Reviews

Do you want to watch a different type of love stories? Something with deep meaning instead of deep cheesiness? Then Chung King Express is for you or better said: All Wong Kar Wai’s Films are for you.

Since I am going through a massive rewatch mission of old Martial Arts films; I decided to include other old Hong Kong/Chinese films to the rewatch party as well and what’s better than Wong Kar Wai’s genius pieces? After seeing this film again, I can fully understand why I loved it the first time. The magic magnifies even after years of first viewing.

As everyone knows, I am not a romance person or someone who cares about the “moving cinema” at all and I can hardly watch an artistic film and completely appreciate it but all of that is in a world and Wong Kar Wai’s productions in another world. Kar Wai is one of the fewest directors that I look forward to watch their romance tales even if I am not a big fan of the genre. Do you know why? Because he’s a master who knows how to portray love with the intense power of silence to make it feel gripping. The man uses only few pages of script and the rest is told through magnificent ways, the rule in Kar Wai’s films is: everything that’s unspoken is stimulating and even what’s spoken is full of wisdom and hidden meanings.
I am surprised at people who say: “Kar Wai’s films don’t have a plot”, I mean are you sure we’re talking about the same director and films? I am a fan of Wong Kar Wai and his splendid of ways of making love stories because many need to understand that romance films shouldn’t always be: met, smiled, fell in love, kissed and Tada Happily ever after tale story just like they shouldn’t be: met, fell in love, disease, death and cries . Wong Kar Wai’s breaks those rules to create outstanding pieces.
Now, let me just stop here or I won’t be able to refrain myself from talking about that brilliant director.

There’s a story behind this film. Actually, Wong Kar Wai found a problem with editing his film “Ashes of Time” (that was releases the same year by the way) so he left it behind then wrote and directed Chung King Express in the meantime. The film is about coincidences, brief encounters, loneliness and painful love but that’s not what this film is all about, there’s also warmth and fun to enlighten the watch.

Chung King Express is divided into separate narratives about two policemen; the first is about the dark heartbreaking side of love led by Takeshi (who gained his breakthrough due to this film) and femme fatale; the inside-conversation he had were simply intriguing in a way that would make you completely understand the character and its suffering. The second story outclasses the first if I may say. It’s not only because it’s less dark or because it had more run-time but also because it takes on other interesting turns. It’s about Tony who suffers the problems of post-breakup until a cheerful soul came along.

The acting was good and the characters were quite fitting for the storytelling. Takeshi still didn’t gain much experience while doing this film so Tony and his female lead merit more credit.

As usual, Kar Wai’s camerawork was amazingly done and the cinematography was quite alluring for the film’s theme. And let’s not forget ‘California Dreaming’ that was a great choice of theme music.

Watch this if:
-You like Wong Kar Wai’s films or you want to meet his work.
-You appreciate different types of love stories.
-You like artistic love films.

Do not watch if:
-You think Kar Wai films “don’t have a plot”.
-You dislike any of the cast.

Chung King Express is a stylish storytelling of love tales orchestrated by the excellent love stories’ director Wong Kar Wai with a notable set of cast.

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I remember watching this movie and being really impressed by the characters. Or the writing of them. Each of our main characters really gets a voice and has a story to tell. Even the ones that aren't present get the chance. I feel like, in a lot of gay movies out there, there's a really strong focus on only the two gay characters, which is fine, but I guess this was refreshing in a way. I really liked the way the story reveals itself to our characters. It has really smooth transitions as well. I don't know. I found the story really touching. Each character is dynamic with their own struggles and their unique way of expressing themselves. I really liked it. Ah sorry if this isn't very helpful, but I thought it should be known it was a story worth watching.

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I just watched this movie in my local theater. I had no expectations. I only went so that I could see Lee Jin Wook's yumminess on a gigantic screen but I was pleasantly surprised. The movie is long, 2 hours and 7 minutes, but I didn't get bored with it. Han Hyo Joo was excellent in the role and you felt the pain she went through as she struggled with her unusual relationship. Although Jin Wook was only on screen for a few minutes, each Woo Jin before and after him played their part well. The changes felt seamless, though some you hated to see them go (Oh Ri On!!!).

