Apollo’s Heart

Description

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In the busy lobby, the woman whom he believed had died years ago appeared before his eyes. Yet, once again, he lost her in the sea of faces.

“Who is this Jin Hye-Yeon you are looking for?”

Instead of answering, Tae-Jun pulled out a cigarette from his cigar case, lit it up and continued searching through the hotel’s visitors list.

“Is that your lover who died four years ago?”

Tae-jun finally looked up, “… How do you know about her?”

Associated Names
One entry per line
아폴론의 심장
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Flowers Are Bait (3)
Doberman (3)
Even If It’s Not Love (2)
Transmigration: Raising the Child of the Male Lead Boss (2)
Under the Oak Tree (2)
Abandoned Saintess and Demon S*ave (2)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Venus & Mars (R18)
  2. Redflag and toxic
  3. novel (to read)
  4. Korean R18 Completed
  5. Misunderstanding,Misunderstanding Everywhere.... (...

Latest Release

Date Group Release
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c177
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c176
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c175
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c174
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c173
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c172
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c171
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c170
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c169
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c168
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c167
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c166
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c165
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c164
04/23/22 Lunar Letters c163
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24 Reviews sorted by


soft goat
soft goat rated it
May 11, 2020
Status: --
another r*pey novel. The ML is basically a creep & the FL literally has ptsd bcos of the ml. Its funny that this is tagged here as "award winning work" when it is so painfully bad. This is jus another stockholm syndrome 'romance' novel
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PenelopeEckart_
PenelopeEckart_ rated it
November 12, 2020
Status: c54
The plot's pretty good. However as a person I feel extremely bad for MC, and pissed at the ML for forcing himself upon her. Idk where the story will go, I'm still only at chapter 54 because that's the only chapters translated so far, for now I'm hoping they don't end up together.

Edit:

... more>>
Spoiler

I HATE IT. I HATE IT. I hate how they ended up together despite every hell she's been through because of the scumbags around her, and it all started because of this damn ML and president Jin. These 2 manipulative sons of b*tches destroyed her life permanently. This ML is s*upid as shit, he shoulda atleast realized that MC's amnesia is caused due to the trauma she's been on, including the ML's doing. And this is how her brain reacted and is withdrawing herself from all the bullshit, because it's too hard to bear. God but no, after he found out about her amnesia he pushed himself to her even more then threatened her or else he's going to make her life a living hell and mess her up even more than she already is, AND r*peD HER when she expressed how disgusted she is with him and how he torments her n all. THEN OUR MC ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT su*cide, OF COURSE SHE'S FOUND BY ML, THEN HIS THOUGHT PROCESS GOES HOW IF MADE HIM ALOT MORE OBSESSED AND POSESSIVE TOWARDS HER. Ughsjsdnixdnfkk uggghhh.

I was really hoping for MC to be happy and move on completely from the that son of a bit*h and realize how disgusting he actually is and hope he'd crumble and regret every single thing he did to her every day he lives until he's dead. It would've been breath of fresh air if it actually ended like that. Honestly it's infuriating.


Seriously, he doesn't deserve the happiness he's receiving from MC right now.

Regardless, atleast MC is happy.

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Out of all the stockholm syndrome typa novels i've read, this must be the most infuriating one together with "I don't want to be loved".

It's well-written.

Plotwise it's great too, It's just how they ended up together in the end ticks me off. <<less
25 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Piichannie
Piichannie rated it
June 19, 2020
Status: c23
To those who don’t like the first few chapters, same here. I misjudged this novel at first due to how extreme the ML seemed to be and felt afraid to read further since I’m not personally a fan of darker themed romances. However! This is turning out to be unexpectedly well written and intriguing. Like any story, it takes time to develop the characters and present each of their backgrounds and motives. It’s still building, after only 20+ chapters.

The plot is slowly being fleshed out as we read on, learning... more>> about who everyone in this world is and how they are all involved with each other. Yes, the ML has a very yandere personality towards the FL but I think we’re only just starting to get to know him so, gotta read more before I can truly say anything else.

I think this is a novel worth reading, especially since there’s a bit more to read now and binge in one go. Give it a try! <<less
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Syedjasmine rated it
April 21, 2020
Status: v1c6
Yeah the plot is good this far, yeah I could understand the contract thing will make people angry also about her father but I think people need to see the reality in the novels, every time we can't have 'fantasy' things.

