Alchemy of Souls

What I felt as I watched this drama.

There are two types of people in the dramaland 1. who likes a drama 2. one who doesn't. I certainly do not fall under any rather I am quite on the fence regarding this drama. I am unable to fully express my feelings on this drama in a couple of sentences but if I had to force some words out for it then it would be I neither am a fan nor a hater of this drama. When this drama started airing I quickly picked up on it, it was good for the first couple of weeks then suddenly with the sixth week of its running ie., with the eleventh episode I started to feel a little bit bored somehow the plot was lacking something, the writers were not able to weave things well. Something was definitely lacking, it is not the actors or acting it is more so the script and the way it is being written. There are too many side stories that the real focus that should be on Jang Gang (father of Jang Uk) and Jang Uk himself and the fact that Jang Uk was the result of his own father's wrong use of the "ice-stone" magic. I won't say that I absolutely hated watching episode 11 as it was not the case I liked it but not completely, it was good halfway but the rest I think I don't have to speak about. This drama certainly has some redeeming facts about it one being the bromance and some of the comedic scenes that can be considered sub-plots. At the moment I feel like I will be dropping this drama, which has never happened before except for a very few ones only though it was not the script but more like the genre. I am an avid drama/ movie watcher and this has never happened to me before. I am feeling regretful and sad in my heart considering the fact that there is going to be a second season, which before watching the first would not make much sense, I cannot speed run through the first then how would I be able to do that with the second. Maybe after the first season stops airing I will try to speed watch it but I am not so sure at the moment. If I do end up watching it I will make sure to update this review.

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Fanstasy historical drama with a modern look!

This is officially my favourite fantasy Kdrama! We are halfway through S1 and you, screenwriters, are making us lingering for more, week by week, episode by episode.. well done!

please team do not let out too many spoilers for the S2, and I am talking about the news around S2 out there ... leave us, the mesmerised viewers, wondering until the very end as you are doing a great job so far!

AOS has all ingredients to keep you hooked: young and good looking characters ( ...sorry for being shallow :):):), a clever modern twist to costumes and make-up, some family unresolved issues ( who doesnt have it), a badass FL ( ..are we talking about Naksu or MoDuk here... or both really?), some SOul Shifting magical process that can sometimes go wrong ( a blindfolded girl seems to like interfering a lot in it, and i start thinking that it was not a mistake when Naksu entered the blindfolded girl on EP 1.. :), and a lot of sense of humour which makes you laugh out loud ! I LOVE IT!

There is of course some romance, a slow-burn romance we are all waiting to see unclosing... is there a love triangle? ... not sure about that, well you need to watch the series to understand the implications of a person in someone's else body: how would you feel in Naksu situation? would you be able to love someone if you were wearing someone else's skin? how Naksu see herself in someonelse's body? can she love.. completely? and .. is UK's love interest directed to MuDeok, or for Naksu..? how will the Hong sisters respond to that? i am very intrigued to see how things will unfold..

in the meantime, we see great chemistry between the main couple: the way they understand each other, with their looks ( sometimes very cheeky and playful) , the way they protect each other... it is not only because of their "duties", it goes beyond that.. and i simply find myself drawn into this circle of emotions, and I don't want them to be apart ...
UK and Mudeok help and support each other, there is a mutual respect and neither of them is taking control over the other's decision and action; yes, they agreed on having this teacher-scholar relationship , but yet, you cannot really tell who is what as they are both learning from each other! Fantastic!

I am updating my reviews as i continue to watch the new released episodes, but i can tell you it gets better and better. if all the episodes were already completed , i would definitely add this series to my "Binge-watching list"!

a big WELL DONE to the whole production and post-production team, you are putting together a dynamic, aesthetically appealing work, dreamy OST ( teh music in some of the fighting scenes are in rhythm with it. or vice versa..?)

- well done team! let's see what the next episodes will bring to the table :)

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I loved the drama

I just randomly picked this drama to start and it was actually the top second drama i choose in 2022.
The story is written so beautifully.
The actors are doing literally justice with their characters.
The song , videography everything is perfect till now.
I'm on epi 12 & the bond btw jang uk & mu-deok is so beautifully written & my gut feeling is saying that they will also make us cry the most in this drama.
The trio they made while helping mu-deok in the competition was so amazingly done.
Crown prince & jang uk relationship with each other will make huge change in drama and ig it will the most awaited scenes for me.
Plus i really want jang uk and mu-deok to get together as couple , they are so strong and powerful strong plus i love their bonding with eachother.

