Op-Eds

Commentary, Movie Reviews, Op-Eds, Opinion

Why You Shouldn’t Watch K-Pop Demon Hunters: A Spoiler-free Review
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By: Tara Sim (26A01C)

As of July 15th, K-Pop Demon Hunters has maintained its No. 1 spot on Netflix on the English Film List with almost 25 million viewers since its third week of release, while songs performed by Huntrix and Saja Boys, the main K-Pop girl and boy group in the storyline, have topped the US music charts, overtaking leading K-pop groups BTS and Blackpink. But why has a seemingly light-hearted, unserious kids’ show about a monster-fighting girl group suddenly exploded in popularity–even among viewers way outside its intended demographic? 

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Op-Eds, Opinion

A Guide to Unhappy Birthdays
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Tan Yan Qi (26S06M)

Receiving 12am birthday texts from your close friends, chain birthday messages in class chats, singing happy birthday in school, then again at night, and cutting the cake before going to bed to end the day.

That’s how birthdays often go for most our age. 

Birthdays are a whole event of their own. In many religions and cultures, they hold special meaning. In China, people eat longevity noodles to wish for a long life. In Korea, it’s seaweed soup. In Mexico, Quinceañeras are held on a girl’s 15th birthday to celebrate her entry into womanhood. And in RGS, students had their very own version of a birthday song. 

Out of the 365 days in a year, there is one day that belongs to you–your birthday. On that very fated day, you came into this world, and your life began (pro-lifers may disagree). Birthdays exist as a reminder of where you started and how far you’ve come. They are a time for loved ones to come together to express their gratitude for your presence on this earth. 

Sweet, isn’t it? But what happens when a day that’s supposed to be yours, and all for yourself, doesn’t feel like yours?

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Humour, Op-Eds, Opinion

LockedIn On LinkedIn
Reading Time: 9 minutes

By Nicole Lee (26S05A)

The build-up of LinkedIn scandals so far this year has been nothing short of cinematic yet diabolical—from controversial takes on legal cases to false encounters with important figures, we’ve seen it all. The whole saga has directed the spotlight to the LinkedIn culture in Singapore: not how LinkedIn is thriving with its growing prevalence, but rather the unhealthy nature of the platform. 

A classic. Credits: https://mothership.sg/search/?s=LinkedIn+ 

In such a competitive society, it’s natural to resort to any available measure to produce a “worthy” portfolio – that is, through LinkedIn. As such, the platform has become an essential component of job application processes, internship opportunities and even university admission exercises.

Needless to say, people are getting hooked onto LinkedIn. 

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Commentary, Music Reviews, Op-Eds, Opinion, Raffles Reviews

Music + Studying = Productivity?
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Peh Tse Wei Tomi (26S06P)

Music. A medium to express oneself. Travelling? Put on music. Working out? Put on music. What about studying? Do you put on music? Here in Singapore, many students enjoy listening and “vibing” to music when they study. However, studying is an activity that requires lots of focus, and music sometimes retracts our attention from studying.  

Thus, one may wonder: should you listen to music when studying? While some claim that music helps them focus, others believe it serves as more of a distraction when studying. Research suggests that music can do both. But how could that be? It’s paradoxical, and yet, it works. Though, does it all come down to the genre of music one listens to?

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Op-Eds, Opinion

Nostalgia: Where’d All the Time Go?
Reading Time: 9 minutes

By Christian Adriel Tan (26S07B)

Where’d all the time go?
It’s starting to fly
See how the hands go
Waving goodbye

Where’d All the Time Go, Dr. Dog

Nostalgia is strange. It slips in unannounced, often in the softest pauses — between breaths, between thoughts — and suddenly, the past feels nearer than the present. Time never tells you when it is about to slip through your fingers. 

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