My Dearest

If you don’t mind sad content and are fond of the separation trope…

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean Historical romance drama with 21, 60-90 minute episodes. It was originally divided into two parts: Part 1 with ten episodes and Part 2 with eleven episodes. So some say there are two seasons but there is only one season sometimes divided in two parts..

First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Lee Jang hyun (Namkoong Min) is not the type of serious, respectful and honorable noble Yoo Gil chae (Ahn Eun jin) is used to encountering. He is a bit of what we would call these days, a lady’s man but also a “player.” He falls hard for the spirited Gil chae who, as the prettiest girl in her small community, has her pick of suitors. Of course the only guy she is interested in, Nam Yeon joon (Lee hak joo), is in love with her best friend. Kyung Eun ae (Lee da in), Gil chae’s best friend would do about anything for her friend except give up the guy they both love. Eun ae knows Gil chae really just wants Yeon joon because he is not interested and that the roguish Jang hyun is actually a better match for her friend. Eun ae both kind and wise and knows that Jang hyun is actually a very kind and capable man who deeply cares for Gil chae. But Gil chae is slow to recognize her own feelings and does not believe Jang hyun’s feelings are sincere. He has also clearly stated he is against marriage something any noble lady would scorn. Through war and the aftermath the two suffer many missed opportunities and Gil chae weds another man. Despite this, they both have each other firmly in their heart. Korea is suffering as the defeated party under a faction of China and the people are suffering by being impoverished, persecuted, killed and enslaved. Is there any hope for these two who seemed destined to be together?

Review

I do not like sad shows. If you like sad then you would definitely like this more than I did. I actually looked up the ending and it said it ended happy enough so I went with that. But what I didn’t understand is, it may end fairly happy, but it is sad all over the place throughout. Why? Well it is loosely based on true events where there was this Josean king who became paranoid and did a lot of horrible things as a result. And the royals were always trying to poison each other. That is why food tasters were common in many countries among the royalty. It was good for what it was. Wonderfully acted, the filming was amazing, and it was interesting throughout. So, understand that my ranking is based mostly on the fact that it had sad threaded all through it. I would not watch it again because it made me too down. I would recommend it to people that like historical and do not at all mind sad content.

Spoilers

I read that it ends with him losing his memory but that he remembers events around her. But they are together. That is true and that is the way it is nearly to the very end. But, in the last few minutes, he fully remembers her it shows his gaze becoming more steady and he says her name and looks her right in the eyes. So he does fully remember her. But two things about that. I personally hate the amnesia trope in general. And he has not one but two separate periods of amnesia. And, since it ended that way, we don’t know if he remembered any of the other people in his life.

Yeon joon was just an annoying character to me. I guess that wanted you to think Gil chae’s love for him in the beginning was completely juvenile and ridiculous. He was never a character I admired as he was so sanctimonious and it shadowed and influenced everything he did. He was never as thankful to Jang hyun for protecting him during the war as he should have been. If he told Gil chae about that in a “he is my life safer” type way she might have admitted her feelings for Jang hyum sooner. But I think there was a part of Yeon joon that liked having Gil chae romantically interested in him.

Gil chae was really annoying in the beginning. It had a real “Gone with the Wind” sort of vibe as she started as a noble that was very princess like as she was the beauty of the community. Then war breaks out and she goes through serious hardship and has to suffer horribly at the hands of the Barbarians. And it did humble and change her. But then she scorns Jang Hyun and marries the man who lied on the path on the island to basically use her as Barbarian bait. I get that it was Jang hyun’s fault a bit because, even at that point, he did not offer marriage but still you don’t turn your back on someone that has done so much for you and you obviously have feelings for.

Eun au, on the other hand, was such a sweet, humble and loyal person from the beginning, I did not feel like Yeon joon deserved her. The way he treated her when she was asking about being “defiled” by Barbarians made me like him even less. And then when he was a traitor to Jang hyun by leading the soldiers that nearly killed him, I liked him even less. There were just a few moments in the end when he asked Eun au to go with her and if he was still her husband where I think they were trying to show he had come around, but it wasn’t enough. So that wasn’t a sweet side romance.