So far I really liked the story, the author has done a good job in describing the emotions of the characters specially and the R19 scenes are also pretty good, all over I enjoyed it.
12 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Syrena_Nightshade18
Syrena_Nightshade18 rated it
December 18, 2022
Status: Completed
When you have s*xual trauma because of someone but it's okay if the guy r*ping you (who also happens to be the reason you have PTSD) is hot. Should've ended at chapter 147.

What the actual f*ck was this shit, I'm not even gonna lie, this sh*t won awards???? If you're gonna add trauma to characters, make it consistent as in not going away when the ML/FL is involved. Girlie had ptsd because of this man but still ended up with him, give me a better joke 🤡. In my opinion,... more>> she should have stayed away or killed herself in front of him, would still be a better ending. I like morally grey characters but r*pe isn't morally grey :) <<less
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estoejia
estoejia rated it
October 27, 2022
Status: --
If you like tr*shy, abusive, irredeemable male leads and submissive, idiotic, doormat female leads then this story is for you. Not only do you get a two for one combo but you also get a free predictable mystery and cookie cutter happily ever after which the steaming pile of r*pey garbage ML seemed to be painted as a doting hero.
Spoiler

he literally dragged her life to hell and yet we get a brainwashed FL forgiving him to no end. The ML's interest and "contract" with the FL was the domino effect that pushed her down the conspiracy rabbit hole which resulted in her father and best friend's death, her own kidnapping, drug addiction and the cherry on top? Depression and suicidal tendencies. As a reader, your threshold for s*upidity will have to be dirt low because every dumb decision made gets worse as the story progresses.

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Not sure why people are romanticizing the ML's GLARINGLY DANGEROUS flaws as "human" but it needs to stop. He took advantage of a vulnerable girl BOTH TIMES and justified it as him having trust issues because of his childhood daddy and mommy issues. I'm sorry but a lot of kids come from divorce who've not turned into sociopathic rapists. At a point the ML was just using his past to enable his sh*t behavior. Nah man no D is worth all that baggage. FL was dumb to have fallen for that hot mess. Even found myself fast forwarding through the smut because of how effed up their arrangement is. By the end of it all I genuinely couldn't care less about their bed scenes together. In fact it became excessive to the point of annoyance.

A story is as good as its characters and I'm all for flawed heroes and heroines but romanticizing and trivializing r*pe culture is not the move.
To quote the author:

"Actually, I didn't want to understand her. I don't believe that being in pain gives you the right to harm others. There can't be forgiveness or empathy if there is no understanding. Thus, I decided not to understand the woman. Never in my life."

this in a nutshell was how I felt about the ML. He might have been portrayed as pitiful at the climax, but a wolf is a wolf even in sheep's clothing. The family-centric side stories felt like the author was trying to override the terrible deeds he did to the FL in the beginning. It was forced and inorganic. Why make your hero do unspeakable things only to pardon him in the end? What kind of message is that sending? That r*pe and coercion is okay for the sake of "character development?" That gaslighting, manipulation and blackmailing a woman is fine as long as it's for love? Call it what you want but even a caged and injured animal will form affection and dependency with its master if the master is the only source of sustenance and interaction. Apollo's Heart is not love story. Instead it's a romanticized recounting of how a conceited, megalomaniac, man-child tricked an unsuspecting, naive woman into ruining her life for him.
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Renjiko
Renjiko rated it
December 11, 2021
Status: Completed
If you haven't read it, WHAT ARE YALL WAITING FOR??!!!

Easily one of my top 10 smut romance novel in NU. Plot is different but the story telling and flow reminds me of The Man's Perfect Wife. It kinda feels like reading a korean drama at some point with a dark themed one...

YOOO! For those here to sht on the story just bcs of character build up (esp the ML) GET OFF! Lol it'll be your heartbreak reading further.... trust me, aggitation and hatred towards the character will push to... more>> furthest. For those here to wait for satisfying end and love this mannn prepare tissue, you'll cry, but a satisfied cry later anyway!!

He is tr*sh and shtt, definitely. and HEY, R*PE AND STUFF ARE THERE TAGGED FOR A REASON??? No one will disagree to it but I am here for the story and not for each characters perfectly good build up persona. If you want perfect good character just get off and read a bible my dear. LMAO

Spoiler

Morals: You could detest someone and yet love them so much at the same time. Decision is always yours of which side to put weight on to, or you could choose to hold on both and not let go the choice of not forgiving at the same time.

He sinned so great towards her but acceptance is always upon her heart. She cannot forgive him despite how much she loves him.... he let her go, respect her decision and thought he is just fine seeing her from distance... thats what they thought..... afterall, forgiving and acceptance is different thing and theres no such thing as perfect love.

i hope children would take time to relax and get off the internet. touch some grass btches. the worlds isnt full of flowers and rainbows. if you cant give time apreciating people whose been putting up hardwork creating great stories with their passion and great look ups, then atleast dobt tr*sh on their work. the world isnt all about fluffyness and sht liad of kisses.

