Reviews

Better Than Its Controversy: The Writing Deserved More Credit

I'll start with the elephant in the room. This drama deserves to be remembered for its story rather than its controversy. Before it even aired, much of the discussion centered on the significant age gap between the lead actors, as the actress was only 17 during filming. It's a valid concern and one that understandably made many viewers hesitant to watch the drama. While I understand the criticism, I think the responsibility lies with the production and casting team rather than the actors themselves. Choosing to cast a minor in a romance inevitably placed everyone involved, especially her co-star, in an uncomfortable position. Regardless of where people stand on the controversy, it's difficult to deny that the casting choice shaped how audiences perceived the drama long before it premiered.

That said, after watching the drama, I can see why it ultimately passed censorship. If you're expecting passionate romance or steamy kiss scenes, let me save you the trouble, there aren't any. Despite being marketed as a romance, the romance remains incredibly restrained throughout. While some viewers may find that disappointing, it also means the story never crosses the line many people assumed it would based solely on the controversy.

What deserves far more attention, in my opinion, is the drama itself. It's unfortunate that many dismissed it before giving it a chance because what impressed me most was the writing. This isn't a drama where you can judge characters based on first impressions. No one is exactly who they claim to be, and every revelation forces you to rethink what you thought you knew. Every alliance feels fragile, every conversation hides another agenda, and you constantly find yourself questioning who is actually telling the truth. You constantly find yourself questioning who the real villain is as deception, political schemes, and hidden motives continue to unfold.

I especially enjoyed the unusual relationship between the male lead, the female lead, and the second male lead. It's far from the typical love triangle. Instead of relying on familiar tropes like contract marriages, the drama throws the heroine into an arranged marriage as the third wife of Xiao Wu Yi, while her childhood crush also happens to be her new husband's closest friend. From there, personal relationships are sacrificed for political ambitions. What follows is a tragic chain of events where friendships crumble, loyalties are tested, and entire families become entangled in conflicts fought in the name of protecting the kingdom.

What makes Xiao Wu Yi fascinating is that he fully embraces being misunderstood. Rather than seeking sympathy, he embraces ruthless, calculated methods to achieve his goals, yet every questionable decision he makes serves a purpose far greater than himself. He knowingly chooses to become the villain in everyone else's story if it means protecting the people and nation he cares about. Another pleasant surprise was how well the drama writes its female characters. Each woman has her own ambitions, strengths, and purpose beyond romance. Rather than restricting them, Xiao Wu Yi recognizes their strengths and encourages them to pursue their own paths. It's a subtle but refreshing reminder that women are just as capable as men and don't necessarily need a man to define their worth.

Do I think the drama is perfect? No. It plays the romance a little too safely. For a story filled with political intrigue, sacrifice, and complicated relationships, I expected much stronger emotional payoff. The acting from both leads is solid, but because the romance remains so restrained, many of the emotional moments don't hit as hard as they could have. This had all the ingredients to become a deeply yearning, heartbreaking romance, yet it rarely fully embraces those emotions. Perhaps with age-appropriate casting, the romance could have reached its full emotional potential and explored the romantic aspect more confidently. It's a shame the chemistry never truly comes through, even though they look incredibly well matched on screen. Even with its flaws, I think this drama deserved far more recognition than it received. Beneath the controversy lies an intelligent political drama with compelling characters and enough twists to keep you guessing.

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Hear me out...

Whenever you gonna love, hate or have ambiguous feelings about this season is all dependent on whenever you like Youkyung - she was the main character and the editing was focusing on her a lot. Since she was my favorite, I loved the season a lot.

Does this season deliver a lot on love lines? Not really. There is exactly one ship with solid progression and if you are not into these two people, nothing will do much for you since most pairings felt like Titanic to crush from the start. That said, what this show for sure delivered for me are friendships and fun interactions. This felt far more like a slice of life than romance genre.

The friendship between the girls was amazing to watch and if you add Queen Jun Hyeon it gets even better. I love that no matter how complicated the romantic relationships were, it never felt like it negatively affects the friendships themselves. Bromance between Jun Hyeon and Seowon? Amazing. Seowon and Youkyung as besties? Perfection.

