Back-to-school
SEOUL FOREIGN HIGH SCHOOL | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA | NO. 1 | AUGUST 2026
01 | AUGUST 2026
THE SPIRIT | 02
FOREWORD WORLD COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE CULTURE FEATURE
03 GREETINGS FROM THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF 05 LETTERS FROM OUR ADMINISTRATORS 07 SFHS BY THE NUMBERS 09 INTRODUCING THE WORLD PAGE 11 DATA CENTERS TAKE A DIP 13 2026–2027 CLUB LIST 15 INTRODUCING THE COMMUNITY PAGE 17 WHAT SUMMER LEFT US 19 FACULTIES FOR COMFORT & GOSSIPS 21 INTRODUCING THE LIFESTYLE PAGE 23 LIFESTYLE: THE MOUNTAINS WE CLIMB 25 THE SENIOR JOURNEY: MILESTONE BY MILESTONE 27 INTRODUCING THE CULTURE PAGE 29 THE BEST THINGS AREN’T THINGS? 31 HOW THE TIGERS OF ASIA LOST THEIR ROAR 33 ILLUSTRATION: ERIN 34 PHOTOGRAPHY: YUNE 35 DESIGN & MEDIA: JIA 36 APPLY TO THE SPIRIT! 37 THE SPIRIT GAMES
Dear Crusaders,
Editorial Policy
Another summer break is over, and here we are again with new schedules, new locker combos, and that back-to-school flutter. This issue, we’re leaning into some Ghibli magic to welcome you back, because walking through the SFS gates after a summer away can feel a familiar yet, contradictingly, brand new.
The Spirit is the official student-led news publication of Seoul Foreign High School. All issues of The Spirit are published digitally through ISSUU. Selected articles are also published digitally on the website. This is the August issue and the first publication of the 2026-2027 school year. The Spirit is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily those of Seoul Foreign School’s faculty, staff, or administration. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.
For a warm welcome from our SFHS administrators and The Spirit advisor, flip the page to Page 3. If you’re a statistics person and wondering what SFHS looks like in numbers, Page 7 counts it up. Curious why data centers made headlines this summer? Page 11 explains. Not ready to let vacation go just yet? Page 17 holds onto it a little longer. And if this is your last first day at SFS, page 25 walks through the year ahead, milestone by milestone. New year, new editorial team and pages. We hope this issue gives you something to read before first period and something worth bringing up at lunch. Welcome back!
With unwavering spirit,
Your EICs,
Contact information If you wish to contact any member of the staff with opinions, you may email thespirit@seoulforeign.org. All letters must be signed; anonymous content will not be accepted.
The Spirit strives to correct its errors. If you wish to make any corrections or clarifications in this or past issues, please contact thespirit@seoulforeign.org.
@thesfhsspirit thesfhsspirit.org Front and back cover: Yune Hur (photography) and Erin Lee (illustrations) Page 1 photo: Yune Hur
03 | AUGUST 2026
LETTERS FROm our Dr. Piotr
ART MODIFIED FRO
High School Principal Welcome back, everyone! A special welcome to all students joining our community this year. Starting somewhere new can be exciting, confusing, and occasionally involve walking confidently into the wrong classroom. Returning students, please look out for our new students, answer their questions, and help them feel that they belong. After all, everyone is new to something at some point. Showing empathy and kindness is one important way we live our mission through “the service of others”. This year, we are also planning a few changes to high school life. Some will be exciting, some may feel unfamiliar, and some may initially inspire the question, “Who thought this was a good idea?” I am committed to listening to students and involving you in decisions whenever possible. You may not always get the answer you hoped for, but your ideas, concerns, and experiences will be taken seriously. High school should be shaped not only for students, but also with them. Your New High School Principal Dr Piotr Kocyk
MS. bazin
The SPIRIT Co-advisor Hello High School, Welcome to the first issue of The Spirit for 2026-27, and most importantly, welcome to another fantastic year at SFS! If you’re new to High School this year, whether you just left the comfort of Middle School or transferred from another school, please know that before you even realize it, every wall, every chair, and every hallway will start to feel like home. And there might even come a day when you miss them. Learn a lot, laugh a lot, prioritize sleep, and don’t forget that there is a wonderful world out there that’s yours for the taking! Ms. Bazin
THE SPIRIT | 04
r administrators
OM STUDIO GHIBLI
MS. BRUSKI
The SPIRIT Co-advisor Welcome back, SFS students! As we (eventually) say goodbye to the sweltering heat and look forward to cozy hoodies, I hope you enjoy curling up with this first issue of The Spirit. Our goal is to create engaging and relevant content for you, so please let us know what you’re liking or skipping in each issue. If you have a passion for writing, photography, or illustration, we hope you’ll join us! Ms. Bruski
