Hello,
I'm not even sure if this is a review or rant, but I felt that I needed a place to express my love and hate relationship with this piece of work. I have read the novel and now completed the drama, and I must say that my feelings are quite a mess. While reading the drama I had this nagging voice in the back of my head that kept telling me that I was not vibbing with the power dynamic on team ZDGX and the way female v.s male characters were presented. I mean I guess I demanded a lot from the novel or the drama I wanted to be presented with a female protagonist that yes showed us the dark side of fighting and excelling in a male dominated area, without nonetheless losing her backbone or turning into another dude. But was served up with a feisty female character to everyone else but the man lead. Tong Yoa was a girl breaking barriers, who would lose all her fire in important places the moment Lu Sicheng appeared, I mean she was firm with him on matters that didn't really count. I feel that a lot of C-dramas like to perpetuate this trope that women cannot be strong and independent unless there is a man smoothing thing for them. I mean Lu Sicheng was again another typical controlling and arrogant CEO type male lead that is like the archetype of C-entertainment. Although it was somewhat toned down in the drama. To my point there is this one scene that truly made me uncomfortable while watching the drama, it's the scene where Lu Sicheng makes Tong Yao stand outside for having bitten DQ Jungler that was threatening her, that scene his uncomfortable because he doesn't actually ask her truly what happened and goes on to treat her like a kid and none of his teammates says anything simply going with it. And then later when she managed to explain, he doesn't even get spooked at the fact that she almost got assaulted but make it harder on her by being a despotic tyrant extorting the promise that she must call him if ever in the same situation. I have to asked how it is actually possible to be able to grab a phone and call him if she is ever in a situation where she is getting assaulted. Granted Tong Yao truly didnt't used her brain at the moment, since she was coming out already on the phone she should not have hang up and maybe if JingYang was listening on she would have called for help. But it doesn't erase the fact that the power dynamic is truly left to be desired in their relationship. The drama did tone down a lot of Lu Sicheng truly domeering behaviors once they got in a relationship. But still I was quite sad that even in 2021 there seems to be no desire for scriptwriters to present us with a healthy relationship on the small or big screen.

Well, that was my general rant.

But of course, the all drama was not bad, it had its good point, I mean the graphic was truly good, I really like what they did when they did that little in fight transition into the game. Also, it was refreshing to have a true sismance where both girls truly went to bat for each other, Jinyang is truly a bestfriend that anyone would love to have in their corner. As for the acting I have no big qualms maybe the actress playing Tong Yoa should have been somewhat that emote a little more, because she seemed truly bland at time serving up, at most 3 distinct emotions during the all drama.
But anyway, I was not really planning on reviewing this, it was just that I really wanted to vent my little frustration. If you are looking for a great story of overcoming the difficulties of being the exception that makes the rules this drama ain't it. But if you just want to laugh some and otherwise be on your way this may the one for ya.