Obviously there are major flaws too. I don't even want to talk about PPLs, these were a joke. Usually I don't mind these, I view them as literal adds, but when they used pairing interactions to sell products it makes you doubt how real their interactions were in the first place and how much of it was scripted.

What's more, Jeong Gyu Ri issue. Do I care what's the truth? Not really. Sure she is participating in a variety show, but in my eyes she is still a normal private person, I don't care about what happens outside of the show. But I hated how the production team dealt with it. Staying silent, then saying they are checking out the truth, then silence, and then just writing her off completely. Especially since she did in fact bring some spice into the show - that legendary truth game!

Then the forced editing. If by the end you start showing clips from earlier moments that you cut out of the show to confuse the viewers into believing there was more hesitation and conflict than there really was - that's not clever, that's dumb. There is a limit to how much you can manipulate the footage before it becomes a full clownery. I get it, you want people to keep guessing, but you need to have some limits.

Still, I liked this season a lot and I hope we will get a special episode or two with the cast watching some clips from the episodes and interacting with each other more.

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A Phoenix That Rose Above the Flames

Amid the speculation and controversy surrounding its release, Key to the Phoenix Heart let its quality do the talking. It didn't just overcome the odds—it soared.

From start to finish, this drama was an absolute joy to watch. The cast delivered outstanding performances, bringing to life characters who made me smile, laugh, cry, and root for them every step of the way. The lead couple stood out with one of the healthiest and most balanced dynamics I've seen in a historical drama. Their relationship was built on mutual trust, respect, and unwavering support, making every victory and hardship they shared feel earned.

For a production made on a modest budget, the quality exceeded all expectations. The cinematography elevated the storytelling, the dialogue was thoughtful, and the costumes, makeup, action sequences, and practical effects were all beautifully executed. The OST is easily one of the best I've heard this year, enhancing every emotional beat without ever overshadowing the story.

Another strength was its writing. Even the villains weren't reduced to one-dimensional antagonists. They were given meaningful arcs and understandable motivations that made it possible to empathize with the choices that led them down ruthless paths. That moral complexity added depth to the story and made every conflict more compelling.

Packed with twists that kept me guessing until the very end, KTTPH is proof that heartfelt storytelling, exceptional performances, and passionate filmmaking matter far more than a massive budget. It's a drama I'll genuinely miss and one I wholeheartedly recommend.

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Was SOOOO close to being a good drama!!

IMO this show was okay/decent. It definitely needed to be longer.
It was so pointless have an already short episode, shortened even more by five minutes credits at the end. The storyline is really good. It does need some filling in in certain parts. There’s so many questions that should be answered.
Hopefully season two (to be continued) will give us better, runtime and storyline. Would I watch again ? No .

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My Best 2026 Historical cdrama! Well-crafted political intrigue with sweet, slow burn romance.

Among the same recycled revenge/rebirth cliche plots these days, this story was a breath of fresh air. The core of the drama is the political intrigue, with romance as a sub-plot.

For me, the script was well-crafted and thoughtful. Perhaps the politics were not something brand new, but the way the information was delivered made it fresh and exciting. There were tons and I mean TONS of plot twists. I could never guess what was coming next. The angst and suspense of it all, kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time.

In contrast, the slow burn romance was super sweet. The light-hearted and heart-warming moments were an added bonus. Minghao’s and Ai Mi’s on-screen chemistry was off the charts. For me, it was one of his best pairings.

I loved the leads as individual characters as much as a couple. The male lead was truly devoted from the start, a green flag to his wife but vicious towards his enemies. The female lead was youthful but yet a clever gadget inventor.

I truly cared about the side characters as much as the leads. Everyone was vital to the plot and mattered but never took away from the precious screen time. The villains were nasty, which I loved.

The war scenes were brilliant considering the budget was not that high. The opening scene alone with REAL fire will forever live rent free in my head. The cinematography and costumes were on point! I loved the OST and the reason I never skipped the opening credits.

In terms of acting, everyone was superb. I felt Minghao’s has been elevated to a whole new lever. Ai Mi truly amazed me, and she 100% deserves this role.