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Series of three books. last one is just a short side story but a must read too.

Characters? he will push you towards the very edge but wtfffff! a super character development! imperfect but satisfying!

Smut is top tier. they sooooo deymmm howwt! wtfff

Translation? what can I say? VERYY GOOOOD!! thank you so much for continuing. <<333 I purchased in on some site and mtld myself. for the price? costly but VERY WORTH IT!!! <<less
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blueoddog
blueoddog rated it
August 20, 2020
Status: c111
So underrated.

Is a mystery, and we have to piece things together as they come. There are various plot twists as you read it, but they are all plausible and compelling.

No, she doesn't have PTSD because of him. Judging something and getting the facts wrong is quite ridiculous.

... more>>
Spoiler

Since she has amnesia, she has been obsessing about him but doesn't remember who he is. She remember his shape, his feel and etc.

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Things are shed in a fairly realistic light. No one-dimensional antagonist, just many people, each with their drives and objectives.

If I were to say, yeah, Tae-Jun is a bad guy. But that's kinda obvious since the begining, yet very nuanced. As we get into his psyche we see more sides of him, and the why's. Being a bad person, is not literarily bad, it can make very good characters.

The FL is independent, troubled and smart. No complaints about her. She handles her sh*t very well, even thought she is tormented.

When do they meet:

Spoiler

at chapter 43 they've just met.

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chapter 111 update: lmao idk man. The mystery is still great but uhhh
Spoiler

the r*pe? And how it has been portrayed so far? Yiiikes.

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rarimae
rarimae rated it
May 21, 2020
Status: c14
The whole plot is kinda intriguing and interesting because it makes you feel suspenseful on what should happen next. The mystery involved in the past would slowly show the true case of female lead's death which is I suspect to be a well planned between fake or true mu*der. Both the leading characters developed mental health disorder or condition making their relationship not easy to mend for it complement the thoughts and feelings surround them.
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Uninspiredfae
Uninspiredfae rated it
December 23, 2021
Status: c106
The novel is dark. It's a story of MC who is trying to survive mental disrepair after losing parts of her memory that ironically also holds the key to her recovery. The ML is a part of that missing past and he's dead set on not losing her this time around. Lots of smut and toxicity ensue their desperate reunion, with the ML already engaged to someone else. His powerful family hasn't made an appearance yet, but there are hints of them being a huge hindrance to main characters' future... more>> together as if mu*der, mental illness, and a fiancé aren't enough obstacles.

Both mains are somewhat deranged with their pasts directing their emotions and actions.

A recommended read if you're into toxic romances with obsessive, & violently possessive MLs. I'm 100% into this trope. <<less
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midori_13
midori_13 rated it
October 3, 2023
Status: Completed
Since this novel is very controversial, I think readers should give a try to see if they really like or not. That can be seen by the other reviews, that arouse the hate or the love of the readers. The story is very well written with a good plot without any holes and the translation is also good.

But beware, this novel isn't for everyone. It's a mix of romance with thriller, but the romance is very dark and sometimes twisted and there are very awful and hardcore scenes. 😬

I decided... more>> to read the novel because of the Award Winning Novel Tag.

Out of curiosity, I googled to discover why this novel was awarded... and in reality I couldn't find anything about "Apollo's Heart" being an awarded novel or something like that so I don't even think the award is true... all that I could find was a mention in the author's blog (Lee Bo-na or 이보나) in the Naver Site about her first novel:

"인류 최초의 살인자 카인! 그러나 아벨의 죽음은 과연 카인 혼자만의 잘못일까" something like "Cain, humanity's first mu*derer! But was Abel's death really Cain's fault alone?"

This novel was nominated in the "2015 대한민국 전자출판 대상" something like "2015 Korea Electronic Publishing Grand Prize." So what I could understand is that this Cain Something novel is the author's only awarded work.

But anyway, honestly, I don't even know why I liked this novel. Maybe I liked the story behind the title "Apollo's Heart":

Apollo, the beautiful god of Light and Poetry, insulted the god of Love, Eros.

As a revenge, Eros shot his arrow and that made Apollo fall in love with the beautiful nymph Daphne and another arrow of Eros, made Daphne despise Apollo.

Apollo was persistently pursuing Daphne. The poor nymph, in order to escape from him and to protect her chastity, pleaded for help from her father and answering her pleas, she was transformed into a laurel tree.

