UNDERATED PIECE OF ART !!!!

STORY (10/10)
The screenwriter had done an absolutely remarkable job in giving us a beautiful story in just 6 episodes, obviously, the main credit goes to the author. The timeline spans over characters' time from high school through their college lives. Each episode has been so beautifully directed and visual sequence laid out, that sometimes you don't need an explanation of things but rather you will understand what or why is it happening. The story is shown from a first-person perspective dividing the series into two-part, one from Hira's point of view and another from Kiyoi's point of view. Each perspective makes us dive into the character's situation, emotions, and way of thinking. The best part of this series is that you can actually relate to both of them and there is just no right and wrong. From the first episode, I found the series to be captivating and since I could connect with the characters it just made it more interesting to watch. I would not just appreciate it as just a BL series but rather a proper series.

ACTING (10/10)
Riku Hagiwara had aced his role. His portrayal of Hira was on spot. The way he used to look at Kiyoi literally made me feel butterflies in my stomach. Hira's character went on from idolizing a person to genuinely falling in love with Kiyoi. Take note of the time when Riku saw Yuusei for the first time, he was enchanted by him in a form that wasn't love at first sight but rather a form of idolizing one to the point of obsession. He didn't want to be a part of Kiyoi's world but rather wanted his world to revolve around Kiyoi and so he held him in high regard. Unbeknownst to him, his obsession later changes to that of love which he realizes in the latter half of the series.

I personally think that this series was meant for Yusei Yagi, The first time when he enters the screen as Kiyoi Sou, my first thought was 'beautiful'. The role of Kiyoi Sou was meant for Yusei and he did justice to his character. Yusei's portrayal of Kiyoi was just breathtaking. When we are shown the story from his point of view, it sets a pure example of 'All that glitters is not gold". Being a popular kid with lots of friends doesn't mean that you just have everything in your life. Beneath that facade, Kiyoi hides his own insecurity of being left alone. But after meeting Hira, he realizes what is it that he needs the most. I was shocked to know that this is Yusei's first series. His expression and line delivery are so on point they will convince the audience that he is Kiyoi Sou. (Also do check-out songs of Fantastics from Exile Tribe, Yusei has an amazing voice, If you found his acting to be captivating, wait till you hear him singing)

The chemistry between the leads was off the chart. Loved those gazes laced with longing, love, and passion. Yusei and Riku did a remarkable job in bringing life to the characters of Kiyoi and Hira.

REWATCH VALUE (10/10)

This series is something which you can watch again and again without getting bored. For me, each time I watched the series, I find something new that I missed the previous time watching it. This is the kind of series which lets the audience analyze each and every scene and its meaning behind it. For someone who loves critically analyzing series and movies, this is a perfect treat for me.

OVERALL (10/10)

This series deserves more attention from the people. Also, I feel that it is one of the most underrated series of all time. 'Utsukushi Kare' has everything starting from a good storyline, relatable characters, good acting, brilliant directions, and visuals. If you ask me to describe the series in one word, I would say, "Beautiful", because it is, in every sense.

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NOT ME IS A SERIES ECHOING THE VOICES OF MANY

Not me is an absolutely stunning series focusing on the underlying real-life issues of how powerful people use their power for corrupt practices. The series is more of a plot-driven with elements or themes focusing on action, politics, social problems, thriller along with the BL romance. If you love series that mainly focus on the story and character then you are at the right place, romance is like a treat that you will find along the way. Also, you are not going to find a fluffy romance here.

STORY
The story sequence of the series is mainly focused on the individual motive of the characters which pushes the events in the story. Not me has successfully portrayed the voice of the youth demanding justice due to their broken system. I loved the portrayal of all the energy of the students demanding an explanation and transparency of their government. " The power of Unity" is echoed throughout the series making it a remarkable and meaningful series to watch. The symbolism of White and Sean holding hands under the Pride Flag in the parade was so powerful and emotional that it literally gave me goosebumps. I think it was probably one of the most powerful scenes in the series. The discussion on politics, law, and crime, and art is something that makes an audience more interested in the series. I personally like that they kept the romance slow burn, This was befitting for the series like 'Not me'. You get a pure example of how circumstances bring together people of diverse notions. I found the ending to be good and justified. Not me has taken on the example of Tawi to show us that there are several powerful people like him who take advantage of their power. Even in the end the fate of Tawi remains undetermined and is left for the audience to interpret its actual ending.