MR. GILMORE High School ASSISTANT Principal (ALONGSIDE Dr. MADGE) Hey Crusaders, A new school year always begins with possibility. New classes. New friendships. New goals. New opportunities to discover something about yourself that you didn’t know before. While schedules and classrooms may change from year to year, one thing remains the same: each of us has the opportunity to make our school a place where people feel welcomed, challenged, and inspired. Freshmen – This is your chance to begin writing your own story. Be curious. Get involved. Introduce yourself to someone new. Don’t worry about having all the answers—growth begins with a willingness to learn. Sophomores – This is the year to gain momentum. Build on what you’ve learned, challenge yourself to improve, and remember that steady effort often matters more than perfect results. Juniors – You’ll face greater expectations, but you’ll also discover new strengths. Stay focused on your goals while making time for the people and experiences that keep you grounded. Your example matters more than you realize. Seniors – Others are watching how you lead. The way you welcome younger students, respond to challenges, and celebrate the success of others will shape the culture of our school long after graduation. Make this your year of purposeful leadership. The culture of our school is built in everyday moments: offering encouragement to a classmate, showing patience when it’s difficult, giving your best effort, and choosing kindness even when no one is watching. Those ordinary decisions become the foundation of an extraordinary community... I hope you’ll approach this year with courage and gratitude. There will be challenges, but also countless opportunities to learn, to grow, and to make a positive difference in the lives of those around you. Let’s make this a year we’ll be proud to remember—not simply because of what we accomplished, but because of who we became together.
05 | AUGUST 2026
T D R S E I O Welcome to The Spirit’s 2026-27 Back-to-School issue! What better way to start off the fall semester than enjoying flips of renewed Crusader spirit? We’re Chloe and Eugenie, the Co-Editors-in-Chief of The Spirit for this 2026-27 academic year. Taking part in the warm, creative, and talented community that is The Spirit has been one of our most fulfilling endeavors in the last few years. From connecting with new people and finding our voices as keen writers to developing a critical editing eye and relishing the artistic process, we have very much to thank The Spirit for. Recently, we sent off our brilliant Class of 2026 graduates with a bittersweet Up-themed issue (shout-out to our past EICs Royce and Olivia). To follow that, entering a new school year with a fresh cohort just beginning their high school careers and others persisting in theirs, we present to you… a Studio Ghibli-themed issue!
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IN - CH I EF
We chose Studio Ghibli for its productions’ warm visuals and encouraging messages, which is the role we wish The Spirit to take this academic year. Amid many ups and downs, it is an honor to showcase our writers, illustrators, photographers, and editors’ phenomenal work, connecting our student body from within and to our immediate society. This year, we envision The Spirit as a lighthearted yet meaningful read across pages of World, Community, Lifestyle, and Culture. We are planning even more coordinated designs, multimedia renovations, and collaborations. But above all, we aspire to lead with the support that we felt as staff members (if not more). We are so excited to see what this year of high school holds, and we hope that The Spirit will be a part of yours! With unwavering spirit, The EICs
07 | AUGUST 2026
S F H S
By The Numbers ART MODIFIED FROM STUDIO GHIBLI
Male students
Female students
136
124
Freshmen
Sophomores
129
126
Juniors
Seniors
515
Total Student Population Figures current as of the first week of school.
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Data credits: Ms. Koh, Mrs. Elliot
Total Faculty Population
82
BACK-TO-SCHOOL LIBRARY STATS A grade-by-grade breakdown of library check-outs
571 256 868 1347 Current G12
Current G11
Total number of non-textbook books in the HS library This year’s summer check-outs Number of ebook checkouts in the 2025-2026 school year
Current G10
Current G9
10580 509 3014
W O R L D
09 | AUGUST 2026
Trump proceeds with a new administration… The Russian Armed Forces launch another missile attack, killing seventeen… Israeli strikes on Gaza continue despite… Most students are excited for their first day back to school, but on the other side of the world, there are students who risk their lives just to get to school. While we’re too caught up in our own lives, the world continues to write countless stories and events. Visit the World page from time to time to immerse yourself in these new happenings kilometers away, written through a student perspective.
