I'm lost
The budget for this drama is budgeting lol I could tell they put in a lot. As someone who's interested in filmmaking, I love the cinematography of this. However, there were some transitions that were cringey lol.I think the main problem for this is the screenplay/script/plot. I feel like they could've focused on the naga thing more; made it more mysterious and thrilling. They focused too much on Lin and Sun's relationship (and the others) that it overshadowed the could-have-been-unique-plot. The girl friend subplot with the cheating boyfriend was random, it was unnecessary to progress her relationship with the designer girl. They could have come up with another medium and not the cheating boyfriend. I mean, she had a boyfriend and the next thing she was kissing with a girl. Juladis and Chan were unnecessary too. Could have been another subplot that's actually worthy of screen time.
There were so many scenes and screen times that were unnecessary and nonsensical and it's a pity they were not used for other more interesting things to support the plot.
For the characters, the girl had personality while the other guy did not. The OST was also meh. It was not memorable.
I can see that the production company can spend a lot when it comes to dramas. I hope they invest on the right materials for their artists. I would compare this to Be On Cloud. I especially love their production (when it comes to cinematography and stuff) as you could tell it's been given ample budget. Now, they had produced rather unique and bold dramas (the plot/story).
P.S. Bank was so pretty in this drama like all 12 episodes he was serving.
P.P.S. I don't get why it was titled Sunset X Vibes lol.
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It's not the greatest but not the worst
First of all, I have read the novel and I can pretty much say that the series is almost following the novel. Almost because there is no Cherry arc in the novel.Anyway, I was actually anticipating for this series since it was announced because it's following KinnPorsche. And because of the very fact that it's following KP that it didn't become a success. I personally think that if this was aired years ago or just before KP, people would probably like it or at least tolerate it. But since KP aired first and people watched the behind-the-scenes of every eps, the really great acting of the casts even though most of them are also rookies in the acting industry, it resulted to the comparison of the two dramas since both have similar theme: mafia love.
It also doesn't live up to the mature theme it was supposed to be showing. It's 2022 and BL fans are tired of timid kissing and awkward touching. BL fans are tired of University stories. The BDSM theme of UN intrigued the mass since it's probably the first one in Thai BL history. But I understand that it's still a long process to actually show proper BDSM practices and acts.
Let's go to the acting, esp the main actors. Yoon and Ton, which I am still confused who is who. So let's stick with Kamol and Kim. Contrary to the other reviews here, I prefer Kamol's acting than Kim's and I don't know why. I can't help but cringe sometimes when Kim's on the screen, which he is 90% of the time. The side characters, however, act more naturally and likeable, esp. Cherry and Danai. The casting of this drama wasn't great, esp for KK couple. Kamol or Yoon is so soft looking and as they all say, has a baby face. You really can't imagine that kind of face to be a badass mafia. I also find it quite funny that Kim's body is buffer than Kamol's. I think they should've worked out to fit their characters physically.
After I finished watching ep 1, I accepted that this series will not be the one I was expecting. Let's get this straight. It's not really great. However, I am compelled in watching this. It's fun since Kamol's character is loveable. He's pretty much whipped and devoted to Kim just like in the novel. Kim's got an attitude in the novel which I found irritating but fortunately, in the series, I didn't find him irritating. He's sassy and stubborn.
To end this, this drama is like an oasis in a desert. It's not big and probably contaminated but it quenches the thirst of good BL drought. I also find this rewatchable because it's really not heavy at all. Usually, great BLs have heavy plot and it's quite difficult to rewatch them. For example, ITSAY. Great drama but I find it hard to rewatch since it's serious and heavy.
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One of the most highly-anticipated BL and it did not disappoint
I am one of the millions of people who had been eagerly waiting for KinnPorsche to air on 2021 until it moved and moved and moved and finally, they dropped the official trailer.Trailer:
It was freaking awesome. My initial thought was it's more like a movie trailer with high-budget production. I loved the cinematography, the color grading of each scenes, the energetic music of Slot Machine's Free Fall, the stunts, the visuals, the acting... it was a bomb trailer.
