This show really took me by surprise with how much I enjoyed it and got invested. I was looking for a fluffy romance drama to watch to break my typical xianxia streak, and I like Wang Yibo as an actor, so I decided to give this a try. This series definitely delivers on the cute romance, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how many other themes and dynamics are at play in this story. Apart from the central romance, the show also deals heavily with the two central characters' professional aspirations and their struggles to succeed and stay afloat in the exhilarating yet often cutthroat esports industry. They each have to navigate workplace politics, and also have to learn to leave a workplace when it becomes too toxic. I especially identified with Qiu Ying's character, who desires independence for personal reasons, which I can respect. I also liked how Ji Xiang Kong and Qiu Ying's arcs paralleled each other in how they both hit rock bottom, and rise to the top again by the power of their own grit. Ultimately I really loved this story of these two individuals who work hard, push each other to succeed, and end up as a badass power couple.

I feel like a lot of people on here took issue with the love triangle arc with MiYah - typically, I'm not super into love triangles either. But the way it was presented in the show, I empathized with everyone in this situation. I actually really sympathize with the character of MiYah, because her life is quite tragic. She became famous at a young age and was forced to give up JXK, the one person who really knew her original, authentic self. Along the way she was probably incredibly lonely - her manager didn't let her date, so she probably didn't have the chance to meet any men who could see her as a complex human being. So naturally, she must have idealized the relationship she had with JXK, since he's the only one who's ever loved MiYah the person, not MiYah the idol. And the series does take care to show us that their relationship was authentic and valid in its own right, so it's not like MiYah had no grounds to believe she could be with her ex again. But what she doesn't realize, of course, is that she and JXK have evolved with time and aren't compatible anymore. I think the show was very honest about the emotional messiness of a situation like this, where one person might have emotionally moved on from a relationship after a breakup, but the other one hasn't. I also appreciate that no one in the love triangle was demonized - MiYah is acting from a very understandable, human place. She's certainly no angel - she gets a bit deluded and does some quite problematic things to keep JXK with her. But it's not like she makes any schemes to specifically sabotage Qiu Ying, even though they should be rivals, and she even appreciates how good QY is for JXK. I ultimately felt sad for MiYah - I hope that in the world of the story, she finds someone else who's right for her! In my book, if a show can make me feel of these complicated emotions about a set of characters, it's definitely succeeded.

I also get the impression a lot of people weren't fans of the part where Ji Xiang Kong takes care of MiYah towards the end and endangers his relationship with Qiu Ying. Is it a bit contrived how it happens? Maybe. But I also think it's kind of consistent with his character - Ji Xiang Kong strikes me as someone who tends to prioritize his duties and obligations over his own emotional needs. That's why it takes him longer to confront the fact that he's moved on from MiYah and really wants to be with Qiu Ying. He doesn't decisively choose until push comes to shove. If I were to change one thing about how that final arc plays out, I'd have him choosing to walk away from MiYah rather than having her give him permission to go - I just feel like that deprives him somewhat of his agency.

Something I really didn't like was how a scene of sexual assault was used as a plot device to progress Qiu Ying and JXK's relationship. Oooffff that wasn't good. And then that event is NEVER ADDRESSED AGAIN and the sexual assailant in question (one of the main antagonists in this show!!) is never specifically punished for that event. And then when JXK is trying to pick Qiu Ying and take her home when she's a sad drunk and yelling for him not to touch her I was cringing, because maybe you shouldn't? touch? the sexual assault victim??? I just don't like it when sexual assault is used to progress a love story. I know it's common it different types of media, but I don't have to like it.

Another character I really gravitated towards was Luo Tian. I was a bit nervous when I sensed the show making him another potential love interest for Qiu Ying, but it was handled surprisingly well IMO. He waits until he and Qiu Ying are basically professional equals before giving her hints about his feelings, so there isn't the problematic dynamic of a boss propositioning a subordinate. He also doesn't really pressure her at all, and lets her call the shots, which is all a girl can really ask from a guy. I also liked his indignation for Qiu Ying when he could see that JXK wasn't doing her right - he can see that this girl is worth it, and he thinks she deserves someone who can treat her well and not make her play second fiddle to an old flame. I came out of this massively respecting Luo Tian. I also hope he finds someone who will treat him well.

I also know the esports aspect of this show isn't completely accurate, if at all - my gamer boyfriend watched the finale with me, and he was laughing his ass off at how the characters used esports jargon, and also the way the story presented different game tactics. In his words, "for a show called 'Gank Your Heart', there's not even any 'ganking' in this show!" Maybe stuff like this will piss you off if you're a hardcore League of Legends or World of Warcraft player. For someone like me who doesn't favor video games like LoL, this might not be as important. I enjoyed the gaming competition scenes for different reasons - if there's something the show does well, it's ramping up both the character and plot tension in those scenes. That tournament scene with competitive stakes for JXK, professional stakes for Qiu Ying, and all kinds of implications for their relationship? Had me on the edge of my seat.

If there's another thing that made me slightly uncomfortable, it's the strong underlying nationalism of the show, and how Westerners are portrayed as these one-dimensional jerks. Of course, what did I expect - it's a story about how China is trying to win this prestigious esports championship from under the West. I get that the show itself is pro-China. But there were these times when it was laid on particularly thick. Given the political atmosphere and my own feelings on the Chinese government, I would have preferred that it wasn't *so* overt. But hey, at the end, even I was emotionally invested in the victory of Chinese esports - I guess that speaks to how well the show invested me in the characters?