THE SPIRIT | 10
Hi everyone! My name is Jina, and I’ll be serving as your World editor this year. Whether it’s shifting censorship laws or climate diplomacy, the World page is here to keep you in the loop about our current events. Especially as an international community, it’s clear that even events halfway across the world can have lasting impacts close to home. I’ve always loved writing and sharing about the world around us. Now in my fourth year with The Spirit, I’m looking forward to another exciting year. Hope the World page becomes your go-to for being curious and connected!
11 | AUGUST 2026
CHINA
U.S.
The world’s first commercial underwater data center is now operational. Powered by offshore wind.
Panthalassa begins creating the ‘cheapest AI infrastructure’ on Earth.
Potentially the model for future AI infrastructure.
Critics warn the engineering challenges remain enormous.
Data Centers Take a Dip:
Heatwaves Push AI to Deep Sea
JAPAN Tech giants like NTT are testing deep-sea deployments to secure grid-independent power and bypass land constraints.
INSIDE THE $140 MILLION GAMBLE FOR DEEP SEA AI INFRASTRUCTURE
BY JINA SONG | ILLUSTRATION FROM CANVA AND STUDIO GHIBLI
What’s Happening?
We’ve all heard that AI has a fundamental energy problem. As of June 2026, Data Center Map ApS reports there are over 11,700 operational data centers worldwide. Data centers not only guzzle massive amounts of electricity, water, and land, but also create substantial heat. AI Heat Islands: Some data centers have warmed the surrounding area by up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit. In areas dubbed as AI “heat islands,” these centers have made life hotter for over 340 million people (CNN). Physical bottlenecks: Moreover, the rapid surge in AI demand is severely outstripping existing infrastructure. More than technological capabilities, bottlenecks are now mostly physical. This
includes shortages of electricity grids, water supplies, and land availability (IEA). What does one do when it gets too hot? We often take a dip in the pool. By the same logic, numerous leading companies are now looking offshore. Seawater offers a natural cooling pool—a hope for more sustainable data center maintenance. While underwater data centers stand as an innovative sustainable solution to reduce the heat burden shouldered by land facilities, a question that we can’t ignore is: what happens to the ocean used to cool data centers?
Wall Street Bets $140 Million on Wave-Power
In May 2026, China launched the world’s first commercial
underwater data center 6 km from Shanghai (China Daily). The facility sits 35 meters underwater. Housing approximately 2,000 servers, it is powered by offshore winds. In June 2026, Panthalassa—an Oregon-based startup—raised $140 million to build autonomous, wave-powered data center buoys for AI inference (Financial Times). Its model floated the idea of buoyant offshore data centers designed to run AI inference workloads at sea. The company plans to process AI offshore, then transmit data on land. Its philosophy is: “Go where the energy is.” Founded in 2016, commercial deployment is targeted for 2027.
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Emerging at Sea 24 MW Capacity of China’s underwater facility 1700+ Data centers located in C40 cities (network of nearly 100 mayors to confront climate crisis)
MAY 2026 China launches its first commercial underwater data center 6 km from Shanghai
JUNE 2026 SUBTITLES
Numerous other platforms, such as the startup NetworkOcean (focusing on cold-water deployment) and Microsoft’s Project Natick, are centered mainly in Scotland. Many investors now view the ocean as AI infrastructure’s next frontier, resulting in a high-stakes pivot for the technology.
What’s Next?
The ocean already absorbs over 90% of Earth’s excess heat from climate change. Scientists warn that AI’s environmental footprint is growing rapidly already, meaning that enormous
amounts of cooling and water are required by data centers. Now, we need to question: can the ocean afford it? In June 2026, 40 mayors across four continents signed a global pact calling for stricter oversight of data centers, citing concerns over electricity, water, housing, and urban heat (EuroNews). This pact grew from a conversation across the world. As the mayor of Phoenix and Melbourne wrestled with identical energy and zoning problems surrounding AI, they realized that “challenges in every region around the world were very similar,” according to Cassie Sutherland, a managing director at C40.
The UN published research that by 2030, AI could consume water equivalent to the needs of 1.3 billion people (UNU INWEH).
2027 → ? Most ocean data center startups, including Panthalassa, plans to deploy its first commercial wave-powered AI platforms.
