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immortalbutonlybyname · 5 years

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Reviewing Drama’s I Have Watched Pt 2

My rating system goes like this: 1- Did not like, 2- Enjoyed but probably wouldn’t watch again, 3- Enjoyed and would watch some episodes again (or for movies may watch again), 4- Enjoyed and would watch again, 5- Loved

Korean Drama

Strong Girl Do Bong-Soon: 4/5

Strong Girl Do Bong-Soon is about a girl with super strength that is passed down through her family to all the females. She begins working as a bodyguard for the CEO of a gaming company, An Min-Hyuk, who is being targeted for inheriting his father’s company. This is another one that had a love triangle but was well handled so I actually enjoyed it. I love the character dynamics, Do Bong-Soon was strong but still very kind and humble which I think is hard to find anymore. Min-Hyun is arrogant, hilariously dorky, and rather naïve. I started it thinking that it would be funny and cute, and while it definitely was, I was not expecting the darker tones that quickly took over the show.

The Liar and His Lover: 4/5

The Liar and His Lover follow a genius music producer, Han-Kyeol or K, of the band CrudePlay who keeps his identity a secret, and a high school student who dreams of becoming a singer and is a huge fan of CrudePlay and its mysterious producer. It deals with the difficulty of achieving your dream, sticking to your morals, and opening up to love. This was really great, some of the later episodes got a little boring or annoying but overall it was really good. It took me forever to finish though as the episodes were hard to find when I tried to watch them, might be easier to find now though (update: It is now Netflix for some countries). This was the first show I had seen with Red Velvet’s Joy and I must say her acting was really great, she was super cute and really convincing. The song I’m Okay is one of my favorite songs ever, it is so soft and cute. I highly recommend this show.

High School 2013/ School 2013: 4/5

High School 2013 is about the struggles of being both the student and the teacher in a high school. It follows Namsun as he struggles with his past and the guilt from it, while learning to move on. While the main character seems to be Namsun, this show actually follows a lot of other characters stories Mrs. Jeong is an idealist teacher who was assigned to class 2-2 also known as the difficult class as it has many underachieving students. While Jeong believes that all students need is love and support, the new teacher Mr. Kang believes in a more strict, academic side of teaching. The two must learn to get along to help the students cope with both school and life. Meanwhile, many of the students are dealing with problems of their own like bullying, prepping for college, and the traumas of their pasts. Warning: This show does contain triggers such as suicide, abuse, and bullying. I really enjoyed this show, I finished it in exactly a week around school, work, and just general life. To be honest, while I love Namsun and he is my favorite main character, I do have a soft spot for Kim Min-gi, his storyline made me feel all the emotions and he had such amazing character development. I personally think he had one of the best, if not the best story line and character development in the show. Namsun and Heung-Soo was such an amazing storyline and friendship too. I especially love how they didn’t focus on romance at all really and mostly conveyed friendship and it’s own set of struggles which was really refreshing. The ending was a little more bittersweet but I guess that life, you can’t win every time.

Korean Web Drama/ Mini-series

Another Parting: 4/5

Another parting is about an alien who comes to earth for 24 hours to find the reason humans cry and a woman who just lost everything. It is a rather strange mini-drama but still so good and it keeps your attention throughout the whole series. I was confused by the ending, but I would definitely watch it again.

Love for a Thousand More: 2/5

Love for a Thousand More follows an immortal woman who hates men and love but works as a love counselor. When one day, a noisy neighbor moves into the apartment above her, she begins to question her stance on love and men. This show was pretty good but a bit on the boring side for me personally. It had its funny moments and a few plot twists but overall was a little lackluster. It was good during study breaks, but I probably won’t watch it again.

Ma Boy: 5/5

Ma Boy follows Geu-Rim as she enters an arts high school for the elite. She soon finds life at this new school won’t be exactly as she was hoping, especially when her roommate and the schools #1 female CF star, Irene, has a huge secret that Geu-Rim must keep. Absolutely love this one, definitely my favorite mini-drama. I watched this one in between study sessions and it is perfect to relax to and just enjoy for an episode before getting back to studying or just when you want to watch a cute show really quick to cheer yourself up. I will definitely be watching this again when school starts again. It is a bit goofy and cheesy at times but super cute and the parts that are awkward are great for a laugh.

