GREAT DRAMA. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

"The drama tells the story of a group of individuals with different backgrounds who were unexpectedly drawn into a mysterious treasure-hunting journey during the late Qing Dynasty. Amidst the grand and tumultuous historical tide, they gradually strengthened their ideals of saving the country." 4 opposite side groups of people; Loyalist of Qing Imperial Guards lead by Irgen Gioro Mu Qing / "Men San Dao" (Qin Jun Jie), ambitious little RongTian Sword Sect lead by Zhuo Bu Fan (Liu Yu Ning), Single unnerving Dagu County Yamen constable Wang Jia Luo (Pang Han Chen), plus Japanese agents. In the beginning these people meet like domino effects: Men San Dao's people are pursuing traitor the WuZu Reformers, Wang Jia Luo is pursuing killers in his jurisdiction which're RongTian Sword Sect people, Zhuo Bu Fan's sect are pursuing treasure map helping Prince Qi the head of rebel, as wells as Japanese agents for treasury map.

They're colluded as their case are interconnected and interference in each other throats. They out smart each other, work in their group with each dilemmas and love interest, everyone has a spy around them to hijack the mission.
So far, I only watch up to ep 11 and still going on but....

What I love about this drama is the opening credit: Black and white videos of Chinese lifestyle in Shanghai, historical facts about concession of Japanese, English, France, American authorities in 19th century Shanghai. All actors acting remarkably good from the Main Leads and supporting actors, scripts is flowing flawless great, awesome action, subtle romances, setting and costumes are beautifully appropriate century, great angle cameramen, love the OST. It reminded me of movies in the 60th.

Liu Yu Ning is very good in here....I think his expression is on point.

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GET SOUR AS EPISODE PROGRESS

I always love Li YiTong, she's one of the most talented one, there is her sparkly eyes and mischievous smiles that give her a trade mark. Pairing her with Xu Kai is apparently a great pair, Xu Kai has that look that compliment both of them together.
I am in ep 18 and found the drama progress to the side direction. Xu Kai is great in his character, as a spoil-rotten playboy good-for-nothing son of a famous General in Tang Dynasty, a care-free playboy that got knock off with love at the first sight.
His mom has wish that her 3 sons to enjoy life as much as possible for the reason of witnessing their dad has sacrificed for the country - the mom spoil them. Lots of garment for the ladies, big and complicated hairdos, beautiful costumes.

Li YiTong is a kind intelligent business-minded sweet 19 years old girl who hates playboys. She's fallen into Sheng ChuMu (Xu Kai) the guy that woo her tirelessly, the cuteness and tricks to get her, excitement of young love. To prove to her love, ChuMu trains himself to be a better and responsible man, went to war and promise to come back for a marriage proposal. As a court lady at the court, she's introduced the life of politic and intrigues in the palace while also trying to connect love interest.

The King's third son King Zhou who's fallen in love with Fu Ruo while Sheng ChuMu went for war. Pretty hard for me to which side am I on? Because I love these two ML and want them to be happy with Fu Ruo. The intrigues in the palace was depressing but I think everyone gave smooth sailing to guide Fu Ruo as imperial seamstress embroidery. Especially King Zhou is in always a step ahead of her..picked her up when she depress..guide her the life and maneuver politics in palace . The queen is a very strict one, the once a beautiful nice good-girl crown princess became so conceited, jealous, mean spirited, deceitful just to be on top of her game (her husbands heart, fullfill Empress expectation). As the episode progress...the story line is more in to palace politics than Sheng ChuMu and Fu Rao love story. Focus on Crown Prince character; he forgot he had a wife as he continue to had relationship with an actor that was forbidden by the law, he's so sad losing him - he became a different man. It soured me and still pending indefinitely watching the next episodes....55 episodes is a long way to go for me...I dropped it.

