In Angela Fang's new short story, a mysterious corporation hires a group of people to investigate an even more mysterious cave. Things go wrong from there...
By Angela Fang "DING-DING-DING!" The sound echoed through the air, signalling the start of a thrilling journey. Apeiron, a corporation known for its rapid growth and development, has organized a group of explorers to investigate a cave for a large sum of money. The location of the cave is kept secret, and the team is warned that the information must never be revealed to the outside world. As the team sets off, the excitement is palpable. They are heading to a secluded stretch of ocean, where black boulders rise vertically from the waves like ghostly sentinels. The last ray of sunlight is blocked by growing clusters of grey clouds, casting an eerie glow over the water. Despite the inhospitable climate, the team is undaunted and ready to embark on this exciting adventure. As the boat approached its destination, John felt a rush of excitement. The boat cruised smoothly, it was cutting through the calm water, its destination a cave hidden beneath a jagged rock formation. As they drew closer, John felt a pang of fear. The entrance to the cave is guarded by serrated rocks that resemble jagged teeth. He tried to swallow his doubt, but it seems to be lodged in his throat, it choked him with fear of the unknown. Despite his fears, John and the team press on determined to unlock the secrets of this mysterious cave. As John and his crew approached the entrance of the mysterious cave, the air grew heavy with unease. They lit their lamps in the darkness, revealing a twisting and turning maze of shadows that elicited gasps of disbelief from the group. They had been promised a hefty sum of money to explore this uncharted cave, and they were determined to succeed. But as they ventured deeper into the cave, they soon realized something was amiss. The entrance, which should have been a dim, colourless hole, had vanished without a trace. The crew scrambled to find any clues or markers to help them find their way back but to no avail. The once-steady hands of John and his team began to shake with fear, their nerves stretched to the breaking point. In the midst of the chaos, one man, determined to find the treasure and the promised money for his family, shouted to the rest of the crew to keep searching. But as they pounded the water in a desperate attempt to locate the entrance, their rational minds were beginning to unravel. The fear in the air was palpable, and their once-daring spirits were now being consumed by terror. As they frantically searched for a way out, they realized they might never escape this nightmare they had stumbled into. As John's body weakened from the long, arduous confinement in the cave, the only thing that kept him going was the hope of finding the treasure and finally being able to return to his normal life. But with each passing day, the reality of his situation began to set in. The others who had accompanied him had either gone mad, died of dehydration, or were already dead. The only other survivor was a man with a thick accent who had shared stories of his family and career but not his name. The man had warned John not to get too attached, as they were both living on borrowed time. But despite his warnings, John couldn't help but feel a connection to the man, a sliver of hope amidst the crushing loneliness. "I wish we can die together, god, I feel so lonely," said John. He was haunted by memories of the sun, the solid ground beneath his feet, and the simple comfort of his cramped living quarters. John kept waiting and waiting. Finally, the man's head rested on his shoulders. With dry eyes, John began to shake. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." John cried. He ran his hands down the moist boat walls until he reached the cool steel. It was a water bottle, of course. The man had no idea. In the dim light, John scrambled, but there was nothing left for him to grab. The small boats were tethered together, but he could no longer feel the warmth of human skin. Loneliness crept to his knees. He realised that living like this could be as painful as death. A salty sob had escaped John's lips. John made his way to the edge of the boat and plunged into the dark, freezing sea. He embraced the unknown depths, letting himself be engulfed by the endless water, hoping to find peace in his final moments. "DING-DING-DING—" John's eyes suddenly opened. He's looking forward to his new journey in search of the cave's treasure. On the beach, he noticed a man with a strong accent. John didn't go up to talk to him since… John Wallis had not learnt his name.
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It's one of the most serious problems facing the modern fashion retail industry - clothes being produced cheaply and thrown away soon after. The results can be disastrous for the environment. Dima Kanani investigates.