Magic Cell Phone: 4/5

Magic Cell Phone is about a young man whose childhood friend and crush has become a popular idol. When he discovers that she is in a dangerous situation he is determined to protect her. During a walk at night, he comes across a lady who gives him a magic cell phone that allows him to protect his crush only three times, with some very dangerous consequences. I loved this mini-series; it was super cute with a darker twist. The storyline was adorable, and the actor and actress were super cute. I would watch this again when I’m back in school as each episode is the perfect length for a study break.

Unexpected Heroes: 5/5

Unexpected Heroes is about three teenagers who gain superpowers after their respective transplant surgeries. They begin to have dreams about the man who they received the organs from and use their superpowers to find out what really happened and if their donor’s death was really an accident. I love this Web drama so much; I have watched it a few times already and will watch again. It appears to have been set up for a second season however I don’t think there will ever be one which is so unfortunate as I have so many questions.

Chinese Dramas

Meteor Garden: 4.5/5

Meteor Garden is loosely based off the manga Hana Yori Dango, or Boys Over Flowers. When Shancai is accepted into the most prestigious college in China, she thinks school life will be a breeze. Unfortunately, that is not the case once she encounters the F4, a group of rich and handsome seniors who are the most popular, top students in the school. Si, the leader of the F4 who starts out as Shancai’s enemy, begins to fall in love with her, but Shancai has a crush on Lei, Si’s friend and the quiet musician of the F4. I love the dynamics between the F4, you can definitely tell they are childhood friends, and each has a very distinct personality. Some of the characters can get pretty annoying but they are still likable most of the time. At first, I was completely against the main couple and hated them so much. Especially after a certain scene, which I will not spoil but those who have watched it probably know what I’m talking about, but as the show continued, I started liking them more and more. The reason this show has a 4.5 is because I loved it so much and still do love it. However, towards the end it became very repetitive and kind of annoying to watch, almost like they ran out of ideas. I swear I watched the same story arc two to three times just in different cities. Despite the repetitiveness at the end I still love this show so much and would definitely watch again. My friend and I actually binge-watched a solid half of the series in two days during a sleepover, then took about five more days to finish the rest because life happened. It has some awkward parts with both the writing and the visuals but overall really great.

Chinese Web Drama/ Mini-Series

Intouchable: 3/5

Intouchable is about a high school girl whose boyfriend has disappeared after a date. She receives a card and meets a butler who tells her that she has to travel to multiple worlds and eras in order to find all 10 butlers and complete a contract with them in order to get her boyfriend back. This show was pretty enjoyable but rather cringy and confusing at times. They took inspiration from Twilight, Hunger Games, Game of Thrones and I'm sure many other popular books. This was actually one of the first dramas I watched, and I still do enjoy some of the episodes but I'm not too big of a fan. The actors were pretty good, but the storyline and writing could have used some work.

Part 1

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

#K-Drama #Review #strong girl do bong soon #the liar and his lover #another parting #love for a thousand more #ma boy #magic cell phone #unexpected heroes #meteor garden #intouchable #high school 2013 #school 2013

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sapphired17 · 5 years

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It was 2 AM early at dawn when I finished watching the last episode of At Eighteen drama. Beautifully-painted in a nonchalant but painful atmosphere, I laughed and cried with the characters that resonated pains through their eyes. My eyes, too, were swollen and red after having shed unbearable tears as I came near to the ending scene and listened to the heartbreaking monologue from the main leads. Everything had been melodramatically irresistible and I didn’t want it to end. At Eighteen was initially a mere web-drama I happened to come across when I was scrolling through iflix, but then it has become one of the lifetime dramas that I felt grateful for discovering.

AT EIGHTEEN / 열 여덟의 순간 (2019)

The struggles I have been facing at work are rough and exhausting. It might be that I am still starting to pave a way ahead for myself in the future that I need to deal with constant pressures and anxiety, but I thought it was too burdensome. I keep looking for light-hearted series that tug into my heartstrings to relieve my stress. At the very least, those series help me momentarily erase the bad memories I have experienced in real life. It might sound cliche to people who are not so fond of watching dramas, but for melancholic introverts like me, the existence of dramas feel like sugar sprinkled on top of my dessertㅡit temporarily sugarcoats the reality. And when I watched the first episode of At Eighteen, I know that I will love it. A lot.