ACTING/CAST
Off has done a remarkable job in portraying Sean. I have been watching his series since SOTUS and one has to applaud for his immense improvement in his acting. Gosh, his acting was so freaking powerful that his expression was enough to convey his emotions.
Gun never disappoints in whatever role he has been given, but I guess he broke his own record by playing Black and White. The transition of his portrayal in playing both of the characters on the same screen was hair-raising. Personality-wise I like White more than Black, but I like watching Black more because I have never seen Gun playing such a character.
First is an immensely talented actor, even as a supporting cast he dominated his role in such a way that it left a deep impression on me.
Gawin did such a great job in portraying Dan, since the beginning, his eyes showed so much emotion, I could from the very beginning understand that he is portraying someone with huge guilt weighing him down.

The chemistry between both the main and side couples was amazing. I am glad that both the couple got a happy ending. Towards the end, I was so devasted to know that Dan had betrayed the gang but then he was helpless in that situation, and with no way out he had to follow his superior's instructions. It absolutely broke my heart when Yok comes to know what has happened at that point, his expression of hurt was so on point that even I cried along with him. I would also like to point out the friendship between Yok and Sean, It was well played out that you can't help but smile at how much they care for each other.

OST
I want to know who was in charge of selecting OST for the series. Each and every OST never failed to echo unexplainable emotions within me and it only made me draw more towards the series.

REWATCH VALUE
The direction, visuals, storyline, and acting are enough to tempt me to watch the series again.

Overall NOT ME is a series that left a deep impression on me by successfully conveying powerful messages and symbolism.

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Absolute masterpiece! Heart touching unexpected wholesome series

Honestly, this is such an underrated series. Something in my room is a perfect example of don't judge the book by its cover. I loved how they blended realistic issues with the fantasy and supernatural. Honestly, I had found the trailer boring, and also I am not a big fan of Nut, simply because I didn't like his previous work, Oxygen. I watched this series because it is directed by Tee and behold he produced another masterpiece. He has something which brings out the potential of the actors and thus I trusted him blindly and watched the series. Also, PLEASE WATCH THE UNCUT VERSION because otherwise, you are going to miss a lot of things, and also some parts in the series won't make sense.

STORY
The series is plot and character-driven, with romance being secondary. It focuses on Phob's journey to remember his past and regrets in a limited time frame so that he doesn't end up being a vengeful spirit. Along the way, the series has touched on various sensitive themes. Phat and Phat's mother learning to navigate their life without Phat's father. His father had been an integral part of their lives which makes it harder for them to cope with the loss. Then there is this Nuan who is no doubt creepy as hell but seems to have her own reasons. Parenting and loneliness had been highlighted in this series. Ben has done his part in making us realize that pretense and falsehood can only break and hurt people around you.
The theme of selfishness and selflessness can be the different sides of the same coin. Phob's mother always hated Phob for being born thus ruining her dreams, we all thrive for something in our lives, isn't it and what if those things can never be achieved because of someone, aren't we supposed to hate that person? But what if that person is your own blood, your own child. His mother had been living a life full of conflict, as a mother she wants to give her love to him but at the same time, she can't love him because he is the reason she had to give up on something which she loved.
I love how the emphasis has been made on 'there is a right time for everything' which is actually kind of true in the series. Next, the theme is 'belief', a lot of people had actually pointed out that the story of Dream and Luck was pointless. But it wasn't for me, If we believe in something it is bound to become a reality, this was my interpretation of what this couple wanted to show us.

Even though I am not a fan of the bittersweet endings but I found the ending to be perfect. I was afraid that they would have made an ending like He's coming to me but Thank God otherwise it would've spoiled the story.
The series is not at all comedy, rather it is serious with occasional sweet romance.

