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. 

Ahjumma Reviews: Mr. Plankton

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zarah Gagatiga (@the.readingarmy)

Ahjumma Reviews: Edward Lee's Culinary Class Wars

The migrant story of Chef Edward “Kyun” Lee and his creativity to bring this forward into every dish he prepared and cooked won me over my fave chefs in Culinary Class Wars. I was rooting for the Black Spoons being an avid fan of the underdogs. Somewhere in episode 6-8, I was intrigued by Chef Edward’s personal challenges to retrace his roots and regain an identity he can truly call his own. Furthermore, he came into the competition with limited knowledge of the local culture.

By episode 11, I came to the conclusion that Chef Edward was not just competing to win but was on a journey of self-discovery, one dish at a time. Each plate he crafted felt like an expression of his desire to reconnect with his heritage, blending traditional flavors with his own inventive flair. He had transformed significantly — not only as a chef but as a person. His struggles with cultural identity and belonging resonated deeply, making his dishes a true testament to his growth.

In that episode, he presented a dish that was both beautiful and symbolic, showcasing elements from his homeland but reimagined through his experiences as a migrant who achieved success in America, his second home.

It was as though he was weaving his story into every bite, and that authenticity was palpable. Watching him gain confidence in who he was, despite the adversities, I found myself more invested in his journey than in the competition itself. He wasn’t just a chef by then; he was a storyteller.

#CulinaryClassWars #chefEdwardLee

Ahjumma Reviews: Nam Joohyuk in Start Up and Twenty Five Twenty One

During my convalescence, I caught up on Kdramas I missed from previous years. One of them is Start-Up. Now I know what everyone was raving about back in 2020. I’m Team Do-san since Day 1 and watching Nam Joohyuk portray the role was to me, a stunning revelation.

I first saw Nam Joohyuk in Twenty Five Twenty One wherein he held his own as lead to Kim Taeri, which is a feat because Kim Taeri’s charm and screen presence is remarkable. He was able to match her charisma with a quiet pain and understated vulnerability. Taeri’s vibrant energy and Joohyuk’s under the radar intensity complemented each other making their chemistry a key factor in the Kdrama’s success.

Having seen Start-Up recently, I was impressed even more at how Joohyuk essayed the role of a young entrepreneur who was struggling with internal and external conflicts - his own and society’s, too. The camera loves his face, especially in scenes of deep sorrow and regret. Even without the tears, there is an entire unexplainable context to know and discover. I love looking at his eyes in the scenes with his father: at home admitting his folly; in the auditorium on Demo Day; and when he was driving his mother on her way home upon his return as a successful IT engineer.

Of course, Kim Seon-ho’s Ji Pyeong is the perfect character foil who made it all work for Dodal.

Needless to say, I’m in my Nam Joohyuk phase. Watching Vigilante now and searching through streaming platforms for Cheese in the Trap, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju and the Light in Your Eyes. My Kdrama watch list remains long but, Joohyuk’s restrained and nuanced performances have a subtle but captivating appeal that draws me in every time.

#KdramaIsLife #startup #TeamDoSan 

Ahjumma Reviews: Again, On Dr. Romantic Season 3

If we are getting a Season 4, then Yoo Yeonsook’s behind the scenes post on IG is a promise of things to come. One photo shows him standing in the hallway of Doldam Hospital and the other is a screenshot from a video (my edit) of his character, Dr. Kang walking towards the Trauma Center. A character in motion.

The selected photo is a dedication to the two medical facilities that have taken a life of its own — the old and dependable Doldam Hospital and the newly established Trauma Center. The former has been a witness to many tales and life-death-life cycles of patients, its doctors and medical staff while the later is just beginning.

From seasons 1 to 3, Doldam Hospital, with its warm and subdued colors, wooden arches and lamps that seem to shine eternal has become a character that shapes and defines the people working there.

I love the camera shots that pan the entire lobby when a new character enters Doldam, especially at night when the old chandeliers are lit. That staircase leading to the President's Office and ICU is proud of its history. The hallway that opens to patients' rooms and offices is a setting from another time and place. Full of nostalgia and yet, it molds the young doctors into the philosophy of Doldam as a hospital for all.

What of the Trauma Center?

Kim Sabu has several projects in the works hinted in previous seasons, like the Oddball Project and the Rock Project. Season 3 may have ended neatly tied and tucked like a box to be stowed in the attic but the ending scene shows the two team of doctors running towards the respective doors of the hospital and the trauma center to meet their emergency patients.