I thought the Crown Prince and Princess dying was just tragic and unnecessary. Yes that may have been what happened, or close to it, historically but they could have departed and had him live. And then to make the Princess a traitor and even kill the royal heir, just made it Greek tragedy level.

The royal concubine was the evil doer behind most of the tragic events and we did not get the benefit of seeing her taken down. Evil essentially won. And that may have been what happened in the historical event it was drawn from but stories have the opportunity to improve and depart from such things. I suspect the king in the end was the concubines’ son. That was her goal to have her son put on the throne, but that was not very clear.

A large portion of the show was told with the main characters parted by war and other circumstance. I really dislike the separation trope so that being so prevalent and repetitive throughout the series was a serious negative to me. They were apart way more than they were together. Then, they would just get together briefly and either they would have a misunderstanding and go their separate ways, or a tragedy would strike and drive them apart. It was so frequent that the majority of the live commenters were complaining about them mostly being apart.

I guess the ending was supposed to be happy in the house he created to her specifications. But they were always surrounded by so many others throughout that them two alone just seemed very lonely. And it seemed they just planned to live as if dead so that he would not be hunted. But that was sad too. If it weren’t for the mad king and the evil concubine he should have lived out a heroes’ life.

#NamkoongMin #AhnEunJin #MyDearest#LeeDaIn #LeeHakJoo

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HATED IT

I went into this not knowing that there were 2 seasons actually, so I thought there were just 10 episodes. The female lead held on to her pride and ego and was cold towards the male lead the entire time until about 15 minutes before the very last episode ended and then she ran away with him from her engagement to another dude.So she decided that she wanted to be with the male lead only to literally leave him waiting for her at a port that she had promised to meet him at after she said a final goodbye to her dad. I've never hated a female lead as much as this .... She was so infuriating! No matter how many times he told her how much he loved her and literally, he said, "I'll be your servant, you have my heart and soul etc", that still wasn't enough to convince her that he really loved her, she literally had no reason to believe that he was fooling around with her, he was always so sincere anyway. It's not even worth watching the second season because of how infuriating she is, and I just am so heartbroken for the male lead like he thought he was finally going to have a future with her, but she turned around and went back to the other guy, I understand that she didn't want to leave her, dad behind but she could've sent for her dad later. It's not like she would've never seen her dad again. That was not a valid enough reason. shes literally such a horrible character, and whoever the writer is honestly the worst writer I've ever seen, and I've watched hundreds of K-dramas, and hundreds of Chinese dramas, I've never seen anything like this show. I don't understand why everybody loved it. Also its freaking sad because their servants were in love too and now they just dont get to be together because of her idiocy??!! And whats with his singer friend who freaking never wanted them to be together since the beginning? Is he freaking secretly in love with the ML or what cuz he was jealous ever since the FIRST time he saw her with the ML and he even gave the ML a dagger that said my beloved or something,that was the dagger he later gave to FL am i right? What a creep...being in love with your super good friend??!! The the FL was in love with her BEST FRIENDS MAN for pretty much all 10 epiosdes!!! Are you kidding me??!! To be honest idk why ML would want her when he knew she was a skank,he saw her trying to steal her best friends dude and just kept chasing her anyway.... Dude if youre in love with your best friends dude and actively try to trick him into kissing you and falling for him etc then you are a horrible human being. Why is no one writing about this in the reviews??!! She had been dreaming about ML for so long but his face was always blurry so she didnt know who it was and when she found out it was ML you would think it would be the turning point like youre litterally dreaming of your soulmate and you found out its the guy chasing you but yet you still dont forget about your BFFs dude??!! WHO WROTE THISSSSS...if you hate misunderstandings,pride,ego,never saying what you really feel,pushing people away even though you are falling for them etc FOR HEAVENS SAKE AVOID THIS SHOW AT ALL COSTS!! Who would want to watch a second season of this chick??!!! Ive never written such a bad review on here you can literally go and check but this was a complete dumpster fire i only kept watching cuz google said it was a happy ending but i didnt know that was at the end of season 2 😭😭 the only reason i dodnt rate it even lower is because of the cinematography,the voice of the singer and the MLs lovely smile

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Ep 1-4 Review: Overall a Recommendation Review

(First of all, I wasn't sure to put this in a Review or Discussion post)

I'm going to try and be as spoiler free as I can, although My Dearest has barely started airing (with only four episodes out).

