Concluding our campus romance tale, our heroine gets her happily ever after with her boyfriend. Their romance might have its issues, yet they’re determined to overcome them together.
But before we reach that happy ending, our leads have some yearning to do and one last suitor to send off.
- Main Leads: Roh Jeong-eui | Lee Chae-min | Cho Jun-young
- Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: Cheer Up | Dear M | Boys Over Flowers | Cinderella and the Four Knights |
Bunny S. watches Crushology 101 on Kocowa
Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03 & 04 | 05 & 06 | 07 & 08 | 09 & 10 | Finale Week Recap + Series Review
Crushology 101 Finale Week Recap
Following a one-year time skip, Bunny is back in Korea. She is excited about the new semester, yet also slightly nervous about meeting Jae-yeol. During their time apart, they never talked on the phone even once. Instead, their relationship faded without a word. Lingering feelings abound when they run into each other. But neither approaches the other, only sneaking peeks at each other.
It is getting hard to understand Jae-yeol. If he misses Bunny, he can see her and talk things out. Yet he acts mad, as if Bunny dumped him to go abroad when he is the one who made them drift apart. It was Bunny’s birthday shortly after she left. But instead of using the chance to smooth things over, he called their relationship quits. It is a pity Bunny blames herself for the split after Jae-yeol pretended not to see her.
Meanwhile, we finally get more of Hyun-O. Apparently, he was Bunny’s neighbor and first love, who liked her too. Which explains how he recognized her at first sight. Maybe Bunny was too distracted back then to notice him. Also, Hyun-O was the one who left the confession card for Bunny, but couldn’t make it to the stage. (Jae-yeol wrote one too, but kept it with him.) Anyway, Bunny and Hyun-O cross paths on the street, and it seems like Hyun-O intends to use that opportunity to pursue her romantically.
Cue: Jae-yeol getting jealous and making a move on Bunny. They sit down for a conversation. But Bunny misinterprets Jae-yeol’s words as wanting them to move on and stay as good friends. Making things more complicated, Hyun-O confesses to Bunny that she was his first love and asks her out. But realizing her heart lies with Jae-yeol, he gracefully bows out.
After some back and forth, Bunny and Jae-yeol admit they missed each other and get back together. From here on out, it is all hand-holding and blushing smiles again. They get couples’ rings and date happily while also taking successful steps on their career paths.
Ji-won looks more relaxed. He moved on from Bunny and resolved to be good friends with her. Also, the drama hints at Ji-won falling for another girl and finding happiness. As we say goodbye to them, everyone gets their happy ending and is ready to face whatever life throws their way as long as they are together with their partners.
Crushology 101 Quick Series Recap
Heartbroken after a painful breakup, our heroine decides to find a handsome boyfriend next. Luckily for her, not only one but four handsome suitors compete for her love.
Crushology 101 Series Highlights and Musings
Originally billed as a campus romance featuring a college girl and four guys vying for her affection, the competition came down to two guys, and the other two felt like secondary characters. Not to mention, it took the drama weeks of teasing until they introduced Hyun-O to us and only explored his character in the finale week. Which is a shame since Hong Min-ki was one of the big reasons we got drawn to the drama. (If the guy’s role is a cameo/plot device, why put him on the poster and get us disappointed by his limited screen time?)
Ji-won might seem like a have-it-all guy. He is rich, handsome, and nice, on top of being in the same department as Bunny. But he lacked the most important thing, the courage to tell her how he felt. On the other hand, Jae-yeol was more expressive of his feelings. But his insecurities and abandonment issues eventually made him lose Bunny.
Occasionally, Jae-yeol would show some growth. But it all went down the drain when he acted clingy and told Bunny to choose between the scholarship and their relationship. As much as we try to understand his viewpoint, Jae-yeol was selfish and out of line. He might not be an awful guy, but he didn’t act rationally when their relationship was put to the test. Good going for Bunny, not listening to him and following her heart instead of regretting it later.
Low-stakes dramas are enjoyable as they help us take a breather and get our minds off more complicated things. But the story lacked the meat to keep us engaged. There is nothing wrong with a simple premise or a predictable plot. But for this kind of story to work, it needs a polished and out-of-the-box execution. Sadly, the drama couldn’t deliver on that note. Perhaps a lower episode count could have made for a tighter watch. But what is done is done.
For all its strengths and weaknesses, Crushology 101 was a light-hearted drama that didn’t overdo things or mix up unnecessary genres. Its spark might have dwindled over time. But it had its fun moments. And while a rewatch might be unlikely, we will remember the good parts and forget about the rest.
Photos and Videos: MBC Drama
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