Confession: I have never shopped sustainably. I have always viewed my hobby of shopping as fun and frivolous, even exhilarating. Fashion, I regarded a little bit more seriously. As a form of expression, a work of art. However, with the knowledge that we have attained of the horrors lurking behind fast fashion, I can honestly say that my enjoyment of shopping has significantly waned. Each purchase pricks at my conscience. My many rows of clothes increasingly appear as little demons cackling, ‘We will gratify your greed.’ Fast fashion has been among us for years, and we must all grow to understand that this disastrous issue must be stopped. The devastating impact of fast fashion on our environment is a hot topic within the media, political and educational establishments, and society more broadly. The fashion industry has been reported to be the second most polluting industry in our modern world, after oil. According to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, “Textile production contributes to more climate change than international aviation and shipping combined.” As preposterous as this may sound, I cannot say that I am extremely surprised. Ultimately, we are the source of many problems affecting this planet. We must all attempt to shield the earth from the multiple catastrophic impacts of climate change and global warming as a result of our own actions such as. Can we tar all fast fashion retailers with the same brush? Apparently not. I find it extremely reassuring to hear that there are some major retailers in New Zealand, such as Icebreaker, Lululemon and Levis, who have taken a far more sustainable approach in recent years making improvements such in their creation of material and reducing water wastage. For example, Levis claims that they are “working towards industry-leading targets including: 100% sustainably sourced cotton by 2025... 50% reduction of water use in manufacturing in water stressed areas by 2030.” This is brilliant, because it means that companies, such as Levis, have been identifying issues within today's market and have attempted to act against the mass pollution of our planet. Sadly, however, these stores are in the minority with many other retailers still a long way behind in terms of their approach to sustainability and environmental management. There are many realistic alternatives for materials that can be used by the companies, and I believe that they should be put to use - instead of opting for cheaper options and causing havoc and destruction towards our environment. For example, I was deeply upset to discover that many of my high street favourites were among some of the worst offenders of fast fashion, including, Max, Ralph Lauren and, shock horror, Farmers. Armed with this uncomfortable knowledge, where will I allow my mum to shop going forward? So, is it just the high street fast fashion retailers that are polluting our air, land and seas? How do our designer brands fare? We’d assume that the extortionate price tag could be in part, justified, by a more sustainable outlook. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It’s absolutely ridiculous that companies such as Burberry, have been reported to have burned any leftover merchandise with the sole reason to ‘protect their brand name.’ While they did this to preserve the exclusive nature of their brand, they have also proven themselves to be an environmentally irresponsible brand, with little to no social conscience. This opens another reason as to why we must stop supporting these brands, so they can change their form of manufacture, as well as disposal methods. In fact,all this damage could have been avoided if Burberry sold their items for less or even gave away some of their merchandise, this would have presumably helped those who needed the clothing such as their own poorly paid workers, who diligently stitch these tartans for endless hours. It’s very easy for us, as consumers, to lay the blame on the manufacturers and retailers, but we must be more aware of our own responsibility. Clearly, we need to reflect on our spending habits, our attitudes towards clothing and our overall greed. Our excessive buying is driving the excessive manufacture, and many of us don’t dispose of our clothing any more responsibly than the retailers. Currently, we consume 80 billion new pieces of clothing, an alarming 400% increase from 20 years ago. Furthermore, due to the consumption rate of clothing, the industry creates, on average, 92 million tonnes of waste annually, most of which ends up in landfill or is exported to developing countries to clog up their landfill. Many of us, to our grandparents’ horror, view clothing as pretty much disposable these days, with one in every three young women, like myself, considering garments to be ‘old’ after being worn once. We must control our compulsive behaviour, especially, with all this deeply depressing knowledge circulating us on the lasting effects of clothing. We as consumers and as people have the power to turn this market around, by changing our spending habits, to steer shops to hopefully more positive ethical outlooks. We need to support companies that are creating a difference in today’s market and are aiding the environment. This includes companies such as the TearFund Foundation, who produce ethical ratings for the world’s most popular store brands, allowing us to have an insight in what brands have the most sustainable outlooks, and which stores don’t. Fast fashion can be stopped, but only if we become more aware that the fashion and clothing industry isn’t all glitz and glamour. There are huge sacrifices made in order to manufacture the shirt or sweater that you may be willing to purchase right now. Would you still feel comfortable in that cosy jumper, knowing that to be manufactured, it wasted over 3000 litres of fresh water? A series of three poems from Evee Tan, offering vivid images and dreamlike atmosphere.
