Alchemy of Souls

this broke my heart and I'll never recover from it

theres two things i must say before i proceed with my review.
1) promises are made to be kept, and in this drama all promises were kept, at least the one that jang uk made with mu deok.
2)liars and soul-shifters will never have a happy ending. no matter what happens they'll always end up suffering. lies will come up to their surface and soul shifters will somehow go wild and die.

now for the review :
for the first 15 episodes, i would've given this drama 9/10. the reason is clear : it was hard for me to watch this. i sped through parts and i kept taking breaks.

but what was the reason i changed it to 10/10? the story. the characters. the plot twists. the sadness. the sorrow. the cries. the beautiful yet heart wrenching romance. everything was portrayed in such a well manner that it's quite difficult to not fall in love with it all. after ep 15 , things started getting better and better. especially episode 19 was my favorite episode and the kiss mudeok and janguk shared in that episode was probably one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen in my whole life. as a certified hopeless romantic i can say that jang uk is the standard.

that boy would die for mudeok. he protected her, he saved her life countless times, he risked it all for her. he didn't even seem to mind that he was killed by her but instead embraced her tightly. it was their promise after all.

the side characters, oh my god. i fell in love with every single one of them. they were so well written. no flaws. the humor, the romance, the sad parts everything was amazing. i enjoyed it all.

and i also adored how everything made sense. everything was connected. the plot twists, the sad parts all made sense. they weren't made up or completely different from the main story line no no. every one of them completed the other and trust me, details are everything. if you have an eye for the details, you'll notice them as the story progresses.

nobody can say alchemy of souls doesn't have an amazing storyline and that the characters aren't top notch. what can i say? i fell in love with all of them.

i cried, i laughed, i got mad, insanely mad. that ending. that ending made me cry so hard EVEN THOUGH I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN. i spoiled it for myself yet it still hit me so hard i sobbed. it screams loudly that the acting was impeccable. the anger i felt was unexplainable and while at the time i saw the ending i thought to myself that i hated it, now that i come to think about it, it was beautiful. and it made so much sense. it was ought to happen. mudeok was a soulshifter.

all in all, i had a blast watching this even if i sped up some parts, some moments will be unforgettable for me and I'll never forget them.

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A Must-Watch

After such a long time, I finally watched Alchemy of Souls!! I honestly feel like I should’ve seen it earlier, but better late than never. I’d been watching rom-coms on streak and this drama completely shifted my taste. It’s the perfect mix of romance, fantasy, mystery, and history, and I was completely hooked.

Storyline:-

The drama was kinda slow at first, but never boring, and actually really fun to watch. Most of the story built up slowly, which was enjoyable, but the real major events happened in episodes 17–19, which felt a bit rushed after the slow pacing. I was really excited to see the real Naksu fight, but… I wasn’t fully satisfied.

I didn’t like how she gave up her power so easily. I feel there could have been more drama or a bigger showdown—she could have kept the power longer or faced a proper fight that made my heart race. The fight with the soul shifter just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted; it wasn’t as thrilling as I imagined.

Characters:-

The characters were still great—every lead and side character had depth, and their interactions kept me engaged. The romance, friendships, and rivalries were all well done, which made the slow parts enjoyable.

Episodes:-

20 episodes, about 80 minutes each. Slow build, fun moments, but then a rushed climax. Even with that, I binged it because I wanted to see it all, and the world-building and relationships were satisfying enough to stay hooked.

Music:-

The OST is beautiful—“Scars Leave Beautiful Trace” is so good, and every lyric felt like it perfectly portrayed the characters’ emotions. I’m in love with it.

Final Thoughts:-

Alchemy of Souls is an experience. Intense, emotional, magical, and mostly unforgettable. After the finale and seeing the hints for Season 2, I had to give it a full 10/10. Even if some parts left me wishing for a bigger showdown, the drama still left a huge impact, and I’m beyond excited for what’s next. Though it wasn’t fully the way i wanted it to be, still i wanna say that, this is a must watch. It was worth watching.

Rating:- 10/10 — a must watch

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Should've stopped before the ending

[I will tag where spoilers start]

I LOVED this show. Truly, I think the world building, magic system, and characters are phenomenal. The villains were fun to watch, and all the twists were super exciting. I had a couple issues around the romantic conflicts, but not too much. This would have been a near perfect score if it weren't for the final episode.