INITIAL IMPRESSION

I was being too emotional on my writing above, but never mind (it’s already ten to three freakin’ AM in the morning and I haven’t slept at all just to write this piece since the feeling still lingers there). At Eighteen is a melodramatic web-drama that tells the life of South Korean high school students at the age of 18 and their relatable struggles in coping up with the hard times.

Choi Jun Woo (Ong Seung Woo) is a forced transfer student after a theft case in his previous high school. At first, he was very quiet and reserved and didn’t even try to acknowledge his existence. Jun Woo comes from a poor family with a single young mother that works very hard for the living. He also works part-time after school to earn more money, so I can somehow grasp the situation that leads to his overly-passive manner when he first transferred. Nonetheless, Jun Woo is originally very kind and caring. He isn’t embarrassed of his current circumstances, but working very hard to do well on his own. These qualities shine a lot especially when he is around his mother.

I have never heard of Ong Seung Woo before since I didn’t know much about Wanna One, but he surely is indeed alluring with his handsome face and good acting. Jun Woo feels real to me in each episode, so albeit I don’t have a high standard in defining a good actor, I believe that he was doing a great job there.

Yoo Soo Bin (Kim Hyang Gi) is just like your ordinary pretty classmate that hangs out with everyone. She is outgoing and bright, but not stupid or overly clumsy like the majority of the heroine in Kdramaland. Her mother is a Seoul University graduate who sets the bar very high, sometimes too high for her to handle. Nonetheless, Soo Bin is both a good student and a good daughter that doesn’t rebel despite the anger or sadness that she feels.

Kim Hyang Gi started off as a child actress, so I find her acting comforting. Not going overboard, but also not lacking in any aspect. It is adequate, and it is good enough to be enjoyed. And I didn’t think that she would become so pretty when she was a child actress, but it turned out that she really did.

Ma Hwi Young (Shin Seung Ho) is the typical smart role model student who also happens to be the class president. He is pretentious and cunning in front of everyone, but keeps doing evil things behind everyone’s back. Such a behavior is most probably nurtured as a result of the anger and burden at home with a dad that never thinks that he is good enough. He is bestfriends with Soo Bin ever since they were little, but now he thinks he likes her more than just a friend.

I also have never encountered Shin Seung Ho in any other drama, but I think that he is very talented in portraying Hwi Young and his multi-faceted expressions.

Oh Han Kyeol (Kang Ki Young) symbolizes a teacher who personally takes care of his students. He was the homeroom teacher’s temporary replacement, who then upgraded to the real homeroom teacher. At first, he grovels in front of the students out of anxiety and lack of self-esteem. This kind of struggle feels so relatable especially since I also used to be a teacher. Regardless, he stands strong in what he believes in and gains self-confidence by trusting his students, two of which makes him an amazing teacher.

Kang Ki Young is on dramas a lot as a side-but-important character so I don’t need to doubt his acting skills. He always delivers the scripts well, be it in comedic or melodramatic scene.

ALLURING STUFFS

The plotline is not slow-paced but the development doesn’t feel forced at all. I began watching with interest that grows into an anticipation. Every episode contains captivating charms and led with meaningful titles.

EP 2. I didn’t talk much about the first episode as it was merely the beginning and they were just starting off with introductions so that the viewers may get a grasp of the whole circumstances, and the second episode marks the arising conflicts.

Here the drama showcases Jun Woo’s genuine trait, which allows him to stay true to himself without being a jerk. [SPOILER ALERT] When Jun Woo was confronting Hwi Young after he was falsely-accused of stealing a teacher’s watch, I really thought that Jun Woo spoke up his mind so eloquently in a way that made people reflect on themselves. He saw Hwi Young take the watch with him and managed to retort Hwi Young’s accusing pretentious words. Another thing was when Teacher Oh ordered him to write an apology letter for stealing the watch. He insisted on his belief and put a drawing on the paper instead. When the watch somehow ended up inside his locker, Jun Woo told the teachers that he didn’t need forgiveness as he was not guilty of anything. [END OF SPOILERS] Jun Woo indeed takes his rebel on the next level, and I think it’s cool.