Definitely catch it in theaters if you can., if only for all the handsome and pretty Woo Jins on the screen...

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I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS

Watch it if you want to be left feeling like a complete and utter wreck. Also don't watch it for those same reasons. I just feel the same as I did after completing twenty five twenty one. It's literally that except there's a plot twist at the end.

Be warned, there is no happy ending to this story. I'm still not over it. Bo Ra and Woon Ho deserved sooooooo much better.

It's a solid 8/10 for me but I am so mad / confused I want to give it less but it was a really good movie, I think the actors did a really good job portraying these characters and sharing their love story. It made me feel so many emotions.

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a Film about waiting.

I truly think that this movie did an excellent job to portray a story about waiting for the one you love.

There is also the fact that whenever they talk about homosexuality in the movie it always done implicitly (even if you can understand that they are talking about that), which is really a great thing because whenever I see an lgbtq+ film when the main character (or other characters) is homosexual, it is almost always screamed on every rooftop (
I do not have a problem with that, all kind of representation is good for me) and I just like to know that you do not have even to mention once in movie homosexuality to talk about it. Also, the fact that the homosexual representation in Korea is so minimal and not always well represented in media, as being part of the lgbtq+ community it does make happy to see such a good film on this kind of topic.

This is my personal opinion, but I do not think that the main point we should focus on here in this film is homosexuality, but love between two people that will continue throughout their growth as young adults, regardless of gender.
The fact that Soo Hyun is in a coma can be interpreted as time stoping for him, at one of the best moment of his life, when he is with Yong Joon at the beach, and then waking up with the world and his lover changed.
Yong Joon is at the same time is enduring the challenges that come with the discovery of his relationship by Soo Hyun's mother, of growing up, having a job, losing his father, continuing his studies and life without his lover and he is only waiting to be reunited with him. Of course, there is the fact that Soo Hyun's mother is at first not supportive of there relationship because it is a homosexual relationship, but she will with time realise that gender does not matter in a relationship and that the love that they have for each other matters more.

I really liked to watch this movie, it was a pleasant break from couples in dramas who are overdoing a bit everything and searching for problems in their relationships (of course, I do not say it is the case with every drama). It was refreshing and taught me a little more about being patient with the people you love.
I highly recommend it to anyone who does like a calm film now and then (and also to cry a bit).



P.S. thank you for reading my review, I do not know if you understood everything that I wrote. I just needed to put this somewhere.

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What happens when you reconnect with the one that got away?

The original Present Perfect is a good film, albeit has a very serious tone. This director showed us how to top up a good movie and not suffer from sequelitis.

Toey is once again in his 'escape trip', and after four long years, Oat decided to show up and reconnect. If I may say, Oat and Toey both somehow managed to look 'hotter' than when they shot the first film. The hotel is the perfect romantic backdrop, and the new character - Jen - provided what i never expected to be a needed lightness to the story. Kenta was cute but a little bit underused.

Yes, the story isnt unique by any means but our connection with the characters kept it engaging. I like the fact that Toey isnt all that selfsih and is self aware of the damage he could cause. I am specially moved by how they handled the situation with Oat's wife. One thing that surprised me negatively is that they made Yumi a divorcee in the end, as i didnt think it was necessary.

Is it a must watch? No, not exactly, its not a waste of time but it is NOTunforgettable. Is it rewatchable? To be honest, no, once is enough. If you're curious, go see the first film before watching this. At least the subscription to gagaoolala (for that month) was made worthy because of this. Overall rating 8 out of 10 stars.

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I've always said that Wong kar-wai's films are like odes to Hong Kong. Or Hong Kong as it was in the past. But Happy Together is not an ode to Hong Kong. Instead, it's set in the other side of the world: Argentina. An unlikely choice but a beautiful one.

