Is “Crushology 101” An Adaptation?

Okay, so here’s the tea—I thought I was in for a chill little K-drama detour. A couple of longing gazes, maybe a cute coffee date, throw in a dramatic slow-mo hallway walk and call it a day. But no. Five minutes in and I’m gripping my throw pillow, yelling at the screen like, “Wait a sec, I KNOW this plot!”

My K-drama sensors were going full siren mode. That déjà vu wasn’t just a coincidence—it was a straight-up flashback to manhwa-related plots.

Meet The Webtoon Behind The Melodrama Mayhem

That’s when it hit me—Crushology 101 wasn’t just good. It was familiar good.

And that, my fellow romantically wrecked binge-watchers, is because it’s adapted straight from the painfully perfect webtoon Bunny and Her Boys by the mysterious storytelling ninja, Ni-eun (니은).

She’s the kind of writer who makes you feel seen, attacked, and emotionally unstable in under five panels. I swear she’s got a PhD in reverse harem heartbreak.

And I—willingly—let her ruin me.

The drama? It didn’t just adapt her work. It threw glitter on it, slow-mo’d the angst, and turned it into a 12-episode emotional ambush I absolutely didn’t prepare for.

One episode in and I was emotionally invested like I had stock in Bunny’s love life.

The Manhwa That Had Us Hooked, Swooning, And Slightly Unstable

Bunny and Her Boys launched on Kakao Webtoon in 2019 and broke the internet with over 170 million views.

I mean, that’s not popularity—that’s religion.

The plot? Ban Hee-jin (Bunny), a heartbroken sculpture student, suddenly finds herself surrounded by five gorgeous boys who all want to heal her… or break her further.

It’s chaos. It’s art. It’s exactly what my fragile soul ordered.

And yes, I binged it. In bed. With zero shame and even less sleep.

Every chapter was a romantic gut-punch in watercolor. If I had a dollar for every time I clutched my chest mid-scroll, I’d be rich in both cash and trauma.

Every chapter was a romantic gut-punch in watercolor. If I had a dollar for every time I clutched my chest mid-scroll, I’d be rich in both cash and trauma.

And Ni-eun? She’s practically a ghost.

No socials, no interviews, no dramatic spotlight moments. Just vibes, talent, and 170 million people ugly-crying in her wake.

Drama Vs. Manhwa: Who Did It Better (And Who Made Us Cry More)?

It is—and then some. But don’t expect a panel-for-panel replica.

This adaptation? It leveled up. And trust me, my standards are high—I once rage-quit a drama over a haircut.

Instead of just giving us Bunny and her art school eye-candy squad, the drama deepened every thread.

Bunny’s parents? Not tragic. Not absentee. Actually involved. We love to see it.

Then came the newbies: Kwon Bo-bae (the girl bestie we all need) and Han Yeo-reum (the ex with tension so thick I was holding my breath).

Add in some reworked pacing that lets you feel the slow burn, and boom—we’re not watching a drama, we’re emotionally relocating.

One glance from Jae-yeol had me gasping like I’d been hit by a plot twist.

I paused. Rewound. Paused again. It’s fine. I’m fine. I was emotionally spiraling, but in a good way.

Why This Adaptation Slaps, Sobs, And Serves Maximum Feels

Here’s the underrated sauce: culture.

Korean dramas hit different because of things like nunchi—that sixth sense where emotions are communicated through silence.

One breathy pause in this show speaks louder than a whole Shakespeare monologue.

And then there’s age hierarchy, the way younger characters show respect, hesitation, or straight-up reverence to older ones.

You see it in how Bunny walks, talks, and even looks up during conversations.

It’s subtle, it’s deep, and it’s very, very real.

Director Kim Ji-hoon leaned into all of it. He gave the show a dreamy comic-book filter and let the story breathe through soft lighting, swoony gazes, and timed emotional landmines.

Director Kim Ji-hoon leaned into all of it. He gave the show a dreamy comic-book filter and let the story breathe through soft lighting, swoony gazes, and timed emotional landmines.

It’s the kind of show that hits you with feelings you didn’t know you had.

It’s not just pretty—it’s potent. It’s not just accurate—it’s intentional.

I didn’t just watch. I felt it in my bones. And in my tear ducts. And in the unreasonable texts I sent to my friends at 2 a.m.

Final Verdict: Did Crushology 101 Earn Its Adaptation Crown?

So, is Crushology 101 an adaptation? Not only is it an adaptation, it’s a shining, sparkly, slow-burn masterpiece that took a beloved manhwa and made it even more painful—in a good way.

It respected the original but didn’t play it safe.

It gave us new layers, new tears, and new reasons to text our group chats in all caps.

And let’s be real—if your drama doesn’t have you irrationally yelling at fictional characters, is it even a K-drama?

If True Beauty, My ID is Gangnam Beauty, or Nevertheless put you in a romantic coma, then Crushology 101 will absolutely finish the job.

If you enjoyed True Beauty, My ID is Gangnam Beauty, Cinderella and the Four Knights, or Nevertheless, then you might also enjoy Crushology 101.

It’s got the heart-flutters, the heartbreaks, and the harem chaos you didn’t know you needed.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to rewatch episode 3 again. For science. And emotional masochism.

And maybe because I’m hoping Jae-yeol makes eye contact with the camera just one more time.

And hey—don’t ghost me like a second lead.

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