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UNINTERESTING GAME THEME

I watch this drama for Yang Yang but anything about gaming theme (borrowed the term from what's in promotional preview) is always a blunder to me. We are watching their head lower playing games - what kind of acting is that? There isn't any acting skill needed if the requirement is only sitting in the couch and playing games or texting. Besides when a guy is an aerospace engineer, loads of free time in hand, still why would spend time nothing else but playing games and not to be productive as a genius AEROSPACE engineer (not a feat!) would usually do productive as an intelligence, creativity, ideas, critical thinking demands it....not making sense to me. I know I only watch it early episodes and no interest to watch it further....what romance/ career might develops between 2 MLs, - I am predicting that we all know the end of the drama without going through 32 episodes. Yang Yang and Dilraba are really gorgeous people....they are famous with unforgettably role box office drama in their belts. Dilraba's acting isn't improving....she still acts the same as any other of her dramas, it isn't hard to portray character like herself in real life 'beautiful celebrity' - it isn't a stretch skill and yet we get old same Dilli. Yang Yang is a handsome man but his acting didn't come out from his-Yang Yang-self, many other prominent actors that has grown and mature as actors but I don't see that in him. Yes, I am against the popular opinions and many has expressed it in most futile comments.

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SILLIEST SURGEON EVER

This is what I call the most unprofessional immature silliest doctor that comes with one of most difficult profession that requires so much education, professionalism, training, maturity and critical thinking but this woman blew it all by her ridiculous stupidity. I don't buy it...seriously...She's beautiful but so annoying acting...ugh! Drama was full exaggeration bad acting, so much sighing/panting, dialog delivered loud.

Story line was ridiculous, beyond dense fantasy imagination:
Oh Sung Moo the comic creator famous 'W', the father of residence cardiothoracic surgeon Oh Yeon Joo, mysteriously went missing while writing the last chapter of his webtoon "W". Yeon Joo went to his office looking, but a hand from his monitor suddenly pulled her in, and she found herself on the rooftop of a hotel, next to a bloodied man (Lee Jong-Suk). She managed to save the person, only to realized that he's Kang Cheol, the main character of her father's webtoon as she's transferred to the different dimension of comic life. Yeon Joo later discovered she can only enter and leave the webtoon depending on Kang Cheol's feelings. Some twists and adding plots, Kang Cheol went in to the reality world and learned that her father was the one who's been trying to kill him by any means to end webtoon. Some more twists and changing plots, they're together as married couple, then it wasn't - back and forth in both world.

Kang Cheol (Park Jung-Suk)
He's the eye candy, gorgeous young single rich man who looked for the murderer of his family, been through much in his younger self as he's being accused and jailed as the main suspect of murder. As a perfect sharpshooter, he gained his wealth by doing many businesses, life was great luxuries. He just didn't understand much when he did something he felt like the urge without sense, why someone kept trying to end his life without indication of traces. He then realized he's actually the main character of comic, authored by Oh Sung Moo whose intention to end the story as he wanted to stop getting pull into the comic himself. Mysteriously the comic created itself without the author knowing how and it kept 'to be continue' for the next chapter again and again magically. Some other intervention from different (ghostly) 'being' recreating this comic.....I would know if I'd continue watching. I think only Park Jung-Suk that wasn't yelling when he delivered his dialog, that's his positive beside his good look.

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LESS APPRECIATED

Well....speaking of Allen Ren's fake chest and his cosmetically-done beautiful face. Nothing real about Allen Ren, straining his face for expression of anger, pain, or screaming. I can see all fakes from the lightning-over board visual effects. All the layout were, nothing to impress here, all done digitally computerized designs. I could imagine how the actors did minimum acting with green background as if...
This genre isn't my cup of tea, in my opinion, visual effect belittle actors skill in acting or layout/setting creative department. I would never enjoy this kind of drama especially when the actor performed minimal skill because lightning and computer would do all the tricks for them. Nothing beautiful about human's (or fairies) evolution in their story of the drama. Why did I watch this anyway? Wasting time alright, gave in after 7 episodes. I gave overall score 5 for Trying. But nothing to hold my interest here, beautiful Dilraba didn't do anything interesting...story boring...layout fake..music so so. Season 2? Hmmm....NO. They lost me.

