This review may contain spoilers
Review for Season 1 and 2 together.
Alchemy of Souls Part 1 and 2 are spectacular productions. This is a character driven fantasy Korean drama that has very well choreograph action scenes, conspiracy galore, great CGI’s, beautiful costumes, comedy, and a story of steadfast love and support from the leading couple as well as the friendship among the young generation of mages. The chemistry among the main characters is fantastic as well as the dynamics of the older mages which many times deliver many comedic moments. Alchemy of Souls has an original story line from the famous Hong sisters with many twists and turns, modern styles (costumes and hairstyles), references to pop culture, and a great OST. The entire drama would’ve have been better if season 2 was integrated with season 1 creating just one drama and viewers would not have been disappointed with some changes. The leading lady on season 2 did very well bringing her character to life as she was Naksu in the beginning of season 1, which I particularly agree with bringing her back with her own semblance, but the amnesia plot weakened her magnificent warrior aura. The second season is more about Uk and Naksu’s love story. Overall, even though this drama has n blend of genres (action, mystery, revenge, comedy,…), the drama is about Uk and Naksu’s relationship as Master and Pupil that evolves into a beautiful love story among the mayhem of a fantastical plot and the antagonists underhanded tactics to bring them down. This drama (Part 1 and 2) is very entertaining, enjoy it!Was this review helpful to you?
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captivating Entertaining Fantasy Drama
Through its fast-paced plotting, engaging characters and character development and splendid wardrobe, Alchemy of Souls Season 1 was a captivating entertaining fantasy drama that helped me sail through this summer. Using it interesting plot, this drama revolved around the lives of people residing in a place not known to regular humans, Daeho. The writers did a great job introducing all the character and writing storylines that suited each character perfectly but also linked in with the other characters. I especially love the relationship between Jang UK and Mu Deok( Naksu), his master I found fascinating how loyal Mu Deok undeniable always stands by Jang Uk (although at times did not come across that way)and Him her. And how the gradually fell in love with each other. Although season 1 ended with a heart break it also makes it more interesting to see the journey that’s ahead of the characters as sad as it might have ended. one question i keep asking myself is, “Are they character we deem villains actually villains?” only season 2 can answer that question and I can’t wait to watch.Defiantly a rewatch drama.
10/10 for Writing
10/10 for Character development
10/10 for pacing
10/10 for storyline
10/10 for chemistry between lead Actors
10/10 for casting.
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Everything was amazing but the ENDING?!?
This drama is a masterpiece!!!! If you are someone who don't watch ancient korean dramas this is the time and this is the drama to begin with that genre i was also a person like this but now since i have watched this i am very interested in these type of genres. Now it's time to review this drama and make you guys convince to watch this drama(not forcing that is completely on you if you wanna watch after reading my review)ACTING/CASTING: The acting of every crew member was very accurate and genuine. Other actors also nailed it. The pairing is literally so good and the chemistry is chemistryingggg(sorry if my spelling is wrong yk what i mean right?) like i couldn't even imagine someone else playing the role of Jang uk and someone else playing the role of mu-doek. Overall the acting and casting both were soo good heads off to the director!🙌🏻
OST: I don't really notice OSTs but as much i heard it was a solid 7.5/10.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
STORYLINE: Now comes the main part why you have to watch this but sadly there is... leave it you will get to know it in the end.
There is a soul shifter hunter who lives in songrim snd then there is ordinary girl who fakes to be blind but is not. Once she is caught doing this all fake drama thing so songrim lady who is kimservent maid but is not a maid she is head of a maid department.
Girl, whose name is mu-deok is maid of soilder man , whose name is Jang uk both protect each other and both are examples of powerful couple. Started to fell in love with each other and in all through Jang uk ask mu-deok to marry him but then the next day mu-deok got possesed by the villian Jin mu and killed Jang uk by her own bare hands she did not do that she was possesed. Then she ran away from there , everyone was searching for her then they find out she suicide felling into ocean by herself. That is a sad ending i know😭😭😭. But then when they were all firing up the dead body of jang uk something happened and jang uk woke up by using his powers. So in the end she died and he is alive. There is a Season 2 of alchemy of souls so go and check my review right there also after watching this. There is one more thing also that a soul of naksu that shifted into mu-deok's body and Jang uk knew he supposed to kill her but he didn't green flag SCANNED!