Comparing it to the old trailer, it's pretty obvious that the old one with Filmania was much more inclined with the novel. The production there was actually pretty good too.
What do I prefer? I loved the book so bad so I actually preferred the old one.
Casts:
9.8/10. It should have been 10 but I thought that the actor (Na) who played Tawan wasn't physically suitable as Kinn's ex. Whether in the book or drama, if you look at Kinn's ex flings or boytoys, they were all, let's just say, twinks: slim, petite, cute, feminine because it's actually Kinn's type. Na's acting was great, no arguments, it's just that as Tawan, who was Kinn's ex, it's a little funny since he's also tall (I think taller than Mile?) and bulky too.
Special mention to Tong, no one could pull of the character of Tankhun better than him. Whenever I read Thankhun's (it's the spelling in the book) dialogue in the novel, I always hear Tong's voice lol. Also, Apo, ah, so precious. I am always fascinated whenever he appears on the screen. Even if he's on the side and not talking, his facial expressions are always on point.
Characters (drama ver.):
Porsche - He's not so different from the book: hot-headed and always raising his voice lol. He's as soft as a pillow but also tough as a rock. If you look at him, he's still like a child. He was forced to grow up and shoulder all the responsibilities like taking care of Porchay, working several jobs for Porchay's education, to pay off debts, and all. Most people say he's stupid but BOC writers made him like that. He's actually so skilled in the book. He aced the shooting, the fighting, swimming, everything! But here, they made him a thug who's just good at fighting in the streets.
Kinn - He's calmer. I can't think of any more adjectives. I loved book version Kinn because he's clingy and the obsessive type lol. One of his habit that I think BOC missed to include was Kinn has a habit of sniffing Porsche whether on his neck or cheeks and another is, whenever they have s*x, Kinn turns off the A/C because he's insane for a sweaty Porsche lol. He said he's sexy when he's sweaty.
Vegas - To those who read their sidestory, it's obvious that they toned it down with his character and made it more humane. What he did to Pete was rather unforgivable and traumatic so it was good to what they did with him in the drama.
Pete - Precious Pete. He's more fleshed out in the drama and I love his and Porsche's friendship here.
Kim - He had even lessee screen time in the drama than in the novel. Arm and Pol have more screen time than him and to be honest, he's also my least favorite character in the book. Don't ask me why.
Tankhun - They're both crazy and rich. But I think novel version Khun's crazier just a little bit.
Korn - He's colder here. In the book, he's very fatherly to Porsche. Not a slip to his good father image that's why you wouldn't ever suspect him.
Music:
10/10 especially Why Don't You Stay by Jeff Satur. Too bad they seldom use it. I also hoped they used a few more songs and not just the three songs though.
Plot:
They say it's just porn with amazing acting. For everyone's information, KinnPorsche has 4 books, the first book opens the actual plot. Basically, the book 1 is just introducing the characters, their connections with each other and what's their role in the plot. That's why revelations were in the last eps and in fact, in the book, it's a cliffhanger when Korn or Kinn's father says that all his chess pieces are complete. So book 1 is the tip of the iceberg. You can say it’s a plot within a plot.
If you wanna have a full experience then read the novel, at least there you'll know what Kinn's, Porsche's, Pete's and Vegas' thoughts are.
Talking about the r*pe scene, the book version was harsher as Kinn didn't really restrained himself. In the drama, it different. Porsche was semi-conscious in the drama while in the book, he was still in the effects of drugs.
I'm not justifying rape but in the drama, it's more dubious consent. The book ver was the real r*pe.
Production:
As I said, I'm the type of person who loves watching the behind-the-scenes of films and such. I always appreciate the cinematography, the production design, lighting, editing, and so on. I think, this is where lies the inconsistencies.
I am always confused of the main family's house. Looking it on the outside, its architectural design's more like Victorian's but on the inside, it's very, very modern and high tech.
