Regina Troy Barrios

JP Anglo And Stars Janella Salvador, Jodi Sta. Maria, Arci Muñoz Open A Pop-Up Restaurant In Korea—With Ji Chang-wook

Article (news)

<p>What happens when a Korean heartthrob, four Filipino actresses, and two serious chefs try to run a Filipino restaurant in Seoul?</p><p>You get <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kumusta_official/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Kumusta</strong></a><strong><em></em></strong>, a new cross-cultural food reality series that brings Filipino cooking straight into the middle of Gangnam. The show pairs Korean star <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jichangwook/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Ji Chang-wook</strong></a> with Filipino celebrities <a href="https://www.instagram.com/superjanella/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Janella Salvador</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodistamaria/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jodi Sta. Maria</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chefjayps/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Arci Muñoz</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/francinesdiaz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Francine Diaz</strong></a>, all working under the watchful eye of chef <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chefjayps/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">JP Anglo</a>.</p><p>Their task sounds simple enough: open a pop-up Filipino restaurant in Gangnam and feed Korean diners.</p><p>In practice, it involves a great deal of chopping, laughing, improvising—and occasionally roasting an entire pig.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DViLvd5CEkK/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A784082%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="510" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong>A Filipino restaurant appears in Gangnam</strong></div><p>The premise of Kumusta is deliciously straightforward.</p><p>A group of Filipino stars travels to Seoul and opens a temporary restaurant serving Filipino food to Korean customers. For several days, the cast works real shifts—shopping for ingredients, prepping dishes, greeting guests, and navigating the small panic that descends when a dining room fills faster than expected.</p><p>The title itself comes from the familiar Filipino greeting <em>kumusta</em>, meaning “How are you?”—a fitting name for a show that treats food as a conversation between cultures.</p><p>Ji Chang-wook, known for his polished K-drama roles, takes on the part of host and guide, helping the Filipino cast settle into life—and service—in Seoul. Behind the scenes, the kitchen is anchored by Anglo and Sarsa&#x27;s executive chef <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kimyumol/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kim Yumol</a>, who make sure the food stays faithful even when the restaurant rush begins.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DViQV8AEuc4/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A977335%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong>Chef JP Anglo at the stove</strong></div><p>For Anglo, the show feels like a natural extension of what he has been doing for years.</p><p>The chef behind<strong> Sarsa Kitchen + Bar</strong> and<strong> Kooya Filipino Eatery</strong>, JP Anglo, is known for making Filipino food contemporary without losing its soul—and keeping it all fun, casual, and full of flavor. That approach carries over to Kumusta: in one teaser, the cast gathers around a whole lechon slowly roasting over charcoal, while Ji Chang-wook, clearly enjoying the moment, jokes that he’s “Mr. Lechon.”</p><p>The pop-up’s menu reads like a primer on Filipino comfort cooking. There is inasal, chicken grilled over charcoal and brushed with annatto oil. There is kare-kare, thick with peanut sauce and softened vegetables. There is sisig, and of course, there is lechon.</p><p>For Korean diners wandering into the restaurant, these dishes would be new territory, and the show leans into those discoveries: servers explaining how to eat sisig properly, cooks adjusting seasoning for local tastes, and customers encountering vinegar-bright Filipino flavors for the first time. </p><p>Food television often talks about “cultural exchange.” In Kumusta, it’s captured in real time—one plate at a time.</p><p>Actors Janella Salvador, Jodi Sta. Maria, Arci Muñoz, and Francine Diaz will be jumping between roles: plating dishes, greeting customers, and discovering that restaurant service is less glamorous than it looks on screen.</p><p>On the Korean side, Ji Chang-wook brings a surprising amount of enthusiasm to the operation, helping with prep and welcoming diners as they arrive.</p><p>Filming took place in Seoul in late 2025, with the cast working long restaurant shifts while cameras rolled.</p><p>Kumusta will air on TV5 and stream internationally through Viu, with its premiere expected sometime in the first quarter of 2026.</p>

<p>A new cross-cultural reality show drops a K-drama superstar into a Filipino kitchen—and the dinner rush.</p>

A new cross-cultural reality show drops a K-drama superstar into a Filipino kitchen—and the dinner rush.

JP Anglo Teams Up With Four Filipino Actresses For A Pop-Up Restaurant in Korea—With Ji Chang-wook

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JP Anglo Teams Up With Four Filipino Actresses For A Pop-Up Restaurant in Korea—With Ji Chang-wook

Troy Barrios

Published Mar 08, 2026 03:00 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 09, 2026 02:55 PM PHT

Read More:

Ji Chang-wook

jp anglo

kumusta reality show

janella salvador

jodi sta maria

arci munoz

francine diaz

filipino food in korea

filipino cuisine in seoul

tv5 reality show

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