My Dearest, like many have pointed out in the comment section on MDL, is very reminiscent of the movie Gone With the Wind. I actually watched Gone With the Wind for the first time upon hearing about the comparison to see what people were talking about.

Our FL Yoo Gilchae (played by the very talented Ahn Eunjin) is just like Scarlett in the sense that she is very cunning and confident of herself. But of course, she is sheltered and appears to be more spoiled. Though it is the looming threat of war that sets the tone of the show. And Gilchae has major character development in episode 4 because of the war.

The ML, Lee Janghyun on the other hand is Rhett, a man who appears to be selfish and only acts for himself. Though become enamored by the confident attitude of the FL. Personally I'd say that Namkoong Min has really added his own charm to the Rhett character. Of course we'd really have to thank the screenwriter for changing his character.

Namkoong Min, for those who are already aware of this actor- has insane charisma on screen and it seems that he just keeps on getting better and better though each project he takes on. His character Lee Janghyun has secrets that even the audience can't begin to guess. He's skilled with a sword and appears to have a lot of knowledge of military tactics. For someone who moves like a nomad, he has money, and connections to a lot of people. He's charming, smart, and is not one to fall for the trick of blind loyalty.

I feel like I'm hyping him up excessively but as someone who has seen a lot of Namkoong's other works, this one just seems next level.

Ashley and Melanie take the form of Nam Yeonjun and Kyung Eunae. Because My Dearest takes place in Joseon during the Qing invasion- There is the added plot of Yeonjun and Eunae having a promised engagement since they were young. Though Eunae very much loves Yeonjun.

In my opinion, and from what I've seen in the four episodes that have aired, this is where the similarities to Gone With the Wind end. Nobody got married before the men went off to fight and /thankfully/ Gilchae isn't as obsessed with Yeonjun as Scarlett was with Ashley.

But the writing, the acting, the directing have been excellent. I want to talk about a few stand out scenes that have happened in these four episodes.


- Firstly, I need to talk about Gilchae's dream sequence. From the first episode, we see a beach where Janghyun is located. It's at sunset or dusk and the sky is a beautiful shade of oranges and pinks. Gilchae's dream starts out with a red roll of yarn falling out of her hand and rolling like it has a mind of its own. Of course this is referencing 'the red string of fate'. The red yarn takes her out of her village, through the forest, all while the seasons are changing. She is running though fall, winter, summer, spring. And the string stops at the beach Janghyun is at. Overall, it's such a beautiful sequence and it has a lot of importance. I'm sure someone could even write an essay of its own about the foreshadowing this dream has. Her dream is also recurring- we see it again in episode four, and I'm sure we'll see this dream more in the future as well.

- Then, the scene of the grandparents 60th wedding anniversary party. If anyone has watched Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People- I think you'll know what I'm talking about when I say that this screenwriter (Hwang Jinyoung) is great at creating tension in something that should be peaceful. The grandparents are a couple that are very cute and their party is just overall really touching- but the joy that's being shared overlayed with clips of the barbarians making their way to Joseon makes the audience feel uneasy and full of anxiety of what's to come.

- Episode 4 is a masterpiece in its own. Continuing on from the situation that ep 3 ended on, we face the reality of war. This is brutal, and it won't get better. Some may say that the first three episodes were too silly or had too much comedy, although episode four wouldn't feel so real if it didn't have that normalcy in the beginning. I found myself sobbing for characters that only had at most 30 min of screentime. Namkoong Min shines as Janghyun. He's dependable and he's ready to fight for those he cares about. We realize that he didn't join the other men because if all the men go out to fight, who will protect the elderly, the women, and the children back home. Truly, his charisma will have you calling him husband like Gilchae did at the end of the episode.