Every fortnight, the girls of Margin will be reviewing a new book that's available at our Frances Compton Library. This week, Emily reviews creepy horror/mystery story Stalking Jack the Ripper.
Review by Emily Innes Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco was recommended to me by one of my friends. I initially put it off for a while as the description of mystery and adventure did not particularly appeal to me at that time. However, when I finally picked it up, it only took an hour of reading to be sucked into the four book series. Stalking Jack the Ripper is the perfect combination of mystery, romance, and adventure. Set in 1800s London, our main character Audrey Rose Wadsworth who apprentices under her uncle, a mortician, becomes wrapped up in the investigation of a series of murders. Maniscalo’s ability to make the setting come to life is definitely one of the strong suits of the book. It made me feel as if I was actually there. There is a fine line between no description of the surroundings and too much, which slows the plot down, but this book sat perfectly in the middle. The story demonstrates the gender inequalities of the time, while also giving the reader a powerful and brave main character who refuses to let social norms stop her from achieving what she wants - a contrast I found to be inspiring. In addition, the subplot of romance is so adorable! It quite honestly had me kicking and squealing at points, simply because of how cute it was. Although the enemies to lovers is a bit slow in the beginning, it certainly increases throughout the series. The way the books are interconnected is also incredibly well thought through how they follow historic events in a unique and exciting way. I never once felt like I was being taught history, and it also interested me enough to do my own research into the real events the story was based on. The only warning I have to give about the book is that it can be a little graphic with gore at times, as the books revolve around dead bodies which earns it a 14+ rating, however there is no unnecessary gore. If this does not seem like an issue for you, I can guarantee you will enjoy this book. It has to be one of my all time favourites. Rating: 5♥️/5♥ Want to read? Coming soon to Frances Compton Library! Where do we come from? It's a question that has caused debate among humans since the dawn of time. In this essay, Yijia Chen (Year 12) has a theory - we were once 'aliens'!
By Yijia Chen Boom! A tiny dense fireball exploded with an unimaginable force, it expanded, it stretched, which led to the formation of stars and to the creation of life. 4.6 million years ago earth formed, and when it gradually cooled down, it provided the perfect conditions for single-cell organisms to appear. Those cells evolved and developed from arthropods to land animals to the first primates. That is our origin story. No, but that’s what the scientists want you to believe. In reality, 2 million years ago aliens arrived on earth and they were us. Humans being the most developed species on Earth, possess the ability of speech, and are capable of dominating the ecosystem. It is just ironically surprising that we are so ill-suited, unequipped and also have numerous defects that other animals in our supposed “home” habitat don’t have. This, therefore, suggests that we do not come from our believed mother planet. If the earth is our so-called “mother” planet, our natural environment, then why do we need to wear wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and slab sunscreen all over our bodies to protect ourselves? Being located on a planet that receives the third most sunlight, approximately receiving 340 watts of sunlight per metre (noting that the earth’s total surface area is 510.1 million km^2). It is exceptionally odd that the sun blinds our eyes, dries and shrivels our skin, along with sabotaging our skin cells. According to SkinCancerFoundation, around one in three Americans reports suffering from sunburns annually, and one in five people will develop skin cancer by seventy years old. You may argue that humans get sunburned because we do not have body hair, however, that furthermore proves my point that we are abnormal. Animals that are native to planet earth have feathers, fur, or scales that provide protection against UV rays. The only good explanation for us to not have thick body hair to protect us from the sun’s dangers is if we live underwater or underground. But, we do neither of those things. How odd. Along with that, no other species on the planet suffers from chronic illnesses as much as we do. As claimed by the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention, close to 62% of American adults had at least one chronic condition, and 28% of them have numerous chronic diseases. Strangely enough, the majority of the chronic illnesses we experience only affect humans or are extremely scarce in other animals. These examples include but are not limited to cancer, heart attacks, asthma and arthritis. Furthermore, only five per cent of people in the world are perfectly healthy. Therefore, it is clear that there are more than enough differences between earth and our real home planet to have body maladjustment. Our incompatibility makes it natural that our bodies