October Recap

Autumn is my favorite season, after Christmastime. October had its rough spots for sure, but I tried to squeeze some joy out of it in between the less than stellar moments. Here are some of the highlights (as always, “we” refers to me and my sibling/roommate): 

At the beginning of the month, we attended a Mid Autumn Festival event, which offered arts & crafts, Taiwanese mooncakes, singing/dancing performances by the Blacksburg Chinese School, and kung fu and taiji demonstrations. My favorite act was a pair of children performing the Doraeman theme song—one singing, one playing guitar. 

We continued attending library sales, banking four at three different libraries (and one local Y) over the course of the month. Good thing too, because I DNF-ed more books than usual in October. :( I’m currently five chapters into Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen and so far it’s pretty good, so maybe that will lift me out of the slump, lol. 

I’ve been drinking a lot of apple chaider—heated chai concentrate combined with a packet of apple cider mix, topped with whipped cream. Gotta get that vitamin C in, lol. 

On our way back from a trip, we were able to pop in to surprise my grandparents. It was a short visit and we hit traffic on the way back so we didn't get home until late, but it was nice to spend some time with them.

As you probably know, every year we watch at least 20 Asian drama series, alternating whose turn it is to choose. This year, we decided to start a new tradition: Phantom Fall, or selecting series that fit the Halloween theme: stories featuring ghosts, vampires, and even a werewolf (of sorts). We love a ghost plot and tend to watch those types of stories year-round, so it added an extra dose of fun to have a theme to focus on every turn. We started in Seotember, so technically it’s two months’ worth. This year’s Phantom Fall picks were:

1. The Ghost Bride (2020 Taiwanese drama, Netflix) - very atmospheric, and the first time I've really liked Wu Kang-ren’s performance other than his stint as a villain in Breaking and Re-Entering. 

2. RH Plus (2008 Japanese drama, Youtube) - I LOVE an early-2000's Japanese drama. Campy but with a lot of heart; nostalgic, a found-family arc, and a nice variety of vampire origin stories. 

3. Peaceful Property (2024 Thai drama, Viki) - I was familiar with the actors but used to seeing them play the same type of role over and over again, so having them play something very different was cool. Some of the ghosts/subplots were stronger than others, but overall an enjoyable time. Would definitely watch a second season if they chose to continue it. 

4. Phantom Lawyer (2026 Korean drama, Netflix) - we've had a bit of a rough go with Korean dramas lately; but because the last one that really hit was also ghost-themed (From Now On, Showtime!), I took the risk. While not the most unique of plots, it was actually quite funny and interesting, making good use of the actors' talents. There was a perfect balance of romance and plot. 

5. Order of the Sommelier (2022 Chinese drama, Viki) - definitely a low-budget fantasy situation, so adjust expectations accordingly. Personally I love low-budget effects, so I had a good time. I learned a lot about Chinese folklore, found myself immediately attached to the characters, and the hints of attraction/devotion between the two male leads definitely came across despite interference from China's censorship board. 

6. The Princess & the Werewolf (2023 Chinese drama, Viki) - a bit draggy at parts and somewhat lacking in characterization, but the lore was interesting and it's surprisingly difficult to find werewolf-themed dramas, so we'll take it, lol!

7. My Little Ghost (2025 Vietnamese drama, Youtube) - so cute and funny so far! We're not done yet but I am enjoying the set-up already and the dynamic between the various friend groups is super fun to watch.  

We carried the vibe through our movie selections during the month, rewatching Under Wraps (1997) and Secrets in the Hot Spring (a Taiwanese movie). For the first time, we watched A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), which was sadly dubbed in English.

Another activity we’ve instituted this year is watching as many Jane Austen adaptations as we can, many of which also carry the perfect cozy, autumnal vibes. October brought us:

1. Sense & Sensibility miniseries (2008) - less successful than Emma Thompson’s 1995 triumph, but still worth the watch.

2. Pride & Prejudice miniseries (1995) - it’s a controversial opinion, but even though it's a more faithful adaptation and I did enjoy it, I think the lead performances are bit overhyped and thus I still prefer the 2005 version.

3. Mansfield Park miniseries (1983) - surprisingly accurate to the book. Less flashy than some other adaptations and therefore overlooked, but in my opinion, just as juicy.

4. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies - far less entertaining than advertised, and clearly holds some contempt for the original. The events of the plot don't really make sense, and many character decisions do not align with what we've been shown and/or told of the person making them, so even if we ignore the adaptation angle, it's unsuccessful as an independent story. Not sure why Darcy sounded like he needed a lozenge in every scene.