Gilchae's character development is beautiful and moving. She went from deluding herself that Yeonjun is in love with her to helping a women give birth, protecting the small group she's with from barbarians, and just really showcasing how smart and brave she truly is. This is a scary situation, especially for a group of women- and even if Gilchae laughed off the idea of war and self defense in the beginning. With the help of Janghyun's warnings, advice, and dagger, she matures.


I am really looking forward to the future episodes and it's been really surprising how not many people are checking this show out. Honestly, I've been looking forward to this show since I saw that Hwang Jinyoung was writing it. (If you see her list of works, you'll know why). Truly, her two past works are in my top 5 sageuks.

Also, a lot of the hesitancy I've seen towards this drama is regarding the ending people think it's going to have. All I can say is that Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People (a show by Hwang Jinyoung), opened by showing the FL being tied up on a pole and being shot in the chest by the ML. And that show has a happy ending with everyone surviving. So, I wouldn't put off My Dearest because of the tone the first episode set about the ending.

It feels like it's been a long time since there has been a truly mature historical drama here in dramaland. I hope everyone who loves historical dramas will check this out ! Even if you don't usually enjoy historical dramas, please give this show a chance. At least watch until episode four.

Thank you for reading :)

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Beautiful historical love story

Beautiful production with near perfect casting. the chemistry between the main couple was electric, both characters well developed. The rest of the cast and their backstories could have been expanded on more rather than focusing on the historical aspects.

Only negative aspect is that it should have been 16 episodes long. The historical aspects didn’t add much value to the love story other than keeping them apart and bringing them back together. a few of the story arcs could have been left out and they were separated too many times, it became a bit irritating.

But overall, it’s definitely worth the watch.

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The mistake of a young heart

I put this on hold for a very long time despite being a fan of Nam Goong Min. You just need the right mood, and I don't look back.

I cannot remember how many times I cried. The portrayal of character development and the understanding of the feelings of two individuals who began to experience true love was truly remarkable.

The ending of Part 1 is truly acceptable. Jang Hyeon, who initially did not understand his feelings, then dedicated his heart to one woman, and it was beautiful.

And Gil Chae. I cannot hate her. You need to see her perspective. Jang Hyeon was being playful, and she has someone she really adores. It doesn't fade away easily. Her suffering contributes to her personal growth. They are right. She is very responsible, not selfish to the point that she chooses not to follow her heart.

Overall this is a great drama. And I'm going to start season 2 soon.

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A mature story not those boring childish time wasting kdrama

I have never took my time to register and comment on this forum before but this my dearest movie forced me to comment. Infact I watched 10 episodes in 2days despite my busy work schedule. But this story must not end on season 1 because the loves and little borns never get meaning in the story and the male lead is still going to war at the end of the episode 10 . The heart breaking part that makes me not like the full story is how the male and female lead didn't end up marrying each other while the other girl and
her loyal husbandd married happily. If there is season 2 please let it air immediately unlike arthal chronicle that took months to watch season 2

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One of a kind masterpiece

This is a tale of a love so deep it transcends time. I cried, I laughed, I had my heart broken over and over again to finally having the pieces put back together In a painstakingly way.

If you are wanting to watch one of the most epic love stories that will speak to your soul for forever time, then this is a must watch.

The ONLY reason I can’t give this a full 10 is because there were so many times I was SO frustrated with the FL pushing him away and not realizing how he felt. They could have saved themselves a lot of turmoil. But then again we wouldn’t have had the most beautiful 20 episodes.

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My dearest series, indeed!

It took me forever to finally watch this show. I have had this on my watchlist for a while and I finally had time, energy, and fortitude to be able to watch this. And let me tell you - it was well worth it. I was both sorry I waited so long to watch it, and sorry I already watched it and it finally ended. It was a masterpiece, for lack of a more eloquent term to describe it.

Lately, I have been on a K-drama slump and have really been struggling finding good series to watch and so I have been either rewatching old favorites or watching C-dramas or J-dramas. However, this one really made me remember the good old days of K-drama, especially the really fantastical storytelling of historical dramas of the past like Jewel in the Palace, Empress Ki, Jumong, The Great Queen Seondeok, to name a few.