What I noticed the first time I watched was the background audio of some scenes. For example, on the episode where all the bodyguards lined up to meet the second family and it's the ep where Vegas smiled at Porsche and the latter asked Pete about it. What followed was a funny scene but the music wasn't. It's actually awkward that the dialogues wer funny but the music isn't. Another recent ep with similar case, the ep 12, where Porsche confronted Kinn about the house. That scene was tense so the music should've been too but it wasn't. It was rather soft and mellow.
Next is the editing. I noticed that every ep produces fluctuations when it comes to emotions. It's good but what they do in KinnPorsche is they switch scenes so fast. Personally, it's annoying that there's an emotional scene on the first half, then it gets cut off by a funny scene, then back to the emotional, then another funny scene, then another new tense scene. For example, in ep 13, we had VegasPete, their scene was intense but it suddenly got cut off. As a result, the tense feeling you got earlier is also cut off. Like aside from having a "roller-coaster ride", I personally like to feel emotions building up as time goes by and not like being on the edge of your seat then it gets cut off the continue again. It's rather anticlimactic.
That's actually what I noticed every episode. They like cutting off scenes and placing them wherever. If it’s an important scene: whether it's a love scene, a confrontation, etc. It would be better if it's not cut.
Overall, it may not be the most "perfect" BL drama but it sure is one of the best today. A drama to be defeated. Also, I'm still sad that BOC didn't include several cute and important scenes in the book. Seriously, the drama has deviated so much from the book lol. The similarities would be: 99% names of characters, 90% plot, 10% scenes lol.
Edit:
EP 14 Reaction:
Just finished watching ep 14 and holy shiiiiiiit. The ep is filled with plot twists! However, I was disappointed so early when I didn't get the scene in the book when Kinn learned that Porsche's mom was his Dad's sister. Kinn was so devastated that he collapsed on his knees and asked Porsche what should he do. The scene in the drama was nowhere near emotional. Anyway, I was shocked when they killed Chan lol, he was Korn's confidant in the book and may be the only one who knew the whole game of Korn. The whole battle scene was surprisingly just okay for me, the smoke was obviously just an effect and poorly done at that. In short, it could've been more powerful. Best action scene goes to Jeff, hands down. I'm not sure if it's enhanced in terms of speed but holy moly he nailed the action scene, seriously. I thought his last actions scene still needs improvement but he definitely delivered his best in ep 14. Bible and Build truly are the scene stealers of this series. So happy BOC included Vegas, Pete, and Macau moment! Let's wait for Venice lol.
Lastly, my babies Kinn and Porsche. First of all, Apo looks so good with his hair like that. Apo's switching of emotions throughout the ep shows how incredible he is as an actor; from the start of the ep, rage, confusion, sad, then the action scene, then bewildered when he saw his mom, then confused again, and so on. Mile's facial expressions plus his soft voice reveals that Kinn is a soft-hearted and emotional person and is weak as the head of the main family. That's why now I understood why in the book, Korn appointed Kim as the new head.
SEE YOU IN SEASON 2 OF KINNPORSCHE THE SERIES, EVERYONE!
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Hmm
Expect that when it comes to MeMindY, the kisses will be great; a thousand steps from mediocre kissing scenes, level of KinnPorsche... but I think the greatness stops there. Aside from the kisses and visual of Payu, there's really nothing special about it. The story isn't something new, the music isn't catchy, the script looks like it was done by elementary kids, the acting isn't that great either but the production is good; the cinematography, the lighting, etc. [But let me just call out again the script because it's horrible. I can and I believe everyone can too, write scripts with much more substance than that.]However, I think it has high rewatch value because of the steamy scenes and of course, Payu.
This will be the 3rd series that I will be watching that comes from MAME. She's a very controversial person as her stories have problematic themes. Her best one will always be TharnType even though it's also problematic. Out of the three MMY series: TTTS, Don't Say No, and this, I can see how the development when it comes to intimacy, they become unhinged.
Edit: I've finished and I can say the acting of FortPeat needs major improvement. I can feel their physical touching (stroking the hair, etc.) scripted. The last ep which was supposed to be dramatic and full of tension failed to even make it halfway.
You know, they all need to undergo acting workshop more. The cinematography and the quality of the series is great but the actors really need improvement.