will be unhappy, weak and unsuited on earth. Moreover, humans are practically defenceless in the wild. Other than obvious features vital for survival like advanced sensing abilities, attacking mechanisms, a camouflage appearance and so on. This is also especially evident through our process of giving birth to our offspring, and our extremely weak infants. It is a fact that human child delivery is one of the most complicated and painful in the animal kingdom. Unlike any other native primates, we are the only animal that gives birth assisted, yet still, have one of the longest deliveries and tremendously high maternal mortality rates. According to researcher Lead Albers from the University of New Mexico, in her study of 2500 full-term births, first-time mothers’ labours lasted on average for nearly nine hours. In contrast, our “closely related” apes and monkeys tend to give birth in under two hours. This is mainly because our babies have big brains which is a trait not visible anywhere else on earth. Without modern medical care, we will have soaring maternal death rates. This is seen In the middle ages when one in eight women died due to childbirth. According to researcher Lead Albers from the University of New Mexico, in her 1999 study of 2500 full-term births, first-time mothers’ labours lasted on average for nearly nine hours. This is largely due to our offspring having big brains which is a trait not visible anywhere else on earth. Around one in 1000 babies have heads that are too large to fit through the human mother’s birth canal, meaning that a caesarean section is needed, and that does not exist in the wild. Furthermore, without modern medical care(which there is no possible way mother nature would have foreseen us to develop) In contrast, our “closely related” apes and monkeys tend to give birth in under two hours. Even if our newborns arrive successfully from their mother’s body, unlike the majority of mammal offspring, our babies have highly matured brains yet a pathetically inept body that is unable to stand up, feed, and walk around like a foal. Along with that, we humans have relatively long childhoods, animals on average take 4 years to reach adulthood, whereas we take around 26 years to fully mature. All of this makes us immensely vulnerable in the wild. in comparison to other species which have adapted to their surroundings as they originate from earth. At last, no other species on the planet suffers from chronic illnesses on a scale as much as humans do. As claimed by the CDC (Centres of Disease Control and Prevention), close to 62% of American adults had at least one chronic condition, and 28% had numerous Chronic diseases. Strangely enough, the majority of the chronic illnesses we experience only affect humans or are extremely scarce in other animals. These examples are cancer, diabetes, heart attack, asthma, insomnia, depression, arthritis, autism, gastritis and many more as I am only scraping the surface of chronic conditions we endure from. In addition, only five per cent of people in the world are perfectly healthy. There are more than enough differences between the earth and our home planet to have body maladjustment. It proves that our weak immune systems are not suited for the earth. Due to the fact that humans were never supposed to be living on this planet. Our incompatibility makes it natural that our bodies are so unhappy, sick, and weak on earth. Ultimately, the imperfections we own, including our paper-like fragile skins, weak incapable build, incredibly difficult childbirth and high rates of chronic illnesses establish enough evidence to show that Homospaiens are the foreign creatures here, that we are the actual aliens and that we do not come from the earth. Every fortnight, the girls of Margin will be reviewing a new book that's available at our Frances Compton Library. This week, Emily reviews classic gangland YA story, The Outsiders.
Review by Emily Innes "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton is a real eye-opener. Be sure to brace yourselves for a trip back to the '60s with some seriously cool ‘Greasers’ and ‘Socs’. Why read it? First off, Hinton's writing style is so easy to dive into. I felt like Ponyboy Curtis was right there, telling me his story. It's a raw look into his thoughts and feelings, which makes the whole book super relatable. The characters are incredibly well written: Ponyboy, Johnny, Soda, and Dally are like brothers to one another, each with their unique quirks and struggles. You'll totally feel for them as they navigate a world divided by social classes. This is a book about friendship and loyalty and is truly heartwarming. The rivalry between the greasers and the socs is intense – when things spiral out of control, you'll be holding your breath, fingers crossed, hoping for the best. But be ready for some heavy stuff. The book touches on some deep themes such as class, violence, and family. It's a reality check that shows how unfair life can be. In the end, "The Outsiders" is a gripping story about finding your place in a messed-up world. I loved how it made me think about how people judge each other based on appearances and backgrounds. If you're up for an emotional rollercoaster with a touch of nostalgia, definitely give this one