Naksu, a skilled mage and assassin is found and cornered. With nowhere to go, she uses a forbidden technique - the alchemy of souls - to switch her soul into the body of another. In her now body, named Mu-deok, she ends up serving as a maid for young master Jang Uk, one of the few young masters to have not progressed in his magic learning. After a rocky start, the pair becomes young master and maid in public, but teacher and pupil in private, as Mu-deok teaches Jang Uk the secrets to be a successful and powerful mage. However, it seems there are people that want to ensure Jang Uk never reaches his potential.

*Spoilers start here*

Watcing Mu-deok and Jang Uk fall in love was super fun. I thought that some of the conflicts (like Mu-deok feeling insecure/not good enough) were a little unnecessary, but didn't take away from the overall romance. However, I was truly upset by the ending of the show. I know that there is a second season, but with they way they wrapped up s1 I honestly don't even want to watch s2. They had the ability to wrap everything up perfectly, and instead we got a murderous rampage, major character death (followed by resurrection), and ANOTHER soul swap. Genuinely, I think I would have enjoyed this WAY more if I stopped about halfway through the finale. It felt unfinished, even if there is a sequel. If they wanted to bring back Jinmu for one last evil act, why wouldn't that come earlier? Who does an identity reveal with FIFTEEN MINUTES LEFT IN THE FINALE! It felt so rushed and so out of nowhere that it wasn't even enjoyable. I feel like they could have set up for a second season SO much better: hint at someone knowing her identity, leave some things open ended, hint at another villain, etc. Instead, they took all the best parts the finale had going for it, ripped it away, and set up a cliffhanger for season 2. Frankly, it felt lazy.

That being said, the show was still very well done. Maybe if you go into it knowing there's a season 2 it would be better, or just know that the ending is not at all satisfying.

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If I were a movie maker, this is what I would dream to make

I thought that it would be some boring scary Goryeo drama, but it was the total opposite.

The characters, btw, are perfect, altho I came to support Seo Yul, I kept looking forward to Naksu x Jang Uk interaction. I looooooooove the script. The elements in the story are everything I ever wanted. But, the script itself is extremely neat, have a perfect timing, constantly giving me such a pleasant experience, all I ever expected but never expected.

^ These sentences are so messy, but my feelings towards this drama is really messy.

I usually dislike KDrama for having too much episodes which was also the reason why I hesitated to watch this drama since it has tons of episodes, but I wish there were more episodes, bring season 2 NOW.

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FYI: There are two seasons to this show!

I have lots of mixed feelings about this show after just watching the finale. I don’t typically watch period dramas but decided to check this out after one of my favourite authors mentioned it on their blog and was hooked! This isn't your typical period drama, and takes place in a fictional land named Daeho where there are mages. The trailer definitely doesn’t explain much and the premise is quite confusing, so you have to pay attention to all the details. I think it's one of those shows where you just have to go along with the flow and figure things out as you go.

Sometimes the plot is really ridiculous and dramatic, and Naksu had some pretty extreme training methods. In Jang Uk's place I don't think I would like her very much, but I think the romance progressed well and was believable. The advantage of the first season being 20 episodes is that it didn't feel like instalove and you could see their relationship grow as they go through experiences together.

The plot is quite complicated and does get heavy, but the comedy really helps to break it up. The show has a star studded cast, and they are all very good at comedic timing and breaking up the tension so that despite the sometimes heavy plot, it's still entertaining and easy to watch. Some things were a bit predictable/obvious like finding out who Naksu's body belongs to, while others came out of left field for me.

I didn't realize that there were going to be two seasons, so I was expecting a happy ending in the last episode and was super unprepared for what actually happened. I get why they are going in this direction but at the same time, I really liked Jung So Min as Mu Deok and I don’t know how season two is going to work. I feel like it’s not going to be the same.

They did a good job of wrapping up some of the plotlines in season one, like the backstory behind the Choi siblings, but at the same time there were some things that happened that didn't make sense to me. For example, how was So-i able to just dig out the worm just like that when it was supposed to be a threat to keep her under Jin Mu's control? And why would everyone die if Naksu used the ice stone? I also found Jang Gang's ending to be quite abrupt and not very satisfying. I feel like there could have been more closure for Jang Uk.

Season two airs in December, so the good thing is we only have to wait a few months to see what happens next! Hoping that season two will be as good, although I'm really going to miss Jung So Min and I wonder how the chemistry will be between Go Yoon Jung and Lee Jae Wook.

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The best drama i've ever watched

I write this review while still crying my eyes out.
I watch dramas since i was a child but after a few years all of them stopped giving me a certain feeling i always missed. After more than 7 years i got back that feeling while watching this. Since the first episode i knew that this was going to be one of my favorite dramas. Everything is just so special and unique, the plot is fantastic and they chose the best actors to tell the story. Every little detail behind their actions, the chemistry, the ost, this drama is just beautiful. Everything about it is perfect and so well done.

