Reviews

I didn't take this show that seriously - And you shouldn't either

I want to start this review by saying that this show doesn't take itself seriously, and neither should you.
I started watching this show because I'm familiar with the actors, and I knew they would do a great job. I wasn't wrong; this show has some amazing acting that manages to convey all the right emotions.

But aside from that, the actors couldn't possibly save this show from the bad writing. The narrative lacks depth, and it keeps going in circles. I get that they had to maintain a certain level of drama, but why not thicken the existing plotlines instead of creating unnecessary ones? Instead of focusing on the main characters relationships, how they had to improve themselves, or maybe what goes outside the relationships (jobs, families, etc.), they created a bunch of side characters and useless drama that adds no substance to the story. They came and went, sometimes without a clear resolution.

Let's talk about the characters. I heard so many opinions about how every single one of them matured and improved themselves by the end of the series, but honestly, I don't see it. The only character that really changed throughout was Ray. He started as a very superficial, self-centered rich brat but managed to see how that hurt the people around him and decided, at his own volition, to change. Even though there is still room for improvement, we can assume he won't fall into the same traps again if Sand is by his side.

Can we say the same thing about Boston? No. Although he decided to apologize for all the trouble he caused and start a serious relationship with Nick, the last episode speaks for itself. He didn't change his habits, and he is not willing to. He only tried to do so to satisfy Nick's wishes. At the end, he still hurt his feelings by cheating on him at the bar and acting like it wasn't that important. It's clear he didn't learn from his mistakes. My only hope is that Nick manages to find someone better than Ton and love himself a bit more, even if right now it's clear he still has feelings for him.

As for Top, he's somewhat of a mysterious type. The story didn't dive as deep into his character as I wanted. From the very beginning, I had a strong belief that he had sincere feelings for Mew, despite falling victim to Ton's manipulation, which resulted in him cheating on Mew. And so, when he called Boeing, his ex, over, I was very surprised. It was unexpected because Top didn't seem like the kind of person who would risk Mew's trust after working so hard to regain it. I'm left wondering how Mew forgave him so easily for that. Did Top truly change, or are there more layers to his character that we didn't get to see?

Let's also touch on the fan service aspect of the show. Towards the end, it became noticeable that nearly every character kissed each other. It left me wondering if these scenes were primarily for viewer enjoyment rather than serving a deeper purpose in character development or plot progression.
The end of the series was also left open, leaving many plotholes behind and keeping the potential for a second season.

In conclusion, if you're up for a light and occasionally brilliant watch, this series has its moments. But if you're into something with a more serious and coherent storyline, you might want to look elsewhere.

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TO be honest, I originally wasn't expecting to enjoy this drama quite so much. After all, 98 episodes is quite a lot to watch and the longest drama I've seen up until this point was around thirty episodes or so.



It starts off pretty slow for the first fifty episodes or so. There are twists here and there, but it wasn't anything gut-wrenching that made me shake my fist at the screen (a fairly common occurrence during a good drama for me) or cry like a baby. At times, I felt like the series dragged on, stretching an issue out over several episodes when it could have been just as easily explained in one, sometimes even half an episode.



As I said, though, around episode fifty I could feel things starting to heat up, and once the numbers hit the sixties things really set on fire. The revenge, the desperation, the feelings of utter helplessness when it comes to helping your most beloved person wade through the tides... It all seemed to just explode. For me, that was well worth the wait and watching all the episodes before. Some characters that I had previously wondered about the overall purpose of now showed great inner conflict and the reasons for certain behaviors were explained in a way that nearly wrenched out my heart.



Overall, I felt the leads did a fantastic job portraying their characters. While the story may have dragged on a bit, the actors themselves rose to the challenge, portraying their characters surprisingly well even after so many episodes. Sometimes even after twenty episodes I'll find that someone will slip up in their character on drama, but the leads here really stuck to it well. Very good show.

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Read the manga and/or watched the anime?
Worried this will 'ruin it'?
Worry no more! You will LOVE it!
Never heard of the manga or the anime?
Worried this is far from what you are usually used to in a drama?
Worry no more! You will LOVE it!