EP3. The way Jun Woo and Soo Bin got closer to each other feels natural and the drama did a great job in setting the right atmosphere between them. It warms me seeing how Soo Bin trying to help him and that she thinks that Jun Woo is a decent person at heart. They started meeting more often to discuss school assignments and texted each other with cute simple messages. Jun Woo feels like a little doggo that obeys his master a lot, sometimes by wiggling his tail to express happiness, and Soo Bin is just like a mom that wants the best for her kiddo. They talk about simple things without complications or mind games, which indeed draw them closer to each other.

EP4. I learned my new favorite pick-up phrases from Jun Woo when he was encouraging Shin Jung Hoo, his bestfriend since they were little.

“Our lives are not that messed up after all. No, who cares if we were born a bit miserably? We can just overcame it. Don’t you agree?” – Choi Jun Woo

EP5. [SPOILERS ALERT] Right after Soo Bin quit a tutor class that her mom tried so hard to admit her to, Soo Bin’s mom even did as far as barging into her classroom and scolding her at school. I could see Soo Bin’s frustration when she asked if her mom gave birth to her only to brag to other people. [END OF SPOILERS] She feels tormented and heartbroken that I keep reminding myself that becoming a parent requires a great sense of responsibility and maturity to take care of your children well, in a way that doesn’t inflict wounds on them.

EP7. Here is a cute picture since I always like the portrayal of a tall guy and a petite girl that showcases the height difference, which somehow I find heart-fluttering. [SPOILERS ALERT] When Soo Bin had a bad stomachache during the math test, Jun Woo took the first initiative to carry her to the infirmary despite not having finished the test himself. On top of that, he asked the teacher if it was possible for her to take the test there. [END OF SPOILERS] I am touched by his sincere affection and consideration towards her.

EP7. There is a saying that many adults wish to go back to their high school days, when the most difficult obstacle is only about solving math questions. [SPOILERS ALERT] After Hwi Young discovered that he failed a number in his math test, he became restless and devastated. Teacher Oh tried to comfort him that this is not supposed to be a life-changing matter. “You should know how to let things go for a change,” to which Hwi Young replied that Teacher Oh understood nothing since he wasn’t pressured to attend Seoul University like him. [END OF SPOILERS]

There is a clear line between adolescence and adulthood. As someone who has gone through school and university, now I certainly see high school problems as trivial things that are not worth getting stressed over. There are bigger problems in life that revolve around finance, relationships, marriages, and school grades are merely a tiny bit that own no power to define one’s life. However, students living in competitive situation like Hwi Young take everything seriously at school, starting from the grades even to the seating arrangement in the classroom. And that strengthens the notion that nobody is capable of judging anybody even after they try to put themselves in one’s shoes, because one pair of shoes may fit me but may be ill-fitted to you in terms of qualitative values such as comfort or feelings induced.

EP10. This is one of the most heartbreaking scenes throughout the series. It brought me tears and made me realize another thing. [SPOILERS ALERT] Hwi Young lied to Soo Bin that Jun Woo was just using her to get on him. It got Soo Bin so confused and slowly walked away from him out of fear. When they finally met and Soo Bin told him her confusion, Jun Woo painfully asked, “Do you believe it, more than you believe me?” [END OF SPOILERS] It hurts me so bad just like how Jun Woo was hurting, like what would hurt more than getting doubts from someone whom you trust?

That made sense to me that Jun Woo needed some time for himself to think about everything, knowing that Soo Bin would be waiting for him.

And there couldn’t be any greater happiness than two people who find themselves in each other’s embrace after going through storms together. Period.

EP11. Unlike Kang Ki Young’s usual roles in his previous dramas, Oh Han Kyeol is portrayed as a righteous and smart teacher that really longs for the best for his students. During the initial episodes, Oh Han Kyeol faltered a lot because he didn’t have much confidence in himself. However, I always admire his thoughtfulness for the students, unlike the previous homeroom teacher who received bribery in favor of some particular students.