ACTING
Nut has done an excellent job of portraying Phob. Initially, I had an impression of him being goofy and bright but as he recovers his memory we get to see him as a whole. Phob journey in recovering his memory can be considered as finding one true self. Nut playing an amnesic ghost was something which can be compared to a blank canvas, the more his memory recovers the more the canvas gets filled hence same can go for his portrayal of Phob which he did perfectly.

Plan has done justice to his role of Phat. Out of all actors, his acting had drawn me more to his character. I love how he portrayed his shy, introverted yet decisive character.

I loved the chemistry of both the male lead, Being an unexpected pairing they did a perfect job.

Green although had only 2 episodes for himself had just stolen the spotlight in the series. I immediately felt connected to his character right from the beginning, it was that powerful. His dance on the stage portrayed his anguish and loss of his friend which was so perfectly directed and acted out. His acting had literally given me goosebumps.

OST
I loved the OST and every BGM of this series. The timing of the BGM had made me hold my breath every time it was played.

DIRECTION
It just amazes me to see how much can a person improve himself. Since the beginning I consider Tee to be good now he is just an excellent director, and with each series, he is directing he is just setting his bar high. His way of direction always brings out the story of each character so well that it becomes easier for the audience to connect. I absolutely loved the direction where Ben is giving his stage performance, The narrative was done so well and in a unique way that it gave us a clear picture of the relationship of Phob and Green. Also, I loved when he kept the dream space blank and black because that is exactly what it is. On a psychological level dreams can reflect our own experiences and emotion, hence when they were in the dream their background changes from black to what they want to conceive.

REWATCH VALUE
Honestly, this series is only good for a one-time watch because of its bittersweet ending. But since the acting, directing, and quality of the series is so good that I would rather watch it again.

Overall I give this series a 9.5 because the series had just shown many things about the reality that will make us sit back and reflect upon it.

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Sweet romantic comedy highlighting some of the serious issues in the BL industry

When I first saw the trailer, honestly I wasn't expecting much. Also, initially, I had this perception that the Lovely writer series might be similar to "WHY'R U? the series" which made me actually dismiss the idea of even watching it. But, THANK GOD, one day I was bored and thought to give this series a try, and my goodness, my whole belief of judging a book by its cover flushed out in the drain at that moment. The series is amazing and can be considered one of the "Rarest Gem" in the BL industry.

Below I'll breakdown the review for you all;

STORY (10/10)

The main plot is actually very simple and well scripted, but it was various themes and elements that actually made the series wholesome and yet different from any of the previous BL series. I love how they have highlighted how BL fandom is more into fan service rather than story and quality and they were pretty straightforward about it too. When it came to Gene's boss, she would always emphasize on H scenes rather than the story, and Gene as a writer would be rather distressed about it as it would hamper the quality of the story. I somehow felt bad for Gene as he couldn't publish the work which he actually wanted even though his BL novels have been trending in the Industry apparently. The actual story starts when Gene meet Nubsib in the audition which happens in the 1st episode. I found the story pacing to be perfect with each episode so well scripted and directed that you would be ready to invest your whole day in this series without even fast-forwarding it. I love how they have even brought up the family issue i.e when your parents find out that you are gay, I won't say that it applies to all but it is kind of realistic and shown in a positive light which will just make you emotional. The issue in the BL industry of demanding the cast members to offer fan service and prohibit dating other than your series partner had just enraged me. The showrunners had done an excellent job in delivering the message that such ideas can have a negative impact on just so many people, even aggravating mental health issues. I absolutely hated seeing my poor Gene depressed. Lovely writer has done an excellent job in touching some of the sensitive issues pertaining in the BL Industry.

CHARACTERS AND ACTING ( 9/10)

I absolutely loved Gene. I have never watched any previous work of Up so I had basically no clue about his acting. But I would just say that he did 100% justice to the character. I love how his character broke so many stereotypes, like for example is it really necessary to be a female to write a best-selling BL novel. You don't have to be gay to write gay romance. But yes, he does fall head over heels for a guy. I personally perceive his character to be an introvert who is stern and adamant when it comes to making decisions thus shown in having a cold exterior but is actually timid and kind. I absolutely loved his relationship with his father. You can say they are like any other typical father and son duo, with his father being the quiet and strict but is actually caring and the son being not so open about his stuff, likes to live alone with his privacy but inwardly seeks his father's approval. I think that is why it was important for Gene to come out to his father and seeks his acceptance. I love how he always gets spoiled by Nubsib, but at the end of the day, it is he who is more mature than him. I absolutely hated when Gene broke up with Nubsib, but it was a necessity given the circumstances. And acting on emotions would then make the situation worse. But I am glad the series ended on a happy note.

