”

According to the research, methane’s concentration dramatically increased to 7ppbv during 60 days in Mars. This is 10 times more than the usual range. This result is very significant because methane’s sudden increase can mean existing life or microorganisms. “The cause for methane’s concentration increase is not known but it’ doesn’t seem like gas belching out from volcanic deposit, locked up in ice,” the research team explained. They added, “It can be evidence for existence of microorganism called ‘Methanogen’ which produces methane.”

Influenced by increased discoveries of extraterrestrials, new movies related to space explorations are attracting public’s interests. One of these movies, ‘Interstellar’, portrays humankind leaving our contaminated earth to find a new hospitable place to live. According to the Korean Film Commission, more than 10 million people have seen the film so far.

Whether it is from actual planetary searches for signs of extraterrestrial beings, or from Hollywood blockbusters, today’s citizens have a fascination with space observation, and what the future of space travel could have in store for us.

chenny70@naver.com

 

 

BY Lee Chae-Yeon

Youngdong Middle School

STAP cells, is it true?

On January 2014, Gobe, Japan, a surprising presentation introducing STAP cells (Stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency) grabbed the world’s attention. However, in December after almost 1 year since Japan has presented STAP cells, Aijawa who is a person in charge of Japan institution of physical and chemical research stated that “Although we did experiments to verify STAP cells, we could not realize the STAP phenomenon.”

The cell is the basic structural, functional, and biological unit of living organism. It can be divided into prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells are the first form of life. They have self-sustaining process. Bacteria are typical example of them. Other type of cell, eukaryotic cells are more sophisticated than the former. The main feature of them as compared to prokaryotes is compartmentalization. Also, each cell can grow into a specific organs’ cell. The STAP cell is a cell which can be divided into every single cell. Therefore, scientists are expected to heal incurable diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig disease. As a result, Japan’s discovery of STAP cell was more than enough to surprise the scientific and medical world.

In January, Haruko Obokataa, a Japanese researcher posted the theory on British science magazine ‘Nature’ that Japan is able to make STAP cell through an experiment with mice. To realize the STAP cell, Japan’s physicists and chemists implemented the verification experiment for 5 months (July to November). However, external researchers have raised some questions about the theories that image data. A thorough investigation proved that the information about the theory was counterfeited. Also, the theory has lost reliability. According to Japan’s Sankei newspaper, since O. Haruko’s experiment of realization has failed, the possibility of STAP cell decreased. Of course, it didn’t take long, after the failure of STAP cell ‘Nature’ has retracted the theories of STAP cell.

STAP cells brought a significant, scientific issue to the science world this year. However, to this day, there has been no certain technology about developing STAP cells. Surely, when they can be developed, many will be safer from diseases. Until then, much time is needed.

alexangel82@naver.com

 

 

BY Cho Sung-Yeop

Yokgok Middle School

Ebola chaos; emergency everywhere on Earth

More than 7,500 people have died and 20,000 people are infected with Ebola virus, as the World Health Organization claims. This became a very serious issue because the virus is fatal.

What is Ebola virus?

In 1976, Ebola virus appeared for the first time in Democratic Republic of Congo. However, it didn’t give much effect on people, thus it was forgotten for a few years. But in March 2014, a patient in Guinea started to vomit, and had an extreme fever. The cause turned out to be Ebola virus. It soon infected population in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria and took many people’s lives away. Bats are guessed as the main cause of the virus.

Symptoms

1. Serious headache, fever, muscle pain, vomiting

2. Diarrhea, thoracodynia, decrease in the blood pressure

3. A skin eruption, peeled skin (after 5 to 7 days from the infection)

The symptoms may get better after 10 to 12 days, but 60% of the Ebola virus infected patients die.

Are there any treatments?

The answer is no, not yet. For treatments, the humanized monoclonal antibody was experimented and was being researched, but we cannot tell whether it is safe or effective.

Numerous researches are taking place, however. One of the most popular clinical demonstrations is supported by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation announced that it will fund $50 million to support the breakout of Ebola in West Africa. In addition to this, the foundation will also work with several partners to fasten the research on vaccines, therapies, and diagnostics that could be helpful in treating the victims and further preventing the spread of the disease.

The method of finding the treatments is, however, being a controversial issue. Some people insist that we need to find an antibody to the virus. However, others who think about the reality argue against them that finding an antibody will take too much time. Instead, they want to find a way to reduce the rate of the infection, which they claim that it will take less time.

