I was thinking this too! I don't mind Gayoung getting more spotlight since she's a good character and this gives her more depth. But i was a little thrown off thinking i wasn't remembering the novel correctly haha
My only complaint is how Baron is being hyped up so much when in the novel Jihan basically trash talked him and hunted him down lol he didn't take Baron seriously at all. I wishhh they kept that in there because it also shows growth on his part. Someone who was a towering wave before is just a puddle to him now.
Yeah, Gayoung part is actually wonderful. And I agree about the Baron part, it would have been great if they have kept it like the novel, because like you said it would have been nice to show the contrast of how much Jihan has grown from his previous life.
I'm actually finding this really interesting, putting here on the 100 match and giving more depth to her and her growth in the league, but it did cause me a bit of a strange feeling as it differs quite a bit from the novel haha.
It's a good change tho, since it gives her more purpose and bring her closer to what Jihan needs and wants for humanity, maybe it will also bring him more of a team play than we get in the novel.
But it's weird him being worried about Baron or have a more difficult fight with Gayoung, since he pretty much breezed through this match and was more worried about first place and getting the attention of the Shadow Queen hahaha. But well, it does add more emotion, and I'm all for it!!