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RILEY WANG'S BEST EYEBROW

The one I catch with this drama is Riley Wang's eyebrow, it's the shape that we are girl dying for. Very pretty but don't think it's great for Riley Wang. Ok, the story was about a rich merchant girl who got married with Official Pei just to avoid an Emperor's harem, same as Pei to marry her avoiding 4th princess advances. While the Dowager Queen disagreed with their marriage union, she's tried to break them apart so she could manipulate situation to her benefits both ways. 2nd time around she decided to marry 3rd young master from Song family, a playboy merchant that had his reason to marry divorcee rich woman like her. Things happen when she got pregnant with possibility either of them, as both men claimed to be the father of the baby but surely confused with her pregnancy timing (2 or 4 months pregnancy). Was it still during her marriage to Pei 4 months ago or her recent marriage to Song 2.5 months ago. So, back and forth unknowingly....the most expert imperial gynecologist decided it was 3 months pregnancy which became more a mystery; whose baby was it? Decided she's rising the baby as Shen family where she's part of.

I like her step mother, aunt concubine, they're good to each other and very close relationship. The whole confusion of pregnancy was to understand 'don't get drunk and sleep with a guy' because after all the fuss....they still didn't know whose the father of the baby? Both men had the possibility and greatly happy to be the father.....while Shen Miao likes Pei more than Song they broke apart for safety reason. Shen Miao tried to divorce Song...and find another guy to be her 3rd. Why did so many men like to have her as a wife (including the Emperor)? Because she's an heir of rich merchant and her birth mother hide treasure that believed to be great amount and she's the only one who knew where it was....the wealth the Kingdom needed to finance war and power. Pei was a talented brilliant scholar, who's young Emperor trust to build and modernize the kingdom although he took low position just to avoid the eye from dowager Empress. I couldn't stand seeing the hairdo of little boy's hairstyle, so much ribbons for boys, don't you think?

Riley Wang was the sole businessman of Song family. He had few concubines and interested in Shen Miao for the same reason like other men'her wealth and businesses'. They tried appease dowager Empress for relationship and business licenses for they're in bed with problems in hand. Anyway, Riley Wang was act annoying, keep calling her name 'Miao Miao' sound cheesy. I want to kick his ass by every second 'Miao Miao...' sigh. Dropped it...

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AVERAGE

People concern about age gap but I think that's great. Liu Yan (Feng Shao Feng) is the younger brother of Emperor which has already been in many wars and he's famous as the God of War in Chen Dynasty (make-up dynasty of China). Being that powerful and great influence to the kingdom, we don't expect some 20 something actor to take the role but I can understand the review as Feng ShaoFeng acted like he's a dying 50 something yo General. Liu Yan had stubborn illness from the effect of previous war he went to, 30,000 brothers men-in arms wiped out from that war and he's the sole survivor. Of that reason, he investigated the reason behind mass massacre as to why and who's the main culprit. His suspicion was his closest relative who instigated the extermination of his soldiers for the reason of him holding too much power that might endangering Emperor authority (been in reign for 24 years). He didn't know yet but has suspicion. He's devoted to his brother Emperor, he's kind to his nephews and niece, he had no intention to overthrown the Emperor but why did the culprit want to get rid of him?

In one of his investigation he met Mu ZhuoHua (Jing Tian), a runaway bride to-be that had ambition to go for national examination to be an Imperial official, she succeed it and rank to 17th of other scholars . An intelligent woman that also good in medicine, just too bad Jing Tian was badly act especially the girl JuLi who played her maid, their voice-over were so damn annoying!!! Jing Tian didn't act convincingly, more like an amateur actress in her first attempt. These two need some acting class or need some strict directive acting. Every sentence she opened it with 'Wang Ye'...and other casts not any better acting. Elder Princess acted like she's Kwan Yin....Ep 16 was enough, finally dropped it.

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Back stabbing women...