Misconceptions & Truth about Ebola

Many people think that Ebola virus can be infected by water, air, and food. However, this is far from the truth. Ebola is transmitted through direct contact of the patient’s blood, sweat, or saliva. Wild animals carrying the virus can also infect humans if consumed. Also, we don’t get infected if the virus is in an incubation period in the patients’ body. Ebola virus has continued to create a big chaos and it is also a serious issue because there isn’t a clear treatment. The virus is spreading worldwide, threatening many countries.

2001wj@naver.com

 

 

 

BY Lee Woo-Jin

Youngjong Middle School

Movie “Interstellar,” could be true!

The movie “Interstellar” became the topic of conversation. It attracted more ten million audiences. It is mainly about the future earth’s situation, and how to solve the problem. In the movie, the earth’s future became desolated and polluted. It caused lots of grains to become extinct and this led to tremendous dust storms. Finally, people who realized that they needed a new shelter went out to space to find a new planet instead of the earth.

In fact and indeed, our earth is becoming like the earth in the movie. According to Climate Change Information Center or CCIC, if global warming keeps continuing like this, woodlands will become extinct and the globe will lose its balance. Also, vegetation zone will generally go up 100 to 550km to the north from the middle latitude. In case of Korea, except current temperate vegetation, subtropical vegetation will increase and it will disturb our ecosystem. Moreover, if density of carbon dioxide increases more than two times, more than 25% of glacier in mountainous area will diminish until 2050. Around the globe, regions which have similar or common characteristics of climate will change and it will lead to food production changes.

The pollution of water and soil will also become more serious and until 2100, because of melting glacier of the South Pole, sea level is estimated to rise around 50 centimeters. This will make 80% of islands in the world submerge. Tropical diseases such as malaria will spread to higher latitude area. Also, according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC’s fifth climate assessment report, if the earth emits this much of carbon dioxide without any diminution, not only will there be destruction of the environment, but the global economy losses will also be 0.2% to 2.0% of gains. In addition to this, shortages of water and food will be significant danger of major climate changes.

Due to these scary predictions, perhaps people should indeed, find a new shelter to replace the earth in the future. It could be possible because there are some evidences to make the movie “Interstellar” to be true. On December 17, 2014 scientists from NASA announced that Mars rover ‘Curiosity’ sent information that there is methane gas in the atmosphere of Mars. The 95% of methane gas on the earth is from microorganisms. Therefore, scientists expected creatures living in Mars. These ideas support the possibility of the movie “Interstellar” to be true. All in all, experts all around the world claim that people should care more about the earth’s environments.

ari1227@naver.com

(source: The World Bank/ http://www.worldbank.org)

BY Lee You-Won

Sangil Middle School

Celebs entering university; To be or not to be

In 1999, universities in Korea started to adapt special admission for entertainers by accepting them if they are popular. This created a trend and many more stars are being admitted to universities. Some people think it is a good idea, but as with any new rules, controversies are bound to spark.Opponents argue that it is meaningless since celebrities usually have a hectic schedule and therefore it is likely that they will not be able to attend classes anyways. For example, LuHan of EXO, a South Korean singer and one who is currently very popular, entered Seoul Arts College but he often cannot make it to his classes, obviously because he has a busy schedule. In addition, singers, film stars, and entertainers alike take away other students’ opportunity to enter college. This is because it is easier for them to be admitted to universities whereas for regular students, they need to be on the top of everything from school transcripts to recommendation letters. Finally, the trend of accepting celebrities easily into university can instigate corruption between the celebrities and the school. In fact, some entertainment companies are suspected for giving bribe to universities. All in all, the standards of special admissions do not make sense because one should not be giving a “pass” card just because an individual is famous. This defeats the purpose of university, a place to be enlightened academically.

However, proponents of this trend claim that everyone has the right to be educated as a citizen of South Korea and that learning should be open to all. Moreover, famous celebrities can promote their university because many fans are interested in their stars’ life on campus. For instance, many stars who entered Seoul Arts College like LuHan of EXO, Do-Hee of Tiny G, Nana of After School, Lee Ki-Kuang of B2ST are promoting their school by advertising. This made zillions of fans come to know their school. Lastly, it is good for their future because in recent years, more and more celebrities are appearing and at the same time the “old” ones are losing their popularity. Therefore, if they cannot be a forever-star, then they must search other jobs. Having a university degree helps them get a job other than being a movie star, singer, and so on.