As with other Kar-wai films, it's always the cinematography that lunges at you. Typical of his style. I'd say that Happy Together is probably much more daring than his other films. Often overshadowed by In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express, Happy Together is both a happy and sad portrayal of romance. Yes, it's a love between two men. But instead of focusing on that aspect like other films do, it focuses more on their time together. It's cynical as much as it is positive. Kar-wai won Best Director at Cannes for a reason.

The film also pays tribute to classic noir style. But with a purpose. The black-and-white colors reflect their time apart. And gradually...color emerges. There's color when they rekindle their relationship or as they say "start over" again. The visuals speak as much as the story, as much as the actors. The aesthetics are also reminiscent of other Kar-wai elements -- cramped apartments, sudden close-ups, intense DOFs. But the colors are all retro. They're vibrant and intense. Add some exotic music to that. The setting and scenery are all beautiful. It's so so so appealing to the eyes.

Of course, we have Tony Leung Chiu-wai again. Yes, he won Best Actor for In the Mood for Love but I'd say Happy Together is his opus. It's a much more dramatic, challenging and intense character, he delivered in with more passion characters. He wants Po-wing (Leslie Cheung) but he can't show that but we still know he does -- that part is delivered very well. On the other hand, we have a charismatic Leslie Cheung here. He's able to deliver Po-wing's character with such rawness and explosion of emotions. Conflicted but at the same time very powerful. The chemistry between the two is undeniable.

The film is about intimacy. And it shows that. Chiu-wai and Cheung's acting all delivers that. In the cinematography, in the sounds, it shows all that. Even if Chiu-wai's character speaks in Cantonese while Chen's character speaks in Mandarin, it doesn't create a distance because it shows the understanding between the two. Happy Together is so underrated compared to its counterparts but it's also one of the most beautiful.

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So English yet so Korean...

U know that one thing that is different about kdramas that you cannot find in other dramas all around the world. That vibe, feel that is hard to define but it is there. Yes, that is what I find the most in this movie. This movie is so Korean yet so English, one can only understand this after watching it. This masterpiece is unforgettable and has a very realistic ending. The eye contact between the leads is my favorite part of this movie.
And of course, this is the best movie of the year...
So don't contemplate whether to watch it or not and just watch it.

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One of the most important contemporary directors of today, Shunji Iwai gives us a suspenseful emotional ride in his latest film "A Bride for Rip Van Winkle". It reminds me a lot of "All about Lily Chou Chou"(also directed by Iwai) on how it uses the internet as the main element in the movie, how it affects characters minds and their relationship, simple chatting before social media now. This movie will make you realize how social media affects our society, how most of us make it our safe haven and sometimes create a fake identity and how that fake identity would factor in constructing our own, not giving much of a story away, the theme would be so obvious if you compare the 2 relationships of our main character had here, one living with lies and the other ironically real. Having said that, the theme in this movie was so strong and possibly the first time that was explored to this extent and just like Iwai said "I would like to show how we take to living in this world that our ancestor left us", so thought provoking indeed.

With 3 hours long this is perhaps the second longest Japanese movie I've ever seen next to Love Exposure and that is mainly because most climactic scenes were all shown in slow motion, it seems the director reiterates the point of what we should feel, some may be bother by it but I'm not as I see the reason for it, scenes before those slow-mos were so subtle so it's like a storm after a calm sea. Another reason is the criticism he is known for which is his film has a tendency to drag and some scenes were like that especially scenes that has metaphor in it or with meaningful dialogues, if you're like me who is into that then this will make the movie more engaging to you.

