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Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols
Type
Web Novel (KR)
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Rating(4.4 / 5.0, 123 votes)
5    76% (94 votes)
4    5% (6 votes)
3    6% (7 votes)
2    7% (8 votes)
1    7% (8 votes)
Language
Support Book (#ad)
Author(s)
One entry per line
Artist(s)
One entry per line
Year
Example: 2012
2023
Status in COO
Status in Country of Origin. One entry per line
503 Chapters (Ongoing)
Licensed
No
Completely Translated
No
Original Publisher
One entry per line
English Publisher
One entry per line
N/A
Release Frequency
Every 1.8 Day(s)
Activity Stats
[Graph]
Weekly Rank: #38
Monthly Rank: #76
All Time Rank: #3329
Reading List
[Graph]
On 1932 Reading Lists
Monthly Rank: #142
All Time Rank: #5098

Description

Links are NOT allowed. Format your description nicely so people can easily read them. Please use proper spacing and paragraphs.

Not only does he have to fangirl on behalf of the manager’s daughter, but now he has to debut as an idol himself?

Assistant Manager Kim really hates idols.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Manager Kim Hates Idols
김 대리는 아이돌이 싫어
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
While I’m Taking Revenge, I’ll Conquer The Top Idol (6)
The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol (3)
Debut or Die (2)
A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset (2)
Save a Failed Idol’s Life (1)
The Maknae Has to Be an Idol (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. [1] ml
  2. Part1: Show-business, acting, singing, dancing, wr...
  3. Idol novels
  4. Best Fruity-Bait Idol Novels
  5. Idol Novels Review

Latest Release

Date Group Release
05/08/25 Readhive c184
05/07/25 Readhive c183
05/06/25 Readhive c182
05/05/25 Readhive c181
05/01/25 Readhive c180
04/30/25 Readhive c179
04/29/25 Readhive c178
04/28/25 Readhive c177
04/24/25 Readhive c176
04/23/25 Readhive c175
04/22/25 Readhive c174
04/21/25 Readhive c173
04/17/25 Readhive c172
04/16/25 Readhive c171
04/15/25 Readhive c170
123…13
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17 Reviews sorted by


kspecs
New kspecs rated it
May 8, 2025
Status: --
Im with the other reviewer potionmaster, wish id seen his review earlier. Without having the actually potential renunion with his sister this is just a story of a system tricking a poor guy who already had a crappy life into a forced slightly less crappy life. Even if his bonds with his forced group is nice and fluffy to the readers its still a forced life pushed onto the MC, where his true wish is being used to drag him along. Read upto 81 and skimmed upto 184. Not a... more>> single shred of info about his sister yet. If you like a story with a lot of sadness and fluff and no real payoff, continue along. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Spearl
New Spearl rated it
May 3, 2025
Status: --
I'm not the one to write reviews but gosh I love this novel! My biggest mistake was starting this during my final exams period and I ended up reading it for an entire night because it was really absolutely to my test. The pace is not rushed and somehow it got me, a non k-pop fan simping for a group that doesn't even exist ToT. Anyways if you're into selfless Cale-coded protagonist with a sad past who's really thoughtful but not really aware of their coolness, this is for you!... more>> For me this is the best idol novel I've ever read. Highly recommended!

(Also screw that manager Nam or whatever if I ever find you adffascvxafxSgfeyg!!!) <<less
0 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
ScotlandForsythe
ScotlandForsythe rated it
October 24, 2024
Status: --
I honestly love this novel so much. A lot of what I wanted to say has already been said by other reviews so I will just focus on the main character and his mindset.

Our MC, Iwol, is honestly a ab*se victim. Putting it plain and simple. You can see his trauma from his family/work life before he got sent back to the past play out in everything he does. From how he doesn't want to show he's sick, to him having difficulty interacting with a groupmate's parents, to him having... more>> nightmares about his past work life, and his tendency to overwork himself.

