WEBTOON’s Rules for Dating Trash (2026) brings Seo Yeon’s campus romance from webcomic panels into live-action vertical drama. Liz finds the adaptation strongest when it keeps the original’s playful comic energy but grounds it in natural performances, especially the easy chemistry between Halle Fletcher and Noah Andre, while giving Anna’s recovery from a controlling relationship room to matter.
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A colourful comic-to-screen romance that shines through its playful performances and thoughtful take on boundaries, even when its familiar storyline leaves little room for surprises.
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Review by Liz
@portraitstorydiaries
If you love reading manga, manhwa, or comics, you probably know that little rush of excitement when a story you've followed through illustrated pages gets a live-action adaptation.
Suddenly, those characters you've spent hours reading about have real faces, voices, and personalities! There's always that curiosity about how they'll look, how they'll sound, and whether they'll capture the charm that made us fall for them in the first place.
And now, WEBTOON is bringing that excitement into the vertical drama world! With Rules for Dating Trash, we're getting colourful campus romance, questionable dating decisions, and a whole lot of romantic chaos. Oh, I was definitely curious to see how this one would turn out!
First of all, THE STYLING! The colours, the outfits, the campus setting! Everything feels so fresh and youthful, with that familiar manhwa charm and a little K-drama flavour thrown in. Seriously, I wanted half those clothes!
But bringing an illustrated romance to life takes more than looking pretty. Those exaggerated comic expressions, awkward silences, and playful exchanges have to feel just as entertaining with real actors on screen. What I particularly liked about this adaptation was how it gave those familiar comic-book moments a more human, realistic touch, making the characters and their reactions feel surprisingly relatable. The cast still captures that playful comic-book energy, but everything feels natural rather than forced, which made the story even more enjoyable for me.
Right in the middle of all this colourful campus chaos is Anna Seon, a college student returning after a toxic relationship with one simple goal: stay away from dating and enjoy a peaceful semester.
Unfortunately, Lukas Reed didn't get the memo.
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Sometimes a lingering smile or an awkward glance says more than another dramatic confession ever could...
Liz
He's the popular campus bad boy with a charming smile, questionable judgment, and apparently a talent for disrupting Anna's carefully planned semester. One bet leads to a fake relationship, and suddenly her dating rules are looking less like instructions and more like suggestions.
And yes, we've seen this setup before. The fake-dating trope has been around so many times that it probably deserves its own college diploma by now. But I didn't mind revisiting it here.
Mostly because Lukas surprised me.
Let's be fair, getting involved in a bet concerning someone's feelings is hardly boyfriend-of-the-year behaviour. I was fully prepared to be annoyed with him. But beneath that confident, slightly immature campus reputation, there's someone capable of being genuinely thoughtful. He helps Anna, pays attention to her, and gradually shows her that affection doesn't always have to come with conditions. I liked that he wasn't written as a completely awful guy who needed a personality transplant before becoming boyfriend material.
Anna, meanwhile, has every reason to keep her guard up. She's carrying the hurt and embarrassment of her previous relationship, and the last thing she needs is another person turning her feelings into a game.
That's what makes their dynamic so entertaining. One is desperately trying not to fall in love, while the other is discovering that pretending to care about someone becomes rather complicated when you actually do.
And watching these two navigate a fake relationship neither seems particularly qualified to manage? Hilarious!
There's plenty of playful teasing, awkward flirting, and that slightly exaggerated romantic-comedy charm I enjoy in illustrated campus stories. The dating rules also give the series a fun little personality without taking attention away from Anna's journey.
I laughed, I smiled, and occasionally I wanted to tell these two to please think before making another romantic decision.
But where would the fun be in that?
Apparently, the first rule of Rules for Dating Trash is that nobody is particularly good at following rules.
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Love shouldn't mean constantly proving your loyalty or changing yourself just to keep someone happy...
Liz
NOAH AND HALLE: THE CHEMISTRY IS BACK!
Aaahhh, Noah Andre and Halle Fletcher together again! If you've been following vertical dramas for a while, chances are these two are already familiar faces. Seeing them reunited in a bright, youthful campus rom-com felt like such a treat, especially when they get to play around with a different romantic dynamic. Halle gives Anna that wonderfully exhausted, hoodie-wearing energy of someone who would rather become invisible than deal with another romantic disaster. I loved how she balances Anna's awkward, funny side with the vulnerability of someone who's been hurt. And as Anna slowly becomes more comfortable around Lukas, we get to see her teasing him, challenging him, and finally allowing herself to have a little fun again.