A hilarious yet strangely moving story about the how a love of music can bring together people of contrasting personalities on a journey of epic self-discovery. Sounds cheesy but fellow sceptics, worry not! This drama is a joy to watch. Just stick with it and I promise you won't regret it.

In their roles, Tamaki Hiroshi and Ueno Juri bring to life complicated characters in such a way no manga/anime enthusiasts can fault. As with any adaptation, there are tons that could go wrong; from executing the story to getting right the casting/acting. Furthermore, the hardest thing to do is maintain the 'feel' of the original piece of work which was drawn or animated. This is hard to do this without making the drama look tacky or overacted. Nodame Cantabile however, managed to really capture the point of 'live action' making this drama a perfectly complementary to the manga/anime. Yet it as a stand-alone it somehow manages to remain accessible and enjoyable to the general public.

The incredibly colourful supporting characters are just wonderful to watch, with enough screen-time to keep things lively and interesting, yet not too much to keep us from enjoying the story of the two wonderful leads. The progression of the story is perfect, not too slow to become a drag and not too fast to hurt the overall impact of the drama.

The slapstick humour is so well-executed that you can't help but laugh out loud (even if you saw yourself as having a more 'sophisticated' sense of humour). The blend of comedy and serious drama is flawless and there is enough to please those who look forward to tearful emotional scenes. What can I say, the drama caters to variety of people! If you know a thing or two about classical music, you are bound to enjoy the wonderful pieces portrayed. And if you don't, you'll be surprised to find yourself with a new sense of appreciation for it.

I can't sing enough praise for this drama. It is far from typical, effortlessly funny and uplifting. Great chemistry between the entire cast, tons of memorable scenes and wonderful use of music.

For lovers of music, comedy and drama, a definite must see. And for those who have doubts about whether this drama is their cup of tea Broaden your horizons and give it a go.

You could be pleasantly surprised. :)

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Started this for Ji Chang Wook & Finished/Loved for Song Yoon Ah ❤️

I have known about this drama since it released in 2016 - but while the action scenes & chocolate abs of JCW were encouraging, the whole angle of romance & Yoona's acting was simply terrible that I did not pick this up. Finally in 2024, I relented and decided to give it a go. As expected - the best thing was JCW and all his action and solo scenes. But the biggest surprise and hooking factor was his electrifying chemistry with female antagonist/second lead - Choi Yoo Jin played by the talented - Song Yoon Ah. They redefined "frenemies" & left me wanting for more . . .

‪‪❤︎‬ LOVED:
➥ Je Ha (ML) & Yoo Jin (SFL):
I can understand why there are so many fanfictions and petitions hoping to have a spin-off to have them together as the leading romance pair. They are enemies-turned-allies in the show and every interaction is so well acted sometimes simply without words, that you just want them to rip each others clothes off and make steamy love that generations would write/read about. They were literally too hot to handle and this is without any actual romance between them. Both, in a single frame were just too mesmerizing, the chemistry off the charts - perhaps one of the best ever, and definitely the best between such roles.

➥ Action Scenes & JCW:
Those who are aware of his other works know what a great actor JCW is and the action sequences were directed well. They may/may not have gone with the plot, but it was entertaining to watch though gets repetitive over the latter part of the drama. Pure blockbuster effects, and with JCW executing it - it was flawless. The time that I delayed watching the show was compensated over the years by unhealthily rewatching the "bathhouse fight" and "shirt changing" scenes - and I am going to continue doing that on YouTube, without the need to rewatch the show.

❌ DISLIKES:
➥ The FL and Romance:
Yoona was completely useless - in terms of her character usage in the story, acting, chemistry with JCW - basically everything. JCW was carrying the romance, she was the stiff cardboard with no inputs - being used as a ragdoll. Personally - I would have liked this drama more if she was a minor character [e.g: just a young girl (aged 3-4)] and needed protection from JCW's character OR just done away with her character + romance altogether.