The trend is becoming more controversial as the difficulty of entering university is increasing. It is time that we take this issue seriously and try our best in finding solutions to it.

zoo1nmom@naver.com

 

BY Lee Ju-Won

Hogye Middle School

 

Unique majors of Korean universities in 2014

Jobs are becoming more and more complicated and diverse these days. Following this trend, universities are establishing unique schools and majors that we have never encountered before.  Those  majors  usually  give a better chance for students to find creative jobs. One example of this is casino related majors. According to Kangwon Tourism College website, its department of casino teaches students about casino and hotel work, events, tourism marketing, and foreign languages. Students graduating from these majors are likely to be casino dealers, hoteliers, or tour guides. As the standard of living goes up, jewelry and coffee industries are also facing the same fate, and universities are founding related schools, too. According to Taegu Science University homepage, which runs the department of gemology marketing and jewelry design, students in those specified schools learn about jewelry appraisal and marketing. They can become jewelry appraisers, dealers, coordinators, and stylists once graduated. As for the coffee field, related schools are producing coffee baristas and experts. Students can find a job in coffee companies or even set up their own coffee shops.

Finally, military related schools also exist. Danguk University has a marine military department, where students learn national security, military tactics, defense policies, and international relations. After graduation they can become a second lieutenant in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, or get hired by related companies such as the armament industry.

 

kimyoungmoc@hanmail.net

 

BY Kim Young-mok

Aju Middle School

 

The 3Ts, a short cut to college entrance

At these times, there are lots of people who study for getting into a university. Various ways to enter university exist and the most common one is to prove one’s ability by getting a high score in an English proficiency test such as TOEIC, TOEFL, and TEPS.

TOEIC, which stands for Test of English for International Communication focuses on communication ability useful in international work. Made by ETS, America’s Educational Testing Service, in 1979, over 150 countries and 14,000 companies require a certain score for job acceptance, overseas work, and promotion. In Korea, the expected cut-line is usually higher than in other non- English speaking countries. The test is divided into listening and reading comprehension and the full score is out of 990.

TOEFL, Test of English as a Foreign Language is mainly taught in many private English institutions in South Korea. It focuses on the ability to solve questions by reading, listening, speaking, and writing about an academic topic. The level of difficulty is as complicated as a university’s level. Therefore, it is commonly used in preparation for university entrance. However, in Korea, where competition in education is hot, the test is also being used as a credential or requirement in younger students. The total score is out of 120 and just for your information, a score above 115 is considered “good” in South Korea.

TEPS, Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul National University includes listening, grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. The test takes 140 minutes and the total score is out of 990. This test is quite special in that it evaluates an individual by the level of difficulty of the questions. Therefore, some questions may worth more or less points than the others.

TOEIC has been an alternative to regular college entrance exam.

We should keep in mind that TOEIC can be easier than TOEFL or TEPS. And TEPS can be less complicated than TOEFL. These tests are well developed tests. They are not easy to study, but except TEPS, the rest are accepted internationally. Which test do we need to take? The most important factor in deciding which one to take depends on an individual’s need.

In case of a middle and/or high school student, studying TOEIC can be beneficial because TOEIC involves grammar. TEPS has the grammar section, too, but it is more difficult. Anyone who wishes to enter international high school or university overseas, studying TOEFL is recommended. Finally, if you are not so competent or confident in writing, but enjoy grammar, TEPS can be it for you.

In a nutshell, it is essential to find out which section of the English language you are strong and weak at. After that, you need to find out what the school, company, or organization prefers in your resume. Finally, it’s time to hit the book!

bkw02@naver.com

 

 

BY Back Kyung-Wook

Jangseung Middle School

 

 

 

Struggling to study

High college tuition is one of the obstacles that blocks students from concentrating on their studies. The average cost of tuition per semester in 2014 was 6,667,000 won ($6,523). Tuition has declined annually since 2012, though a KNS News Communication report stated that Korea’s college tuition is still ranked second-highest in the world. The average tuition at Yonsei University, for example, is around 8,676,000 won, the most expensive in the country, according to Sejong News. Eulji University costs (8,500,000 won) per semester, followed by Korea Aerospace University (8,472,000 won) and Ewha Woman’s University (8,433,000 won).

To manage skyrocketing tuition, college students often exhaust their efforts. According to the Korea Employment Information Service, the number of part-time university students is increasing and reached 39.4 percent in 2011.

About 14.1 percent works to put themselves through school; and those who pay some or all of their college tuition has been increasing annually since 2008, amounting to 87.2 percent.

Many students also take leaves of absence for part-time jobs. That figure has increased 5.3 percent since 2008, reaching 7.6 percent in 2011. The surge in the number of people with part-time jobs has also had an effect on the type of work they do. Working at home is popular among college students, housewives and even office workers. Most students prefer to have this type of part-time work because of its pay and convenience.

“I started to work at home because it was hard for me to make time,” said one female undergraduate. “I am doing this to pay for my own college tuition. Unlike any other part-time jobs, I can do it whenever I like. That’s why I chose this.”

