'Crushology 101' has faced a major setback, hitting ratings in the 0% range after just two episodes, a humiliating outcome that marks the lowest viewership ever recorded for an MBC Friday-Saturday drama. Critics are pointing to the overall disconnect between the show’s content and the preferences of traditional TV audiences, from the storyline to the casting choices.
Premiered on April 11, 'Crushology 101' follows the romantic journey of Ban Hee Jin, aka Bunny (played by Roh Jeong Eui), as she gets entangled with several attractive men after a traumatic first relationship. It’s a youth romance drama featuring a cast of mostly rookie actors, including Cho Jun Young, Lee Chae Min, Kim Hyun Jin, and Hong Min Ki. While the cast lacks A-list stars with broad name recognition, Bunny and the Boys was still considered a promising new release before its premiere.
The drama is based on a popular Kakao webtoon that amassed over 170 million cumulative views and is set on a vibrant college campus, an ideal backdrop for a springtime romance. With its youthful themes and fresh setting, expectations were high, especially following the success of its predecessor 'Undercover High School,' which peaked at 8.3% in national viewership (per Nielsen Korea). However, the actual performance was far from expectations. Episode 1 drew only 1.3%, while episode 2 dropped further to 0.9%. This is even lower than the previous record-holder for MBC’s lowest Friday-Saturday drama ratings, episode 15 of 'Kokdu: Season of Deity,' which had a 1.3% rating.
The primary reason for the poor ratings appears to be a storyline that doesn’t align with MBC’s core audience's tastes. The channel’s Friday-Saturday drama block typically draws middle-aged female viewers, and critics argue that 'Crushology 101' lacks the themes or emotional hooks that would appeal to this demographic. The early episodes depict Bunny recovering from a breakup and experiencing romantic tension with a series of attractive men—Jo Jun Young (Cha Ji Won), Hwang Jae Yeol (Lee Chae Min), and Jo Ah Rang (Kim Hyun Jin). However, the execution failed to create strong engagement or emotional depth.
Pop culture critic Kim Sung Soo noted, “The primary viewership for terrestrial TV tends to be people aged 40 and up, with those who watch live often being in their 50s or older. MBC dramas like Undercover High School succeeded because, despite their youthful settings, they included social commentary or elements that older generations could relate to. So far, 'Crushology 101' hasn’t offered that, which is disappointing.”
Critic Jung Deok Hyun added, “The repeated focus on physical appearance in the storyline can feel alienating. The plot where the female lead gets dumped by a less-attractive ex and then finds herself surrounded by handsome men feels out of touch with today’s trends.” He also pointed out the lack of star power as a weakness: “The casting doesn’t immediately grab attention. While Roh Jeong Eui holds the center well, the rest of the cast are relative newcomers, which makes it harder to draw viewers compared to dramas with established stars.”
The show’s unfortunate timing didn’t help either. It premiered during a weekend when SBS’s 'Buried Hearts' aired its finale with a 15.4% rating and JTBC’s 'The Art of Negotiation' wrapped up at 10.3%. In such a competitive slot, 'Curshology 101' had little chance to shine.
Still, with many episodes remaining, there’s hope for a turnaround. Jung Deok Hyun remarked, “In youth romance dramas, audiences expect sweet love stories but also something deeper. For Bunny and the Boys to succeed, the upcoming episodes will need to deliver on that emotional and narrative depth.”
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