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Good FX, Overshadowed by Plot and Production Issues

LIKES:
Settings where they were out in nature, like the gardens. Such beautiful flowers and land scape. Vibrant colours!
Cinematography and location settings were all well chosen.
The casting was spot on for both the actors and actresses!
A strong female lead, that never was made into a simpering fool due to falling in love.
Some of the special effects were really well done too, without over using CGI or green screens. Editing was well done and seamless for the most part.
The “magic” effects and makeup for the stone potion of the soul shifters that go wild, all exceptionally well done.
The chemistry between the actors and the actresses all flowed well.
The comedy parts were okay.
Writing was consistent for the most part and well thought out, considering they were creating a whole new world.
Acting mostly was well done too (just not for all of the cast), at least for the main characters.
The music was chosen well, never overpowered the dialogues and even added to the atmosphere in the scenes!

DISLIKES:
Shaky camera moments, it is 2022 you should know how to use a film stabilizer by now! If not for that, then production would’ve been perfect.
Too many love lines, which means some of them will either be killed off or left not concluded, but we will see what happens in the second season.
Even though the females were mostly strong, they eventually turned into supporting characters, even the female lead. That contradicted the beginning episodes and how they were survivors of their circumstances.
Not sure if it’s the director’s fault or the writer’s, but there were too many filler scenes that didn’t add to the story, but gave certain characters more screen time. This might have also contributed to the pacing problems.

OVERALL:
I did enjoy the drama and will watch the second season (while hoping they fix the other problems). For a fantasy drama it is decent. I would recommend it for others to watch, but not sure I will re-watch it, even while waiting for the second season.

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BEST EVER

this is really really recommended to watch it is really unforgettable and enjoyable and it is so entertaining I really love it so much it has so much good production and story lining and really love that the characters has put too much effort on the road it is really and my Rebel it was really my one of the favourite series 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 💖💖💖💖💖 JUNG UK 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 MU DEOKI 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

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fantastic treat

The ending… please have mercy on me. This was such a fun and delightful treat. I was so looking forward to this ever since my tiktok was flooded with beautiful edits of this show and i waited for it to be fully released because I knew deep down I would love it (that sounds very dramatic, but it's true!!) Although the plot only moves quite slowly, the characters and their interactions carry the show and make it special. I have to admit that I have been watching a lot of other shows that have shorter episodes so maybe that is why I felt like the episodes were dragging a little, but I always had a fantastic time watching this show.... The settings, cinematography, music, the magic, … just everything was such a great watch. Deserves all its hype. The only character I couldn’t warm up to was Choyeon… she put Mudeok in trouble (several times), always whining or pouting and bratty… I don’t know, she just wasn’t my favorite. But overall: great watch. I am excited and scared for part 2.

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Rewatching Alchemy of Souls — Still Just as Magical

I finished rewatching Alchemy of Souls today, and honestly, it still hits just as hard.

There’s something about this drama that pulls me in every single time. The whole concept of soul shifting and the world of mages feels so unique, but what really stays with me is the emotional depth. Mu-deok’s character always gets to me—her struggle with identity, power, and vulnerability feels even more intense on a rewatch.

And Jang Uk… I think I appreciated his character even more this time. His growth from someone lost and reckless to someone strong and determined feels so satisfying to watch again. The chemistry between him and Mu-deok is just beautiful—it’s subtle, emotional, and very real.

Visually, the drama is still stunning. The costumes, the sets, the whole magical atmosphere—it all feels so rich and detailed. And the OST… it instantly brings back so many emotions.

Rewatching it just reminded me why I loved it so much in the first place. It’s not just a fantasy drama—it’s about love, identity, sacrifice, and the consequences of power. And it stays with you even after it ends.

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The Best thing i have ever watched in my entire life.

I won’t write a full review since I just finished it. The emotions haven’t sunk in yet, so I’ll share my instant thoughts about Alchemy of Souls.

I just finished both parts, and I’m losing my mind. This is the best, the best, the bestest thing I have ever watched in my entire life! I’m feeling two emotions—one is absolute satisfaction, thinking, Wow, what a series I just watched! An absolute gem! The other is a deep fear: Will I ever watch anything like this or better? And my mind keeps saying, You won’t. My goodness, is there anything better than this? Can anyone please help me? Please, please! I’ve never pleaded for anything before, but today, I am—please recommend something like this.

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