Throughout the series, I actually saw gradual evolution in Kao's acting as Nubsib. The reason I couldn't rate this series 10/10 in terms of acting is because of him. Initially, with Kao's acting, there was always something that just bothered me but as the series progressed his acting improved. He very well acted Nubsib as a character, I loved how he was 2 faced person when it came to others and Gene. He is always trying his best to show a better version of himself to Gene while just not caring about others including Tum.

The chemistry between Up and Kao was just off the charts, I could literally feel butterflies in my stomach when it came to both of them. And I would always have this smile on my face whenever I saw them together.

Hin is actually my favorite character in the series. After watching him, I was like, everyone deserves Hin as a friend and colleague in their lives. Kenji's acting just melted my heart. I love how he respects Gene as a mentor and as a friend. I loved how the director even showed his side of the story as he has been struggling with his career. Hin's smiling demeanor is sure to warm your heart but then thinking back about all his struggles just makes me cry. I loved how he chose his moral and loyalty towards Gene when given a choice. Thank God he wasn't fired from his job.

Gene's parents - I think everyone needs a parent like Gene's. They are so understanding, not only towards their children but also towards each other as a partner. When I came to the real reason why Gene's dad was so against Gene's relationship, I choked. I was genuinely shocked when I came to know that Gene's mother knew about his past and was very understanding about it. They totally showed the world that everything could be solved without unnecessary drama. After everything gets solved between Gene and his dad, they established a level of understanding and trust which just warmed my heart. Also kudos to Gene's mom for being so understanding and supportive towards her family member.

Tum and Tiffy - I dub them as an unconventional couple beating all kinds of stereotypes. Tum being good at sewing, having immense knowledge about the make-up products and so on. And Tiffy being a badass riding a motorbike and knowing how to fix a car.

Ae - I only feel pity for him, that's the first thing that came to my mind when I completed the whole series. For all the troubles he caused between Gene and Nubsib's relationship, I wanted to smack him at that point. He is a very lonely character having a bad relationship with his family which I guess to a certain extent had negatively affected his personality. Often during our difficult times, we are compelled to take wrong decisions and bound to hurt people who genuinely care for us. Ae is a perfect example of that. I believe despite his struggles and family issues if he had made the right decision then things would have turned out to be different for him. In spite of such issues, nothing gives a person the right to intervene in other people's business. For all the bad stuff he did karma did bite him in the end.

The rest of the cast members including the ones who played the younger versions of Gene and Nubsib did an excellent job in portraying their characters.

DIRECTION (10/10)

I have to create a separate paragraph for the main force who made the success of the series possible. Remember the name of the director guys, "Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee". Whenever you will be seeing his name in any of the series just blindly watch the series without going through the cast list or synopsis. He has the power in bringing about the best in the actors and the characters. He has a way of story telling which lets the audience know that no one is evil or bad, it is just the circumstances which compels a person to make the wrong decision. Speficially speaking of Ae, the direction along with the acting made it possible to show us several grey shades of the character.

REWATCH VALUE (10/10)

I have already watched it thrice and I am gonna keep on watching it again and again because it is that good to watch.

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COMICALLY COMEDY WITH LIGHT-HEARTED ROMANCE

Fukou-kun wa Kiss Suru Shikanai! is a pretty decent live-action series. This is definitely a type of a series that you should watch if you want to take a break from all the serious dramas that you are watching and also your life.
Story-pacing is one of the strong points of the series. The series is solely focused on the main characters and the situation surrounding them leaving no scope for loose ends.

STORY
Pretty simple with a bombardment of slapstick comedy. I deliberately used the word bombardment for the reason that I found some of the comic elements forcefully incorporated in unnecessary places. Often the serious tone of the series was interrupted by a comic undertone which just spoiled the atmosphere. If the team had just balanced out these two elements then the series would have come out more good.