a shot – it might be an older book, but its message still hits home. Rating: 4♥️/5♥ Want to read? Pick it up from the Frances Compton Library! Every fortnight, the girls of Margin will be reviewing a new book that's available at our Frances Compton Library. This week, Emily Innes talks one of the most popular fantasy series of the moment, Sarah J Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Review by Emily Innes I originally picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas due to its presence on Tiktok. The sheer amount of positive reviews about this book was more than enough for me to read it. A Court of Thorns and Roses and the whole ACOTAR series revolves around the life of a 19 year old, Feyre. She is the breadwinner of her family, providing for them though her hunting as her fathers business ventures failed and her older sisters, conditioned to the life they lived before, refuse to help. The character building throughout the story combined with the plot twists makes it a very interesting read as the development is both heartwarming and exciting, especially throughout the series as a whole. Feyre’s character demonstrates the idea that a powerful main character can still be kind and open. Being soft does not make you weak. I think this is an especially important idea today, which is why she has become one of my favorite characters. Additionally Maas is an expert at world building not only within this series but also in her other series as they all end up connecting to The Throne of Glass and Crescent City. These intersections not only demonstrate Maas’s abilities as an author, but that also inspire many fan theories to run wild. I have personally read so many different interpretations of the story and what this means for the future novels, and I think that the global interest enhances the enjoyment in the novel. Overall I really did enjoy this book. The only issue I found was how quick the relationship between Tamlin and Feyre sprung up. It seemed slightly forced. However the rest of the series certainly made up for it. This book can be considered a good read for 14+. 4♥️/5♥ Wanna read this book? Reserve it at the Frances Compton Library now! The colourful world of K-Pop can be a little overwhelming to newcomers. Luckily, for those who don't know their BIGBANG from their BLACKPINK, Sophie Qiu (Year 11) has crafted the ultimate guide to the most buzzed-about music movement of moment.
“Excuse me, where’s the nearest train station?” “Oh! I’m listening to OMG by New Jeans. OH, MY, OH, MY GOD, YESANGHAESSEO NA (예상했어 나) I WAS REALLY HOPING THAT HE WILL COME THROUGH-” Through this two-line dialogue, we are able to experience just a tiny fragment of how this genre of music called K-Pop is growing in popularity and integrating into our everyday society. There is no doubt that you, your friends, siblings, and anyone who is on popular social media platforms will have come across a video like this. Some of them may even be fans of K-Pop themselves! So… Now we know what it is called, what exactly is it? Originating in South Korea, Korean Popular Music (almost always referred to as K-Pop) is a genre of music which has become much more globalised during the last three decades, particularly widening its influence in the 2010’s. From Super Junior, to BIGBANG, to BTS; from Girls’ Generation, to 2NE1, to BLAƆKPINK, these groups have had their fair share of accomplishments which have both greatly contributed to the South Korean economy and have made them an icon of the country. CNBC, a news programme specialising in economic data has stated that “data suggests BTS is generating an estimated $3.9 billion in economic value per year towards the South Korean economy.” But how influential is it, to be able to earn that much? Visually, the first thing you will notice when you enter the word “K-Pop” into a search engine, is that groups of stylish young boys or girls are shown, hence the reason for calling them “Girl Groups” and “Boy Groups”. The next immediate thing you will notice, is that there are not one, not two, but an average of seven people (generally referred to as ‘members’ or ‘idols’*1) within these groups. There are of course, cases in which this is not true, such as the globally beloved Girl Group Sensations BLAƆKPINK, which consists of 4 members, and K-Pop mega-group SEVENTEEN, which consists of 13 members. Soloists such as IU, BoA, and Eric Nam to name a few are also popular, however are less well-known than the aforementioned groups. Let’s take a deeper dive into this. Within these groups, there are multiple roles to which a member could be assigned, depending on their level of skill. These mainly include main/sub vocalists, main/sub rappers, main/sub dancers, visuals, leaders, all-rounders, centres and maknaes*2. Let’s take 4th Generation*3 leaders ITZY for example: Yeji: Leader, Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist, and Sub Rapper. Lia: Main Vocalist and Sub Rapper. Ryujin: Main Rapper, Lead Dancer, Sub Vocalist, and Centre. Chaeryeong: Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist, and Sub Rapper. Yuna: Lead Rapper, Lead Dancer, Sub Vocalist, and Maknae. We can see from the information listed above that many roles can be taken by a single member. However, in order to