Some part-time job portals also offer easier job searching.

AlbaCheonguk (part-time job offering service website) is one of them. In the portal’s mobile application, there are some useful functions that allow users to search jobs simply by typing in their location and preferences. In addition, users are able to see any help-wanted advertisements within a radius of 3 kilometers (1.8 miles). This application allows job-seekers to save time spent on job searching.

Still, the high cost of tuition remains discouraging.

“My family cannot afford to cover all my university tuition fees. I have so much pressure to study, to the point I want to quit,” one 18-year old student said.

To help these students, the government created the National Scholarship System to help with financial aid. The policy reduces students’ worries about college tuition so that they can focus on their studies. Families who earn less than 67,030,000 won annually are eligible for scholarships through the system.

But despite the programs offered to struggling students, the high price of tuition is still a major source of stress. This problem must be solved as quickly as possible in order to create a better educational environment for everyone.

Convenient store is a popular option among college students who seek a part-time job.

 

chenny70@naver.com

 

 

BY Lee Chae-Yeon
Youngdong Middle School

What does sharing a room mean?

A shared room–also known as a dormitory in university settings– is a type of residence that literally involves two occupants sharing a single space.

According to Korea National Statistical office, 7,628,065 people currently live alone, and this figure has only continued to increase.

Living with a roommate has advantages and disadvantages. One upside is that you always have a constant companion–someone you can spend the years with and emotionally depend on. Sharing and yielding what used to be solely yours can be a whole new experience for many college students. Today’s young generation tend to grow up as only children and have never had to share with anyone else.

Understanding that sense of community can be good for self-discipline and meeting people from diverse backgrounds. Sharing responsibilities, such as dish washing and cleaning, will not always be exciting, but you will learn how to coexist with others.

Another great thing in having a roommate is you can also afford a bigger space at less of a cost. For college students who cannot afford a whole apartment, room sharing is a smart substitute.

Internet and cable can also be shared. Food and toiletries are much cheaper if purchased in bulk. Whether living alone or with a roommate, the cost of water and electricity do not differ greatly.

All these factors can be quite attractive to university students. However, having a roommate also has its drawbacks. You have less independence and privacy, and this can lead to disturbances in your personal life.

Even if you want to be alone, you always have to communicate with another person. You also must share the bathroom, kitchen, living room and laundry room. If the hygiene standards or living styles of your roommates are completely different, then living with them can be stressful.

Other issues may arise among university students during the exam period. Different exam dates may leave one watching television while the other struggles to study in a quiet environment.

Room sharing can have a synergy effect, but it can also be a nightmare. In order to prevent these disasters, websites such as http://www.woozoo.kr/ and http://www.borderless-house. kr/kr/house/ offer roommate matching services in specific locations.

jdh112kr@naver.com

 

 

BY Jeong Do-Hee

Buan Middle School

Colleges compete for subway station name

Ever wonder how many subway stations are named after a university? There are about 20 just in Seoul. Subway routes in the capital area are being constructed one after another. And colleges and local governments are competing to come up with subway station names. Duksung Women’s University enthusiastically promoted itself, collecting signatures last summer to have its name listed on Seoul’s Ui Line L03 station. The Seoul Ui Line is a light rail transit scheduled to open soon. Kukmin and Seokyeong University are also competing for the Ui Line’s L09 station.For universities, especially those actively campaigning to win over prospective students, awareness is important. Kwangwoon University recently had a subway station named in its honor. Last January, Seongbuk Station on Line No. 1 was changed to Kwangwoon University Station. After that, Kwangwoon University saw a great increase in its applicants.“I didn’t analyze the exact admission rate or the increase in scores, but Kwangwoon University Station is one of the last stations, so it gets more publicity,” said Chun Jang-Ho, the president of Kwangwoon University.“For test takers who live in the provinces, it is an important factor when they are deciding where to go to college–whether the college has a subway station named after it in Seoul,” he added.However, there are some disadvantages to the situation.

Some  colleges  try  to  attach  their names to a subway station instead of the neighborhood’s real name, which can make it difficult for commuters and tourists. Some stations are also far from the actual campus.

Seoul National University station on Line No. 2 is about 2 kilometers away from Seoul National University. Students must walk for 30 minutes from the station to the university.

Additionally, Chongshin University Station is more than a kilometer away from the campus.

“We are deeply concerned because there are too many institutions that demand their names be taken as subway station names even if the station is far away from the school,” a manager with the Seoul municipal government acknowledged.

jin_0107@naver.com

 

BY Cho hyo-Jin

Baekma Middle School