Ahjumma Reviews: Kdrama Inventory 2025 to May 2026

I have been putting off Ahjumma Reviews posts since... OK. It's been a while. But, here goes my list and short reviews or annotations of the Kdramas I have finished watching since middle of 2025 up to the present time. I can't remember the specific month I finished watching them, but I did enjoy each drama in their own way.

So, here we go!

1. Tastefully Yours - Kang Ha Neul and Go Min Si together has chemistry, but it dissipates for me. Yoo Yeon Seok's character as third wheel made the pairing interesting. I wrote a short review on my Insta here.

2. The Murky Stream - Forget the pristine and decadence of palace life in Joseon era Korea. This drama took me to a place of structural corruption and class hierarchies that remain in the here and now. It is a brave drama for doing so and Rowoon took his role to heart.

3. Would You Marry Me - The slow paced romance and fake marriage trope, plus the wholesome pairing of Choi Woo-sik and Jung So-min are recipes I love cooking !

4. Study Group - Misfits, nerds and geeks unite! The action scenes and martial arts choreography are superb! Season 2 please, Kdrama gods!

5. Family By Choice - Now here is a Kdrama where the  mothers are problematic and the fathers go over and above their parenting roles. I love the food aesthetic and how it symbolizes care.

6. Lovely Runner - Here is a Kdrama where time travel is plausible and logically presented. I have since bought a yellow umbrella.

7. Buried Hearts - Park Hyung-sik essaying the role of the anti-hero is so sexy. There. That's the review.

8. Trauma Code -Season 2! Season 2! Season 2!

9. The Lighthouse Keeper - This drama got me really, really scared. But also, it got me thinking about love and how it transcends time. In between life and the afterlife is a Keeper of Lights who stays and watches. This ambiguity is what makes the drama unforgettable.

10. Bon Appetit, Your Majesty - Korean cuisine is the star of this drama. That's why, on our trip to South Korea, I'll be checking out the spices and that black version of samgyeotang. 

Right now, I'm on episode 2 of Phantom Lawyer and episode 4 of Pro Bono. And somewhere in between, I wished it was just one drama put together. 

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SLIA Travel Log: Balanga, Bataan

Crown Point Hotel in Balanga City is located on Capitol St., where Starbucks is only a three-minute walk from the hotel, and Dunkin’ Donuts is just across the street. The road is lined with decades-old narra trees. And because it was the last week of April when we were there, we saw them shed their blossoms onto the heated pavement of summer. Behind the hotel are shops, stores, and restaurants that serve and sell local food. Nearby is the public market. It is the cleanest public market I have seen in a while. So, on our last day there, we did what any well-meaning tourist would do—mamalengke!

Jars of uraro, taro chips, tinapa, and a tub of Geno’s ice cream filled my pasalubong bag. I was away for almost a week, and the loaded pasalubong bag showed how much I missed home, family, and my school community. I enjoyed the company of friends in PASLI, and I learned something new from the conference, but wherever I go, thoughts of loved ones and friends in Biñan remain close to me.

As for Bataan, it was my first time in Balanga. Needless to say, it made an impression, not only because of the food, but also because of the city’s tourism program for visitors and guests. It seems to offer more than the facts we read in history books; there are stories, folktales, and urban lore waiting to be unearthed and explored.

#PASLICon2026 #BalangaCityBataan

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