The film is basically a character study of a Nanami(Haru Kuroki), a part time teacher who is like a shadow, she has no personality, the film lets us follow her as how her character develops throughout the story, with Iwai's directing and Haru Kuroki's acting this film is an immersive experience. You can separate the movie into 3 parts the classic fall, perserverance, and finding happiness. The first act started when Nanami meets this guy on social media then without much thinking she eventually marries him, but the problem is she didn't have the ideal family, her parents were divorced and seems like their relatives broke the ties between them. Then she decided to hire Amuro(Gou ayano), a guy she met on social media, a jack of all trade ala Gintama, it is Amuro who provide fake relatives to her wedding. The end of the first act is strong as Nanami is humiliated and defeated and that first act sets up to a more interesting second and even third act. When I said suspenseful emotional ride I mean it as plot twist after plot twist, lies after lies got revealed but the biggest mystery is the title itself "A Bride for Riple Winke", what is relevance of that title in the story? Who is Riple Winkle? Well the way the movie reveals it is so clever, it's a work of a mad genius and definitely I didn't see that coming at all. Just like most of Iwai's films this film features misfits characters, those cut from society, this movie will depict their engaging journey and how will those character find love and happiness. Although with that engaging premise and roller coaster of emotions I had, still one important question in the movie remains a mystery although I'm sure that that was intended, I experienced that in All About Lily Chou Chou and I experienced it again here, I just don't know what to feel, I just thought of giving you a heads up cause that might annoyed you as well.

Great Cinematography to me is not just beautiful but also meaningful, it's just like in painting great painting should fascinate you, it should make you look closer to examine the details and not just stare at one and says "this painting is beautiful", you could have all the colors on your palette but if it's dull it's dull. Movies by Iwai are the best example for this they have the best cinematography I've ever seen that makes the movie so immersive and this movie is not an exception, his emphasis for lighting was really obvious here, it is stunning, extracting the natural colors in a scene, a perfectionist he truly is. Music really adds up to the emotion in those melodramatic scenes, particularly is that one scene with Nanami after the first act, the Visuals, the Slow-mo, the Music, the acting, it is perfect, I literally pause the movie and gather myself, stupid smile left on my face, instant goosebumps.

Iwai really loves using subtle actors in his films and the reason for that is because that kind of acting is most suited for his style of filming, before he had Aoi Yu and this time Haru Kuroki. Haru reminds me of Aoi Yu a lot they can even switch roles here and the strength of the character will remain the same, of course I'm not saying Aoi Yu is better, they are equally talented and Haru might even have some edge in drama and definitely in comedy. About haru's performance, I am one hundred percent convinced that this was her best performance I've seen from her and mind you I've seen a lot where she is considered great namely "emperor's cook" "juhan shutai" "little house" "solomon's perjury". The character she played here is so complex that one wrong move would make that character annoying, one wrong casting and the movie would be ruined, hard to explain it without laying spoilers, only you would realize what I meant when you watched it. There is one character I can't reveal here because of spoilers and it's a shame because I was equally impressed with her with haru and her name is not even included here on MDL. The character is crippled yet strong; she's like a playful spirited fairy and those eyes omg. The chemistry between them was magnetic, a total contrast to each other yet they share similarities, they want happiness. Gou Ayano although not as good as those two, it is his charisma that makes the character more mysterious and that is really important as that character is somewhat the one who drives the story. I have this theory about him that I will post on the comment section if you want, just click the spoiler button.

Movies like this makes me realize why I was fascinated, why I admire Japanese cinema so much, it is just that there is no other country that can offer me a story like this. Movie like this make me realize what kind of taste I have for movies, why I crave for original plot with clever twist, why I love thought provoking themes as those makes the movie to me an immersive experience. With that said, even with some draggy scenes or things remains unanswered I just couldn't give this lower than 9. Not a masterpiece but a must watch.

Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/

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Incredibly Fantastic ! EMOTIONAL, EVOCATIVE and POIGNANTE !!!

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST MOVIE OF 2024 !!!

My Name Is Loh Kiwan is an emotional rollercoaster romantic thriller that takes you on a thrill-filled journey in Belgium. The story runs smoothly from sadness to action-romance-beyond realism the harsh reality of refugees. The plot is well-paced, with the main characters developing progressively the dark tone of rom element keeps the audience entertained. Every one character's actions are legitimate and dependable on eachother, running with Loh Kiwan and Marie story, it represents story between Father-daughter, Mother-son. My Name is Loh Kiwan carries a wide range of all genres that can be really liked by anyone ( watchers). The cast of every character truly symbolizes their specific roles, delivering how the characters feel to life. Loh Kiwan triggers an indication on other cinematic brilliant works of the Korean film industry.