13 | AUGUST 2026
20262026CLUB CLUB SERVICE
Angels’ Haven (disabilities) Beneath (recycling) Caring for Paws DOLBOM (English education) Eastern Social Welfare Society Healing Hounds Nanumi (homeless) OASIS (refugees) REVIVE (lost-and-found) The Memory Project UNLOCKED (children disabilities) Youth for UNICEF
HONOR SOCIETIES
International Thespian Society National Arts Honor Society National English Honor Society National Honor Society of Dance Arts PiSaders (Math) Rho Kappa Humanities Honor Society Science National Honors Society Tri-M (Music)
OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS
Ambassadors Arts Council Clubs & Organizations Advisory Board National Honor Society Publicity Council (PUBCO) Sports Council (SPOCO) Student Council (STUCO)
ACADEMICS/CAREER
Carpe Diem Latin Club Chi-yu (medical care) Crusader Cartography Crusader Computer Science Club Crusader Political Union Engineering & Design EnvoNomics Fashion Club Grow & Give (agriculture) Inkwell (writing) MATRIX (AI) Newton Jr. (STEAM) SFS Speech & Debate SFS Law Club Visionary (cinematography) Young Investors Society #ZINE (comics)
THE SPIRIT | 14
-2027 -2027 LIST LIST PURSUITS
AWANA/Youth LAB The Spirit Yearbook Magpie (Literary arts magazine) Point of View (Photography) Lumina The Leaflit Discipleship+ Praise Team Psalms Choir Crusader Live (Backstage)
AWARENESS
Amnesty International Beyond (LGBTQ+) Chess Club Compassion (poverty) ECHO (sign language) Evergreen (environment) H.E.R. (gender equality) MedX (public health) Papyrus (reading) Up’d (upcycling) Seoul Night Live (comedy) Stress Zero Global World Wildlife Fund
ILLUSTRATIONS ADAPTED FROM STUDIO GHIBLI
15 | AUGUST 2026
C
O
M M U N I T Y
Partnering with the SFS Alumni association, this year’s Community page is back, better than ever. Here, you will find interviews and stories from your friends, favorite teachers, alumni, and even the unsung heroes and heroines that work behind the scenes of our Crusader community. Missed the High School Musical Broadway show? Don’t worry—the Community page has you covered with recaps, important events and updates on how Crusaders are thriving once again. We hope that by flipping through this section, students can connect and contribute as the heart of the Crusaders.
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Hello! My name is Jeneve (pronounced Jeh-nuh-vee), but most people call me Jen, and I’m happy to serve as this year’s Community page editor. This year, you can expect articles that dive deep into the hot topics and familiar issues impacting our students and faculty, so definitely keep an eye on our page! I developed a passion for journalism during my freshman year, and since joining the staff in tenth grade, The Spirit has become a significant part of my high school life. If you’re hesitant about applying because you’re worried about the workload, my advice is that you don’t fret and apply without hesitation.
17 | AUGUST 2026
What Summer Left Us
By Jeneve Lee
Photos from Studio Ghibli & CBR
Dear reader, By the time you read this, you will be in school. If you take a moment to look around, you can see a horde of students drifting through fast-current corridors, carried by a riotous stream of voices and the familiar rush of time. It feels busy. Loud. Alive in a way that is almost overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. And yet, it feels as though just yesterday, everything was quiet. Bird calls right outside your window, the swooshing of the warm summer breeze, your mom calling you over for dinner. Like the scenes leading up to Chihiro and her parents’ immense spirit-world feast in Spirited Away, summer arrived gently. Without warning, it was a warm compilation of open days and the comforting illusion that things would stay slow a little longer. It felt like sitting at a table filled with food you did not have to rush to finish. Until, suddenly, everything changed.
The Summer Spirit World
O
ver the break, students stepped into entirely different versions of themselves. Some became travelers. They moved across countries and cities, navigating unfamiliar places and cultures. From short family or friend trips to independent summer programs abroad, these experiences encouraged students to adapt quickly by communicating and understanding past apparent differences, as well as breaking free from the snug ambiance and social circle of school. Others entered new academic and social environments. Summer programs brought together students from across the world, allowing young scholars to discuss personal ambitions and global issues. The overall experience could have been inspiring or nerve-wracking, or likely both, serving as a reminder of how much potential our future has as we emerge as the next working class. At the same time, not all growth came from these larger movements. Some students stayed closer to home, working part-time jobs, internships, or even as stay-at-home children in charge of household chores. Whether in cafes, offices, labs, or local non-profit organizations, they experienced the weight of responsibility to manage real expectations and interact with people outside the school environment. And then there were quieter summers. Students catching up on sleep after a demanding year. Watching the World Cup late into the night (or very early in the morning). Spending time with friends and family they had not seen in months. For many, this “doing nothing” was recovery, and it can be much more necessary and nourishing than it sounds.
