Oh actually... maybe it didn't :/ It works the first time you print it out (directly) ... but then when saved to the DB, it gets corrupt (even though the DB is in utf_bin)

Any other ideas? Who would have thought this would be such a royal PITA! I wish we just all moved over to one charset ;) Here is what a dumper of the values looks like:

$VAR1 = {
          'title_flag' => 0,
          'og_desc' => "\x{420}\x{443}\x{43c}\x{44b}\x{43d}\x{438}\x{4
+4f} \x{43d}\x{435} \x{441}\x{43c}\x{43e}\x{436}\x{435}\x{442} \x{43f}
+\x{43e}\x{43a}\x{430}\x{437}\x{44b}\x{432}\x{430}\x{442}\x{44c} \x{44
+2}\x{435}\x{43b}\x{435}\x{432}\x{438}\x{437}\x{438}\x{43e}\x{43d}\x{4
+3d}\x{44b}\x{439} \x{43a}\x{43e}\x{43d}\x{43a}\x{443}\x{440}\x{441} \
+x{ab}\x{415}\x{432}\x{440}\x{43e}\x{432}\x{438}\x{434}\x{435}\x{43d}\
+x{438}\x{435}-2016\x{bb}, \x{43f}\x{435}\x{432}\x{435}\x{446} \x{41e}
+\x{432}\x{438}\x{434}\x{438}\x{443} \x{410}\x{43d}\x{442}\x{43e}\x{43
+d} \x{43d}\x{435} \x{432}\x{44b}\x{441}\x{442}\x{443}\x{43f}\x{438}\x
+{442} \x{432} \x{421}\x{442}\x{43e}\x{43a}\x{433}\x{43e}\x{43b}\x{44c
+}\x{43c}\x{435}, \x{430} \x{440}\x{443}\x{43c}\x{44b}\x{43d}\x{441}\x
+{43a}\x{438}\x{435} \x{442}\x{435}\x{43b}\x{435}\x{437}\x{440}\x{438}
+\x{442}\x{435}\x{43b}\x{438} \x{43d}\x{435} \x{441}\x{43c}\x{43e}\x{4
+33}\x{443}\x{442} \x{43f}\x{440}\x{43e}\x{433}\x{43e}\x{43b}\x{43e}\x
+{441}\x{43e}\x{432}\x{430}\x{442}\x{44c} \x{437}\x{430} \x{43f}\x{43e
+}\x{43d}\x{440}\x{430}\x{432}\x{438}\x{432}\x{448}\x{438}\x{445}\x{44
+1}\x{44f} \x{43c}\x{443}\x{437}\x{44b}\x{43a}\x{430}\x{43d}\x{442}\x{
+43e}\x{432} \x{2014} \x{438}\x{437}-\x{437}\x{430} \x{434}\x{43e}\x{4
+3b}\x{433}\x{430} \x{432} 16 \x{43c}\x{43b}\x{43d} \x{448}\x{432}\x{4
+35}\x{439}\x{446}\x{430}\x{440}\x{441}\x{43a}\x{438}\x{445} \x{444}\x
+{440}\x{430}\x{43d}\x{43a}\x{43e}\x{432}.",
          'title' => " \x{420}\x{443}\x{43c}\x{44b}\x{43d}\x{438}\x{44
+f} \x{43d}\x{435} \x{431}\x{443}\x{434}\x{435}\x{442} \x{443}\x{447}\