ACTING
Sota Ryosuke did a pretty decent job in portraying Fukuhara Kota. I loved the duality of his acting but somehow there was something that irked me in his acting. He fell short while portraying certain emotions.
Sato Yusuke on the other hand did a good job in potraying his character Shinomiya Naoya. He just successfully made me feel absolutely single. Still, there were room for improvement but nevertheless he made me like Shinomiya Naoya.

MUSIC
I loved the opening song of the series, it is just so suitable for the series.

REWATCH VALUE
This is typically a kind of series that one would watch again and again without getting bored. The comedy and the light-hearted plot are just perfect for people who want to take their minds off something serious.

I found the ending to be a bit weak which I suppose they could've done better.

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I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START FROM

For me, the Tharntype was both good and terrible. Good because of the good direction and acting, and terrible because of its storyline. What hurts me the most is that this story had picked up pretty good themes and elements such as PTSD, sexual abuse, obsessing over your first love, and such but the way they had portrayed these elements had just amplified the toxicity. I heard the original story is more explicit in the sense that they sexualized rape which I believe they shouldn't. I have issues with rape scenes in a series or book unless it serves their purpose in building up a story. The way they handled PTSD in the series was triggering in so many senses.

I would say the acting and the chemistry between the two leads are good, this had so much potential of being a good series but then it can't be helped because the actual story sucked. The only reason why I am rating this series 7 is only because of the acting and directing.

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Tremendously hilarious BL sitcom

I like how the opening part of the series is the direct continuation of s1 finale. It is extremely fun to see Mob still fighting the BL trap in his world.

In the beginning he almost gave in to his own feelings for kikuchi, he was about to propose him but it seems the world has stored more fun for him and thus marks the appearance of kikuchi's ex.

Normally I don't like comic reaction in japanese drama because it seems so animated. It feels as if they are trying to copy the same from manga to series which generally doesn't come out well in live action. Reaction and expressions in manga are meant to be a bit exaggerated to keep the art engaging and so I can't say the same for the live action. But Inukai just nailed it. His portrayal of mob was on point. His animated comical expression just didn't felt awkard but was extremely funny and gave a good laugh.

I loved the story, it is so light-hearted that I could just watch it again and again. I was expecting the show runners to give a clean ending but they ended up with another cliff hanger and opening a possibility of 3rd season.

If you people you are looking for some light hearted BL sit-com, then you are the right place.

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Tell me WHY this series exist!!!!

This review will only be helpful for those who prefer story and series quality over steamy kiss scenes. Please don't read my review if you are into later as I would hurt your sentiments.

I had pretty high expectations from this series when I saw the trailer, I mean it had pretty good elements to produce a good light-hearted rom-com series. Also, it had Saint and Zeke but then just what the hell happened? The series started off good but then it was all over the place. The plot execution was so poor that it made me cry in despair as I questioned my sanity in the middle of the night.
The Chemistry between Saint and Zeke was good but that's the end of it. Throughout the series all you are going to find is their make-out scene. I absolutely love the kiss scenes because I am a sucker for romance, but what's with eating each other's face the moment they are on the same screen. No offense but it simply felt as if they were two horny teenagers. I am sorry this is just not my cup of tea. I came here for the plot, light-hearted comedy, and fluffy romance but all I got was just R-rated scenes with no whatsoever background.
Saifah and Zon who were supposed to be the main couple didn't at all leave an impression. Sure there were a few cute moments, but their weak acting just didn't amplify their chemistry. It was so bland that I was thoroughly disappointed.
I personally felt that the direction was just not good. As an audience, I just couldn't connect with any one of the characters in the series which just made the series extremely boring for me and a waste of time honestly.

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If you are looking for a murder mystery, then you are at the right place.

First of all, I wasn't expecting this series to be so good. I am not a big fan of MaxTul, one of their previous drama had actually traumatized me to the point that I refused to watch anything else with them. But this series just changed my whole perception of both.