fulfil these roles, each needs to specialise in a different area. Another 4th Generation IT group Tomorrow X Together (more commonly known as TXT) is an example of an “all-rounder” group. This means that none of the members are assigned specific roles, as they are accomplished in every aspect from dance to vocals to rap. However, this leads us back to the question of “why are there multiple idols within a single K-Pop group?” One way to answer this question could be to compare the K-Pop industry to a dessert factory. If the factory only produced one type of vanilla-flavoured cupcakes, it would eventually go out of business because people love variety. Therefore, producing multiple flavours of cupcakes such as chocolate, red velvet, and cookies n cream can increase the rate of consumer satisfaction. This is the mindset to which K-Pop has adapted its strategy: a larger variety of idols can increase the chances of the target audience engaging with and becoming fans of these idols. This adaption has greatly benefitted K-Pop, as over the past few years there has been a massive spike in K-Pop stans*4. Especially when new groups, new concepts and innovative ideas are introduced, which appeal to new groups and generations of people. This leads us to the influences of K-Pop in our daily lives, and how it may affect us, as individuals. Is all this information making your brain dizzy? Well, there’s more to come! From billions of views combined on multiple streaming platforms, whether it be the TikTok dance trends, audios used in the background of YouTube videos, or simply the music used in your friends’ Instagram stories, there will be at least some K-Pop involved in it. On every single platform, there are literally, yes, I mean literally, millions of K-Pop stans who are dedicated to their idols, and spreading their music content across the internet, subsequently increasing their influence. Many people will remember the summer of 2020. BTS, a boy group who already had an immense global fandom of ARMY, released their hit song “Dynamite”. With the new title track memorably entirely in English, additionally with a catchy and repetitive melody, this song became THE song of that summer. And to live up to its name, “Dynamite” was estimated to amount to $1.3 billion USD. But if we were to go back even a bit further to 2012, we would be reliving the year of PSY’s “Op, op, op, op, Oppa Gangnam Style”. With its catchy tune and iconic dance moves, this song travelled around the world, bringing the name “K-Pop” along with it. Whether you were old or young, lived in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, there was no doubt that you and your friends had danced along to this song. That was, and still is the influence of K-Pop. The main powerhouse building up these massive sales are the fans, and K-Pop stans are notable for their dedication to their idols. On each and every social media platform, ranging from Facebook to Twitter, you will be able to find an array of updates accounts, charting accounts*5, voting accounts*6, and much more, all dedicated to one specific group. If we take @idlecharts, a fanbase dedicated to “Nxde” singers (G)-IDLE, we can see that there are frequent, hourly updates, entirely dedicated to the 5 members providing relevant and useful information to their 60.7K followers. These updates can include anything from their idols’ newest Instagram posts, to where their idols’ newest song is placed on streaming charts. K-Pop stans are also well-known for their commitment to streaming*7 their idols’ music. For example, if we rewind to the song “Dynamite” by BTS, this song alone still holds YouTube’s Record for Fastest K-Pop Group MV To Hit 1.6 billion views. It had reached this mind-blowing milestone in 2 years, 3 months, and 15 hours. Additionally, it also broke YouTube’s Record for most views in 24 Hours, with more than 100 million views. This record was later broken by “Butter”, a song which is also by BTS. If we look at the top 10 most viewed YouTube Videos in 24 hours, 8 of these are held by the K-Pop groups BTS and BLAƆKPINK. Music award shows such as the Melon Music Awards (MMA), Seoul Music Awards (SMA), and Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA), are prominent in the world of K-Pop. The results and achievements obtained through the streams, voting and record sales of albums are amounted up here, and the group with the highest scores receive awards. All of this would not have been possible without the dedication, thorough organisation, and hard work of fans. Where there is glory, there is also darkness. With the ever-growing K-Pop community spiking in numbers in the last decade, many more people have started to enjoy K-Pop. However, more people also lead to more opinions, more personalities, and with each of them belonging to different fandoms, there is no doubt that there are clashes and arguments. Stan Twitter is a place which evidently and effectively shows us this fine line between the equally strong feelings of hate and love between different fandoms. On stan twitter, whenever you come across an account congratulating one certain group on their achievements, there will be “opposing fandoms” arguing beneath the main post. They will start small, from stating that the mentioned