Noah, meanwhile, has that slightly clueless campus-heartthrob charm down perfectly! Lukas enjoys getting under Anna's skin, but I particularly liked those moments when his confidence begins to slip as his feelings become real. And together? These two have such an easy rhythm. Their teasing feels natural, their reactions are genuinely funny, and sometimes a lingering smile or an awkward glance says more than another dramatic confession ever could. It's those little moments that make their chemistry work so well in live action. I found myself smiling through so many of their scenes. More projects for these two, please!
THE RULES WE MAKE AFTER GETTING HURT
Underneath all the campus flirting, there's something about Anna's story that I genuinely appreciated. She's trying to regain control of her life after a relationship that left her feeling judged, manipulated, and uncertain about herself. Returning to college should be her chance to start fresh, but that's difficult when people already think they know who you are. Anna talks about wanting a place where she isn't defined by other people's version of her story, and I felt that. Sometimes, after going through something painful, you just want the freedom to move forward without constantly explaining yourself.
And then there's something Lukas says about relationships: “You shouldn't be with someone you can't say no to”. Now THAT is a dating rule worth keeping! It's such a simple idea, but an important one, especially when controlling behaviour can sometimes look like concern. Love shouldn't mean constantly proving your loyalty or changing yourself just to keep someone happy. I appreciated that the series touches on this without losing its cheerful rom-com personality. Lukas can support Anna and show her a healthier kind of affection, but he can't magically undo everything she's experienced. She still has to find the confidence to trust her own decisions, and I liked that the story gives her the space to do exactly that.
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Never let falling in love mean forgetting who you are...
Liz
THE SUPPORTING CAST: MORE CAMPUS CHAOS, PLEASE!
I also enjoyed the fresh faces surrounding Anna and Lukas! Brooke Layne as Dee Jones, Dan Hwang as Jake Liu, and Ayden Ricker as Celia Young bring their own personalities to the campus setting, adding to the fun and youthful atmosphere. I love seeing different talents getting their moment in vertical dramas, and this group helps make the college world feel lively. And of course, we have Ben Ubiñas as Tyler Ramirez. Oh boy, Anna's ex! Ben does a convincing job portraying someone whose controlling behaviour can easily be mistaken for concern. He's frustrating to watch, which I think is exactly the point. His presence reminds us why Anna is so determined to protect herself from another unhealthy relationship. That said, I felt Tyler could have been written with a little more complexity, without necessarily excusing his actions.
I would have loved to spend a little more time with the friendships surrounding Anna and Lukas, especially since the supporting cast brought such a fun energy to the campus setting. With so much happening in the romance department, some of those relationships didn't get quite as much attention as I hoped. And yes, the whole bet situation follows a pretty familiar rom-com formula, so a few surprises would have been nice! But honestly, I still had such a good time with this group. Their playful interactions, the humour, and especially Noah and Halle's chemistry made the story a joy to follow.
FINAL THOUGHTS: SOME RULES ARE WORTH KEEPING
Rules for Dating Trash is such a fun little addition to the campus rom-com world! I loved its colourful atmosphere, playful humour, and all those wonderfully awkward moments between Anna and Lukas. Sure, it doesn't exactly reinvent the fake-dating formula, but Noah Andre and Halle Fletcher bring so much charm to their roles that I found myself enjoying every bit of the romantic chaos. And can we talk about the styling one last time? Because seriously, Anna's wardrobe deserves its own appreciation post!
But beyond the cute outfits and teasing, Anna's journey is what stayed with me. Here's a girl who's been hurt, judged, and made to question herself, slowly finding the confidence to make her own choices again. I loved that Lukas wasn't simply there to sweep her off her feet and magically fix everything. He had some growing up to do himself, especially when it came to understanding the difference between winning a bet and earning someone's trust. And while their romance begins with a rather ridiculous arrangement, I appreciated seeing Anna gradually open her heart without giving up the independence she's worked so hard to reclaim. After all those questionable dating decisions, perhaps the most important rule is also the simplest: Never let falling in love mean forgetting who you are.
Apparently, the first rule of Rules for Dating Trash is that nobody is particularly good at following rules.
By Liz
Images used in this article are sourced from the public internet and are presented for editorial context only. All rights remain with their respective owners.
Credits
Written by Liz
Design & Motion by VØYD
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