One thing that really struck me was when
Spoiler

he mentioned how he didn't know families met together to eat at night until he went to college

[collapse]

Or how when he got a fever
Spoiler

he desperatelytried to hide it and kept practicing, but when another member got a fever he berated himself for not noticing, ran to the conveniencestore at 4am to get medicing and stayed up to watch him because he was worried something would go wrong...

[collapse]

And what made me the angriest
Spoiler

was when je got slapped by someone in the company and refused to report it because he didn't trust the company enough to actually fire the person... I'mstill so angry about that. Like, he punched then slapped you. You got mad when I groupmate was bullied but didn'tthink it was a big deal you got hit??? He also mentioned how his parents used to hit him... ugh. While it did end up getting resolved pretty quickly (and the payback was so good), his initial resistance still makes me bitter

[collapse]

So yes. He's a trauma victim. And once you come to this conclusion you'll see how all his little reactions and thought process are just after effect ls of this trauma. Even him telling one of his groupmates to be careful not to startle him just in case he hits them.

Just understand that our MC doesn't have a lot of confidence in himself and while everyone else has glowing evaluations of him he doesn't see himself the same. Despite this, he works so hard. All his members like him. I really hope as the novel goes on he learns this.

All in all, this novel does a really good job of showing how trauma can really affect a person. I really wish I could smack his old boss in the face, though. Literally makes me angry whenever he gets mentioned ><

Real quick: just wanted to add that while he has trauma that doesn't make him weak. He's quite crafty and knows exactly how to use his knowledge as an overworked employee with a large amount of knowledge on office politics to get things done and do what he wants. He's smart and very hardworking. This review was purely to shed light on a huge part of him that I think is important.

Also, the system will tick you off at some point. It's not a matter of 'if' but when lol.

(It talks like his old manager but I think only because iwol wouldn't listen otherwise loool. That and idol is used to such behavior unfortunately...) <<less
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Toniko
Toniko rated it
September 16, 2024
Status: c190
With much love, I hope our Kim Yiwol/Iwol gets a long, long vacation.

This idol drama follows the overworked office worker who has been regressed and given a mission to debut with the idol group who his boss' daughter was obsessed about. His main goals are to save his (formerly) dead sister, raising up the group 'Spark' (and surviving its controversies) and avoiding a permanent contract with his previous company (it's a greater penalty than you think) !

So it's a fun story really... the main character is an eccentric person who... more>> doesn't know he is one and the team is a bunch of good natured kids he looks after (and of course they take care of him back). Also, there's a lot of hardship so I quietly wish for things to be solved easily... (but drama is fun...). However, the office anecdotes (and there are a LOT of them) become gradually less fun the more you read along. The activities are well written though, concepts are clear and simple but fun, and the members are really cute so I recommend it really. It's an easy read!

My only gripe is the single illustration across the entire novel (except the cover) being a group shot of everyone in office clothing... where is my sweet youth concept... <<less
18 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Kakipii13
Kakipii13 rated it
October 19, 2024
Status: c150
A lot of what needs to be said has been said by other reviewers. It's funny, the MC is amusing, the group's dynamics are fun. MC's anecdotes about his time at his old job and his sh*t boss Manager Nam do decrease as time goes on, if you find those annoying. 5/5 because I love this novel.

I just want to talk about the stage performances: they're actually interesting, and they seem like performances that would be good to see in real life. Especially a certain performance where the stage is... more>> about wanting to look at the starry sky - not only does the way it's described make it sound pretty hype, but it sounds like something that would be both feasible to pull off irl and fun to watch in-person. Performances also aren't over-described to the point of detailing every single moment and every lyric of every song, so the parts of the story that show the performances aren't dragged out to the point of becoming boring.

A lot of other idol novels' stages aren't written as well. The lyrics to the songs are cheesy, the writing makes the scenes with stages boring, and characters react to performances like "this is amazing!" even though they don't seem especially great. This novel doesn't have these issues, at least in my opinion. Both the good and not-as-good performances are described realistically (ex: how a performance designed to look good on a recorded broadcast isn't staged in a way that looks as good to those watching in-person). If you like idol novels and have read a lot of them, you'll probably appreciate this a lot.