idol is “untalented” or “undeserving of the award”, to body shaming and sending death threats to these same idols. As mentioned before, K-Pop is reliant on its fans which has led to the development of apps, events, and experiences which allow these fans to feel “closer” to their idols. This allows for both positive wishes from stans and negative death threats from haters. Apps which allow fanservice*8 experiences which let the fans and idols “connect on a deeper level” often misguide fans, leading them to think that they now know everything about their idol. This can develop into an unhealthy lifestyle, leading some “fans” to become saesangs*10. These saesangs are extremely dangerous and obsessive with their idols, believing that they “own” them, and have “every right to do anything they want to their idols.” The period during which they are a trainee*11 is not simple either. There are already many limitations, which include firstly having to get into an entertainment company as a trainee. This is followed by the next towering ‘wall of age’. Data shows that at 17, you have a mere 50% chance of becoming a trainee. As a result, nowadays there are trainees and idols as young as 12! Next, even if you do get chosen, it takes years of training before a trainee can debut*12. The colossal costs during this training period, which include housing, food, and mentors, are yet another barrier. During the first few years, these costs are paid by the trainees’ entertainment company, however they need to be paid back by the trainees once they debut. IF they debut. On top of that, in their quest to become a successful idol, these trainees face many challenges, both physically and psychologically. Their management could go broke, forcing them to work part-time jobs and produce their own songs. The psychological aspect includes emotional pressure, brought on by Imposter Syndrome. It is not uncommon to subconsciously compare yourself to your peers. All these factors can add to their sense of despair which may lead them to give up their dream of being an idol. If you do choose to terminate your contract, you will be met with a massive number of illogical legal fees. These contracts are called “slave contracts”, which refers to the discriminatory and unfair contracts between trainees and their entertainment companies. In the end, it is still the company that decides whether they debut or not. Some highly anticipated groups such as TraineeA, a boy group formed by entertainment monster Big Hit Music in 2021, disbanded without much of an explanation, creating distress amongst fans. It is highly likely for trainees who have trained for 10+ years to fail to debut as well. This is still only the tip of the iceberg. It is said that there is a higher chance of your winning the lottery than becoming a successful idol. Some groups may even disband a few weeks after their debut, forcing them to work in another area of work to pay back the fees owed due to their “slave contracts”. Next, we move onto the unimaginable beauty standards in the Korean entertainment industry. Slim body, pale skin, large eyes, small lips. This is the basis of the current beauty standard for female idols, which need to be met or they will be torn to shreds by the online community. The average age of debuting idols consistently decreasing, poses a huge threat to their mental health. Seasoned artists such as HyunA who has also debuted at a young age have shown their concern for this issue, with the maknae of the newest upcoming girl group BABYMONSTER only turning 14 this year. Having experienced the ups and downs of the vicious industry first-hand, it is only normal for them to feel troubled. The bright star of K-Pop is ever glowing; but its dark side still has waters murkier than the Mariana Trench. 1* idols - a widely used term in K-pop meaning a K-pop performer 2* maknaes – romanised spelling of the Korean word ‘막내’ meaning ‘youngest’ 3* 4th Generation – K-Pop groups fits into different generations depending on when it was formed/active. As of right now, there are 4 generations: first generation (1996-2004), second generation (2005-2012), third generation (2013-2009), and fourth generation (2019-present) 4* stans – slang for extremely/possibly excessively enthusiastic fans 5* charting accounts – accounts managed by fans for a certain artist to keep track of their streams*7, achievements, and current place on the charting statistics 6* voting accounts – accounts manged by fans for a certain artist to organise group votes and updates managed by award shows to win certain voting segments (e.g., best artist of the year, etc) 7* streaming – the number of views or plays “streamed” on a particular platform 8* fanservice (in the K-Pop industry) – an act done by specific idols to entertain their fans and act to their liking (e.g., doing aegyo*9, cheesy lines, flirting, etc.) 9* aegyo – Korean; the act of being cute 10* saesangs – overly-obsessive stalker “fans” who act to their own interest even if it may harm others 11* trainee – a person who is training to become an idol 12* debut – the process of officially converging from a trainee to an idol The Covid Culture Shock