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The Reality Beneath the Surface Still, the slower rhythm didn’t erase academic pressures. For seniors especially, summer was anything but a break. Extended Essays and Internal Assessments became summer-long commitments, and it was important to remind ourselves of the imminent deadlines. Drafting research questions, collecting data, anxiously searching for primary sources, and writing were tasks that fused with our daily routines. Beyond school-related academics, college applications and preparing for standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, and UCAT added another layer of anxiety but also maybe even excitement for what is to come in the coming months. Ana Park (12) and Sejik Lee (12) described this period as a struggle to balance two lives, trying to rest while being haunted by looming deadlines. The “spirit world” of summer, in that sense, was not just an escape but a gray area comprised of both freedom and responsibility.
The Contract: A New Beginning As we return to school with our summer experiences and takeaways, we likely have deliberate intentions of how to approach the next couple of months until winter break (or maybe even past that). Like Spirited Away, where Chihiro signs a contract that influences her journey, many of us seem to be setting personal contracts, whether internally or out loud, for the year ahead: “I will finish my EE draft and not leave it to the last minute.” “I will commit to my extracurricular consistently.” “I will sleep sufficiently at least five times a week.” “I will manage my time better between academics and rest.” This reflects the realities of student life, the IB program, and the SFS community, where managing all that is keeping you busy demands consistency that can be difficult to maintain without clear, identified priorities. Entering a grade above often entails more work, so we must try to anticipate deadlines and responsibilities.
Returning In Spirited Away, the transition back to the real world is not as dramatic as Chihiro’s entry into the spirit world but rather a low-key observation that something has changed. Returning to school feels almost exactly the same. You see the same corridors, the same classrooms, and (almost) the same people, and the routines you either dreaded or missed resume almost immediately. And while you may see the same faces, their experiences and takeaways from the two-month-long summer likely altered or heightened something within them. Whatever this school year brings, I hope you carry forward something worthwhile from your own summer journey. Best of luck!
19 | AUGUST 2026
Hi readers and future writers! My name is Tabitha, and entering my third term with The Spirit, I’m delighted to be serving as this year’s Lifestyle page editor. This year, you can expect our stories to go beyond wellness and study tips. Since learning about another person’s lifestyle allows you to uncover their values, interests, and priorities, this page serves as the perfect venue to explore how you want to shape your own life. Connecting psychology, economics and ethics to human interest, I hope that Lifestyle can be a page for people who love discovering wonder in the mundane. If this sounds like your cup of tea, don’t hesitate to apply!
THE SPIRIT | 20
L
8.3 billion lives exist in the world, yet there is a certain extent to which each life differs. For many students, they share numerous experiences and perspectives that grow into adulthood. From balancing academic workloads and social relationships to exploring different segways in life, high school throws countless challenges at students. The Lifestyle page doesn’t offer a forced answer or opinion to those difficult choices, but it aims to support along your journey to make your student experience a bit easier.
I F E S T Y L E
21 | AUGUST 2026
he Mountains w ARTICLE, PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY TABITHA KHO | GRAPHICS FROM STUDIO GHIBLI
At sixteen, Santosh Koirala left home on a three day walk towards Kathmandu—the capital city of Nepal—with nothing but a few coins and the clothes on his back. “Leaving my family was one of the hardest decisions of my life,” he recalled. “I arrived in Kathmandu completely alone, with no guarantee that things would work out. I was definitely afraid… but my dream was stronger than my fear.” At a similar age, Kiki, the protagonist of the 1989 film Kiki’s Delivery Service, left home with only her magic broomstick in hand and her cat Jiji on her shoulder, to journey towards the coastal city of Koriko. Neither child had money, a place to stay, or a way to call home. But even in their destitution, both had a dream. I met Santosh last May during SFS’s Discovery Week, when he led my group’s backpacking trip through the Himalayas. There, he supported us throughout what was undoubtedly one of the most physically and mentally challenging experiences of my life: an experience which he had no choice but to bear daily in his childhood. Santosh was born in a tiny village in rural Nepal. “My family depended on farming,” and like many children from his background, “there were times