My only complaint is the fast pacing which at times felt too fast. Especially during the political scenes, you really had to lock in and focus in order to understand. I saw a comment saying the male lead was rapping in the court room and I couldn’t stop laughing because indeed at times it felt like I was watching on 2x speed even though it was the normal speed. However, this fast pacing was also good because I never felt bored and there were zero and I literally mean zero fillers!!!

OVERALL, I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. Everything that I mentioned above is why this drama is a rare 10/10 for me this year. If you love twisty politics with sweet romance on the side, I highly recommend this.

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"No one here tells the truth"

I’ve enjoyed most of Koreeda Hirokazu’s films that I’ve watched but The Third Murder was more of a challenge. Fukuyama Masaharu and Yakusho Koji gave powerful performances in a glacially slow courtroom drama where nothing was as it seemed and everyone lied. Right to the bitter end.

Attorney Shigemori Tomoaki has been assigned to a case where the defendant has already confessed to the murder of a factory owner. Because he is a repeat offender and robbery was involved, he’s likely to be sentenced to death. If Shigemori can convince the jury robbery wasn’t the motivating factor he can likely get the sentence reduced to life in prison. A grudge related murder is somehow less damaging than robbery (selfish). Shigemori doesn’t care to understand Misumi and the truth is irrelevant. All he needs is an argument to reduce Misumi’s sentence. The victim’s daughter becomes involved in the case muddying the waters as does her mother. Despite his trained instincts, Shigemori begins to question their planned defense and seeks to understand the truth behind the murder.

“We’re all on the same ship called Justice.” Well, buddy, that ship was sinking fast. Neither side of the courtroom was interested in the truth. Schedules had to be kept, reputations had to be protected, judicial economy was important, and cases had to be won. And it didn’t help that the defendant’s story changed from day to day. What was one to believe? This film also touched on the ways "good citizens" harmed each other every day by pretending to not see injustice and crimes and who abused and took advantage of the vulnerable.

As much as I love Koji’s acting, this film belonged to Masaharu. Watching Shigemori go from cocky, strategic planner with no emotional attachments to his clients to a man completely ensnared by Misumi and Sakie’s stories was mesmerizing. That’s saying something given how slowly and repetitively the film moved. Koji, of course, knew exactly how to play his character to draw both Shigemori and the audience in. The acting was superb and well worth the time to watch these two actors play off each other in a life and death dance.

The Third Murder had great potential, especially with the acting as I just mentioned and the cinematography was excellent. Koreeda’s esoteric dream board of themes-free will, justice, truth, control, judgement, predestination, and understanding—was never fully served by the film. Worst of all, the characters and story were too enigmatic to care about. If the writer/director wasn’t committed enough to answer the most basic questions of who did what to whom and why, why should the viewer care? If you enjoy either of the leads or mysterious films that leave all the details to the audience to decide upon, it’s worth a watch.

"Do you believe that story?"

22 July 2026

Koji Murder Movies Note: Under the Open Sky (2020) was a better film starring Yakusho Koji as a lifetime criminal.

Ratings Note: I rarely go by the MDL suggestion as rewatch rating and music rating play almost zero roles in my ratings. This time I filled out the stars and let MDL choose the rating as I was torn between a 7.0 and 7.5, largely influenced by the acting skills over film satisfaction.

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Great for a binge~

I was actually whining about a modern day horror flick being absent from the Kdrama world as of late. My fav genre is all about the zombies. 🤩While this one was was a historical one, it managed to hit all the right places~
And it wouldn't be a Korean historical unless it was about the king..........it had ALL the makings of what you'd normally expect because these are WAY to predictable.
Plots against the throne. Faction vs faction. Heir replacements. Bad king. Bad QD. Bad sons and princes and ostracized royal members. Public hate for shamanism while employing it in secret. Cover ups. Useless murders and tormented palace staff taking falls........the supernatural horror is what makes this good though and it was used well. None of these scenes were lacking in visuals and makeup. Cast knocked it out of the park. And despite being able to forecast the plot somewhat, there were a couple of good twists that had me reeling in surprise and shock~
This a solid watch and it a nice return for the ML. It looked like a door was being left open for a 2nd run, if so I'll be there to watch for sure~

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The idea is good and the drama is okay

This is my first YoruDora. Overall I think it's okay. There are a few episodes that I pretty enjoyed and I relate to the characters. I also enjoyed the cast's acting, especially Fukuchi Momoko as the female lead. I like her character, and I'm glad the screenwriter didn't add any romantic male lead to pair with her.

