Chef Obang Gives Birth in South Korea, Talks Incentives

The Cebuana food content creator shares the perks of birthing in South Korea.

Published on Jun 30, 2025

Chef Obang has given birth to her first child, a baby girl, in South Korea.

The Filipina chef and content creator known for sharing easy and authentic Korean recipes shared her labor experience on Facebook. She gave birth earlier than planned. “Sa June 30 pa sana schedule ko kaso napaaga,” she wrote.

Also read: For Korean Parents, The Secret to Success Is Teaching Their Kids ‘Nunchi’

Chef Obang Shares Her Labor Story in South Korea

On June 27 at 1:30 am, she woke up with pain in her lower belly. “Pumasok ako sa CR para umihi tapos ayon pumutok na panubigan ko. Ginising ko agad ang asawa ko then dinala niya ako sa hospital.”

The content creator said that when they arrived at the hospital, everything happened so fast. “Pinagpalit agad ako ng damit, chineck BP ko, heartbeat ni baby, kung ilang cm na ako, tapos ultrasound, kinabitan na ako ng catheter, tapos epidural. Then ayon C-section na.”

Her baby was in breech position, so she needed surgery.

Chef Obang shared that she had a panic attack while being prepared for surgery. “Nahirapan ako huminga, gusto ko sumuka. Gusto ko ng oxygen. Pero unti-unti akong kumalma since pumasok ang asawa ko sa operating room habang ongoing ang C-section.”

But everything went well as she shared, “‘Pag rinig ko sa iyak ng anak ko, umiyak na rin ako. Nag-iyakan kaming mag-ina. Pumasok agad sa isip ko yung pagmamahal, responsibility, at kung paano ko siya aalagaan.”

Chef Obang and her newborn are staying in the hospital for at least two weeks. She said there’s no problem with her or the baby. It’s just part of Korean care, giving mothers time to rest and recover while nurses help take care of their babies.

She also shared how the Korean government supports mothers. Before giving birth, she received a voucher worth around P40,000 for checkups, medicines, and vitamins. After giving birth, she got a congratulatory voucher worth about P80,000 that she can use in groceries or online, plus P40,000 cash from city hall and a monthly allowance of P40,000 for the baby. “Priority ng government ang mga bata gawa ng mababa ang birth rate ng South Korea,” she explained.

Chef Obang said her recovery was quite painful. “Suhi po ang anak ko. Gising ako habang surgery. Nanginig ako sa recovery room kahit hindi malamig. Ang sakit after mawala ng anesthesia. Konting galaw ramdam ko agad. Mababa lang pain tolerance ko.”

Despite it all, she said it was worth it because of her husband who never left her side.

Chef Obang is a popular culinary influencer based in Cebu, married to a Korean. She has built a loyal following with her easy, budget-friendly recipes and practical cooking hacks, reaching over 6.8 million followers on Facebook and around 2.4 million on TikTok.

Click here to read how this Pinay mom raises her kids in South Korea with Filipino values.

Hanna is a News Desk Writer at Smart Parenting, covering parenting, health, culture, and more. Off the clock, she’s likely people-watching at a café or park, matcha latte in hand.