[ 10/10 !!!! ]

Outstanding Soundtrack, top quality Cinematography (Loh Kiwan Close-up shots are good) Visually amazing every scene by setting dark tone; the film displays beautiful atmospheres that reflect each character's existential experience.

[ SONG JOONG-KI ]

Song Joong-ki's physical appearance conversion, and emotionally charged makeover are certainly the film's standout paths. His physical appearance is the centerpiece that allows ourselves to emotionally. engage with the story in a deeper way. He again shown the versatility of his acting with this movie. Giving a chance to Debute director is really a good challenge. He took the challenge and deleveried his acting in new way proficiently. Song Joong-ki as Kiwan has won the hearts of the audience. His versatility is beyond words and after you’ve seen his other projects, it is proved how easily he molds himself as per the requirements of his role.

[ LEAD ACTORS ]

Loh Ki-wan's transformation from at risk to strength is prominent, while Marie's struggles with addictions and issues with her family throw depth to her character. Their on-screen chemistry surpasses geographical boundaries, and their love story narrates overwhelming feeling of mutual suffering and redemption that connects to watchers. As i expected the climax made me cry, especially Choi Sung Eun acting like suffering from outside circumstances and dealing with her own emotions Loh Kiwan feelings will make everyone emotional. And Song Joong-ki classic in climax leave good impression on his character development.

[ DIRECTION - WRITTING ]

Debute movie of Director Kim Hee-jin, she utilised her cast perfectly within the small looking big story, i really appreciate her work of Loh Kiwan, because it's her first movie and cast like Song Joong-ki Choi Sung Eun so I doubted there's a some pressure on her but after watching the movie I understand I was worng.
She carried masterfully every scene. Although it's an adaptation the movie writer brilliantly delivered the script with heart touching lines. Loh Kiwan standout with unique mix of traditional story telling with amazing scenes that make you enjoy and emotional feel in every moment.The performances of supporting actors such as Lee Sang-hee, Kim Sung-ryeong, and Cho Han-chul are also excellent.

[ Finally ]
South Korean Film makers never fail to deliver a movie from Intense battles to emotional tales, and western entertainment media appreciate Korean Film Makers as " South Korea is a goldmine of original ideas and storytelling talents ". And we can saw it from Loh Kiwan.

Definitely one of the most memorable films I've seen. This movie may inspire, sometimes horrify, or send you into an existential crisis, but it will make you think about something new by the time you finish it. Despite its dark underlying themes, the film ultimately delivers an appealing message of hope and endurance, leaving viewers with a sense of satisfaction and emotional ride..



brought by -- Shinnosuke_Lee

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Let's start with clarifying our lead's entry and continued existence in the world of prostitution. The lead isn't being coerced or forced, he gets something out of each and every encounter in this movie.
Now that's out of the way,

This movie contains some 'difficult to watch scenes' and explicit, yet realistic portrayals of sex.

''I want to know what women want, what they're thinking. If they could have ANYTHING, what do women really desire?''

When do our desires become perverse, what is perversion?
This movie seeks to explore not only human sexuality, but the disconnection from humanity that so much of today's youth experience.
We don't know how to connect, where to begin.
For some, sexual encounters are the ultimate disconnect we seek, for others it's the single point of connection.
This movie seeks to portray ''meaningless sexual encounters'' in their correct context, it will perhaps help YOU redefine your interpretation of meaningless sex.
Once this movie is finished, take a moment to ponder - what kind of sexual encounter was meaningless to him?
I have my own thoughts on that.

We follow a completely ordinary man, in an extraordinary occupation in which he ultimately finds solace, defeating loneliness by gaining his own version of ''great purpose''.

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This darn tear-jerker.

If you're looking for a real horror, this isn't it.
If you hate crying, this definitely isn't it.
I'd say for this movie, it's tragedy before horror. Sure, there are some horror elements, however- it's really more sad than scary.

The story is subtle. It's not deep. I have to remind you that this show's literal title is TRAIN TO BUSAN. It's a whole show about characters doing their utmost best to reach the safe zone- Busan. On a train. It lived up to its title, i'll give it that.