when we could barely grow enough food to feed ourselves,” he says. The eight-year-old could not even afford shoes for the twohour trek to the closest school, but still, Santosh woke up every morning at 4:30 AM, collected milk from the family’s buffaloes, and hiked for an hour to sell that milk at the district headquarters before beginning his walk. “Every day, I had to walk for five hours. Looking back, it’s still hard to believe everything I overcame.” Despite these challenges, encouraged by his community and driven by his own determination, Santosh continued to progress in his education. “I understood from an early age that it was the only path which would allow me
to change my future,” he recalled. “Though they had very little themselves, my parents always encouraged me, because my education represented hope for all of us.” Like Kiki, Santosh’s first dream was of learning. But even his hard work could not build new classrooms: those schools he walked two hours to reach only offered education up to the tenth grade. To continue studying, he had no choice but to leave home. When I spoke to Santosh, he found it very painful to relive the period of his life when he worked and saved, alone in Kathmandu, to afford to complete his education. But during this tremendous challenge, Santosh’s struggle
THE SPIRIT | 22
we Climb imbued him with a new dream: “I feel very lucky that these difficult experiences are not simply a burden, but that they led me to dream of supporting the education of young children who have the same background as I do.” For the same reason that Kiki rediscovered her magic, Santosh found meaning in giving back. Life didn’t get easier for a while. Despite his selfless passion, Santosh still had no means to make his dream a reality. “After completing my twelfth grade, I found a job as a porter, ”carrying tourists’ equipment up long mountain treks, “to save little amounts of money and go to university.” Santosh lived by this lesson: “My childhood taught me that you don’t think about tomorrow—you only think about today.” Santosh’s endless and selfless tenacity deeply moved several of his clients, and with their creative and monetary support, he managed to realize his dream. In 2008, the “Moonlight School” was born. Eventually, focusing on today, Santosh built his school around profits from the “Moonlight Nepal Trekking Company,” which offers guiding services for treks, and redirects 60% of its total profits solely to the Moonlight School. The international school community—including our very own SFS—enables Santosh to
support the free education of over 10,000 underprivileged Nepali children, a feat which is motivated by his “deep belief that success becomes meaningful only when it creates opportunity for others.” Santosh’s mindset of focusing on today goes back to a lesson I learned while trekking: if you just look down and put one foot after another, you can climb mountains. After all, opportunity
presents itself to the hardworking souls who can inspire others. As we begin the 2026-27 school year, we will all encounter moments of hardship. In those moments, maybe we can learn from Santosh to just keep walking.
Santosh Koirala
Nepal
(Bagmati Province)
23 | AUGUST 2026
THE SENIOR
MILESTONE B
ILLUSTRATIONS ADAPTE
8/10 First day of school 1/25 UCAS regular deadline (UK)
RD 3/12 Senior trip
3/2–3/8 Mock exams
3/27 Spring break
L
The dates shown are
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R JOURNEY:
BY MILESTONE
ED FROM STUDIO GHIBLI
9/23 Field day
11/1 EA & ED deadline (US)
12/23 Winter break
1/5 deadline (US)
4/20 Last day of school
e as of August 2026.
4/26–5/21 DP exams
5/28 Graduation day
25 | AUGUST 2026
C U L T U R E
Hi everyone! My name is Lewis, and I’ll be serving as one of your Culture editors this year. Ever since middle school, I’ve wanted to join The Spirit, so serving as an editor this year is incredibly meaningful to me. More importantly, it’s given me the chance to learn from an amazing community of writers, artists, and mentors. Now, I’m excited to share that experience through the Culture page, where we look beyond the headlines to explore the sports, music, and internet culture that influence the way we connect and express ourselves. Whether you’re here to keep up with the latest buzz or simply unwind between classes, it’s safe to say that this page has a little something for everyone. Enjoy!
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Hi everyone! My name is Ellie, and I’m so excited to be serving as your Co-Editor for the Culture page this school year! As someone who loves reading and writing, I’ve always been interested in the stories worth telling, namely through the countless lush, colorful lenses that shape our everyday lives. This year, I look forward to working with our writers to spotlight diverse perspectives and spark conversations about the ideas and moments defining our generation. If you’re interested in pop culture, sports, the arts, and everything in between, make sure to check out the Culture page this year, because these are the stories worth hearing.
27 | B2S 2026
The Best ThingS Aren’t Things Things?? i By LEWIS CHUNG i Art By Erin LEE
Status in the past It’s the first day of school, and in your hand is a freshly unboxed iPhone, along with a pristine pair of crisp white Air Force 1s, and for the cherry on top, a designer backpack, stiff enough to stand on its own.
THEN
NOW
Just a decade ago, coming to school with that exact package granted you the ultimate confidence boost to boast around the entire school, with classmates stealing a glance at every corner.