Ok...this drama isn't my cup of tea..I watched this because of Seven Tan...she's a great actress. But oh boy....I can't stand it when women back stabbing, bad mouthing each other just to gain favor from the husband they share. 4 wives, mother in law, an over bearing mother, jealous sister Er Niang (not to mention a brother and sister in law at the same premises), inserted their influences with their charm or devious act or authority to this poor guy the good general Xu Ling Yi - he's overwhelmed. I guess he made the bed and he need to laid on it....no wonder he look so tired in every episode with the full house of women bickering. I guess Seven Tan was the recipient of all the bad vibes, defensive fort to stand guard against all strong willed and crazy craved women...so I gave up. In my opinion, we don't need to watch all these bad s**t characters and be the judged who's better than the other. Sorry....

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SINISTER BEHIND HIS BACK

I am watching this up to ep 10 and doesn't have a good impression of the drama, the story of Di Ziyuan ( Dilraba) and Crown Prince Han Ye (Gong Jun). Ten years ago, Di Ziyuan family was wiped out and she was the sole survivor. For the peace of the nation and to uncover the truth of how had the current imperial family ascended to the throne, she enters the imperial court under the name of Ren Anle. Ziyuan reacquainted with the Crown Prince and they began to work together to investigate cases of foreign aggression against the nation. But all done in sinister plan with the help of Luo Ming Xi (Liu YuNing) the minister of Justice with the purpose to take down royal family as Ziyuan'spay back . Anle proposed marriage to Han Yu with 30,000 pirates/naval as her dowry with that they put her in charge as assistant ministry - as well as they put her into consideration for selection of crown princess although her background was a chief pirate. All her sweetness and adoration toward Crown Prince was just a facade - as soon she turned around her impression was sinister and plan more conspiracy against the royal family. While Luo MingXi monitored the development of the relationship and further planning for their next moves, although he was the behind the scene conspirator, both AnLe & Han Ye trusted him in different purposes.

Flattery and cajoling to gain some access and trust, but behind Han Ye's back they were conspired against him. Not a good sign and I don't know how love starts to blossom between the two? Besides they both were promised to each other by previous Emperor (Han Ye's grandfather) in their childhood and he insisted to honor that engagement. Would the enmity between their families over the Di family massacre puts a tension on the relationship once they adult?. When Gong Jun smile, I could see him as Wen KeXing. I decided to drop this drama, it happens about 3 other historical dramas out, this one does not make the cut.

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Chinese Republican Era

I've never like Chinese Republican era. I don't know for sure but usually setting was too dark and this was the example - during that era where people struggled to live; poverty, war, politic and ideology division, starvation, darkest era for human's history. But I love the 2nd lead actors, Leon Zhang, saw him from different dramas and his funny side, Leon Zhang wasn't afraid for being silly, in here though his character was pretty serious - a cop who helped 1st ML to round up mystery. The land lady acted better than Shane Xiao - she nothing special. Different mysteries brought in different solutions just need to keep up what and when...there where I lost it....couldn't remember which mystery case when I had to pause or absent. I decided, after postpone it, to drop it. It wasn't interesting enough for me to get excited to watch it, curious enough want to finish the drama.

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NO CHEMISTRY

Probably, I am against the popular opinion here. The MLs didn't have chemistry together, no intertwine background story to get them relate to each other, supposedly has comedy element which none shown. By a chance they met and together, YuQi as her usual acting didn't deliver her best skill.....annoying and uninteresting. She's been in the business for a while, big eyes and smooth skin beautifully, but she's an average actress no matter who she's with.
Beautiful setting and costumes, natural make up.

The Story
Very different and interesting... a promising line of story. The drama is based on the novel of the same name by You Si Jie, which tells the story of Xiao Duo, the leader of the powerful Zhao Ding Division, and Bu Yin Lou, a concubine of the previous emperor, who bravely defy fate and feudal rituals, and support each other through life and death to win their freedom. By the death of Emperor, there're selected childless concubines that has to serve accompany death Emperor to nether world, Bu YinLou was one of them although she's never met the Emperor and tried to get herself out of situation. Murong Gao Gong, a lowly surviving prince loved her and asked Xiao Dua a favor to save her for such terrible fate, he did with demand a favor in return.