The drama didn't really have a specific plot. It's more like a daily recording without a clear start and ending. I think the idea is pretty nice. It's the journey of building a local temporary radio-station in Suzuno town, Noto Peninsula, Japan while rebuilding the town, which was heavily affected by an intense earthquake. It's painful to learn that the earthquake actually happened in real life in 2024. I really appreciate the effort of NNK channel in raising the awareness about the earthquake and encouraging the people to keep going and rebuild their hometown through this drama.

To be honest, I didn't like the female lead in early episodes, and I also didn't really enjoy the first half of the drama. Except for Sakura-san whom I liked from the beginning till the end, other main characters were also not very likable to me in the first half. Their smiles looked a bit fake. I felt like they were trying to hide something behind their masks. However, in the second half, I quite enjoyed watching their masks gradually being taken off. I loved to watch the characters showing their true flawed and vulnerable sides with their own ‘selfish’ feelings. It was heart-warming and relatable. It felt like they were real people, not fictional unrealistic heroes in some fairy tales. That's what I liked the most in this drama.

Somehow I relate to Kanade's story. There are times I also feel so lost in this modern world and feel like everything I do in life is so fake and meaningless. I just want to escape reality and move to a place where nobody knows who I am and hide there forever. Sometimes I feel like I'm not good enough and don't know what to do with my life. A few years ago I actually did find myself a safe place where I lived for a while when I felt so lost. I thought I would live there forever but the pandemic came and changed everything.

Another thing I liked from the drama is how they naturally added 2 weather-warning broadcasts throughout the drama. As someone who also lives in a place with extreme weather and high risk of storms and floods every year, I deeply relate to the panic the main characters experienced in the first broadcast. Somehow I even panicked along with them. I appreciate Kanade's efforts of practicing and I was glad to see her stay calmer and improve herself a lot in the second broadcast. These episodes made me appreciate the efforts of those people who take risks to report weather warnings during severe weather periods.

Some of my favorite lines from the drama:
“People need more than food and sleep to get them through life, right?” - episode 3
“Despite the fact that their hearts tremble with worries… all they ask for is to simply live.” - episode 4

“Mana's life is her own. And I think in order to respect that... We have to make up our minds ourselves & decide what we want to do in life.” - episode 7, said by my favorite character Sakura-san. From what I understand, she was saying only if parents are clear with what they want to do in life and follow their hearts that they can really respect and believe in their children's life choices. I really like this mindset.

Now, let's move to the things I disliked in this drama. There were a few things I can think of at the moment.

First and foremost, the most frustrating thing in the whole drama for me is the man called Matsumoto. He was insufferable to me. I disliked him from the moment he appeared till the end of the drama. There was not a single scene of him that I enjoyed. Unfortunately, he's a main character and he appeared in every episode. He’s probably one of the most annoying characters in slice of life dramas I’ve ever watched. He's also one of the types of person I hate the most. I think he’s so hypocritical. He's the one who started the idea of "Radio Star" and basically he forced Kanade and the others into it. He kept talking about all the great things but always let other people do the job for him. When there's some complaints about the show, it's Kanade who was taking all the blame and pressure for the whole team. Instead of comforting Kanade after she shared that she was in pain and tired of doing the show, the guy again raised his hypocritical voice and forced her to pretend like nothing happened. He then tried to convince Kanade to come back to the show when he realized the show was not fun anymore without her. Then again in the last 2 episodes, he gave himself the right to decide what was good for Kanade’s future and threw her out without her consent and permission. Without asking her what she really wanted in life, he decided what he thought was right for her. What a nice behavior. I hate this kind of behavior the most. He sounds like my mom sometimes, but my mom doesn't sound so hypocritical like him.