In this episode, Oh Han Kyeol bravely confronted Hwi Young’s mom who was somehow trying to bribe him as well. He stood firm in his belief despite the risks he might be facing in the future. Such a fearless character isn’t just anywhere in this corrupted world.

EP12. Nobody is one hundred percent an angel, or one hundred percent a devil. [SPOILERS ALERT] When Hwi Young was falsely-accused of cheating or rigging his grades, he told Teacher Oh that he wasn’t behind it and faced his classmates and their skeptical suspicion about the truth. Later on Hwi Young spit out the disappointment towards his parents for committing such a crime. [END OF SPOILERS] After learning about Hwi Young’s behavior, I understand that deep down, he was just doing the best he could in order to please his parents. Kids like Hwi Young grow their evil deeds due to the constant pressures and inferiority resulted from the parents’ lack of acceptance. My heart hurts for kids who experience bad parental unacceptance like him.

EP15. This is another tear-jerking scene that sinks my heart so deeply it hurts. [SPOILER ALERTS] Since Soo Bin’s mom & Jun Woo’s mom have become friends, it feels heavier for Song Hee to tell Yeon Woo that she doesn’t want Soo Bin to have a boyfriend now. It breaks my heart that Yeon Woo talked about how she respected Jun Woo’s feelings and didn’t want to trample on his emotions. [END OF SPOILERS] It is well said indeed, that no mothers in the world will want their children to have it less.

STUFFS THAT IRKED ME

#1 Soo Bin’s overly aggressive mother

Being a single mother is surely one of the toughest jobs in the world, but being a mom that doesn’t trust her child and enforce her own goals without considering her kid’s perspective is surely much exhausting, isn’t it?

I myself grew up in a regular Asian family environment that thankfully, isn’t so strict with grades. My parents let me study on my own and choose my own future path, so the image of a parent making a very bug fuss over grades towards an already smart daughter is a bit uncalled of. I strongly detest how Soo Bin’s mom was trying to dictate Soo Bin’s life according to her own will. Nonetheless, this is quite a common sight in South Korean competitive society and I am not to judge it.

Thankfully, Soo Bin is a truly loyal girl to her mom and who, just like Jun Woo, expressed her kind of rebellious acts that didn’t lack respect towards her. She tries to be more mature and understanding, and I think it wouldn’t have been possible without her strong love and respect towards her mom.

#2 Hwi Young’s evil deeds

I don’t have words for Ma Hwi Young. I tried so much to understand him, but I couldn’t manage to tolerate his evil deeds. [SPOILERS ALERT] From stealing a watch and perfectly covering it up so Jun Woo was falsely-accused, to the hatred towards Jun Woo that somehow led to the death of Shin Jung Hoo, and even causing another misunderstanding between the newly-born couple Soo Bin and Jun Woo. [END OF SPOILERS] I could fathom that he probably turned into somebody he didn’t want to because of the constant parental pressures, but Hwi Young’s arrogance and pride also get on my nerves a lot of time.

Hwi Young’s sincere smile was revealed when he was around Soo Bin. That might probably because she has known him for long and he feels comfortable being around her. But I do believe that such a background story shouldn’t justify Hwi Young’s pestering towards Jun Woo out of jealousy.

#3 Possessive and self-centered Ro Mi

There is this girl who acts cocky and arrogant at school, pretending she doesn’t need friends at all. Then this is Hwang Ro Mi and her indescribably annoying behaviors towards almost everybody. [SPOILERS ALERT] I don’t exactly understand why she would feel overly jealous towards Soo Bin when she should actually be thankful that Soo Bin still asks her friends to hang out with Ro Mi albeit they don’t like her, but her aggravating move towards Jun Woo started from a simple thought, that Soo Bin should not have it all. It disturbed me that Ro Mi began the whole Jun Woo-likes-me scandal from her own delusion, which was then spread to the rest of the class, because then Soo Bin misunderstood and thought that he didn’t like her. [END OF SPOILERS] I despise misunderstanding so much as it generates groundless suspicions that shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

LOVELINES ALERT

Choi Jun Woo & Yoo Soo Bin

This is the kind of high school couple I am forever rooting for. They are mature enough in dealing with arising problems and both aren’t the type to hold prolonging grudges that destroy the relationship, sometimes too mature to me as well.