How I wish all doctors are like that, especially in real life. Well, this is the purpose of Dr. Romantic and Kdrama of this sort. They remind you of an imperfect world populated by jaded people. There lies humanity and a reason to never lose it; to make the good choice despite the odds stacked against you.

And that epilogue where in Dr. Yoon is seen arriving in the dead of night at Doldam is a treat and teaser to fans. Aigoooo!!!

#DrRomantic3 #KdramaIsLife

Ahjumma Reviews: BTS and Dr. Romantic Crossover

Because the final episode of Dr. Romantic Season 3 has been aired, I am going through a separation anxiety. This is one of many posts that I will be putting up here in the blog - a BTS X Dr. Romantic crossover.

One of the many popular songs of BTS is Silver Spoon. It has a scintillating choreography that leaves many ARMYs melting. However, the overall message and lyrics of the song are not to be taken lightly.

Here are lines of the song that speak to me of the unending struggle for equality, fairness and inclusion.

난 뱁새다리 넌 황새다리
I have crow-tit’s legs, you have stork’s legs

걔넨 말하지 ‘내 다린 백만 불짜리’
They say, “my legs are worth a million dollars”

내 게 짧은데 어찌 같은 종목 하니?
How can we compete in the same sport when mine are short?

They say ‘똑같은 초원이면 괜찮잖니!’
They say, “it’s fair if the field is the same!”

Never Never Never

The struggle for equal rights and opportunities will never end. However, a knowledge of oneself and staying focused to achieve one's dream are self efficacy tools that can bring about change. It requires grit and patience. Support and collaboration with trusted people are needed too. It may take a while but the journey is worth it. This has been the inspiring story of Bangtan.

ARMYs love them for being their authentic selves. They are like the parrotbills or crowtits in the song who stopped running after and with the storks. They charted their own direction, poised their wings and took flight.

Imagine my kilig when Baepsae's themes and Bangtan's message found its way in episodes 13 and 14 of Dr. Romantic Season 3. 

The conflict between Dr. Kang and Dr. Seo has heightened at this point. Both talented and intelligent surgeons, skillfully trained by Master Kim, the difference in leadership style and approach are reasons for the clash. Dr. Kang scolds his junior, Dr. Seo comparing his attitude and philosophy to the parrotbill chasing after the stork.

In episode 14, it was Dr. Bae who reminded Dr. Seo the trick for survival in a highly competitive and pressure laden work environment. It is a cool fable to use in expanding the breadth and deepening the relationship of the three doctors. We see, in this exchanges the dynamics that will define their adventures and evolution should there be a season 4. Dr. Kang may remain as the headstrong but perceptive interim director and Dr. Seo as the emphatic and decisive leader. 

As for Dr. Bae, it would be nice to give him a backstory. We know very little of Dr. Bones. 

Source of lyrics: https://doolsetbangtan.wordpress.com/?s=silver+spoon

Source of screenshots: Dr. Romantic S3, eps 13-14 via Disney Plus

Ahjumma Reviews: Kdrama Wrap Up 1st Sem of 2023

Over the past six months, I have finished watching five Kdramas namely, The Alchemy of Souls Season 1; The Alchemy of Souls Season 2; In the Interest of Love; Crash Course in Romance and Hometown Chachacha. Yes, mostly romantic comedies. I am a romcom junkie. 

Here are my three sentence review for each.

1. The Alchemy of Souls Season 1 - The first part of the drama treaded familiar grounds. It combined the genres of fantasy and mystery set in a fictionalized Joseon era. It gained its own identity in the middle part when the lead characters unmasked themselves and fell in love. 

2. The Alchemy of Souls Season 2 - Taking off from Season 1's huge success, the season's opening was exciting but the thrill fizzled out towards the end. The story could have used two episodes more to explore the sacrifices and triumphs of the "Four Seasons." The series had a good cast and fans like myself can extend patience to know the back stories that were never told. 

3. In the Interest of Love - Social class and peer pressure affected the relationships of the KCU Bank squad. This is a pretty messy drama with very little joy or comedic turn. I miss Moon Ga Young's quirky portrayal of the girl next door in True Beauty and the squeaky clean Yoo Yeon Seuk in Hospital Playlist.

4. Crash Course in Romance - Hahahaha! Hahahaha! What convinced me to get a haircut with bangs.

5. Hometown Chachacha - This one is too good to be true. Three things that won me over: the ahjumma squad; the halmeoni gang and the seaside town of Gongjin. Friendship; Family; Community.

Right now, I am watching Dr. Romantic Season 3 and Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938. One is a medical drama while the other is a campy urban fantasy set in 1938 Korea.