So in a way his obsessive love, made Daphne lose her life. Apollo's love did not wither away, and that was a revenge for mocking Love.

Apollo took the leaves of the tree in his hands and kissed the wood of the tree and whispered:

"Since you cannot be my bride, you must be my tree! Laurel, with you my hair will be wreathed, with you my lyre, with you my quiver... "

Source: Antonis Chaliakopoulos

So that's basically the story, the male lead, that despised and mocked love, ended up falling in love with the beautiful female lead, but his obsessive and sick - yandere love suffocated female lead, so she ran away. And in the end, his twisted love, ended up hurting her deeply and unable to have her, he finally understood what is love. That's kinda poetic. 😌

But it was very shocking that...

Spoiler

... the male lead r*ped the female lead through the whole story and the r*pe scenes were very detailed with a hardcore smut, and his redemption arc only happened at the end of the novel, and after all that r*pe they ended up together, like a Stockholm Syndrome.

So probably I should be ashamed for liking the novel... 🫤

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Warning ⛔️! A lot of spoilers...

Plot

Spoiler

The story is about Tae Jun, a typical rich, domineering, calculative and of course, handsome CEO that took a fancy for the female lead Yuri, the poor, beautiful, art college student.

They first met while the male lead was staying in a hotel, which female lead was working as a hotel staff.

But detail, Yuri didn't actually worked there, she was only covering a shift at that hotel in the place of her friend, Hye Yeon.

Hye Yeon worked there because her father, Jin Myung Je, was the hotel's owner.

So female lead, Yuri, was working using the uniform and tag of Hye Yeon. Tae Jun, the male lead, looking at the name in the tag though that Yuri, the female lead, was actually Hye Yeon, the daughter of the hotel's owner.

And since the male lead had business with the hotel's owner, he decided to make a proposal: as a part of the contract, the male lead would for one year "rent" like an object the female lead, that he mistakenly thought it was Hye Yeon, the daughter of the hotel's owner.

Of course Yuri, the female lead, didn't accept the contract. But she ended up being blackmailed by the hotel's owner. The female lead's father was the chofer of the hotel's owner, and she was threatened that if she didn't accept the deal, her father, the chofer, would pay the price. So she didn't have any way out, she had to live as a captive, as an object to release the lust of male lead.

Tae Jun thought that after one year he would soon get tired of Yuri and after using her, he would move on with his life, since he abhors clingy women and the idea of love. Because his father, got a divorce from Tae Jun's mother and gave up of the CEO position and all his money because of the love he had for another woman.

But ironically almost at the end of the contract of one year, he started to fall in love with her. And when he was thinking of starting a relationship with the female lead, she suddenly ran away and disappeared. He looked everywhere for her, and soon received the news that Hye Yeon was dead, she committed su*cide.

So, years later he still didn't forget about her, even under a contract marriage with another rich family. And when he was in the party in a hotel, celebrating his engagement, he saw at the lobby, a woman exactly like the female lead, Hye Yeon (aka Yuri) among the crowd. He tried to chase her, but she got out of the hotel and grabbed a taxi, disappearing again.

And that's where the story begins, with all the thriller to discover who was that woman, what happened and why she was still alive.

But Tae Jun was such a scumbag that all he wanted was to capture Yuri and make her pay for running away and not telling her true identity. He's so scum, he bought her and got mad that he started liking her and she ran away?

It's early explained that Yuri lost her memory, she didn't remember anything that happened during that time besides some dreams she had about an unknown man, that was actually Tae Jun.

But the scumbag didn't believe in selective lost memory. And as soon he found her, he started raping her and tried to push another contract to bind her. He didn't repent any of his previous mistakes, he was thinking of turning her into his mistress.

But it was explained in the novel, and I'm not going to pinpoint here, that everything of bad that happened in her life after they met was because of Tae Jun, including the assassination of her father, the "su*cide" of her friend Hye Yeon, her drug abuse and her memory lost due to trauma. And that's when he started regretting and changing a little.

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cj_park390
cj_park390 rated it
April 3, 2022
Status: c177
Some people might think that this novel is all about rapist, obsessive, and violent man, but to me I really enjoy the whole story. I try not to care about the review while reading this and I'm happy with my decision.

The first few chapters might seems abusive and illogical. But as the story goes on, the characters are maturing and the plot is developing beautifully. They clear up all misunderstanding and let the love bloom naturally.