A note though about the MTL - it's kind of hard to read. One example is that lot of people's names are translated to what their literal meanings are/as homonyms that are words and aren't their names (Choi Jeho's name gets translated to "Title" a lot, a producer's name gets translated to "finite numbers", etc.). A lot of colloquial speech, certain idol fandom-specific terms, internet-isms, and of course pronouns don't translate well either. If you're familiar enough with the Korean language and/or Korean MTL you'll probably be okay, but take note. <<less
13 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
PotionMaster
PotionMaster rated it
December 8, 2024
Status: c80
The novel commits the cardinal sin of lying to the reader and wasting their time. It was enjoyable, but I'm gonna drop it here. The system lies and the author uses the excuse of the system being a jerk to push the Mission Complete reward 5 or 6 chapters later.

... more>>
Spoiler

The MC gets a mission to debut and as a reward he gets to see his older sister who basically raised him. After the MC debuts there are another 5-10 chapters where we are waiting for the system to "finish evaluating his performance." And then after it finishes it gives him another mission and says the reward will come at the end of the final mission. What's the point? Will there ever be a final mission? It just took away the emotional payoff I was waiting for. I was genuinely excited for the scene where he got to see his sister again, but now I know that the author will probably never write that scene.

[collapse]
<<less
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sandmaker
sandmaker rated it
December 30, 2024
Status: --
In short, I don't know how I can move on from this idol novel, and I consider myself as quite the light novel veteran.

I love how distinctive it is due to being led by a professional office worker MC, compared to other idol novels where they just sit in a circle and come up with ideas which are then passed onto a vague management body to flesh out, it's hilarious how this group grows into a fully functional planning department that is responsible for so much more of every project... more>> under the influence of MC.

Sigh, speaking of our MC, my baby Iwol really is tragic. He's so handsome, distinctive and intelligent but he's the only one who can't see it. My heart hurts for him whenever he suffers alone. I can only hope that as the novel goes on the other members will slowly heal his wounds. <<less
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MayIHelpYou
MayIHelpYou rated it
November 8, 2024
Status: --
The protagonist reminds me of Bocchi, from Bocchi the rock!

He's more charismatic, but also incredible at understanding people and communication.

He's similar to Bocchi because he imagines people's bad reactions all the time.

... more>> But he's actually a great friend.

SPOILER

Iwol does not seem himself as handsome, which he is. Actually, he has no idea how great he is.

Even when he acknowledges his hard work, he says it's common between subordinates.

He reminds me of some idols that had no talent, but conquered everything because by pure practice.

It's subtle, and he cares about his team mates a lot, even if he doesn't see it. It's great to see his evolution as both a person and an idol. <<less
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Mokalyne
Mokalyne rated it
August 10, 2024
Status: c19
Too be honest, at the moment I like it. The guy got a system, but it's not really a golden finger (it's more like a demanding boss lol) and it's not juste "yeah, lets give point to charisma" and them BAM he's a hottie (there is no charisma point, just song and mouvement haha)

it's a lot of hard work for idols to debut and this read let's you feel it (perhaps a little too centered on face for me, like if you're not a bg you don't have value... more>> as an idol in this one).

So for the moment it's a cool read, here to hoping it'll still be in the future ! <<less
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9uwon
9uwon rated it
February 21, 2025
Status: c120
i went into this not expecting much because the premise is a somewhat common trope but I'm really surprised by how invested I got into the MC, his bandmates, and the success of the boygroup in general...