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UNEXPECTEDLY GOOD
Korean BLs are not my favorites as they have the same storylines, same cinematography, etc. The story for this isn't something new, the cinematography isn't new either, but what makes it different is the actors, and the script. Finally, we have a main lead, Ki Tae, that's communicating. He delivered and saved this drama from becoming just another Korean BL. My favorite scene would be when Ki Tae panicked and looked for Lee Wan in the streets. It felt real. Their kiss at the end can still be improved. It was a little awkward to see them kiss and there's a space between them while kissing, not even placing their hands on each other's neck or face.Overall, I'm happy that I get to rate a Korean BL a 9.5 stars. I'm so tired of rating BLs last and this year not lower and higher than 6.
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Repetitive
I am annoyed by this lakorn. Like seriously annoyed. For the first episodes, I thought it would be compelling but I was wrong. Almost all scenes are repeated esp. the scenes of the lead guy and girl. And it's always in the guy's room. One ep there will be a scene where the guy will insult the girl and push her to the bed and attempt to r*pe her (ATTEMPT is the key word) and the next ep will be the same again, insult, push, attempt, cry, walk out, next ep, same routine. I also hate that everyone (except for Din and Mie(?)) in this drama are stupid. Plain stupid. The main guy is so easy to trick and manipulate. I can't even with him. The main girl is so kind that it's stupid. The 2nd couple too, the girl gets so manipulated easily by the aunt and her daughter.I really didn't like the lead guy here. I wished that the girl didn't forgive the guy. I would be happier if this lakorn won't have the mains to be together in the end but yeah people be sucker for happy endings right?
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Heart-wrenching
Word for the drama: Beautiful.This was beautiful. So raw. So natural.
The first thing I noticed is the OST. The Skyline? I immediately looked it up on Spotify and downloaded both Thai and Chinese version. Also, the title is beautiful. I always appreciate titles like these.
Second, the acting of the MC and ML were topnotch. It's so natural, as if it's real. At first, I got the same feeling of Your Name Engraved Herein. I really did not believe this was a series. I think it's not your mainstream BL series.
Third, it's realistic. Being confused in life, especially when entering college. It's the stage in life where all sorts of thoughts and emotions enter your mind.
This drama is one in a million. If you're expecting fluffy moments then this is not it. This is genuinely real-life experience.
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Overrated
I watched this on 2020 then dropped it when it was near the end. To be honest, the reason why I watched this was because of Bright. He wasn't a big star then, his IG followers was just around 100k when I discovered him on Pinterest.The first half was entertaining; neither good nor bad. It was fluffy and funny. Win was cute, his acting was okay. On the other hand, Bright didn't do it for me. I really tried to finish the series but I just couldn't take it anymore lol. I've seen a lot of comments saying that Bright has acted before 2gether and that his acting was good but in this drama, it was awkward and... bad. It's like he's a newbie. I think this was Win's first drama, am I right? He was good for a newbie.
I think the reason why I started to dislike this was because of Bright's acting and it gets boring. 2gether was not different from other dramas. It's not really special. I think that it's just a hit because of Bright and Win's visuals.
The music of scrubb was great. I liked it when I was watching the drama but now I don't even remember what the OSTs were.
Overall, I think it's an overrated and overhyped drama. It's not a "masterpiece" as everyone claims. There's really nothing new. If I had reviewed this during its airing, maybe I would've rated this a 9 or even a 10 but since I have watched several BLs, I can really say this wasn't as amazing as they say. I genuinely believe "I Told Sunset About You" is what I can say is a masterpiece. It deserves so much more recognition; not just the actors but the director and the entire production team. The director, I think it's Boss, was amazing. Watch the documentary of thecbehind-the-scenes of ITSAY.
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Best BL of All Time
Don't say no more, it belongs to the greatest BLs of all time in the history of BLs. It's not often GMMTV produces a BL that is genuinely great, let's be honest. The story concept really fits JimmySea's image.The OST? Spot on! Though, i thought Joong was the one who sang it haha they have the same singing voice. The minor characters are great. There were just some sloppy writings towards the end.
