Alchemy of Souls

Good

The series is good, and the acting is also good (especially the chemistry between jsm and jw).

The story/plot itself is refreshing, however, the ending makes me lose interest in it, and for me, the 'comedy' part of the series doesn't suit it.

For me rewatching this series is probably 20% with the max of 50%.

Anyways excited for season 2 (especially for gyj)

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The ending made me lose interest in continuing it however I found out that naksu original body will be back (meaning more gyj) also the next season plot summary seems promising and I can't wait to see how they will pull the ''Amnesia" part on naksu

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Too many cliffhangers to end Season 1

Unfortunately, I didn’t read reviews of this drama and just tried it out based on the overall rating I saw. Otherwise, I would not have started it as it did not have a fair amount of closure and wrap up. Go ahead and have a second season or more, but each season must be able to stand on their own. Too many questions left unanswered in the last episode made for a disappointing end. So if you’re like me, don’t start this drama until season 2 has aired and ended without a teaser for a season 3.

That being said, I did find this to be a uniquely entertaining drama and was mainly let down by the way it ended or rather… didn’t end.

The imagination behind the story was fantastic and the story telling was fast paced although a bit too repetitive in parts. Cinematography was great and I enjoyed the CGI used to display their powers. While this was a fantasy setting and all manner of hairstyles should be accepted, I still could not get used to the modern day looking hairstyles for the ML and his two friends.

I also did not appreciate how some parts were not fully explored and conveniently wrapped up very quickly - one of the most annoying one was when the ML’s “father” turns up only to have it all settled in a matter of minutes. I was expecting more explanation on his motives behind his actions and how he was tempted to dabble in sorcery.

If you can overlook this and are not bothered by an ending riddled with cliffhangers then you will be one of the many fans of this drama unlike myself.

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Idk what anyone says, I'll never stop loving this drama with my whole heart.

I keep my reviews short so although I could talk about this series for hourls irl, I'll keep it short here.

First i'd like to play a bit of an advocate. I see many comments complaining about how Naksu, who was introduced as a badass assasin overtime became nothing more than male lead's love interest. While I do see where is this opinion coming from. I don't think that Naksu became totally soft and unimportant as Mudok. She always was an important character, literally 90% of is about her trying to make a mage out of Jang Uk, toying with the Crown Prince and meddling in everyone's buissnesses. She might come off as weak and just all-talk but the reason for it is not her falling in love. After changing bodies she is not THE Naksu anymore. Not only she loses her magical powers, her new body is super weak psyhically so no matter how much she would train she could never be her dream self anymore. Even if Buyeon gave up and let Naksu use her (Buyeon's) powers, it would be a mix of two people in one body- not the real Naksu herself. It is really not surprising that all she could do through the series is to "fight" with her words and share the knowledge she obtained in her glory days.

Sorry for geting worked up, I have no critical thinking when it comes to this drama haha

Anyway, I liked all the characters, some melted my heart, some made me giggle, some got on my nerves, everyone played their role just right. I personally was the most annoyed by how Crown Prince was so easly influenced and couldn't think by himself in the most cruicial moments and by Heo YunOk as a whole.

I see people complaining about filler episodes too but honestly the show is so fun that until someone pointed it out I did not even noticed. Pacing was fine for me.


[a bit of a season 2 spoiler]

As a happy-ending lover I was left with my mouth open after the last episode. At first I was very dissapointed that Jeong SoMin won't be taking a part in the season 2 but I like how the film crew wriggled out of the problem. Too bad that Naksu didn't get what she orginally wanted but at least she found another happy ending for herself. I'm glad to see most of the characters finding love and peace (poor Seo Yul, I'll remember you forever)

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An epic Masterpiece in all proportions

An amazing drama that I'll never forget! Everything about this was amazing. The chemistry between Soo Ming and Lee Bae Wok, the characters, the character arcs and development, the worldbuilding and the acting. I got to say that both Jang Uk and Naksu/Mae-Duk are two of my most favorite characters ever in drama. And that has a lot to down to how both Soomin and LBW potrayed these characters with so much nuance and realism. They lived these characters and so did I thru them.
Uk and Naksu's character development was also a delight to watch. Nothing forced at all their changes they experience realistically, as they grow and change and grow as the story moves along.
Now onto the story, I'm a big fantasy lover and I was super excited when I found out AoS was a Korean fantasy drama. It had all the aspects that I love: magic, worldbuilding, the characters, the friendships, and of course the romance. I also loved the touch of comedy sprinkled throughout especially when the episodes were dark. It offered a nice balance.
Loved all the emotions AoS made me feel, I regret not watching this when it was airing I feel like watching live would have left me on an emotional rollercoaster every week! phew.
Got to say that Alchemy of Souls is one of the best dramas I've seen and one of my top ones too. Can't wait to get on and watch part 2. After that ending I need it lol.
10/10 for everything.