  • this is a story where you'll root for a desperate ex-corporate s*ave (using all of his past life's bitter experience from working in the most corrupt company ever) to overcome countless obstacles (some fair, some unfair) in the idol world as an underdog. ultimately, all he wants is to repay the one person in his life that was there for him.

    it just turns out that, in order to get what he wants, he'll have to become an idol in a troublesome boygroup and debut!
the story can be quite emotional too: i've laughed at... more>> MC's antics, cheered when he finally exposed a corrupt employee, but also felt frustrated for him, shed tears at his struggles, and wished that a kinder future would await him

very minor spoilers for a more detailed review (stuff you find out from like the first few chapters) :

Spoiler

the MC's past life was an absolute living hell, being treated like a dog (even less) for YEARS by his superior at the company he used to work at. it doesn't help that his parents didn't treat him any better during his childhood.

these traumas led him to have extremely skewed conceptions in terms of how much work he should be doing/how much value he has a person (which is next to none according to him), so he always overworks himself to "be good enough to at least not drag down the other members of the group" and just can't see how much of a blessing he really is to the whole group. he always helps and takes care of members but never accounts for his own well-being/health : (.

so it's not just about rooting for their success as a new group from a small company

it's also wishing for MC to finally recognize/see how much others care for him, and how important he's become to them, because no, you are NOT just "bothersome fodder" that's gonna leave a year after debut so they can be "freed from you"!!

[collapse]

also no, the system did not "lie" to MC and the reader. it was established very early on that it just "speaks" like a scumbag, just like his old superior. it was never meant to be seen as reliable or trustworthy, so this sort of development shouldn't be surprising. <<less
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Yuuz
Yuuz rated it
December 19, 2024
Status: c91
Rating 100/10: Iwol is the most precious and wonderful MC in any idol novel I've ever read he's literally so great my heart hurts for him, everything about this novel is perfect

Forget the reviewer who said the novel lied - there's some serious misunderstanding about the system and story plot happening here:

... more>>
Spoiler

From a readers perspective, when the system says 'debut or your life will return to how it was before, ' we immediately know that's not going to be the end of it. The debut date is quickly approaching in this several hundred chapter novel, and Iwol is constantly thinking about how his time with the group is nearing its end. It's too obvious to even be considered foreshadowing, rather you're more interested in discovering just what game this system is going to play to keep Iwol after the debut occurs.

Regarding the system and it's straight up meanness:

A major plot point and significant part of Iwol's backstory is his abusive Manager Nam. The system emulates Manager Nam's speech patterns and talks down to Iwol, but it doesn't come off as poisonous because there's no human intent behind the computers text. The only mean part of it is the flashbacks it gives Iwol to the worst part of his work life (Manager Nam).

[collapse]

Please read this novel, you won't regret it ;-; <<less
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dpmoijbol
dpmoijbol rated it
April 27, 2025
Status: c193
I love this novel. I don't typically write reviews, but seeing how underrated this novel is, I felt I had to add more ratings for it. I'm not good at writing, but I hope a stray person can read this and decide to give it a chance!

Healthy dosage of angst and fluff? Check. A reliable MC that still has his weak points? Check. A lovable set of characters and dynamics towards each other? Check.

Even though the other stuff is already good, I think the strongest part of this novel is... more>> the character writing.

I was surprised at how hilarious the MC, Kim Iwol is. He's the main reason I kept on reading. He's such a freaking weirdo. I felt vindicated when the characters pointed it out lol. He says strange things with a straight face that there's a chapter where they quote some of the stuff he's said in previous ones lol. Kim Iwol as a character has many facets to him, and the author clearly put a lot of care in writing him. He's smart, meticulous but also has a warm heart and a personality that can't leave others alone.

The heavy trauma and ab*se he's suffered in the past has deeply affected him and his perception of himself, and I think its portrayal in this novel is good. He doesn't magically get better overnight, but with the love of his group and his fans, he can start working toward it.

Spoiler

As later chapters go on, you start to realize he's thinking about his ex boss less and less.

[collapse]

The way the other members bounces off of him is also (chefs kiss). He cares so, so much about the other guys, and you can see that affection and respect returned back to him as well. To put it shortly, Kim Iwol is kind of like their mom, lol. However, the author balances out Kim Iwol's nagging and seniority towards the other members by letting them snark at each other. You'll see this more with fellow oldest Choi Jeho and notably the other maknae Lee Cheonghyeon. Despite Kim Iwol kind of being a control freak and a workaholic, I never felt like he was "above" them like in other novels where the MC takes the "leader" role. (in a metaphorical sense. Jeong Seongbin is actually the official leader of their group!) SPARK has the tightest relationship I've seen in idol novels. They're really found family to me T__T.