Dylan Wang (Xiao Duo)
Xiao Duo's twin brother was killed by Yu Wen Liang Shi when he entered the palace for a livelihood. Although Xiao Duo had risked to try to assassinate, but ended up in failure, and finally had to take a risky move to infiltrate the palace in place of his brother, all the way to promotion, in order to have the opportunity to avenge his family. When he agreed to help Bu YinLou, he had his own agenda for personal vantage against people who killed his brother. Dylan Wang was melancholic when he's alone, powerful at work, confuse about his own feeling, available for YinLou. Up to ep 8 nothing but boring scenes about feeling, actually...... no action worth mentioned.

Chen YuQi/Bu Yin Lou
Bu Yin Lou has lived a miserable life since she was a child, and later entered the palace in place of her sister, but she has never even seen the emperor. Bu Yin Lou was not originally forced to the extreme, her father was a high official in the court, but her mother, in order to make the family get a reward, even by offering bribes, to make Bu Yin Lou go to death smoothly. To sacrifice one person in exchange for the promotion of other officials in the family. As a character, although very observant, she's naive and annoying, love to play card and no other activity to show her worthiness.

Zeng Li/Empress Rong An
If she played super strict mean mother in LLtG, here she played a cougar cruel Empress which none were likable characters. Don't like her acting here though; she chopped dialog (per syllable), with oversize robe/gown she looked shorter - dragged down by her costume and hairdo, as a cougar she's interested sexually in Xiao Duo (older woman initiating physical love is gross) so I don't think she'll win any award for her part here.

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THIS ISN'T LIKE THE BREAKTHROUGH PRINCESS AGENT

Of course this isn't. So far, this isn't amazing drama, it is an okey drama. Nothing spectacular like we anticipate it, the anticipation of being a great drama like Princess Agent. Story about Gods and Devils are overused - nothing original synopsis - we have watched hundreds of similar Xian xia genre C-drama before. As I would hope this's another great saga famously known Princess Agent, unfortunately not even close.

ShenLi or Gen Bi Chang (Zhao Li Ying) run away from arranged-marriage to earth, chose to fight for her freedom rather than accept the match. Sustaining injuries, ShenLi reverts to her original form and falls into the human world as a phoenix where she is picked up by a mortal vendor and sold as a plucked chicken at a local human market to Xing Zhi (Lin Geng Xin). With that little purchase, Xing Zhi inadvertently intertwined his fate with ShenLi. She didn't know Xing Zhi real identity, he's a God who descendant to earth for divinity as a weak mortal. He's born as a man who could predict future, many people came to see him for his vision, Shen Li involved in his life and willing to protect him from those who tried to do harm. Shen Li fallen in love but she knew they won't have future together as one was immortal and the other was just a mortal. As she got a calling back to immortality, she's gone.

Positive note: It looks like a big budged production, CGI works better than usual/generic Xian Xia C-drama. I love the opening credit, love the opening chorus.

Negative note: ** It's weird acting when they're up close staring each other without so much emotional attachment, no tenderness & sincerity in their eyes. ** 35-36 yo Lin Geng Xin were awkward act cute like a little boy "awww...awww...it's hurt". ** Xian Xia drama - God & Devil story's been used many times over, no originality in whole production. **At some point he'd bend his knee to get close to her face.

Ep 12 decided to drop it. It's over advertised..

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FIRST JAPANESE DRAMA I WATCHED

This is my first Japanese drama and like it...I rated overall 8.

It's about the Tawara family, the last shinobi clan, who lived in a traditional 'house of ninjas' in present-day Japan. Six years earlier, the eldest son died during a mission to rescue a kidnapped politician, and the Tawaras abandoned their discipline. They aim to be a normal family, but struggle with some idiosyncratic dysfunctions. Some family member were longing for action because of the boredom, separately they involved in questionable activities while the Dad, the head of family strive to hold family together as ordinary as possible. The head of the Bureau of Ninja Management insisted the Tawara family to take on mission although been rejected multiple times.

When a crisis unfolds, the family is drawn back into the shadows of its past, the son that they thought died was actually survived and recruited by the enemy. The family must take on the greatest crisis as it became personal one and that threaten the nation on political trouble.

