‘Too Pretty to Watch?’ K-Drama Ends with Record-Low 0% Ratings

2025-05-19 10:51

The drama recorded ratings in the 0% range a total of seven times, including its finale (Ep.12 at 0.8%).

It never once broke the 2% mark and quietly ended with disappointing numbers.

The MBC Friday-Saturday drama Crushology 101 (Korean title: Bunny and Her Boys) (directed by Kim Ji-hoon, written by Sung So-eun and Lee Seul, produced by Kakao Entertainment), which launched as a youth romance, ended its run with an unfortunate milestone: persistently low ratings that stayed in the 0% range.

Crushology 101 (Bunny and Her Boys) Still Cut. / Courtesy of MBC

According to Nielsen Korea, the finale aired on May 17 garnered a nationwide rating of just 0.8%. In stark contrast, SBS’s competing Friday-Saturday drama Return to the Palace scored 9.8% during the same timeslot.

While Crushology 101 debuted with a modest 1.3%, it never managed to recover or build momentum. Episodes 2 (0.9%), 6 (0.9%), 7 (0.8%), 8 (0.7%), 10 (0.8%), 11 (0.9%), and the final episode 12 (0.8%) all fell into the 0% range. Its highest rating was 1.5% in Episode 3, and it failed to surpass 2% at any point in its 12-episode run.

This makes it the first Friday-Saturday MBC drama in history to start in the 1% range and repeatedly drop into the 0% range. Previously, Kokdu: Season of Deity (2023), starring Kim Jung-hyun and Im Soo-hyang, held the record for lowest ratings at 1.3%. Crushology 101 has now replaced it with an even lower average.

The show was based on the Kakao Webtoon of the same name, which had accumulated 170 million views. It followed Bunny, a young woman wounded by her first love, as she navigates new relationships and personal growth. Played by Roh Jeong-eui, Bunny was surrounded by a cast of youthful visuals including Lee Chae-min (as Hwang Jae-yeol), Lee Ji-hoon, Jo Joon-young, Kim Hyun-jin, and Hong Min-ki.

Despite its aesthetic strengths, critics argued the drama lacked execution where it mattered most. Instead of fully embracing the emotional pull typical of the youth romance genre, it faltered with unrealistic comedic elements and jarring emotional shifts that disrupted immersion.

In the finale, Bunny and Jae-yeol reconcile and share a hopeful kiss after clearing up misunderstandings—Bunny even supports him during a crisis over a lost hard drive. Jae-yeol later confesses in a magazine interview that he's been waiting for his ex-girlfriend for a year, prompting Bunny to run to him and express her feelings. The series ends with a warm reunion and Bunny taking steps toward her own future by working alongside an art director and exploring career opportunities.

Though viewership remained low, some fans still praised the finale:

🗨 “Loved the happy ending.”

🗨 “The cast did great.”

🗨 “Perfect ending, thank you.”

🗨 “Visually beautiful drama.”

🗨 “Please give us Season 2!”

Lead actress Roh Jeong-eui expressed heartfelt gratitude after the series ended:

“Crushology 101 (Bunny and Her Boys) has already aired its final episode. It was a new challenge, and I was nervous, but I’m deeply thankful for all the love. I sincerely appreciate everyone who worked so hard with me to bring Bunny to life.”

She added, “I hope your youth will be filled with love for yourself. I’ll keep striving to show more fun and meaningful sides of myself through future projects.”

Through the role of Bunny, Roh Jeong-eui demonstrated emotional range—from excitement and vulnerability to fear and growth—showing meaningful development in her acting spectrum.

Crushology 101 or Bunny and Her Boys Cast. / MBC

Meanwhile, MBC’s next Friday-Saturday drama Labor Inspector Noh Moo-jin will premiere on May 30. It’s a fantasy-comedy about a labor inspector who sees ghosts and solves workplace injustices. The drama stars Jung Kyung-ho in the lead role, with Seol In-ah as office brain Na Hee-joo and Cha Hak-yeon as content creator Go Kyun-woo.

However, Noh Moo-jin may face a challenging launch, as its premiere overlaps with the finale week of SBS’s Return to the Palace (ending June 7), which has been dominating viewership. Plus, SBS’s follow-up drama Our Movie, starring Namgoong Min and Jeon Yeo-been, is already generating strong pre-release anticipation.

Though Crushology 101 began on uncertain footing and ended with record-low viewership, the sincerity of its cast and the warmth of its dedicated fans left a small but lasting impression.