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Love it!

This was such a good drama!!! The chemistry of every couple was soooo freaking amazing!!! The plot and the cinematography were so good. Also the ending was perfectly timed to make the watcher excited for season 2!!! The side characters were also so good and the villians had such good storys! Overall just everything was so well coming togehter! And also all of the actors were doing their job soooo incredible that you can’t really describe it with words. For me this is a 10/10!!!!!! I also had so much fun while watching it and enjoyed the romance mixed with fantasy and action :) This was one of my favourite 2022 dramas!

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Excellent...until the end.

It can be difficult to hold the audience's attention for 20 episodes, and this show definitely did that for most of those 20 episodes. The story was interesting, not boring, a little funny and flirty but also serious and sad, there was action, there was romance, et al. Essentially, everything we love about k-dramas.

UNTIL the end/beginning of the next season...so idk if this is even the right place for this review😅The writers did such a beautiful job building the relationship between the ML and FL, and even though I knew that it wasn't going to be a typical "happy ending" for the two, I still feel like the ending was gimmicky asl. The path of resolution that we were on felt so right and like a really good setup for a season 2 story, and then we took a couple paths that really felt like a "but wait...there's MORE" moment that left me exhausted and definitely not motivated to watch season 2.

And, full disclosure, this could 100% be a me issue....but I HATE time gaps and also actor/actress changes. And once I found out season 2 occurs like 3 YEARS later and that my favorite character has a new/old face that we spent so long trying to forget about, the show immediately lost my attention. Am I so offended that I'm not going to watch season 2? No, I'm definitely a little sadistic like that 😅But I also hope that I'm not still left thinking about how great season 1 *could* have been.

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Alchemy of Greed

I have mixed emotions about its finale last night. I think the last two episodes that were aired this week were mostly fillers, only to get salvaged by the last few minutes of the finale.

It is very evident that the production value is massive. I am greatly impressed with the CGI and special effects; and actors delivered very well.

What the show’s failure for me is that the writers have become greedy and introduced so many plots and subplots. They failed to maintain balance by at least giving closure to a few points. There were moments the writing’s juxtaposition is off-beat, and I am very sensitive to this when there’s body switching involved.

Jang Uk and Mu Deok’s love story, surprisingly did not make my heart flutter. Surprisingly, it was Park Jin and Maidservant Kim’s love story I find most entertaining and lovely.

I have a lot of questions left unanswered. This is why I felt betrayed and annoyed than happy and excited.

1. In the trailer preview for S2, the OG Naksu’s body is back. How is this possible when we all saw how they burned her dead body in EP2.

2. Where is Jin Bu Yeon/Mu Deok’s soul? Did a soul switch happen? If not, why did Mu Deok’s body get petrified if she was indeed a powerful priestess?

3. Who is Jin Bu Yeon’s real father? Is it really Choi U Tak or Jang Gang?

I also think the writers (Hong Sisters) were fans of Game of Thrones since I found a striking similarity with the Red Wedding and The Unburnt Queen.

I understand cliffhangers but this one’s became a bit greedy that it made me feel annoyed and unsatisfied. They could’ve pulled off an Atty Woo kind of closure to keep the viewers happy while waiting. I will still watch Season 2 as it airs in December and see if I get the closure I need.

I find the drama still enjoyable and decent to watch. Let’s see how it goes in total when the series ends.

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A Thrilling Fantasy Tale

Normally I'm not drawn to a fantasy genre, but this had such good reviews, and I'm a fan of actress Jung So Min so I thought I would give it a few episodes. I was caught up in the story from the first episode. The strength of this drama are the visuals, from costumes, to sets, to the actors, to the CGI magical effects, it has been done with great quality and attention to detail. I also enjoy period pieces that mix some modern-day touches in with the historical. The production transports you into the fictitious Daeho and makes you feel this is a real place. The ending surprised me, that is all I will say about it. However, it did end in a way to set up Season 2 and I'm thrilled there will be a second season. It is well worth the 20 episodes.