As for the other members, they're also very lovable. I actually forgot some of the roles since the idol stuff mattered to me less than the plot...

Choi Jeho: The second oldest. Blunt and tends to keep to himself. He's awkward with his words but not "gentle/misunderstood" either. Though he usually doesn't mean any harm. He also wears glasses with I think is kind of a rarity lol. Somehow the author can make a character who would be annoying in other novels come off as "ahh, well, he's just like that." If Kim Iwol is the mom, he's kind of like the (absent) big bro/dad lol. Center and main dancer.

The characters below are still in highschool:

Jeong Seongbin: Reliable and kind leader. He's pretty perceptive too. The fact that he could deal with the OG Spark speaks volumes of his willpower. I can't say much since it'll go in spoilers but I'm so happy with his development too T_T! Official leader of SPARK, main vocal.

If you're curious, here's a tldr:

Spoiler

He was mistreated since middle school by a senior in their company who he did demo recordings for. Kim Iwol took him out of that situation, but he developed self-esteem issues from that. Eventually, that senior apologized to him and admitted the reason was he was jealous of Jeong Seongbin's talent. As revenge, Jeong Seongbin performed that senior's most popular song on a TV program better than that senior.

[collapse]

Park Joowoo: Mild-mannered and quiet. He loves rock and has the voice of an angel. Sweet kid. Has been friends with Jeong Seongbin for years. Main vocal.

Kang Kiyeon: Cheerful but overtly aware of how others perceive him. He loves manga and is crazy about dancing. V He's best friends with Lee Cheonghyeon. Main dancer.

Lee Cheonghyeon: Also bright and cheerful but 2x! Smart as well as being very handsome/beautiful and Iwol's favorite child lol. Visual main.

Do you know their group does weekly complimenting sessions? Isn't that cute!!

My only gripe with this series is that:....I can't read more!! The raws don't exist except on N*v*r (Yes it's not updated on that site (B******i) either. Thank you for the translator for giving such a great story an equally deserving translation.

With such a long review, I hope those who read this can give it a chance!!!!! <<less
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Little Ice
Little Ice
April 9, 2025
Status: c167
Just read this.

I guarantee that you will enjoy this novel as much as I do. Tbh, I don't have anything more to add since so many people have given such amazing reviews about this novel. So instead, take this as a push for you to stop thinking whether to read this or not and just read the first few chapters.

It's addictive. I blew through the chapters all day and night, losing sleep to read this novel. You won't regret it.
5 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
rizzmaster173
rizzmaster173 rated it
April 8, 2025
Status: c165
dude... this novel is so good...i can go on and on about the relationship between iwol and his noona...:sob sob:

quick summary: the MC, kim iwol, was originally a corporate s*ave (and thats putting it nicely btw...) and was forced by his manager to 'fangirl' over this idol group known as 'Spark' for his daughter, causing iwol to despise idols (specifically spark...)

after his regression, iwol is now forced to become another member of spark, much to his dismay (funny asl)

the novel has a good blend of comedy, angst and... more>> idol stuff. (im gonna get a little spoilery here sorry!) iwol has suffered through alot of ab*se, and I mean ALOT. its very evident by his lack of self esteem and the constant thoughts of his previous manager verbally ab*sing iwol, as well as iwol repeatedly putting himself down despite praises and compliments. its very heartbreaking to see, and im glad that despite his ab*se, iwol doesnt let it define who he is.

now going on to spark, his idol group. they are all my kids I love them sm... they all have their own problems, like jehos blunt way of talking to the point of rudeness, seungbins insecurities about his placement in the group and everything... its all so human. and iwol tries his best to help and support them even tho he claims he hates them. spark also cares and worries for iwol, to encouraging him to sleep early, to helping out with the dorm chores and just overall support iwol.
Spoiler

especially after the events of PD han or whatever his name was, just spark caring and spoiling iwol to make sure he doesnt over extend himself after his attack by bastard han.