By India Haldane, Year 12 What is it that has everyone feeling a little thrown for a loop lately? Feeling chaotic, unsettled, even upset? As India Haldane (Y12) argues - it may be a case of what is known as 'culture shock' - but occurring right here at home. Culture shock is typically known as something for people who’ve moved across countries, right? It shouldn’t apply to you unless you’ve packed up your house and jumped on an aeroplane. But there is this one emotion we are all feeling right now; it doesn’t really have a name, but it is the uncertainty and terrifying nature of the Covid-19 situation New Zealand is currently facing. Here's what I propose: we are all going through a minor form of culture shock. Masks, sanitising, and covid tests are all another culture- one we were expected to adopt rapidly and without hesitation. Moving countries is about the same (trust me, I know - I grew up in Amsterdam). It is all unknown and new, and to be fair it's pretty scary. Covid 19 is a whole new way of life, and the way we keep flicking back and forth between lockdown and relative freedom is very confusing, almost like moving countries back and forth again and again. If you think about it, the practices Covid-19 force us to undertake are very much a culture of its own. Masks- the traditional dress. Sanitising- a common practice you are expected to follow. Getting a test- the way to ensure you are seen as ‘acceptable’ by testing negative; if you are positive, you’re the talk of the town. The shock of the new is always scary; it gives off a level of uncertainty we all feel but tend to ignore. We can’t ignore, however, the effect lockdown has been having on everyone's mental health. Try to reach out to a friend and let them know that everyone is a little overwhelmed with everything going on- one day you are living your normal life and the next you’ve been culture-shocked by covid. We’ve been doing it for three years now (has anyone been keeping count? It feels like an eternity) but it's still crazy on and off, so it feels like as soon as we settle back into life- BAM ! Another outbreak, another culture shock into masks and sanitising. Overall, Covid 19 is a wave of uncertainty- it's scary, funny, depressing and something we all want gone. Over time we will adjust to the idea of presenting a vaccine pass and scanning in, but for now? Welcome to the Covid culture shock. The Winter Reading Challenge from our last holidays produced some amazing student reviews - here's some of our faves, read on and you might just find your next obsession! Today's reviews come to us from Liya Suo (Year 9).
Fairy Tale by Stephen King This book tells the story of a 17-year-old boy called Charlie Reade who meets Mr Bowditch, a reclusive old man, and spends his summer working for him and taking care of/falling in love with his dog. Then Mr Bowditch dies and leaves Charlie with a secret deep in his shed — a fairy tale-like land that Charlie and Radar the dog must journey into. It’s interesting because this book is Stephen King venturing out of his usual genre: horror. I myself was also venturing into a genre that I haven’t read in quite a while: fantasy. I absolutely love Radar, the way she’s intelligent but also so simple, something that humans can never be. However, I didn’t really find this book much of a page-turner, and it took quite a long time for me to finish it, although it was definitely very satisfying when I eventually did. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is set around the beginning of World War II in Nazi Germany, and follows the life of a young girl as she is separated from her family and sent to live with the Hubermanns on Himmel Street, where alongside her grief and fear, she develop friendships and discovers a special delight from reading and stealing books. What really made this book stand out for me was the narrator, Death himself. It was so cool to see Death as a compassionate, often even sentimental being, and hear his perspective on the horrific things humans were doing to each other in World War II. I also loved the beautifully raw descriptions, the chilling foreshadowing, and how the ending made me bawl my eyes out (in a public library as well…). The fact that this book doesn’t go by the typical beginning, problem, resolution plot is something that I’m still getting used to, but overall, I really enjoyed this. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the third and final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, which revolves around Katniss Everdeen, a girl who volunteered as a tribute in the place of her sister and ended up starting a rebellion with her actions in the arena. In Mockingjay, Katniss has to deal with the trauma and loss of her past experiences while becoming the “face of the rebellion” in a full scale war against the Capitol. This book really made me see the full extent of war, and showed how propaganda and psychological warfare does just as much, and sometimes more, as physical fighting. It also kind of shows the way power corrupts, then goes on to twist and manipulate for more power. (Wow this book has made me sound so wise.) My second time reading this also made what Katniss did at the end make so much more sense, and now I so desperately want to read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy. |
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