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✒Shifters ⭐ Grifters⭐ Drifters & ♥️ Lifters °7.9° °Excellent°

Being the King's son has only brought Jang Uk misery and danger. Why? The Alchemy of souls. The name itself is a riddle. It is a spell that switches souls and bodies... and it's forbidden: We can't let the bodies of the rich, young, beautiful and gifted all be stolen by people who know the spell, afterall. As AoS opens, the king is dying. He knows his mage is mastering the spell, so he demands that the mage switch bodies with him, as the king is determined to produce a royal heir. Jang Uk is that heir. He's got the DNA of the mage, whose body fathered him. The man who took over that body is really the one who created him, yet, they have no DNA in common. It's almost like Jang Uk has no father, which is kind of sad. Nevertheless, according to the maxims of AoS, Jang Uk is of the royal line. Even though the King's 🌟 which marks the birth of a future king, appeared in the sky several months after the King's passing, the court believes the king died childless. Another man becomes king, another child becomes the crown prince, and the mage is forced to raise a child that isn't his.

While this is going on, an assassin has also been born. She (Naksu) wasn't actually /born/ a ruthless killer; she was made. After her tribe was massacred, a master adopted her with the intent to transform her into a killing machine. Over the years, She was fed pain and pressure until her bloodlust raged. The more skilled she became, the more difficult she was to control. Once she breaks free of her captors and starts mucking around, her quest for revenge against those who wronged her, coupled with her past crimes, land her on the most wanted list. As she's hunting, she's /being/ hunted - relentlessly. In fact, in ep1, she only escapes death by switching bodies via the AoS spell. Her emergent escape is incomplete, however: Her soul now resides in the body of a blind, weak woman named Mu-Deok, and Mu-Deok is not free. Mu-Deok is a slave - a slave who has just been sold. Who bought her? A mage. This mage is a near powerless man who's had his magical energy sealed from the day of his birth. Though his family is privileged, he lives as a lower class being in a world of powerful mages. What makes it worse is that his parentage is always questioned. His father has never acknowledged him, so the general perception is that he's a b@$tard. What's his name? Jang Uk.

Thus they meet. Jang Uk quickly realizes that Mu-Deok has abilities and knowledge that he desperately needs. In private she becomes his tutor - his master. In public, she's his servant.

What's so marvelous about AoS? Director Park Joon Hwa has brought us hit after hit, such as Because This Is My First Life-7.7, What's Wrong with Secretary Kim-6.8, and Touch Your Heart-8.2. He does not disappoint here. The filming is gorgeous. The sets, art, and costumes are impressive. A poetry book with blank pages becomes a scene of lofty elegance. Jank Uk's azure robe is resplendent. It's a string of one visual sensation after another.

The acting is everyday Kdrama - it's VG. Lee Jae Wook (Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, When the Weather Is Fine-9) is the ML. Give him his Grade-A Korean Beef sticker. He's just another everyday Korean male lead. 'Everyday' means looking very (VERY!) fine, likely very tall, with a rich baritone voice, and excellent acting skills. Per Capita, Korea trounces Hwood when it comes to cranking them out. Jung So Min (The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, Love Next Door) is S1's Mu-Deok. (Lee Jae Wook's head is twice the size of hers. It's unsettling to look at). In flashbacks, her character is deadly serious. In her new form we gradually see that she's clever, moody, and always ready with a quip. She has a dry wit, a no-nonsense manner, and she's rather likable. When she's fighting back tears it's a nifty bit of acting. The pair's interaction is tangible. Mu-Deok must also have an overload of pheromones because she catches every guy's attention. I must say that Oh Na Ra (Racket Boys-8.3, My Mister-9.5) who plays maidservant Kim (a mother figure to JU) and Park So Jin (Sh**ting Stars, The King: Eternal Monarch-8) who runs the guesthouse/bar in town are both adorable. Oh my, the Crown Prince's voice is divine. It's impossible for me to dislike the prince because Shin Seung Ho (from Moment at Eighteen) is so pitch-perfect. {Before we get into it further, if you're watching this with the English language dubbing, you're missing some beautiful voices, particularly the men. You're also missing half of the performance. If that's the only way you can tolerate it, then it's better than not seeing AOS at all, but try an episode in the original language and see how it goes. Subtitle proficiency often takes mere moments.}

There's laughs. An attempted book burning ends up as a lark. Half of the jokes are connected to one mage's tea. Some would rather turn to stone than give up their libido. Jang Uk and Mu-Deok are on the run and hide out at this master's place for a spell. This powerful master's secret is his chaste tea, which negates one's sex-drive. Jang Uk decides to give the brew a try and becomes a happy little busy bee. So busy. So SO happy. Working and chumming around with his new master; they're just two bros having a great day. Mu-Deok is irritated, but she can't figure out exactly why. When that tea runs out, things do get tangled. One must have a libido to understand true desperation and sadness, it seems.

