October 2020: Dark Academia & Buggy Video Games
a blurry out-take from cheonan
It is time yet again for another monthly update, a series in which I talk about how things are going in my little life.
The temperature’s dropped. The fall sweaters are pulled out. Roasted sweet potato carts line the streets. It’s all very dark academia. That’s how I describe, well, everything these days—as a broody (New) England-inspired aesthetic .
So, I’m doing better. My last few updates have been pretty blue, I know, but therapy and mindfulness have been helping. Spending time with my friends is lovely too. Also, my family has safely recovered from their bouts of corona.
The routine this month has been simple: I teach a few classes. I deskwarm. I come home and work out. Then I make a cup of chai and I play Baldur’s Gate 3.
The Early Access for this game released earlier this month and no surprise, I’ve been obsessed. I’ve always been a huge D&D and RPG nerd, and this game is impressive, if pretty buggy.
But there have been some exciting developments.
My coteacher introduced me to her friend who’s my age. We got dinner and coffee a week ago and ended up spending three hours chatting—half in Korean, half in English. My Korean is terrible, but she’s determined to help me use it more. She’s even going to introduce me to her friends who don’t speak English.
Honestly, as terrifying as that sounds, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve been in Korea for over two years. While I’ve made SO much progress (seriously—when I got here, I could barely pronounce 감사합니다), I need to keep trying.
And in addition to pumpkin spice and Halloween, it’s also the season for grad school applications. Several friends have asked me to help with their personal statements. They’ve paid me back with coffee and bbq dinners—my preferred form of currency.
I went to a billion cafes this month; in fact, more than I can write up here. My faves?
I went way out to a Vietnamese café called Camon (까몽) for egg coffee and kaya toast. Expensive for my cheapo ass, but soooo good.
There’s also September 2.3, which is a cute little café that serves Cafe Sept (a frappe-like drink) and Einspanner or Vienna coffee. No pics, but just in case you’re looking for ways to double your caloric intake for the day.
As for travel, my friends and I took a little day trip to nearby Cheonan. I got some cool photos (if I do say so myself) and the write-up is here.
Then last weekend, my friend Dom and I headed to Seoul a week later for the holiest of missions: eating Mexican food.
We fulfilled this quest by eating at El Pino (엘피노323), which is the best place for LA-style enchiladas in Seoul. We also hit up Hongdae for Creamfields, a very whimsical cookie cafe where you can get cupcakes with actual buttercream. I bought a blazer that’s very ~dark academia~ and we ended the day back in Itaewon at Craft Hans for a beer.
This time of year—especially if I’m running around Seoul—I get a little nostalgic for the first few months when I was new to Korea.
I’ve built such a life here in Korea. With that comes roots and routine, comfort and mundanity. It’s bittersweet. I know it’s normal to feel nostalgia for when everything was unknown and unending and even a little scary.
I suppose it fits in with all this talk of dark academia which, if we strip it down, is really just people’s longing for a bygone era. The moleskin notebooks, stylish coats, and Robin Williams’ stirring words in Dead Poets Society.
But the trick of these things is the idea of them, not their reality. We should never actually want to move backwards—instead, to take the good with us into the future, and let the rest settle.
Stay safe and take care.
oh and happy halloween!