+x{430}\x{441}\x{442}\x{432}\x{43e}\x{432}\x{430}\x{442}\x{44c} \x{432
+} \x{ab}\x{415}\x{432}\x{440}\x{43e}\x{432}\x{438}\x{434}\x{435}\x{43
+d}\x{438}\x{438}-2016\x{bb} \x{438}\x{437}-\x{437}\x{430} \x{434}\x{4
+35}\x{43d}\x{435}\x{433} - \x{413}\x{430}\x{437}\x{435}\x{442}\x{430}
+.Ru ",
          'charset' => 'windows-1251',
          'og_image' => ' http://img.gazeta.ru/files3/123/8192123/rumi
+n-pic905-895x505-99564.jpg',
          'description' => "\x{420}\x{443}\x{43c}\x{44b}\x{43d}\x{438}
+\x{44f} \x{43d}\x{435} \x{441}\x{43c}\x{43e}\x{436}\x{435}\x{442} \x{
+43f}\x{43e}\x{43a}\x{430}\x{437}\x{44b}\x{432}\x{430}\x{442}\x{44c} \
+x{442}\x{435}\x{43b}\x{435}\x{432}\x{438}\x{437}\x{438}\x{43e}\x{43d}
+\x{43d}\x{44b}\x{439} \x{43a}\x{43e}\x{43d}\x{43a}\x{443}\x{440}\x{44
+1} \x{ab}\x{415}\x{432}\x{440}\x{43e}\x{432}\x{438}\x{434}\x{435}\x{4
+3d}\x{438}\x{435}-2016\x{bb}, \x{43f}\x{435}\x{432}\x{435}\x{446} \x{
+41e}\x{432}\x{438}\x{434}\x{438}\x{443} \x{410}\x{43d}\x{442}\x{43e}\
+x{43d} \x{43d}\x{435} \x{432}\x{44b}\x{441}\x{442}\x{443}\x{43f}\x{43
+8}\x{442} \x{432} \x{421}\x{442}\x{43e}\x{43a}\x{433}\x{43e}\x{43b}\x
+{44c}\x{43c}\x{435}, \x{430} \x{440}\x{443}\x{43c}\x{44b}\x{43d}\x{44
+1}\x{43a}\x{438}\x{435} \x{442}\x{435}\x{43b}\x{435}\x{437}\x{440}\x{
+438}\x{442}\x{435}\x{43b}\x{438} \x{43d}\x{435} \x{441}\x{43c}\x{43e}
+\x{433}\x{443}\x{442} \x{43f}\x{440}\x{43e}\x{433}\x{43e}\x{43b}\x{43
+e}\x{441}\x{43e}\x{432}\x{430}\x{442}\x{44c} \x{437}\x{430} \x{43f}\x
+{43e}\x{43d}\x{440}\x{430}\x{432}\x{438}\x{432}\x{448}\x{438}\x{445}\
+x{441}\x{44f} \x{43c}\x{443}\x{437}\x{44b}\x{43a}\x{430}\x{43d}\x{442
+}\x{43e}\x{432} \x{2014} \x{438}\x{437}-\x{437}\x{430} \x{434}\x{43e}
+\x{43b}\x{433}\x{430} \x{432} 16 \x{43c}\x{43b}\x{43d} \x{448}\x{432}
+\x{435}\x{439}\x{446}\x{430}\x{440}\x{441}\x{43a}\x{438}\x{445} \x{44
+4}\x{440}\x{430}\x{43d}\x{43a}\x{43e}\x{432}."
        };
[download]