My Dearest is one of the best historical dramas I have seen so far. It had all the right elements to make the series into such a beautiful saga of love, loyalty, friendship, found family, and fealty. The leads did such an amazing job - I fell in love with Lee Jang Hyun and Yoo Gil Chae. Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-Jin were phenomenal. The supporting cast also made the whole series flow beautifully. The cinematography was the perfect backdrop to the storytelling. The soundtrack just wrapped your heart and soul. I swear, this series has me on a chokehold. I love this show so much.

WATCH IT. YOU WILL CRY. BUT IT IS WORTH IT.

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A devastatingly beautiful drama that stays with you long after it’s over.

✅ What Makes My Dearest Exceptional

🔥 A Perfect Blend of Epic Storytelling and Deep Emotion
• This isn’t just a love story—it’s a story about war, survival, sacrifice, and longing.
• Every character feels real, flawed, and deeply human.
• The scale of the war and the intensity of the emotions hit equally hard.

💔 A Love Story That Feels Earned
• Some dramas tell you that two characters love each other—this one makes you FEEL it.
• Every moment between them is filled with tension, heartbreak, and the weight of everything they’ve been through.
• This isn’t a simple, easy love—it’s the kind that is fought for, stolen, and torn apart by fate.

⚔️ The Fighting Spirit of Korean Dramas at Its Best
• Unlike One and Only, where confidence in battle is a given, here, every survival moment feels desperate and earned.
• The struggle to live, to love, to protect—it’s all intense, and you feel every second of it.

🎭 Acting That Lives on Screen—Especially the Female Lead
• The acting is absolutely breathtaking, but the female lead (Ahn Eun-jin) delivers one of the most incredibly nuanced performances.
• She has that rare, doll-like beauty that feels perfect for the historical period—but what makes her performance even more astonishing is how she transforms.
• At first, she looks soft, youthful, and delicate—almost untouched by hardship.
• But as the story progresses, her eyes change.
• She carries every emotion—pain, resilience, heartbreak, and love—just in her expressions.
• It’s an extraordinary performance that makes you feel every moment of her journey.

👥 Themes of Emotional Maturity & Patience
• This isn’t just a romance—it’s a story about growth, patience, and emotional depth.
• The male lead’s quiet, unwavering patience with her maturity makes their relationship even more layered.
• It’s not just about love—it’s about understanding, waiting, and loving someone through all of life’s hardships.

❌ Where My Dearest Wrecks You

💔 It’s Brutal, Emotionally and Physically
• There’s no “safety net” in this story.
• People suffer, die, lose everything.
• The heartbreak isn’t just one scene—it’s the entire experience.
• Prepare to be wrecked.

🐌 The Pacing May Feel Slow at Times
• The drama takes its time developing everything—which makes it all hit harder, but requires patience.
• Some parts could have been slightly tighter, but in the end, it all pays off.

👑 A Drama That Refuses to Let You Go

💡 It’s not just a drama—it’s an emotional experience.
• After watching My Dearest, I couldn’t move on for days.
• It’s the kind of story that leaves you staring at the ceiling, haunted by what you just witnessed.
• Some dramas you forget—this one lingers, refusing to leave you.

💡 It has the kind of heartbreak that feels like real life.
• No forced tragedy, no exaggerated melodrama—just pure, raw, human devastation.
• The kind of love that should have worked but was never meant to be.
• The war, the time period, the struggle—it all feels painfully real.

🚨 Final Verdict: An Unforgettable, Devastating Masterpiece

⭐ Rating: 4.75/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ One star for the raw, breathtaking performances.
✅ One star for the sheer emotional depth.
✅ One star for the realistic, heartbreaking love story.
✅ One star for the intensity of the war and survival themes.
✅ Half a star for the extraordinary transformation of the female lead.
❌ Minus quarter of a star for the pacing—some moments could have been tightened.

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THIS HAS BECOME ONE OF MY FAVES OF ALL TIME!!!