➥ The Plot:
It was too generic - not engaging or without unique twist/turns, with boring political talks/drama and of course the unnecessary romance. The acting of JCW, Yoon Ah, Sung Ha, Gab Soo and Dong Mi were the ones that carried the drama but they were caught in a mediocre storyline. It had a promising start but faltered from the middle.

➥ SUMMARY:
This is a delectable guilty pleasure drama - to be indulged for Ji Chang Wook's acting, action scenes and fan-service. He's one of my ultimate bias and he served. The soul of this show was Song Yoon Ah - her acting making me want to rip her mouth or feel pity for her character was flawless. And of course their sizzling chemistry was everything. This drama is over and I would not rewatch it except for their scenes, but am going to read the fanfictions about them, maybe even write one myself to satiate this unmet desire this drama has given me. They were THAT good.

So if you like all the above - with some blockbuster action, go ahead and give it a spin.

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Despite being obvious and straightforward, An Assassin delivers much more than just some brainless action.

Don’t get the wrong picture, I like brainless action and all but it’s a fact that not every director can make it entertaining. I have my specific short list of directors that I would gladly watch their action productions anytime and Go Ohara doesn’t belong to that list Instead, he made a respectable piece of work that doesn’t wholeheartedly depend on action and guns’ play.

This film has more sides to it than the action part. The story of a cold-hearted assassin thinking twice about his life because of a girl is not original in any way but this isn’t exactly a romance, the core of this film is the friendship. Ryo and Misaki’s bromance is priceless, especially after the revelation of their past relationship and the way they survived together; that was probably my favorite part of the film. The acting may not have been the best, seriously it was unbalanced at many points but the main characters were good enough to make the whole department satisfying and the film watchable.

Action wise, this film is low leveled; it’s not because the lack of action but many moments seemed fake. An action lover doesn’t look for realism when watching the genre but it doesn’t have to be plainly obvious like that. Some fighting scenes were uneven and incoherent but the shooting angles and techniques made it up for the bad guns’ play choreography.

The ending of this film was quite expected; I’ve seen that kind of finale repeating in many similar films that’s why I had some hope that it will end otherwise. This is not a fluffy storyline and I consider that a strength point.

Watch if:
-You’re looking for a decent Japanese action film.
-You’re in the mood for action but not the shallow type.

Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for something fluffy.
-You’re looking for a romantic story.

An Assassin is a good action films that stands out a little from the usual Japanese norm. It’s not a masterpiece but it’s definitely a nice watch.

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Need a shockingly good, slightly melo-ish but mostly heartwarming slice-of-life Jdrama with an excellent cast, beautiful and deep characters, that doesn't feel like work to watch, but still keeps your interest? Can I come up with a longer sentence to describe how gorgeous this drama is inside and out? (Given another 5 minutes, I could probably achieve that.) If your answer is yes, then please do sit down and watch Bara no nai Hanaya.

This is such a lovely atmospheric drama, featuring real and recognizable human beings. Eiji is a simple man with a hidden past, and Katori absolutely does not overact in his characterization. He is slow and plodding, and one of the kindest, most selfless creatures you’ll ever see. Yet the drama weaves his past in such a way that the slow unveiling of his life history and the history of the woman he loved is almost as integral to the story as the events that happen in real time. Throw in his obvious affection for Shizuku, and their own adoption of a neighborly grandmother, another loner desperate to feel needed and loved, and just try not having any feels for this beautiful little family structure.

Keep in mind, all this is even before the lovely Mio steps into their lives, cane in hand, full of anxiety and uncertainty about this new direction in her life. And maybe with just a few secrets of her own, hidden behind a web of lies. And perhaps she’s not the only character to have more than one secret.

Conclusion- I love it. All of it. The only reason it doesn't get a perfect score is probably because of some of the pacing issues, but after I’d finished the drama and started to reflect on it, I realize just how lovely it is. I’m not yet that versed in Jdramas, but I think this was a rare find for me.

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Romance, Riddles, and Really Hot People

Oki besties, buckle your emotional seatbelts—Into Your Heart is less a drama and more a serotonin-laced fever dream for the terminally romance-deprived. You don’t watch this mini C-drama—you surrender to it.