[collapse]
I love them sm I cant

and iwols relationship with his noona and how it helped develop iwol to who he is now. his noona is someone who affects iwol to a deep level, and how she was willing to sacrifice herself to help iwol escape from their hellhole of a house was touching, and how her death still affects iwol to this day, like a shadow that looms over him and weighs down on him, despite the warmth that it brings to iwol. it is such a well written relationship...
Spoiler

and that one chapter where after iwol debuts and yet the system still doesnt 'revive' his noona... his anger and fear and all those emotions that came out... oh god...

[collapse]

this is the best idol novel I have read currently.. sorry debut or die... please give this a chance it is extremely well written!!! props to the translator too! <<less
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Oceanskyice
Oceanskyice rated it
October 30, 2024
Status: c65
The basic premise is really interesting—random overworked office worker gets forced to be an idol. The resulting skill set that he has is so unique—the ability to read the room, flatter your boss, finish work quickly, copy write and write reports, conduct market research. Applied to idols, and it gets fun.

but the more you read about the hints the MC drops about his old job, the more abusive and awful you realize it was. This story is about him using his hard earned skills for his idol group, but also... more>> about realizing his own worth and his own value; things he was robbed of in his previous job. I’m convinced that his manager hated him bc our MC was too hot.

The members of his group are surprisingly well written and their relationship with the MC is so wholesome, especially when they call him out on his double standards (MC forcing them to eat well and sleep when he’s neglecting himself). Really looking forward to more!! <<less
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blackrockslasher
blackrockslasher rated it
September 12, 2024
Status: c37
After reading a lot of novels around idols. This one is unique where the protagonist was once a overworked employee for idols, he now gets a second chance at life after suffering a great tragedy at the caveat he has to debut. Especially for the group that he had worked with.

Honestly its fun and wholesome in a way. While he may not realize it, his overworking nature that spawned from his past life, has had great repercussions on the group and its fun to watch. Not to spoil anymore, he... more>> sort of becomes the glue that keeps the group together and its a fun watch.

Give it a try, while he suffers a tragic backstory that doesnt really matter much (at the chapter im currently at), the intrigue of seeing what happens to both him and group is fun. I hope this series gets more tractions and more chapters (Im begging). <<less
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Laonie
Laonie rated it
April 6, 2025
Status: c164
(Before everything, I’m not used to writing reviews and my English is far from good. I don’t even know if what I’m gonna write is considered spoiler. I don’t think it is though.)

This is my favorite idol novel alongside *while I’m taking revenge I’ll conquer the top idol*.

both novels have unreliable narrators but Iwol is so much more unaware of his own strengths. It’s like he never truly met someone who complimented him on how great he is. His self esteem is rock bottom. he truly believes he... more>> is lacking and sees his efforts and amazing achievements as something he naturally should do to repay others for not kicking him out of group. It’s truly heartbreaking how he was ab*sed even as a full grown adult to the point that he accepted his nonexistent shortcomings as facts... My baby... The funny thing is the contrast between his POV and how others see him. And the other interesting part is the transformation Spark experienced compared to the previous timeline under the influence of Iwol, a professional office worker who was a proxy idol fan. He tries to fix everything that would cause hardships for the fans and turn the kids into desired idols. And he does his every work and project as the office worker he is that the idol group ends up being operated like some company department. It’s hilarious.

And the members... they are likable and well written. They have distinct personalities and their descriptions are interesting. I especially like how you can recognize Jowoo just by the *... * that’s at the end of his dialogues. You can imagine the dreamy way he talks.

The stages are good too. One of them was described to be so pretty that I want to see in real life. The parts about fan’s reactions and comments are just the right amount and won’t make you feel like skipping them. I also like their fangirling of Iwol.

In conclusion, it’s a must read for those who are into idol novels. <<less
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