Another big thing I disliked in this drama is pretty related to the first thing. It's that Kanade did not continue with Radio Star till the end. Why do a lot of people think it's considered happier and more successful for young people if they keep living and trying to survive in a big city instead of doing something they really like in a small town? I don't like that mindset. I mean, it’s fine if they really want to start building their career again in the big city, for example, Rikuto. He wanted to chase his dream as a comedian again so it was the right thing for him to come back to the city. However, in Kanade's case, she enjoyed being the radio-personality in Suzuno and being a part of the Radio Star team. Why did that guy have to kick her out "for her own goods"? To make things worse, Mana-chan, who is Sakura-san's daughter, came as a guest on a live-broadcast at her new Radio team out of the blue, and asked Kanade about the reason she left Suzuno, as if it was Kanade's fault to leave in the first place. I was so done at that moment. It’s so unfair for Kanade to be treated like an outsider again when she was trying her best to be a part of Suzuno town. Seriously, why did they have to end the drama like that?

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quite disappointed

I can FINALLY write a review about this drama.. took me a while.
it unfortunately disappointed me. It started really strong so i was really disappointed how it went further on in the drama.

I said this in another review, the dramas lately feel like a gaming ad. You like the game in the ad and download it, only for it to be completely different and dissapointing.

After the never-ending summer (the downloaded game), was a bummer. They ruined the whole never-ending summer concept that was already so good. If the drama ended on episode 20ish, this would’ve been a complete different review.

The first 20 episodes were really great. The concept was good and it felt really like a never-ending summer. It felt fresh and warm, a great summer breeze with a lot of problems that made us sweat, but somehow the best summer.

By turning the whole concept and making it a stupid work bullshit it got completely destroyed. I don’t want to spoil but the way they ruinited was so weird and off??? I didn’t like the way they ruined the unforgettable summer.

The episodes after 20ish was so hard to watch i needed to motivate myself to finish it. I just don’t know why they feel the need to add another random ass plot in the drama. This is happening to a lot of dramas and i don’t see the benefit?

It disappointed me, yes, but i enjoyed the never-ending summer. So giving it a 7 is the best way out.

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A kingdom haunted by the people who rule it.

This series had me hooked, every episode was packed with action, intrigue, and meaningful plot progression. Most historical dramas revolve around palace politics and manipulation, but The East Palace takes it a step further. Nearly every character is morally grey. Everyone has blood on their hands, and the series doesn't shy away from exposing the darkest aspects of royalty and the pursuit of power. Ironically, the ghosts are better than the living, whose greed, ambition, and hunger for power is far more terrifying.

Every actor, from the leads to the supporting cast, villains, and even minor characters, delivered memorable performances. The King was one of the highlights for me—a complex character who remained more mysterious than the plot itself. The Queen Dowager was one of the most compelling antagonists I have watched recently- narcissistic, power-hungry, and utterly ruthless.

Another refreshing aspect was the romance—or rather, the restraint shown in portraying it. The relationship never overshadowed the story. Both leads were emotionally guarded, naturally mistrustful, yet it was obvious through their actions that they deeply cared for one another. Their partnership and camaraderie felt mature, believable, and far more compelling than an overly dramatic romance.

The CGI was also well done. The supernatural world, particularly in the earlier episodes, gave me strong Stranger Things vibes. More importantly, the series knew when to rely on visual effects and when to let the writing, action choreography, and talented cast carry the story. It never felt excessive. Also the Korean mythological creatures were explained earlier on, which helped me keep up with the story. The ending leaves the door open for a sequel. While I would love to see one, I also appreciate that the series ended on such a strong note rather than overstaying its welcome.

If you're looking for a period drama that has mystery, ghosts, shady characters, and a genuinely engaging story over clichéd love tropes, this one is absolutely worth your time.

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Simping Gone Wrong

✅Simping Gone Wrong

Overdo is peak "Proud Simp" nonsense, and not the fun kind. The show wants you to believe it's a sweeping, tragic romance set in Republican-era Shanghai, but strip away the pretty costumes and dramatic music and what you're left with is one of the most one-sided, emotionally manipulative relationships in recent cdrama history.