An unwanted opinion, the script almost felt like they were antagonizing Mhok by always baby-ing Day. I felt like they didn't delve enough on Mhok's side. Just my cents.
Overall, one of the best out there.
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Does it live up to the hype?
Pit Babe, like KP, is one of the most anticipated and hyped series because of its unique premise and storyline. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first BL which has an omegaverse (without the Omega) kind of theme. We have Alphas and Enigmas and they have supernatural abilities.The casting is great, definitely a treat to the eyes. Their acting? A little meh. Needs more improvement. But i understand, it's their debut after all. Well, except for Pavel. He's a good actor.
The music is meh. It didn't leave a mark on me. Didn't even notice it.
The stunts? Meh. It felt sloppy and I could see they're punching the air. Sloppy works. The standard when it comes to action scenes is KP. On episode 12, when Charlie rescued Babe, the action scenes are... bad. I couldn’t feel Charlie's grit and intensity with those punches.
The ep 13, I don't know if it's just me but it didn't feel like a finale. I didn't feel any excitement. It felt bland. It felt rush in a way.
Note: The series stayed true to the source text/material. Maybe 85 to 90% is the same in the novel.
Rewatch value: for me, though, its definitely rewatchable because it's relatively on the light and fluffy side.
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Everyone, aside from Denis, eat your dinner!
Am I one of the few people that actually liked this series? It had many shortcomings but I did enjoy this. I would've preferred if they lessened Denis' screen time and if not, his backstory should've have been told clearly. He was just acting the same every screen time he had. Also, I wanted to point out that Denis was the one who shot the arrow, right? Or am I just trippin' here?Story wise: It's good. Not original, of course, but it had potential to be great. The script was so-so.
Acting wise: They both did a great job for a piece of crap script.
Music: It's okay.
Cinematography: It's good, esp the forest scene.
Rewatch value: I'd rewatch this again.
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A Masterpiece
I watched ITSAY last year and I told myself I wouldn't watch the sequel because I got spoilers that Teh cheated and I hated infidelity as a theme. As I was browsing YouTube, I stumbled upon a video about PPBK and later on, I realized I was watching the documentary of IPYTM and I told myself I have to watch this right now and I did. 5 hrs straight.First of all, I would like to point out the production design and the cinematography. The locations, the shots, the fx, the mood, the lighting- everything was beautiful and high quality. I especially love the city lights and the bokeh of lights on the background. Just like I Told Sunset About You, I loved the title of this one. Because they moved to the city, they don't have sunsets anymore so they all had is the moon to tell their story.
For the characters, I felt like this sequel focused more on Oh-aew while the ITSAY was for Teh. And because of that, PP Krit shone here while Billkin on ITSAY. I would say that heart-wretching scenes were not as great as in ITSAY. Although PP Krit really did great, I felt that he could've given more emotions to emotional scenes. Unlike Billkin, when he cries, there's just something about his crying face. My most favorite part was when Oh was reading the messages of Teh; PP Krit was able to project heavy emotions plus the background music matched the scene. Also, please don't come at me but the kissing scene of Teh and Jai was really good. In fact, I kind of liked how they kissed than when Teh and Oh kiss. I don't know why. Another is Q and company, they're really great people. It may seem as they are "bad" influences since they like to party and all but they just know how to enjoy and have fun. They're pretty solid.
I was able to relate more in IPYTM than in ITSAY because it's what the reality in college. You will really open your eyes to the actual world: the things you once loved or liked won't be anymore. Teh's problem was he liked constant. He already planned and envisioned his life without thinking that the things and people around him have their own minds. He created his own world where everything revolves around him. Oh-aew, on the other hand, initially didn't appear to get a hold of things unlike Teh who had a more positive and enthusiastic approach. His life stopped for a moment because of the new environment they were in. However, he gradually learns and adjusts resulting to him shifting courses, getting a tattoo, dyeing his hair, being more independent, and all.