The rise of experiences But fast-forward to the hallways of SFS today, and the material possessions that once defined our definitions of status are gathering dust in favor of something far more fluid, fleeting, and deeply personal: authentic, lived experiences. For generations, material possessions served as the blueprint of success. To own something expensive demonstrated that one had reached the ultimate status. In recent years, though, we can observe a dramatic shift in our perceptions, with 78% of Millennials and 68%
of Gen-Z reported to prefer spending money on experiences rather than material goods (The Harrison Poll). Hence, the statistic serves as a testament to a fundamental shift in our behaviors. In our world, places as unlikely as the living room floor during a World Cup sleepover demonstrate this shift. In hindsight, the result itself may have been disheartening, with a pair of agonizing losses striking like a natural disaster to the entirety of the nation.
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the moments that matter Yet, if you were crammed onto a couch with your best friends, surrounded by piles of empty pizza boxes, did the score really matter? Because in the end, what you’ll end up cherishing the most is the collective intake of breath when an attacker broke into the box, the synchronized groans at a glaring chance that went wide, or even the mutual bonding of shared dejection. Much of this shift has been amplified by social media, serving as a platform where we archive “atmospheres” rather than “things”.
For instance, compared to a video showing piles of money and diamond chains, we often see clips showcasing an authentic part of someone’s life being far more valued, not to mention the staggering views. This craving also accounts for the reason why we love to label segments of our lives as “eras” or “arcs”, turning everyday experiences into meaningful narratives.
A new definition of wealth Similarly, school embodies these values to the full extent. After we graduate, we will not be left with the fading shine of some random thing. What we’ll ultimately carry with us are the everlasting memories, including the exhilaration of homecoming, the spirit of field day, the gravity of graduation, and the countless small moments that ended up proving far more worthy than our expectations.
Ultimately, the new paradigm presents us with an important lesson: the items we buy will always come with an expiration date for the happiness they provide. So as this new school year begins to unfold, let us invest in the moments that outlast the objects — building a lifestyle defined by what we carry in our memories.
"A Heart is a heavy Burden” - Sophie Hatter (from Howl’s Moving Castle)
29 | AUGUST 2026
From the Pitch to the Press Room: How the Tigers of Asia Lost Their
ROAR BY ELLIE SUH | PHOTOS FROM PINTEREST | CLIPART FROM CANVA
Mexico’s Guadalajara Stadium had witnessed both ends of the coin: a prideful, chest-pounding win, and a loss at the hands of a slippery goal keeper. It was a field dotted with the potential of the players that ran, sweated, and cheered upon it. It was Mexico’s Monterrey Stadium that saw a nation’s patriotism drip red, white, blue down a specialized turf drain as the June sun beat down. South Korea was out of the game. It is this year’s World Cup, the 23rd of its kind, where South Korea was met with an untimely and, according to their voracious followers, a particularly embarrassing way to end. Sporting lilac-lime jerseys for their third and final game in this year’s tourney, the charmingly coined “Taegeuk Warriors” were certainly a far cry from the infamous “fighters red” attire that saw them to their fourth-place title in 2002 (Ku). Instead of the trademark of passion millions glued to their sofas, nearest bars,
and far-out stadiums, we were used to seeing, South Korea’s 2026 World Cup run in North America felt disheartening to say the least. Finishing third in Group A, one of the initial groups of four teams in the opening stage of the tournament, and failing to break through to the newly expanded Round of 32, the national team’s performance wasn’t just disappointing—it was an outright disaster that left a football-crazed nation completely and utterly at a loss for words. Rewinding back to Guadalajara Stadium, the tournament started with a glimmer of hope after a scrappy 2-1 win against Czechia. However, things were quick to unravel. A sequential 1-0 loss to co-hosts Mexico, followed by yet another 1-0 loss to underdogs South Africa, exposed a troop that looked tactically lost and completely devoid of tenacity. We saw bare-boned attempts at attacking, open-shots sloppily missed, clustering on defence, and most unfortunately, players
who were no longer playing the game so many had expected to see. (Yoo) The brunt of the fury fell promptly on the shoulders of head coach Hong Myung-bo. Handpicked amid intense controversy by the Korea Football Association (KFA), Hong’s appointment had already been heavily criticized as an example of administrative favoritism over true merit and expertise (Park). As the team staggered through the group stage, the backlash reached an unbearable high, drawing public condemnation from the president himself. Ultimately, the immense pressure broke the whatever figment of composure Hong was maintaining, as he resigned immediately following the team’s exit, leaving a legacy blemished by questionable squad management. (Park) Nowhere was that management more heavily scrutinized than in the treatment of legendary captain Son Heung-min. In a move that shocked fans world-
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football finds itself at a massive cultural crossroads. The KFA faces a looming government hearing, a broken team must be mended, and the search for a foreign manager is already underway. The lilac-lime kits will likely be tucked away into the dark corners of sporting history. To reclaim their identity, the Taegeuk Warriors must find a way to earn back their classic “fighters red” spirit before the next whistle blows.