[SPOILERS ALERT]

After the whole unpleasant misunderstanding between the two, they had to be separated again since Soo Bin’s mom was strictly against their relationship. It took me by surprise seeing how the two managed to cheer each other to hang on even during the hardest times. Soo Bin didn’t rebel when she was told to cut off the ties with Jun Woo, not because she feared the threats, but because she didn’t want her mom to hate Jun Woo, thus completely vanish their relationship into thin air. Jun Woo kept his promise with Soo Bin’s mom in order for Soo Bin to be free. Both are being genuinely considerate towards each other, which wouldn’t have been within reach if either of them hadn’t sincerely been in love.

Their efforts didn’t go in vain as Soo Bin’s mom learned to be more trusting towards her own daughter. Whatever progress made between the two was all thanks to their patience and maturity in handling the matters. Soo Bin and Jun Woo focused on studying and upgrading themselves amidst the separation instead of whining about their problems and not doing anything. I’m proud of themㅡI will forever be rooting for them.

[END OF SPOILERS]

I love how the drama emphasizes the notion of endurance and patience in order to get to where one aspires to be. While it may not work out for everyone, I believe that confronting the situation harshly, or even with bursting anger, doesn’t make things better. Resentment and outrage drain your energy without ever resulting in anything positive. It might be because they are still at eighteen, but I also yearn to face life with such innocence and radiant passion.

Apart from the main loveline, I am not particularly interested in smaller lovelines like between Pil Sang & Ro Mi, or between Teacher Oh and the part-time noona. However, I kinda find Oh Je and Da Heen’s relationship somehow cute and adorable.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the scriptwriter’s writing skills that put me in an awe. Everything was beautifully-written and the dialogues are heart-rending indeed. It taught me about appreciating life better.

“It must be so easy for you adults. Sometimes you tell us that we know nothing because we are too young, and that we should do nothing but study. But other times, you say that we’re all grown up now, we’re old enough to understand everything. You change your words whenever you want to suit your needs.”

Through Soo Bin’s lens of perspective, she insisted on showing her mature side since her parents expect her to do so. Watching shows like this makes me realize that human beings are indeed very selfish and complicated. Words are easily twisted without the consideration of other people. Why is it so easy for us to inflict wounds on others? Why do we allow our actions hurt people who are as fragile as us?

“Your child is not your property. “Study.”; “Get into a good university”; “Win by all means.”; “Hang out with this kid.”; “Don’t hang out with that kid.” You suffocate them and intrude into their lives. You even censor and judge their emotions. This place is not a prison. I’m not a prison guard. When are you going to stop telling me to monitor and control those kind-hearted and beautiful kids?”

I really want to direct this message to all parents around the world, who still believe that grades matter more than the happiness of the children. This statement might come off as too idealistic and less realistic, but I believe that everyone needs to hear this. I don’t want my future kid to give up on studying just because it’s pressuring, but I also don’t want him to lead a stressful life ever since he was a kid. As if adulthood is not devastating enough, do I need to let him live in misery without ever having made great childhood memories?

“If the skies look down on us, they will probably think we are so pitiful. Annoying each other all the time over our greed and hurting those who are precious to us. Let’s stop doing that!”

This is what Teacher Oh said after he saw the somber atmosphere in the classroom. It was unexpected and I was honestly touched. Do we spend too much time spouting nonsense on the media, while forgetting the beauty that transverses across the horizon?

The drama left a bittersweet feelings inside me, allows me to reflect on my life so that I may not spend another year with lingering regrets. Life is the greatest gift one can ever have, that is supposedly spent by cherishing one another and giving more love instead of hatred, encouraging more people instead of saying hurtful words, saying more positive words instead of negativity, and, most importantly, inspiring more people to live a better life instead of looking down on them. That way, the world may become more beautiful.

GRADE

10/10

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At Eighteen: A Review It was 2 AM early at dawn when I finished watching the last episode of At Eighteen drama.

#2019 #a moment at eighteen #at eighteen #christopher #jtbc #Kdrama #kdrama review #Kdramaland #kim hyang gi #korean drama #moment #ong seung woo #review #shin seung ho #webdrama

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