This show was amazing. So entertaining, so romantic, and so well done. I will be doing a full review here and not splitting it up by parts btw.

Firstly, I was surprised to watch the whole show and not really see any big kdrama actors. Even the old usual side actors weren’t really present. They utilized a lot of fresh faces (at least to me anyways and I’ve been a kdrama fan for 6 years) and I appreciate that.

Secondly, the characters were amazing. Obviously the ml and fl were great and I really appreciate their performances. I knew Eunjin from Strangers From Hell and I feel like she was able to keep the same freshness and youthfulness to her character. Her performance is also one of my favorite fell characters of all time. The character, Gil Chae, is so inspiring because she has such a great self esteem and at the very core knows what she’s capable of and what she deserves. She also has an entrepreneurial spirit which I feel like is rarely shown in kdramas. She’s a total girl boss.

And Namkoong made me want to watch the show because as an nctzen, I can’t help but be drawn to him, he looks so much like Jaemin lol. Even his portrayal of the character reminded me of Jaemin and every scene Namkoong was in made me feel satisfied. The beginning scene of him on that beach still brings tears to my eyes. I could just see the exhaustion with the fight and life in general on his face and those tears slipping down was amazing.

The side characters killed it aswell. I was surprised to see how much second leads there were. Ryanguem really was so loyal and beautiful and to have a gay second lead was unconventional but I love it. It makes the perfect sense of his character’s actions and the show wasn’t afraid to show a person like him in Joseon Korea as well as not write his actions off as brotherly like most show wills do. Chungah I know from watching Heart Pairing this year but had never really seen her before. I really liked her performance as well but I still don’t understand why she was chasing down captives. She was a bit of a weird character. Yeongjun was annoying but surprisingly I cried for him on the last ep so I guess he wasn’t all that bad. He’s just one of those overly honorable characters that has no room for gray area which bores me. Eun Ae was sweet but I didn’t like how she kept downplaying Gil Chae’s feelings for Yeongjun as if that’s not her best friend smh.Will forever be a fan of Gu Jam cause he has a lot of aura and is so cute. Big Hyungnim was a cute character as well.

The progression of the show was pretty good to me but I did feel like the dialogue was kinda weird at point. Like when Jang Hyeon comes back and Gil Chae is getting married. I feel like neither of them actually expressed their feelings toward each other. And I watched all 21 episodes and I don’t recall ever seeing or hearing a “saranghe” from either of the characters. Also to use the memory loss trope 2x in one drama is kind of lazy but I’ll take it. I also felt rather let down with Janghyeon’s past and expected something more exciting.

The show is long but genuinely I watched every episode with eagerness and never ONCE got bored of it. I enjoyed the themes of chastity and nationalism. I also enjoyed the soundtrack. I do like the ost in Ryanguem’s voice the most cause it brings me to tears.

This show is a 10/10 and I’ll recommend it to everyone

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A great war story, with a touch of romance, action, and so much crying. I watched this drama because of Namkoong Min, stay because of the amazing cast and story. The supporting cast was so talented and I love the small knitted female group that formed and took huge chunk of my heart.

I started this drama liking Yoo Kil Chae right off the bat. Although a little spoiled and bratty, I still found her very confident, witty and sassy. Watching her grow from a little princess in her village to a humble person surviving to get back to her family was such a great journey. Her courage, resilient, and leadership was the reason why her little group made it.

Lee Jang Hyun, what can I say? He was the perfect man. Brave, strong, and oh so handsome. No, but for real though, he did so much for her in the background that it hurts when he didn't get credit for it.

This is the drama would definitely recommend to my non- drama loving friends.

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I think I never gave a historical kdrama a perfect score before

I think I never gave a historical kdrama a perfect score before. This one deserves it. The portrayal of a Joseon in ruins during and after war with the Qing and how the war deeply wounded its people from the lowest to the highest ranks of society was poignantly breathtaking. Everything about the production is top notch. Performances throughout were excellent.

I went in having no expectations and expected a nice romcom, but I was served the most epic love story I've ever seen in kdrama. I highly recommend this drama to anyone ready for an epic tale of love in the time of war.

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