A very good and addictive novel for me. I love this!
4 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
JG1027
JG1027 rated it
August 27, 2021
Status: Completed
This one of dark modern korean novel that I love! I already read it until the end, I bought it from korean sites. The story was good. There were relationship and characters development, the mystery story makes you got curious too.. It have various plot twists. Actually Taejun is not really that kind of tr*sh. He is very loyal to Yuri from the start to end, there were reasons why he threat Yuri like his belonging. He can't express his feeling well because of his past.
It's a shame this... more>> novel have low rating on NU. This novel deserves better. <<less
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Arsz
Arsz rated it
September 4, 2020
Status: c1
OMG! One of my favourite 😍 I really love wordexcerpt works ❤ they are great and really work hard. I'll be forever supporting this team 😘 Love from PH
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Donotdisturb1234
Donotdisturb1234 rated it
July 13, 2022
Status: Completed
The story is so good although their relationship started pretty bad it ended we'll and the story is well written also love the plot twist and also for those those review's complaining about r*pe we'll I don't mean to be rude or anything but before reading plz read the tags first before complaining cuz it's literally in the tags that it contains r*pe so why would you complain. And also ML maybe bad at first but atleast he had a character development and his considered the best ML for me... more>> and also I saw a review who said the Fl's PTSD is caused by ML we'll it's actually wrong cause Fl's PTSD is actually cause by
Spoiler

Fl's PTSD is actually cause by the drug injected thorough her and that's also why she's afraid of Needles

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webnovelreader_eri
webnovelreader_eri rated it
November 12, 2021
Status: Completed
I rarely write down my thoughts about what I've read but I'll make another exception to this one.

It indeed justify its title, "Apollo's Heart" just like how dominated&obsessed Apollo is to Daphne. The storyline, the obsession, transition, translation are top tier. I understand if there are foul comments on the first few chapters about the ML but trust me, there's a pleasing character development and happy ending for the overbearing Tae-Jun and his daphne, Yuri.

If you're into ML that is yandere obsessive possessive clingy has high virility type this webnovel... more>> is definitely for you. ❤️❤️❤️ 10/10 <<less
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sher
sher rated it
July 18, 2022
Status: Completed
10/5 I am glad I did not outright judge the story based on the negative reviews. I LOVE THIS STORY! The characters are multi-dimensional, just like how real human beings are - capable of loving, & capable of hurting others. There are villains here that are purely evil &there are victims who turned evil because of their own sufferings (but just because we understand does not mean we should tolerate their evil deeds). Also, there's character development for the ML, which I like. He is not the usual invinsible, rich,... more>> handsome ML who does awful things yet don't even dare to acknowledge them and correct them. Real apology is a changed behaviour. <<less
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usui4life
usui4life rated it
August 13, 2021
Status: c64
It's one of my most favourite novels I've read so far. I'm more into dark staffs. The possessiveness of the ML, not letting go, do what he wants damn!!!! Also the physical features of the ML was soooo 💖. The MC was not naive either. I don't like the type where the MC always wait for the ML's support. The MC was strong. Character development was 10/10. The smut scenes were just soooo........ Got h**ny in all scenes. The story also had a nice development. But the translations were a... more>> bit difficult. But in all I enjoyed the story. Can anyone please suggest stories like this or with same tags????🙏 <<less
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Woo.tanin
Woo.tanin rated it
September 3, 2020
Status: c48
I must say, it’s really a great story, but the pacing of translation doesn’t let readers to connect with the story! The chapters are short and updates are late, so when reader get to connect the chapter is already done! The pacing is already slow, so doing that make readers uninterested... still, one of my fave in wordexpert! It’s getting to the exciting parts hope we see more juicy chapters coming up!

thanks for translation tho! Appreciate the efforts.
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NOVEL PRINCESS
NOVEL PRINCESS rated it
May 1, 2023
Status: Completed
Wanna read an angst romance where you wanna cry happy tears and smile at the end, then this story is must.

Definitely in the beginning you would feel pity for the male lead, because you may think he is suffering and is too desperate for love. But slowly with time, you would loose the thought. The male lead deserves the bad for ehat ever he has done to the female lead. Maybe because of the forced intimacy, you may feel quite disappointed. But the story just manages everything so good. Things... more>> become reasonable with story progress. The lesson that the male lead learns along with the memory revival of the female lead is just very touching. And the reunion will always leave you in tears and smile as the angst lasts quite long and maybe that's what makes the plot so interesting.

I personally loved it. It's always my once more novel. Certain parts and moments will make you fall in love with them. I completed reading it an year ago but am back here again and again just to read certain moments again because they are just so good.

A must read. Very nice. <<less
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