✅The Setup That Could've Worked

Murong Qingyi (Zhang Linghe), the abused youngest son of a warlord family, falls hard for Ren Susu (Wang Churan) after a brief but intense connection. Classic melodrama setup. Tragedy strikes, he takes the fall for her, ends up in prison. Believes she died. Heartbreaking, right?

✅The Twist That Breaks Everything

She didn't die. She faked it. Escaped. And let him rot in jail for three years. No letter, no explanation, no looking back. When she finally resurfaces, she's engaged to marry his brother. The woman he destroyed his life for is about to become his sister-in-law. You'd think this would be the moment he wakes up. Nope.

✅The Simping Never Stops

Qingyi still pines for her. Still shows her affection. Still looks at her like she's the sun while she's standing there in his brother's arms. The drama frames this as "enduring love" and "love-hate entanglement," but let's be real—it's pathetic. There's a difference between devotion and self-debasement, and Overdo doesn't know where that line is. The man went to prison for her. She let him. He got out. She married his brother. And he's still chasing? That's not romantic. That's a mental health crisis.

✅The FL Problem

And Ren Susu? Zero remorse. The show tries to handwave her actions with vague "secrets she cannot reveal" and "pain she cannot express," but three years of silence while your supposed soulmate suffers for your sake isn't tragic it's cruel. When she finally faces him again, there's no genuine apology, no real reckoning. Just more mysterious suffering and emotional manipulation disguised as complexity. We're supposed to feel for her because she's "troubled," but all I see is someone who got away clean while her fall guy took the punishment.

✅What Kind of Romance Is This?

The show asks us to root for their reunion, to believe that love conquers all including common sense, self-respect, and basic human decency. But what kind of romance demands that one party suffer endlessly while the other faces zero consequences? Where's the balance? Where's the mutual growth? Qingyi doesn't grow from this; he just suffers more. Susu doesn't grow; she just keeps being mysterious and sad. Nobody wins except the writers who think suffering equals depth.

✅The Wasted Potential

It's frustrating because the pieces are there. Zhang Linghe brings real wounded intensity to Qingyi you genuinely feel his pain, which makes his inability to move on even more maddening. Wang Churan has the look and presence of a compelling tragic heroine, but the script gives her nothing to work with beyond "beautiful woman with secrets." The Republican-era Shanghai setting is gorgeous. The production values are solid. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable. All of it wasted on a dynamic that asks us to romanticize emotional abuse.

✅My final say on the drama

Overdo is a beautifully packaged drama with a rotten core. If you enjoy watching one character suffer endlessly while the other gets away with emotional negligence, congratulations—this is your show. For everyone else, it's a masterclass in how not to write a romance. Love shouldn't mean letting someone destroy you. It shouldn't mean forgiving betrayal without so much as an apology. And it definitely shouldn't mean simping for the person who let you rot in jail while they started a new life. Hard pass.

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I LOVE it

All characters got unique personality and heartbreaking story. It was easy to get attached to tem.

I love the sisterhood between Belle and Nalin (and I think Belle misunderstood having finally someong caring and trusting her with love).
I also lovee all the 4 couples and their dynamic (Nano and Jane are my personnal favorite)


This drama cover a lot of struggle too many young girl can face, in a hypocritical world - that pretend to care about kids. I was shocked by some part of the story.

This drama made me feel a lot of strong emotions. Can't wait for the specials and Season 2.

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A warm hug in a drama form

A Piece of Your Mind is the definition of a comfort drama. It doesn't rely on loud tropes or fast-paced drama to capture your attention; instead, it gently wraps around you like a warm hug.
Everything about this show feels deeply soothing, from the soft, healing storyline to the gorgeous cinematography and serene OST. It treats grief, memory, and love with such tenderness and care. The characters feel authentic, and watching their quiet journey toward healing brings a genuine sense of peace.
If you are looking for a slow-burn romance that feels heartwarming and deeply emotional in the best way possible, this is an absolute masterpiece on its own.

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