The leads? Unreasonably pretty. The ML is down so bad, he’s basically groveling in (not so) HD. The FL? Ethereal queen. Together? Too hot to process.

The plot? Unhinged, yes—but also weirdly decent. I was invested, against my better judgment. It had no right to hook me like that, but here we are.
We're talking for fire kisses, questionable decisions, and a villain who seems to have escaped from another genre entirely. Is he evil? Misunderstood? On medication? Who knows. Who cares.

Episodes 1–20? Delicious chaos. Episodes 21–23? Kinda like stale chips—still edible, just… meh.

And the subs?? Oh honey. MangoTV out here running a cryptic crossword competition. I was mentally translating the translations like: “Wait… did he just propose or ask her to change the lightbulb?” 5D chess, but make it linguistics.

Happy ending? YES. Thank God. My neurons needed closure after all that chaos.

Final verdict: Pretty people. Dumb decisions. Wacky villain. Brain cells? Gone. Regrets? None.

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Caveat Emptor!!! buyer beware.

Caveat emptor. When something looks too good to be true, perhaps we should be wary.

Was I sold a bag of rotten eggs? And can I only blame myself because I was attracted to the beautiful packaging? I have been watching Royal Betrothal slowly unravel since the second half began, and I kept telling myself, perhaps it will get better. That is usually the danger with these dramas, you invest so much time and emotion that you keep hoping the writers will somehow find their way back.

Unfortunately, by episode 30, I finally gave up. Their version of a Game of Thrones “Red Wedding” was the moment I couldn’t even finish the episode. Everything about it felt wrong. The bait-and-switch, only to be baited and switched again, became exhausting. At some point I had to ask myself: How creative were the writers when they ran out of ideas? The excessive slow-motion sequences became almost comical, the fight scenes defied any sense of realism, and the drama seemed to substitute spectacle for storytelling. With only two episodes left, I finally succumbed to my inner desire to drop the series. Life is simply too short to finish a drama I no longer enjoy.

And that is particularly disappointing because this drama had so much going for it. The production looked beautiful, the cast was attractive, and there were moments early on when I genuinely thought we were getting something special. Wu Jin Yan and Chen Zhe Yuan are both talented actors, and they certainly have the ability to carry a good story. But as a viewer, I also have to hold them accountable not for the writing or directing, but for the choices they make about the projects they take on. As top actors, they have some say in the stories they attach themselves to. After this one, unfortunately, they have lost a little of the goodwill I had as a fan.

I know Chinese dramas are becoming increasingly mainstream and are reaching audiences far beyond China. That is wonderful. But please, don’t mistake international audiences for ignorant fools who will accept anything simply because the costumes are beautiful, the actors are gorgeous and the production looks expensive. We are watching. We are paying attention. If anything, expanding into the international market means the writing has to step up, more credible characters, more intelligent plotting, and storytelling that doesn’t insult the audience’s intelligence. The Chinese drama industry absolutely has the talent and resources to do this. I’ve seen it. And unfortunately, Royal Betrothal is no Pursuit of Jade.

If this becomes a continuing trend, audiences outside China may eventually shift their attention back to Korean dramas and other Asian productions. There is plenty of competition out there, and beautiful packaging can only take you so far.

Having said all that, I realize this is a rather long rant. But sometimes you simply have to get it out of your system. I really don’t like being sold a beautiful bag only to discover that someone forgot to check what was inside.

So, with two episodes remaining, I’m moving on. There are plenty of other dramas waiting for me and perhaps after this disappointment, it’s time for some completely senseless high-school BL nonsense. Sometimes that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.

And next time, please don’t call it Royal Betrothal.

Just call it what it really is:

“Chop Suey: The Movie… Part Deux.”

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HOW IT BEGAN AND ENDED:

At the beginning: Beautiful and warm...
Near halfway: Heartbreaking... (on unrequited love)
Halfway: Dark and destructive
Ending: Hopeful (That's a hint that it ended well.)