FINAL REVIEW: My final review is that everything was going good but why the villian have to do that😭😭 i literally cried when she died and he is alive why directors have to do that there work were reducing if they gave them happy ending by making them both alive not only him. But no directors are like no we want work we don't want to be free. We want to make season 2. So now comes the most main and important question that YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS DRAMA OR NOT? My answer who already watched this drama: Yes you should watch it, i know it is a sad ending drama but we watch dramas for chemistry and fun so there is both so much and i forgot to tell you that there is so much COMEDY TOOOOOOO!!!! SO GO WATCH ITTTTT!!!🤌🏻🫶🏻
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very intriguing
i wish i could erase my memory of this drama... so i can experience it again for the very first time!!genuinely one of the best dramas i have ever watched. i recommend this to anybody who enjoys fantasy, couples with good chemistry, and a lovable group of friends.
incredible plotline - it was paced just right for something filled with mystery and magic. it ends on a cliffhanger, but that is where season 2 comes in :) the worldbuilding in AOS is very intriguing and beautiful. i would reccommend it to fans who enjoy action and magic with a dose of romance.
wonderful characters - the actors did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. there is a lot of depth to the more frequently shown characters, and i loved learning about them. jang uk's journey in this plot makes you very invested, and it was cool to see him grow!! mudeok and jang uk had incredible chemistry right from the start, and it was fun to watch them try to deny it until they finally got together!! i also liked the background relationships a lot, they each had their charm.
gorgeous soundtrack - so much that i purchased the ost album! car the garden's song was my favourite, so hearing it play at the end of each episode was something to look forward to. the music overall was also very beautiful 💓
overall, very solid show! have rewatched it twice and would do it again.
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More like this please!
This review is for season 1.I'll start this and say that I am a fan of this show and binged it. That's why even if I noticed 1-2 things that a critic can use to not give it a 10 I went past this and gave it a 10 for the awesome work it is.
The rating for each section is already shown but I can say that the story, overall, is captivating, the acting is what it should be. I haven't found any flaws with it from any actor and many scenes were written/produced/acted as any production of this kind should be done. 11/10 to the actors and 11/10 to the production team for these awesome moments.
Had it on my watchlist for 2 years and one of the reasons I delayed watching it a couple of times was because I expected it to be good(if something is good I simply can't stop watch it, even if it means no sleep). That decision was perfect because if I had started that show in a busier period I couldn't have binged it as I did because it exceeded my expectations. This is a good thing because, unfortunately, expectations are the worst thing for any type of work. They raise the bar and if that kind of show/movie is lacking anywhere it will feel like it is a bigger matter that it trully is. I am glad that this show exceeded that and delivered a great experience.
I recommend it and feel that the rewatch value is high with this show, even more so if you watched season 2.
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Goblin Adjacent
So it has been a while since I watched a drama that was so well written and so well executed. The acting was amazing. Every single actor and actress did a fantastic job. I became a fan of all of them which is usually rare for me. The story was new and interesting. Dramas tend to be somewhat predictable but this one was not. Everytime I thought it was going to go one way it did something differently. I named it goblin adjacent because it probably ruined me for any other dramas right now. I just finished season 2 but I almost feel like I should rewatch it already because it was that good.Was this review helpful to you?
The drama that changed my entire taste!!
I was never into historical dramas… until I watched Alchemy of Souls.I honestly don’t even know where to start because EVERYTHING about this drama was perfect to me.
The chemistry between the leads?? Unmatched. 😭💘 Every single scene between them had me either smiling like an idiot or holding my breath. Their connection felt so real and powerful.
And the plot progression?? Insane. The way everything was connected, the little details, the twists — it was all so smart and satisfying to watch. I was never bored, not for a second.
I kept thinking “okay, maybe next episode will slow down a bit,” but nope — it just kept getting better and more intense!
And the acting?? Phenomenal. Each character was well-written and perfectly portrayed, but the main leads? Next level. 👑
This officially became my favorite historical fantasy, and I honestly don’t think any other one can top it in my heart 💔
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Simply fabulous! Watched/loved when first released - watched again 3 yrs later & LOVE even more!