Let me break down the review for you all:

Story
I was actually amazed to know that the storyline of the series is actually a bit different from the original novel. Generally, authors don't like if their original material is not followed, but hats off to the author for being open-minded and giving the team creative freedom. The story is so engaging and fast-paced that things are insanely interesting from the first episode. I like how bits and pieces of clues were given since the first episode regarding the murder of Jane which is the headstart of the main events that are to be followed. Elements like corruption, sex trafficking, a victim of sexual abuse and drugs are well incorporated into the story which actually brought the essence of the series and delivered the necessary message to the audience. I like how there was not a single necessary part that was not added to the narrative, rather I had issues with certain parts which were left unexplained.
The series is more like a plot and character-driven. I felt that the relationship thing was actually secondary which is absolutely what I was looking for. The ending was rather good as well as a bit open which gives us hope for the second season(not confirmed).

Acting
Max did a remarkable job in portraying his character, Tan. I like the transition of his expression from caring to fiercesome making it suitable for his character. As someone who has a complicated background and struggles in the mud of the dark side, he is shown as a mysterious person. Initially in the story, you can notice his smile which comes off as he is hiding something, but as the story progresses we see the real Tan and his genuine smile. He sometimes gives a psychotic vibe who is ever-ready to finish his job at all costs but at the same time beneath that cold demeanor, he hides a caring personality for the people who are close to them and would do anything to keep them safe. Max never failed to deliver the right emotions at the right time.
Tul had portrayed Bun. We are introduced to his character as someone who doesn't easily back down even when being pressured by someone influential. It is he who initiates to get entangled in the mesh of the complication in the plot despite being warned and threatened.
Okay, so I was shamelessly distracted by Inspector M. I mean he is so freaking gorgeous. I was so glad that he didn't pick the bad side which I initially thought he might which would've broken my heart. His character is a perfect example of someone who is trapped in the pressure of corrupt power. His conscience of being a policeman is often contradicted when he obeys his immediate superior.

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QUESTIONING MY SANITY

I don't know why I watched this series, probably because I love to torture myself. TRIGGER WARNING - If you dare watch this series then be prepared to lose a few brain cells in the process.
LET ME FIRST TELL YOU THE GOOD PART OF THE SERIES
- Khaotung is a very talented actor, and probably the only one in the series whose acting was convincing.
- Pod also did a good job with his character because if his intention was to make the audience hate Thon then he got the results.
- I think that's it

NOW LET'S BREAK DOWN A FEW POINTS AS TO WHY YOU'LL BE LOSING A FEW BRAIN CELLS IF YOU WATCH THIS SERIES.
- The whole story, I seriously couldn't get what they wanted to convey, because halfway through I lost my reasoning power. In the beginning, it felt like a denial story, Thon's definition of being a man is that he should love a woman and not a man. They could've shown it in a better way but then they took the TOXIC approach, too much masculine toxicity to the point that it simply felt annoying.
- Speaking of the annoying - lookout for the two of the most annoying character in the series - THON'S GIRLFRIEND and THON'S DAD.
- Like her ex-boyfriend, Thon's girlfriend is toxic af. I mean is it really necessary to make a female character look bad.
And THON'S DAD, see I get it there is just all kind of people in the world everyone with their own belief and perception, BUT he is simply a nuisance. The characterization of his character was so poorly and lazily done that he seemed more like an animated character than a real person. My eyes and ears literally used to itch whenever he used to appear on the series.
- WHITE TOWEL - Can we speak about this?? Yes, I had been annoyed by an immovable object. That towel has appeared in almost all of the episodes in a poor attempt to make THON look attractive?? by covering his lower half. When you get too much of something you are bound to get sick of it.
- Every cast member except for Khaotung forgot how to act. I mean I have seen the cast members in their previous series and they are such good actors, but then what went wrong with this series?
- There was absolutely no chemistry between the main leads. All I could see is Thon forcing himself on Chon and trying to be the "MAN" in the relationship.

SO basically you are not going to find a good storyline, good acting, good direction, or lovable character. There is just no redeeming point in this series. After writing this review I am basically gonna erase my memory that this series even existed.

P.S - I watched this series as a part of a dare and learned a lesson to first go through the reviews and then watch a series.

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