WHAT I LIKE:

The cinematography and the amazing music went well with all the scenes. I just wish Xia Mu would have more dialogues, but I understand he's a stoic and emotionless character from the start so he wouldn't speak much. Rather, he will progress and develop as a character through action. You'll see how much Xia Mu has grown and how he became a stronger person throughout the movie. He had gotten himself in trouble many times for Ya Wang. Even though he was impulsive, he was heroic on most events, and brought together this message and lesson to the movie:

"Love is courage, love is joy, love is sacrifice, love is not a sin. Once missed, it'll be a lifetime."

NOTE: Also please watch the movie first before you decide to dig up the real ending to the original story... You'll thank me later.

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Soap opera level chaos in designer packaging!

I can’t believe I’m rating a Daou & Offroad series this low, but it is what it is.
This is one of those dramas that seduces you in the beginning with attractive leads, dramatic tension and mystery around them simmering in the air and for a moment, it would fool you into believing that you have stumbled upon something gripping and intense. And then slowly...the realisation sank that all jazz and pretty people can't hide the fact that the story underneath is paper-thin and strangely uninterested in making ANY EMOTIONAL SENSE whatsoever. I won't say it didn't have the right idea or ambition but there was too much going on all the time and it kept tripping over and collapsing its own over-the-top drama.

The plot has a bit of everything except mystery or good action drama. It was like a daily melodrama stuffed with family revenge plots, emotional manipulation, corruption, and narcissistic parenting. And I am not talking about it in a fun or self-aware way, no. This is the kind of lakorn style exaggeration where logic has little or no place. The tone swings wildly. One minute passionate, the next unhinged and instead of intensity, it simply feels exhausting.

Let's start with the main couple, Pheem and Than, I don't know how to categorise or describe their relationship. It is disturbing in many aspects. There is morally grey, and then there is downright vicious. They fall into the latter. The manipulation isn’t cathartic either and neither does it teach either of the characters anything meaningful. It’s simply cruelty turned into a plot device. And because the drama never properly confronts the consequences of the behaviour, the entire relationship begins to feel hollow and unsettling.

Coming to other supporting characters, all of them I repeat, all of them, including Than and Pheem need to be in jail or in therapy. The so-called father figure is a walking nightmare. Even though he hasn't done the most vile things out of all the antagonist, he fuelled the feud between his 3 children. The siblings don’t fare much better either. The brother is a caricature of entitlement. The sister is written like the drama wanted her to be a cunning heir but forgot to give her depth. It’s difficult to root for anyone when half the cast is unbearable and the rest barely makes sense.

If there is any redeeming quality about this, that would be the chemistry between the leads. The weak script didn't help at all, but it would have been worse without them. Their interactions whether tense, tender or morally questionable still managed to bring a reaction out (happy or sad). Their chemistry felt like a flame trapped in this storm of weak writing. I feel like dialling down the melodrama and maybe bringing them on more screen would have worked better.

Production looked fine. The fight sequences were okay too but the CGI editing, like the bullets, was very lame. Acting-wise, I was not impressed with anyone. It wasn't bad at all, but nothing to run home about or anything that I will remember after today. I really hope their next projects have better script than this.

Overall, this was a good-looking drama with very little to say. It wanted to be edgy, dark, and with morally grey dynamics but it didn't translate on the screen. I will not recommend this but if you really want to watch it for the leads, please keep in mind the messy plot and lakorn-level drama.
Do not go in expecting to look for substance, tension, or character-driven storytelling.

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Love Torn Apart

Once I saw this was another heroic firefighter series I thought of ADWTF series that ended not long ago. As beautiful of a story it was, I could not stay awake long enough to get through an episode.
This is a different path and a little bit more interesting. I find myself staying awake and I binged the entire first 8 episodes.

It has backstories that need addressing of course but nothing to in depth that it leaves missing links. It tells the story of a young love divided by stations and separated by family. They both or heroic in their own way and resentment and hatred triggers hidden feelings that were buried away.

The connection the ml has with his coworkers/brothers in uniform are similar to most series with that setting.
Fl struggles to get her footing with coworkers due to her station at no fault of her own. Yet, I will say she does have a DGAF attitude about how you feel towards her, (while on her path to success for her career) in which I love.