...and here is the outputted JSON:

{"page_title":" Румыния не будет участвовать в «Евровидении-2016» из-за денег - Газета.Ru ","description":"Румыния не сможет показывать телевизионный конкурс «Евровидение-2016», певец Овидиу Антон не выступит в Стокгольме, а румынские телезрители не смогут проголосовать за понравившихся музыкантов — из-за долга в 16 млн швейцарских франков."}

..yet here is what comes back out:

$VAR1 = {
          'images' => '',
          'all_images' => '{"image_loop":["http://static.gazeta.ru/nm2
+012/i/quotes/finam_head.png","/nm2015//gzt/img/logo.png"," http://img
+.gazeta.ru/files3/123/8192123/rumin-pic905-895x505-99564.jpg"," http:
+//img.gazeta.ru/files3/885/8195885/igra-pic265-265x150-77294.jpg"," h
+ttp://img.gazeta.ru/files3/725/7953725/RIAN_02710972.HR.ru-pic410-410
+x230-99945.jpg"," http://img.gazeta.ru/files3/331/8116331/2016-02-22T
+104304Z_1519170817_D1AESOMBZKAD_RTRMADP_3_UKRAINE-TATARS-EUROVISION-p
+ic410-410x230-5670.jpg","http://static.smi2.net/srcimg/2780020.png","
+/nm2015/gzt/img/logo_footer.png","http://static.gazeta.ru/nm2012/i/re
+uters_a2.png","http://static.gazeta.ru/nm2012/i/prime_a2.png","http:/
+/static.gazeta.ru/nm2012/i/interfax_a2.png","http://static.gazeta.ru/
+nm2012/i/ria_a2.png","http://static.gazeta.ru/nm2012/i/it_a3.png","ht
+tp://static.gazeta.ru/nm2012/i/lj_a2.png"," http://img.gazeta.ru/file
+s3/123/8192123/rumin-pic905-895x505-99564.jpg"]}',
          'url' => 'www.gazeta.ru/culture/2016/04/22/a_8191769.shtml',
          'title' => ' Румыния Π½Π΅ Π±ΡƒΠ΄Π΅Ρ&#1
+30; ΡƒΡ‡Π°ΡΡ‚Π²ΠΎΠ²Π°Ρ‚ΡŒ Π² Β«Π•Π²Ρ&#
+128;ΠΎΠ²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠΈ-2016Β» ΠΈΠ·-Π·Π° Π΄Π΅Π½Π΅Π³ - Π“Π°Π·Π΅Ρ&#13
+0;Π°.Ru ',
          'description' => 'Румыния Π½Π΅ смоТСΡ&
+#130; ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Ρ‹Π²Π°Ρ‚ΡŒ Ρ‚Π΅Π»Π΅Π²ΠΈΠ·ΠΈΠΎΠ½Π½
+ый конкурс «ЕвровидСниС
+-2016Β», ΠΏΠ΅Π²Π΅Ρ† ΠžΠ²ΠΈΠ΄ΠΈΡƒ Антон Π½Π΅ 
+выступит Π² Π‘Ρ‚ΠΎΠΊΠ³ΠΎΠ»ΡŒΠΌΠ
+΅, Π° румынскиС Ρ‚Π΅Π»Π΅Π·Ρ€ΠΈΡ&#13
+0;Π΅Π»ΠΈ Π½Π΅ смогут проголосоваΡ&#13
+0;ΡŒ Π·Π° ΠΏΠΎΠ½Ρ€Π°Π²ΠΈΠ²ΡˆΠΈΡ…ΡΡ ΠΌΡƒΠ·Ρ
+‹ΠΊΠ°Π½Ρ‚ΠΎΠ² β€” ΠΈΠ·-Π·Π° Π΄ΠΎΠ»Π³Π° Π² 16 ΠΌΠ»
+Π½ ΡˆΠ²Π΅ΠΉΡ†Π°Ρ€ΡΠΊΠΈΡ… Ρ„Ρ€Π°Π½ΠΊΠΎΠ
+².',
          'grab_id' => '133'
        };
{"page_title":" Румыния Π½Π΅ Π±ΡƒΠ΄Π΅Ρ‚ Ρ&#
+131;Ρ‡Π°ΡΡ‚Π²ΠΎΠ²Π°Ρ‚ΡŒ Π² Β«Π•Π²Ρ€ΠΎΠ
+²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠΈ-2016Β» ΠΈΠ·-Π·Π° Π΄Π΅Π½Π΅Π³ - Π“Π°Π·Π΅Ρ‚Π°.Ru
+ ","description":"Румыния Π½Π΅ смоТСт ΠΏΠ
+ΎΠΊΠ°Π·Ρ‹Π²Π°Ρ‚ΡŒ Ρ‚Π΅Π»Π΅Π²ΠΈΠ·ΠΈΠΎΠ½Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ
+ конкурс «ЕвровидСниС-2016», 
+ΠΏΠ΅Π²Π΅Ρ† ΠžΠ²ΠΈΠ΄ΠΈΡƒ Антон Π½Π΅ Π²Ρ‹
+ступит Π² Π‘Ρ‚ΠΎΠΊΠ³ΠΎΠ»ΡŒΠΌΠ΅, Π° Ρ&#
+128;умынскиС тСлСзритСли 
+Π½Π΅ смогут ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΡΠΎΠ²Π°Ρ‚ΡŒ
+ Π·Π° ΠΏΠΎΠ½Ρ€Π°Π²ΠΈΠ²ΡˆΠΈΡ…ΡΡ ΠΌΡƒΠ·Ρ‹ΠΊΠ
+°Π½Ρ‚ΠΎΠ² β€” ΠΈΠ·-Π·Π° Π΄ΠΎΠ»Π³Π° Π² 16 ΠΌΠ»Π½ Ρ&#136
+;вСйцарских франков.","cach
+ed":1}
[download]

Cheers

Andy

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