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wide, the talented Tottenham forward found himself inexplicably benched for the mustwin finale against South Africa, only subbing on at halftime. For a country accustomed to seeing Son dancing back and forth across the field, watching him powerless on the sidelines while the World Cup dream–his last career World Cup–slipped away felt like a betrayal. The gamble backfired spectacularly, leaving analysts and fans demanding answers. As the dust settles, Korean
Every four years, the FIFA World Cup transcends the boundaries of ordinary sports entertainment to bring about a congregation of the world’s best national football teams, South Korea notably being one of the 48 countries this year (FIFA). Historically, South Korea has held the most storied World Cup legacy in Asian football, having qualified for an astounding eleven consecutive World Cups—a true testament to the unrelenting grit and etermination of players bent on shifting the athletic tide (Jeong).
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I L L U S T R A T I O N
Hi! I’m Erin, and I’m excited to serve as the illustrator in chief for my last year with The Spirit! As someone who has been involved in The Spirit since freshman year, I’ve watched The Spirit’s visual storytelling grow issue by issue. This year, I look forward to working with talented illustrators to push our dedication towards adding another layer to The Spirit even further.
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Hello, this is Yune, your Photography Chief for the 2026–2027 school year. Through The Spirit’s photography team, I would love to capture the essence of school life and help students cherish the shared experiences that make SFS memorable, especially since this will be my last year here. I hope the photos that accompany each issue and article will not only make The Spirit more visually engaging, but also showcase the talent and keen eyes of our photographers. Looking forward to sharing our stories through the lenses this year!
P H O T O G R A P H Y
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A R T S &
M E D I A
Hi everyone! My name is Jia, and I’m excited to serve as the next Arts & Media Chief for The Spirit! This year, I’m looking forward to elevating our designs and building closer collaboration between the Illustration and Photography committees. Having previously worked as both an illustrator and writer, I’ve gotten to discover different sides of The Spirit, and I’m excited to put that experience into making The Spirit the best it can be.
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APPLY TO THE SPIRIT ! What is The Spirit? The Spirit is SFS’s official student-run magazine, founded over 50 years ago, that aims to elevate student voices through the power of words, images, and illustration. We publish monthly editions throughout the school year, with every article, photo, and design put together by student editors and staff.
Why The Spirit? Writers research and develop their voice. Photographers capture moments that words can’t. Illustrators define the look of every issue. Together, you’ll grow your skills and build something you’re proud of alongside students from every grade – in one of SFS’s most active communities.
How do I apply? Send an application through one of our three forms:
Writer Application (bit.ly/TheSpirit2627WriterApplication), Illustrator Application (bit.ly/TheSpirit2627IllustratorApplication), or Photographer Application (bit.ly/TheSpirit2627PhotographerApplication).
We look forward to reviewing your applications!
The Spirit
is recruiting!
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SPIRI G T
1. Fun Fact Crossword Every clue on this page is a fun fact of our editorial team!
DOWN 1. Total length, in days, of music connoisseur Ellie’s giant playlist 2. Artistic concept meaning “defamiliarization,” chosen for Yune’s Personal Project portfolio 3. Iconic beagle drawn in 25 variations by Illustration Chief Erin for a Spirit issue
ACROSS 4. Our final issue dedicated to the seniors; the event many HS students look forward to 5. Number of centimeters Community Editor Jeneve grew over summer break 6. Narnia author who inspired Culture Editor Lewis’s name
G MES T A
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2. Match the Editor to their Movie Every editor picked a Studio Ghibli movie to weave into their page this issue. Match them to what they chose!
Jina (World)
Tabitha (Lifestyle)
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Spirited Away
Jeneve (Community)
My Neighbor Totoro
Ellie (Culture)
Howl’s Moving Castle
Lewis (Culture)
Ponyo
Answers posted on @thesfhsspirit (check if you get stuck!)
FEATURING ARTS
Salt Lake City, Utah Yune Hur (12)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17