FL only weakness is the ml Song Yan and her not being able to walk away from a very toxic family. I mean her mom used mental abuse to train and instill fear that followed her brother and herself well into adulthood. Yes, their mom and father are prime examples of Narcissistic Parents. Big brother is just as confused and suffers just as much if not more but you will learn why.

The two leads do have chemistry. It's not as deeply rooted as one would like it to be, but there is some chemistry between the two leads. There is one scene where Xu Qin seems to be pouring her heart out and she was very much in character. However, SY has a very one-dimensional look that showed little emotion besides a frown here and there. If it were not from XQ I could not truly believe they had a deep connection in the past or present. Butttt there is room for character development with his emotions and connecting.

I am not a fan of either lead but I have seen their work.
Yang Yang - is great at frowning and looking serious and also confused. Yet he has a great smile when he decides to. However, it does not really add the emotion needed for some scenes with her. This is probably because his character has been hurt and does have a career that could possibly end his life as well as others at any given moment.
Wang Churan- is great at looking like she has not one emotion which is again, what her character calls for in the beginning.
She received little love growing up. She was probably traumatized. (You will later learn why she’s so obedient as an adult even when her best interests are at stake.) She does however show emotions when faced with the ml. That would make sense since she has only experience happiness while with him. Her character also calls for an empty shell of a person trying to reconnect with what made her smile so many years ago. I must say she has bodied that type of character and I’m sure it’s what the producers had in mind when they casted her for the role. She may need characters that take her away from her comfort zone.
So, my only concern would be their chemistry and not how they look with coworkers. I mean who smiles while trying to save a life. That would be awkward, I think.

It’s cute, funny, loving, calming, refreshing and enjoyable. It can make a great go to after a very intense series when you need something more calm and relaxing in the storytelling approach. Their love seems to be very meaningful to them both and that's always an interesting outlook.

Pros
•CGI is pretty good.
•Plot seems to be pretty decent.
•Love involves only two people for now. (May change)
•Producers and crew seemed to have worked hard.
•Actors are doing phenomenal. ( most are seasoned)
•Shows the risk the firefighters take and the importance.
•No ridiculously complicated script that needs analyzing over and over.
•It also doesn’t give you too many accident scenes to tug on your emotions.
•It’s all about the characters and their growth in work, family, career, life, and love.
•Rewatch value is highly as of now

Cons
•Seen it once you have seen it twice. (Similar stories have been done several times)
• It has 40 episodes so drama is heading our way.

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** FIND YOURSELF IS WORTHWHILE**

This Drama is a Very Fun Ride,
Every Episode Will Make You Scream from the Excitement.
The Chemistry Between Lead is Very Amazing
**SPOILER ALERT**
**SCROLL AT YOUR OWN RISK**
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They Only had good/happy times together
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which Became their reason for Breakup, after the breakup they are trying to understand each other more.
I have watched The show Since the first Episode Aired, the story of This is Like Many Other Dramas about Older Women And a Young Boy Falling In Love but Still There Is no Other Character Like He Fanxing And Yuan Song.
I Almost Waited 1.5 year for this Show To air.
From the first episode to the last I was hooked to it Watching No other Drama in between.
I liked the Female Lead (Many find her dump for making certain choices but that's what her character was about, A Women Inexperienced in love in Her 30s)
The Male Lead is Perfect For His Character
(The I Was waiting for This Drama) the Way He shows the Feeling of Love is Just Best...
This Drama Deals with Infidelity, Single Mother, Society Pressure for Marriage, Women thought On Marriage, Secret Dating
Another reason I liked this was For Second Lead Couple
He Canyang and Cai Min Min The Cutest Couple Ever (Made For Each-other Type Couple).
You Can Find Many Type of Relationship
Overall a Spend a Wonderful Time with this Drama - full Package Drama
My Second Favorite after Love020.
.
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I Hope After Reading My Review People Are Encouraged to Watch this Amazing Show Right-way Because
**THIS IS WORTH YOUR TIME**

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