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This is the best Korean drama I have ever seen

I have watched a lot of Korean dramas because they are my favorite thing to watch, and I have fallen in love with a lot of them. I mostly like suspense dramas or psychological thrillers, but I saw the trailer for this drama and I loved it so I decided to give it a chance. It was the best deduction ever. Since the begging, it caught me, all the characters are so good, even the evil ones, they carry out their roles so good, the acting is amazing, the actors make you feel what the character is going through and the love story is one of the most heartbreaking yet precious one I have ever seen. It doesn’t have any plot holes and it has a really good ending, pace and the OST is also amazing. I absolutely recommend this, it became my favorite Kdrama and I hope many more people watch it.

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Amei!

Rating: 10/10

Absolutely amazing! Alchemy of Souls (Part 1) completely stole my heart. I loved everything — the genre, the storyline, the soundtrack, the cast… everything pulled me in from beginning to end! It’s the kind of drama you just know you have to watch slowly, at normal speed, and savor every moment — and I’m so glad I did. Best decision ever!

The chemistry between Jang Uk and Mu-deok (Naksu!) was perfect. The world-building, the magic, the secrets, the plot twists… I was completely captivated. It's one of those stories that stays with you long after it's over.

Without a doubt, I loved the first season way more than the second. Part 1 had a special glow that truly left a mark on me. Definitely a new favorite!

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Enchanting fantasy crafted with precision

With its fast-paced plotting, engaging characters and resplendent wardrobe, Alchemy of Souls was a compelling escapist fantasy that helped us fly through the sweltering summer.

Plot wise, the show revolves around the lives of people residing in a place not known to regular humans, Daeho. There, mages, sorcerers, assassins, maids and all manner of other imaginable people ply their trade, helping the numerous areas of this restricted world function. Continuing, the whole series looks fantastic visually. Bringing life to this fictitious world, director Park Joon-hwa emphasises the expansive area he has to play with, immersing the viewer in every scene. Complete with some rather solid CGI, visual effects and use of pathetic fallacy, the show has some undeniably sleek appeal.


Overall, the first season of Netflix’s Alchemy of Souls was an enticing, consistently solid introduction to (and journey through) the complex world of Daeho. It might not have been perfect, nothing ever is, but there’s plenty here for anyone to sink their teeth into, as well as enough substance for those looking for something comprehensive to enjoy, with season 2 down the line.

My Rating : 8.5/10

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Interesting Premise With Problematic Execution

I feel so conflicted about this show. While it featured an amazing cast and an interesting premise, it was riddled with plot holes and shallow world building. I adored the main cast. Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min, and Shin Seung-ho provided some of the best performances as Jang Uk, Mu Deok-i, and Go Won. I loved all of their interaction as well as their general character arcs. Much of this first season is a blend of comedy and tragedy, which they effortlessly managed with skill and talent. The other actors were fine in their roles - not particularly memorable, but fine as an ensemble cast.

While I overall enjoyed the performances, the general mystery and worldbuilding left a lot to be desired. Despite it having an expansive and complex world of magic, I felt I barely understood any of it after twenty episodes. Considering this magic system is important to character development, it should have been easier to understand and articulate to the audience. Additionally, the murky worldbuilding put up road block between organic character development. It felt like the characters stagnated or had to wait to move in a certain direction in order for the plot to catch up. To give credit where credit is due, the special effects and overall cinematography were beautifully executed and well shot. This show obviously had money and backing behind the production.

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Basically perfect

This is my first high fantasy Kdrama and I demand to know why there aren't more in this genre. Everything about this was perfect: the production values, script/story/dialogue, acting of the whole cast and chemistry between the leads, direction-- everything. I loved the deep world building and it truly felt like a deep, immersive experience.
The FMC was such a complicated character, which is rare to find in any TV show (anywhere in the world). Likewise, the MMC was complicated and imperfect, but that just made him feel more realistic and relatable. Loved them both as characters and will really miss them.
This is my first Drama with the ML and I sought out more of his work after watching this one, which is why I can say definitively that this is by far his best work. He was funny, vulnerable, stubborn, irritating, and wonderful.
I've seen the FL in other shows and she's legit fantastic in everything. Even if I didn't like a drama she starred in, she was still amazing and made it somewhat worth watching. I will watch everything she's in.
The chemistry between these two was insane.
WATCH IT!! Or save it for when you need a "sure thing."

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