The soundtrack is magical. In S2 I shazamed Blue Flower by LIA, Aching by Kassy, I'mSorry by Ailee, and Raindrops by Gummy. There's a bar / guesthouse scene with wonderfully original music that takes me right to Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars. There's even some cool rock riffs here and there.

There's also love and bittersweet loss.

The best thing about AoS, though, is how it does Chinese fantasy! The screenwriters are Hong Mi Ran Hong & Jung Eun who collaborated on Hotel del Luna-8.4, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, and more. These writers have already revealed their fascination with Chinese culture in A Korean Odyssey-7.2, which they based on the ancient Chinese work, Journey to the West. If you like AoS, just be aware that this show is pretty much a Chinese fantasy piece with Korean touches sprinkled everywhere. Despite some clunky special effects, China does amazing fantasy. AoS has more showmanship (or flare), and a kitschy sauciness that departs from the elegance that China breathes out, but the fact that the writer and director got inspiration from China is undeniable.

AoS could be improved upon. I love actress Jung So Min in Because This Is My First Life. Initially, she didn't seem like the best fit for Mu-Deok. The spark was missing, perhaps? I couldn't pin it down. It became clear that it is the writing and direction that falls short, not her performance. The story fails when it comes to fully realizing her character and motivations. Her personality is ill-defined as are her internal struggles. JU's early attraction to Mu-Deok, before he realizes what's going on, is played for cheap grins. It's slightly off and takes away from the grace of the show. The bad guys should have been scarier. The FL is flipped over to Go Youn Jung (of The School Nurse Files-7.6 & Law School-8) in S2. She has no memories and he doesn't recognize her, so they need to fall in love all over again. It should have been awesome, but their delivery is barely above average. After wondering if Jung So Min was right for the role, I ended up missing her quite a bit in S2. Finally, they are inconsistent with the rules they laid down, especially in S2.

I'm sincerely a fan of these writers. Anything with their names on it is a draw for me. My love for them is warm and cozy but not 'Firebird hot,' to borrow from the show. Sci-fi/fantasy is my favorite genre (they are commonly lumped together as one genre though they are actually quite different from eachother, but there's no need to get into that now). The Sci-fi fantasy genre is not one for dummies. The best authors are masters of intricate world-building with everything fitting together like a hand-crafted 1-second repeating pocket watch - Parameters are laid down and strictly adhered to - The lows are heartbreaking - The highs are euphoric. AoS isn't like that. Its weakest link is the writing. More for fun, AoS doesn't take itself seriously. Besides the levity, there's a fair amount of sheer stupidity. With a perpetually slightly above average IQ, they stay in the shallow end, while I would have preferred the series to carry more weight. It manages to stay in an acceptable range (Look at the ratings! People are crazy about it!). A lower degree-of-difficulty does lower the maximum score, though. The writing prevents my fingers from going beyond a 7.9. Just can't do it. But I still liked it very much.

If you like AoS, alchemize your watch list to include these amazing Cdramas: Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber 9-Kung-fu!,
Eternal Love-8.3,
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Handsome Siblings 8.7;
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8,
Love Between Fairy and Devil 8.9,
Love and Redemption-10

QUOTES📢

If you're not going to do anything, just die.

Evil always does what it wants without ever stopping. Why does virtue always have to prove itself over and over again?

〰🖍 IMHO

📣8 📝7.4 🎭8 💓6 🦋5 🎨9.3 🎵/🔊8 🔚8.4 ▪ 🌞5 ⚡7 😅4 😭4 😱4 😯3.5 🤢4 🤔4 💤0

Age 12+
Scary elements violence gore; S2 language b@$+@rd, $h!+

Re-📺? Likely

Kdrama romances with a fantasy element:

My Only Love Song 8.7 ~ excellent comedy,
Mr. Queen 8.5,
The Legend of the Blue Sea-7.2,
Live Up To Your Name-7.6,
Oh My Ghost 10,
The Bride of Habaek-7.

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Watched because Somin was in it

Somin is the reason I decided to finally watch this series and I enjoyed her role, which to me was that of the main/central character. I would imagine that when this series ended in 2022 that the last few scenes, especially the one where Mu Deok / Naksu is seemingly being lifted up from the depths of the lake, offered the hope of a continued role for Somin. How disappointing it must of been (and is to me now, having just finished Episode 20 a few minutes ago) to learn that Somin wasn't going to be a main character in Part 2. While Part 1 of the series was entertaining, I doubt I'll be watching Part 2.

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