When he told Teh about changing courses, I understood why Teh reacted like that. He willingly gave up his place to enter Oh's University because he saw how determined and passionate Oh when it comes to acting. They studied together, planned their future careers, promised to stand by each other's side as actors. So imagine how painful it must have been to hear that. However, no matter how painful it is, we can't do anything about it because change is inevitable. He promised to love Oh and that would never change but he really couldn't detach himself to the idea that everything revolves around him.
When they broke up, I wasn't as devastated because they really need to grow apart. Teh especially. He needed to sort what he really wanted. When Oh-aew was reading the messages, it was the time when it hit me their conversation in the parking lot, the day of Teh's play. He actually fulfilled his promise to Oh-aew that he wouldn't disappear. He was consistent in messaging him, updating him and all. I thought that it was, somehow, beautiful. Like of course, it's the least he could do after all what he's done but still.
For the music, I'm kind of bummed that the songs they used didn't affect me as much as Skyline did in ITSAY. Skyline, both Thai and Chinese versions, was freaking great. I absolutely loved it. It's what sold me to watch ITSAY, to be honest. I was really looking forward to the soundtrack but none matched Skyline. Still, I'll try to listen to it.
To close this lengthy review, I Promised You The Moon is just as brilliant as I Told Sunset About You. It's not about two guys finding love and happiness. It's beyond. It's about finding and accepting yourselves, learning to grow and outgrowing your past selves, embracing changes, letting go, finding solace within yourselves, and ultimately, realizing that the person who knows you best is yourself.
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It's okay
This drama is more of a coming-of-age kind of BL. Yes, although, there is explicit romance and fluff but personally, it focused more on the discovery of the self and the things that come with it. At first, it kind of did looked like your cliché BL but as it goes on, it "strayed" away from that path.The drama was just an "okay" drama because it just revolved around the 5 characters. There weren't even parents present in their respective houses. Another thing, when the MC realized that he liked a guy, he didn't undergo any pondering, reflection, or what. I mean, I don't know about other people but that kind of discovery deserved some time to think.
In addition, when people debated on who TK will choose between the DO and SW, I thought that it was better to not choose at all. I felt like TK could've given himself time to think things. He was torn between his former like and present like. TK liked DO because he was the first friend he had and TK developed feelings towards SW because he was there during his broken-hearted phase. I liked SW's character and I believe he didn’t deserved that affection or feelings that developed just because he was the one comforting TK when he was broken-hearted and sad because of DO. What if another person was there for TK? Will he also develop feelings for that person? Just my thoughts.
Anyway, still a good drama. There were really good philosophical thoughts here. Very quotable.
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SUPER
I watched this before reading the actual novel and I'm glad I did because the novel is filled with imageries and it's hard to imagine those and many terms. This drama will always be special because it's my first time completely watching a historical and a fantasy drama. It's also my first time watching Wang Yibo act (He's very popular). The scene where he allowed WWX to leave/escape and he shed a tear will always be heartbreaking.There were several differences in the drama and in the novel (esp the love scenes) but most were the same or similar. It's refreshing to see same dialogs in the novel and in the drama because in most cases, adaptations undergo revisions.
The ending of this drama is way different from the novel. In this ending, it's not appropriate considering the hardship LWJ faced for WWX. He waited for 16 years for WWX to return and he didn't even know if he'd return at all, still he waited and at the end, he'll part ways with him? They could've made a different ending and still be censored. SPOILER FOR THE NOVEL... They did not part ways at all.
Anyway, the acting of everyone is really commendable. Xiao Zhan really nailed WWX, he's almost like a Yandere with the way he smirks. Zhu Zanjin nailed the villain role too.
It's a 50 ep drama, I was almost hesitant to watch since it's so long but every ep is relevant. There's also a special edition which is 20 ep long.
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ROLLER-COASTER
I would like to congratulate the casts for an outstanding acting for their roles, esp Baitong. She portrayed the role very well.The emotions are really on a roller-coaster but towards the end, I just felt frustrated and hurt. I did not know how they will discover what Baitong did because the only one who knows most of her doings was Nee. I also want to mention that she really looks like Yaya, another famous Thai actress and model.
Anyway, it was a good watch but I don't think it's a good re-watch drama since it became heavy towards the end.
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