Watched this fantastic show when it originally aired in 2022. Loved it so much that I rewatched at least once, sometimes twice, the released episodes each week waiting for the next two episodes to be released. I loved everything about it - original story, writing, casting, acting, set design, costumes, cinematography, special effects, OST, action, drama, romance & comedy - everything! Episode 20 is brutal, but incredible and my only negative was losing the FL actor after part 1. Jung So Min is a favorite of mine and I was so sad to learn she would not be back. She was fantastic in this show. Fortunately after watching part 2, I was able to see why she was only in part 1 and reconciled that issue with the fact that the entire story was so complex, detailed and SO good. I just watched part 1 this week for the 4th time after last seeing it 3 years ago. I was just as enthralled as the first time - actually more so as I understood more of it on a deeper level. Looking forward to part 2! Even though it was 3 years between watching part 1 again, I’ve been listening to the excellent OST all along with a bunch of favorite songs. Would love to see more shows of this caliber and original story fantasy genre!!Was this review helpful to you?
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Um clássico!
Achei a história muito bem elaborada. Você encontra de tudo na medida, sem nada ficar em excesso. Temos ação, drama, romance, comédia.Todos os personagens são bem desenvolvidos, e quando você vê acaba se apaixonando por mais de um. Até fiquei com pena quando a Nak Su ia rejeitado eles, kkkk.
Foi a primeira vez que assistia algo com o Lee Jae Wook, e foi amor a primeira vista, kkk sua atuação foi impecável, fazendo com que eu ficasse ainda mais pressa na história. Quanto a Jung So Min, senti que faltava algo, para mim ela não mudava a expressão, o que as vezes me deixava agoniada.
No mais, fiquei totalmente rendida a alquimia das almas, e arrependida de não tê-la assistido antes.
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mild spoilers
I immensely enjoyed EVERYTHING about the storyline, even the villain of the story did so well and tied in the story(even though I hated him). it's a total re-watchable series.I also enjoyed the rise of Jang Uk (against all odds), his character development, the dedication of Maid Kim and his friends. he also proved that "destiny delayed is not destiny denied " to come out triumphant.
lastly I loved the inserts of comedy and romance(the right amount) wherever they where needed between the main characters.
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One of the best dramas I've watched
I'll start off by saying that I absolutely loved Hotel del Luna, so another drama by the Hong sisters was a must watch for me. And I think that they did not disappoint.The story is so well crafted and creative. There are no glaring plot holes. Everything that happens or appears is tied into the story well without seeming forced. The romances were paced very well (not falling in love too fast). The characters don't make boneheaded moves that make me yell at my TV. Overall is a very well thought out story.
On the topic of the couples, I honestly really liked all of the side couples. Yes, the Dang Gu/Cho Yeon couple had very little actual development, but somehow ended up being one of my favorites.
As for the cast, Jung So Min and Lee Jae Wook really made this show what it is. They, along with the rest of the case, did such a good job with immersing me into the story.
The only thing that I didn't like is the ending. I got so attached to Mu-deok/Jung So-min, then you end it like that? I barely wanted to watch season 2 because of that.
Apart from my one complaint, this show was such a good production. The story kept me hooked the entire time. Everything was cohesive and purposeful. It was very well paced, episodes were a good length. I saw someone mention that it could have been half the length with the same story, however I really enjoy spending every possible minute with the cast/watching the show. I never found myself bored.
In a world of sloppy rom-coms, this show is such a breath of fresh air, with it's focus on the fantasy story and action scenes, all while still incorporating some of my favorite romances/couples. It's very rare that I find a show that I like this much.
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So many genres mix in together in harmony. Off to a great start. Ignore the review bombing here.
I can't write long reviews. So in short, based on first 2 episodes, it's an absolute delight. There's comedy, action, supernatural, magic and mages mixed in an historical setting. But it succeeds nonetheless. Also the casting choices are great. Main leads have amazing chemistry and rapport established already in two episodes. I have never been into historical settings, but even i am really looking forward to what's next. Bit disappointed that people are review bombing the show here. So many will ignore this show because of what's happening here.Was this review helpful to you?
