Article 1: New Years Day Earthquake in Japan
Written By: Celeste Pietrzak, Edited By: Jessica Kwok
TW: Mentions of Death and Loss
On the first day of 2024, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The first shock was followed by over 1,500 strong aftershocks, which have caused severe damage to the area. The earthquake produced the strongest shaking that the region has experienced, which triggered a tsunami evacuation order for nearly 100,000 people. Tsunami waves generated by the powerful earthquake reached as high as four meters and swept across three municipalities of Japan. The majority of the damage was inflicted in the northeastern part of the peninsula, destroying towns, houses, port facilities and beaches. The shake and waves caused many deaths, injuries, collapses of houses and buildings, fires and landslides. Some districts have been isolated with roads being cut off, making it hard to find basic needs and supplies.
As of Jan. 23, 233 deaths have been confirmed and at least 1,282 people were injured. More than 13,931 residential buildings are reported to have been damaged along Japan’s West Coast, which has forced over 15,000 people to remain in evacuation centers. Tens of thousands of survivors still remain in perilous conditions; many have been displaced and lack access to basic necessities such as running water and food. Many evacuation centers continue to lack such supplies, which has led to a deterioration of sanitary conditions. Elderly and older adults who are unable to leave their villages or are reliant on assisted living facilities have been hit the hardest by the disaster. Some of them are reluctant or unable to leave their village, and there is a labor shortage causing many nursing homes to be unable to provide adequate care. Hospitals have also struggled to treat patients with the best care as many staff were unable to reach the hospitals and a significant amount of medical equipment had been damaged. Cold weather has also made the difficult situation worse for survivors as temperatures dipped below freezing in the weeks following the earthquake.
The Japanese Red Cross Society immediately responded to the disaster and have been working to this day to assess the extent of the damage and to provide support to the area. Medical coordination teams were dispatched to Ishikawa Prefecture to coordinate the emergency medical operations. In order to organize and to provide emergency relief, doctors, nurses and administrators from Red Cross hospitals all over Japan have transferred patients to hospitals and provided mobile clinic services. .
Although the quake affected Japan intensely, the nation was aptly prepared in ways that resulted in the damage being much less than it would have been. As one of the most seismically active nations in the world, Japan has adapted to handling earthquakes. In Japan, seismic regulations for building codes were first introduced in 1923 after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake killed more than 140,000 people. Japan has continued to strongly enforce building codes over the past century which has increased the strength of earthquake resilience in Japan. There are still many other concerns that the nation must address, from lack of water and installing earthquake-proof pipes to better heating and dedication to the safety of vulnerable populations such as the working class and the elderly.
Article 2: Jo Koy's Challenging Night as Host of the 2024 Golden Globes
Written By: Sophia Lam
Edited By: Brian Lum
Comedian and actor Jo Koy, born Joseph Glenn Herbert in Tacoma, Washington, hosted the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 7, 2024. A stand-up comedian since 1994, Koy is known for his humor and openness about his Filipino heritage, addressing experiences with anti-Asian racism.
When Koy was officially introduced back in December to host the Golden Globes, he expressed he was “so excited” to be hosting one of the biggest shows in the entertainment industry. Before the show, Koy stated he had been preparing non-stop since he was announced as the host, saying he hadn’t “slept or done anything social since the announcement.”
The Golden Globes, renowned for its lively atmosphere, posed a distinctive challenge for Koy. Having secured the hosting role only ten days before the event, Koy openly acknowledged his limited preparation during the opening monologue, saying, "I got the gig 10 days ago! You want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up. You're kidding me, right? Slow down. I wrote some of these, and they're the ones you're laughing at." This admission marked the beginning of challenges faced by the host.
His opening monologue set an uncomfortable tone for the night, marked by cumbersome and contentious jokes that often fell flat with both the live audience and viewers at home. Koy ventured into controversial territory, including what has been described as “bald misogyny.”
One of the lowest points of the monologue was a joke about Barbie, unintentionally highlighting the underlying sexism the film faced. Koy remarked, “Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is a plastic doll with big boobies. The key moment in Barbie is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite and flat feet. Or what casting directors call character actor!” The joke elicited unimpressed reactions from attendees, including physical grimaces from Selena Gomez and Helen Mirren, as well as unamused responses from the Barbie cast and crew, specifically Greta Gerwig and Ryan Gosling.
Koy’s attempt to win back the audience fell short. To compound the situation, he defensively blamed his writers and the short time he had to prepare for the show after the joke received major backlash online. His blame on his writers marked the beginning of Koy’s panic mode, leading to a noticeable decline in timing and delivery. Desperate attempts to elicit laughter included repeating punch lines and nervously laughing during the delivery of jokes. A seemingly harmless quip about Taylor Swift fell flat, with Koy’s awkward apology further undermining the moment.
The controversy surrounding Koy's hosting gig adds an additional layer to the challenges faced by the Golden Globes in their quest for a resurgence in awards show relevancy. The event, known for its boisterous atmosphere, proved to be a demanding platform which tested Koy's ability to navigate the fine line between humor and sensitivity.
Article 3: The Global Popularity of K-Dramas
Written By: Christine Kim
Edited By: Yaying Zhao
Recently, there has been an increase in the consumption of media exported out of South Korea. Better identified as the Hallyu Wave, this term refers to the global popularity of South Korea’s pop culture through the export of entertainment, music, and TV dramas. With the growth of Korean music, like K-pop, came the popularity of Korean dramas, better known as K-dramas. These dramas have gained immense popularity with their viewership as their demographics range across different backgrounds, nationalities, age and more. Such a wide demographic for K-Drama content has allowed for connections between different age groups to be made through “relatable characters, compelling storylines, and addictive narratives” while providing a strategic method of storytelling and emotional depth. This allows the market to grow rapidly as it expands into international markets. With different streaming platforms available, K-dramas are no longer limited to being marketed solely in South Korea and have gained traction in other regions of Asia, North America and Europe. In the U.S, between 2019 and 2021, K-Drama viewership has been up 200% because of the accessibility of original content on platforms such as Netflix. This popularity allowed for Netflix to launch more popular Korean content like “Squid Game” and more. By creating different dramas that have a unique way of storytelling, shows like "The Glory” or “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” have allowed for an interest in the American market because of the diverse cultures and experiences that K-dramas offer.
Korean shows have found global success thanks to the visual appeal, as there are details present that many American series look past. Series like "My Demon” have been seen to rank highly on Netflix’s “Global Top 10” list and have found success in establishing itself as the main K-drama to watch at the end of 2023. Song Kang, a well known actor amongst international viewers for his work in other Netflix dramas, plays the supernatural lead archetype whose performance is praised by international audiences for his versatility. Kang’s feature in “My Demon" contributed even more to his audience popularity with his charm and personality in “Love Alarm” and "Nevertheless.” The different cultural authenticity of the shows and unique plot twists in the storylines create an addictive element that keeps viewers anticipating the weekly episodes of their favorite shows. The involvement of Netflix and K-dramas has its downsides as well, as it was found by Korea University’s researchers Ji Hoon Park, Kristin April Kim and Yongsuk Lee that the streaming platform’s global streaming rights has made production for big-budget series to be “unfeasible with Netflix’s investment.” Furthermore, due to the captivating details of K-Dramas, accessibility to original content and familiar faces from other popular shows, like Song Kang, the popularity of K-dramas has increased due to the accessibility of streaming services that allow for further consumption of the global media.
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