The acting and characters were great. Gong Yoo's acting is excellent, as expected. His character's development was amazing. He went from a selfish to selfless man that learned to truly care for others more.
Ma Dong Seok's character is as likeable here as his character in Bad Guys. You'll get fixated with his character for sure. This actor deserves more recognition.
And the most unexpected- Kim Soo An. She's an adorable and talented little actress. Then again, most Korean child actors and actresses raise the international standard for acting capabilities amongst children.
Kim Eui Seong's character is extremely unlikeable, proving that he played his role well.

The music is good. It's suitable when it's suitable.

Rewatch value: 10
Heck yeah i'd watch it again.
I can tell you that I am definitely not a fan of zombie movies but as I said earlier, it's more of a tragedy than horror. So if you're a major zombie-apocalypse-kind-of-movie fan that finds value in the horror aspect and expects this movie to fulfil it to its best, don't expect too much. The makeup is realistic and well-done.

Even if I cry my eyes out again, it's worth the watch.
If you enjoy a little bit of horror, action, thrill, a little wincey bit of comedy and quite a bit of tragedy, give this movie a go. It's one hell of a ride.

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This movie really emphasized the meaning “actions speak louder than words”. Through the silence of the main character the watcher was able to focus more on the actions and were able to freely translate the body language. Things like eating with one another, crying on each other's shoulder, touching feet under the table, taking a picture together, or other such simple gestures became much more powerful and meaningful.

This movie is very quiet but it works quite well for it. Throughout the entire movie, probably only about 4 songs are played. Three of which are instrumentals and the fourth an extremely calming, beautiful song called Gafsa sung by Natacha Atlas. Music would only be played if a scene needed to be over emphasized. This only happened a select few times in the movie but when music would play it would do exactly that. It would evoke a whole new kind of feeling from a scene.

As for the dialogue, it was also very quiet. In the entire movie, the extras had more dialogue than the two main characters. The main male character, Taesuk did not have a single line while the main female character, Sunhwa, had two.

The plot and dialogue alone may not have been anything amazing, but the idea of the movie appeared not to be focused on a gripped story. Instead, it felt more focused on extracting emotions from the audience and allowed the audience silence to think and interpret the movie without distractions of constant dialogue, music, and plot changes. Its beauty lies in its simplicity.

For people that are into solid plots, surprising twists, complex dialogues, and romance, I would not recommend this movie. But for the people that can appreciate a calming, simplistic movie with realistic themes this would be for them.

This is my all time favorite movie and is the only thing on this site that I'm okay with giving a 10 on rewatch value because no matter how many times I watch it I never get sick of it

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Honestly I just finished to watch this movie, and I hurry to write this review cause I have so many thought about this movie and can't wait to share !

1. Inteeeeeense, If you want a lovey dovey story or a simple robbery movie it's not the case ! Violent, Brutality and Cruelty are word to describe this movie. SO if you are too young, or live in a cute world, or still are innocent, this movie isn't for you.

2. It's not the common movies with beautiful scene and happy end. I love the work of the director: from the very first second of the movie you can feel the dystopia of the world. I really don't want to spoil just to know, you can feel the reality of the hard life they have (or had) and the parallel world of dramaland without any censorship with Tattoo, Smoking, and Insult in every single scene.

3. The cast: I don't need to speak about Choi Woo Shik I think he totally suit to movie more than drama, he's a skilled actor. I was glad surprise with Lee Je Hoon (I didn't even recognize with his evolution since Fashion King) and with Ahh Jae Hong, we can plainly see a new face of him totally different from Be Melodramatic or Fight for my Way. Last but not least Park Hae Soo is so so so impressive, this expressionless face and psychopath idea are just stunning

4. The family meaning in this movie make us reflect a lot about it. Is family only blood member ? Is it more important than our own life ? Is friend able to remplace a mother place ?

So I hardly recommend this movie if you want to live intense moment and stressful scene. If you have a fragile and delicate heart it's not for you ehehe

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