Action, little romance, family dynamic, revenge, mystery and comedy. Japanese has special dark humor that I can appreciate.

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WHICH ONE IS THE REAL PRINCE?

The star of this drama is Kang Hoon, he's cute and adorable. 3 guys with hidden identity renting rooms for their national exam in town hosted by Yoon Dan-Oh, one of the guy was the run-away crown prince's son whose gone missing many years before with the help of watchman. The Crown Prince's son Lee Seol was survived from the coup, his parent killed by his brother taking away his seat as the heir of kingdom. Lee Seol was helped by a watchman, a mysterious man who'd protect the king, since young he went hiding and lived surround people under different identity.

3 handsome men; Kang San, Kim Shi Yeol, Jeong Yu Ha were room mates, although they're not getting on well, they're pretty civil to each other. Kang San was good with his martial art and very tart, Shi Yeol is an easy going, gambler, playboy, Yu Ha was a serious scholar and like Dan-Oh but who actually were they? When the chief of Palace guard were looking for the 'golden dust (Lee Seol) his intention was to find the watchman because he believed if he find the runaway prince he certainly would find the watchman who killed his beloved son during the coup. He suspected Dan-Oh would know who it was among the 3 guys and struck a deal with house as collateral.

I guessed it wrong, I thought it wrong, which one was the real prince amongst 3 men. Eventually the King was determined not by the real blood but by conveniences. Good ending..all had their happy ending.

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DIFFERENT JUNG HAE IN - DESERTER PURSUIT (D.P)

I came to watch this drama for Jung Hae-In, he's so adorable and the sweetest in 'Something in the Rain', the best boyfriend any girl can hope for but in this drama though he's transformed himself into a tough smart capable Private Ahn Joon-Ho. who go out on pursuit Deserters from the Korean Army with his partner Corporal Han Ho-yul (Koo Kyo-Hwan). Army deserters, young men under obligatory 2 years military service in South Korea who went through hell of being bully, abuse, harass, humiliate, ignore by their seniors in broken military system. By each case, it discovers how these bad things effect their mental health when they rather decide 'NO' other choice but to run from the Army and face the consequences. Bully is NEVER ok, Military is the place to toughen and train men/women up, to be ready in more harsh and tough condition in case of war. Many higher ranks use this form of reason, abusing their power or seniority that many become powerless and held contempt. Who's to blame? Officers that pretend not hear & seeing anything? The system that ignore the victims, encourage the abuses as form of group discipline.

Despite all that, Private Ahn Joon-Ho (Jung Hae-In), Corporal Han Ho-Yun (Koo Kyo-Hwan) and Sergeant First Class Park Bum-gu (Kim Sung-Kyun) come out as more compassionate and reasonable soldiers than the most. Corporal Han has more comedic side of him, taking his job funner with passionate approach to the problem, Private Ahn is the 'brainier' in finding deserters using logic and analysis although he did not go to collage and has a rough abusive upbringing, Sargent Park is their superior who gives orders - he sees reason behind every deserters. The story is great, the actors do amazing job, the supporting actors do nothing less than the main actors. When they chase - they really run, Hae-In really do boxing - his stance is perfect. Pack of emotion, comedy, action, smart dialog, great music (OST), no romance which is awesome. Although some of the scenes are gruesome...nothing I can find wrong to every episode, although it's only 6 episodes! End episode with shock, ehemm...what? This is the end???

I can see a mole in the corner of Jung Hae-In's lip (want to bite that), he's boxing and no smiling, tough exterior somehow doesn't erase his sweetness and charms of Seo Joon Hee (Something in the rain). I am looking forward for season 2 and hopefully it will be more than 6 episodes....oh can't wait!! I'd like to see more of Jung Hae-In in more manly impressive character instead of his brand as a romantic cute sweet lovable guy in romance drama. I like him here...a complex deep heartfelt man who has inner struggle, who wears baseball cap and a hoody than polished apparels, who doesn't smile to charm the ladies but seriousness like he's been through rough and witnessing sadness and disappointment in life.

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