Alchemy of Souls

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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My Favorite Drama - & here's why...

Just to be clear, this contains spoilers; so it's more for discussion rather than a recommendation - Although I do recommend it.

This was my second Asian drama series ever watched and having now watched about 70, I recognise it has unfortunately set a high bar.

The acting is good if a little wooden at times, but I think that is more due to the dialogue scenes being set up like a stage play. (Probably while standing on a bridge.) I think Jung So-min and Lee Jae-wook have great chemistry that builds authentically over the 20 episodes making the payoff in episode 20 so SO GOOD. The supporting cast really sold their roles too. Lot's of different personality types portrayed really well. I hated Jin Mu just the right amount; was wary but hopeful of the crown prince just the right amount; Cheerful with Park Dang Gu just the right amount; Intrigued by Seo Yul just the right amount. Really well cast.

Also a nod to the English dubbing. These days i find most dubbing awful and watch with subtitles but I thought these guys sold it.

The OST is amazing. I listen to it all the time. My only complaint is I can't find on Spotify, a version of Scars Leave Beautiful Trace that has the slightly off-beat metal ringing that's in the actual show. I'll keep looking.

World building: The incorporation of Korean history with fantasy elements to create the setting is really amazing. the personal and power interaction between elemental energy and divine powers is very cool. The background strife, drought and relics give the writers plenty of tools to help flesh out the story.

Story: The ML & FL have their mutual problems (Mu Deok a once powerful mage has lost her energy. Jang Uk has incredible potential but has no one will unblock his gate of energy.) They by chance meet and decide to help one another within a disguised symbiotic relationship. Their backgrounds inform their actions; Naksu / Mu Deok is ruthless and calculating and Jang Uk is clever, privileged but also somewhat naive. Their joint mission is to train Jang Uk up so he can transfer his power back to Mu Deok. They always move forward, with Mu Deok throwing Jang Uk into danger again and again and him 'failing-forward' to the best of his ability. This culminates in episode 18 where for reasons, they both decide to give away all their hard won achievements, leaving them only with each other and a new shared fate as husband & wife. I love the part in ep 19 where Jang Uk has to tell his 'mother' Maidservant Kim that who he's marrying. Classic.

Now; the crux of why I really like the show and - in hindsight - why I like it better than other k Dramas:
Both are resolute in their commitment to their cause and to each other. As their relationship evolves from one of convenience to one of dependence and then love, their honesty and commitment to each other never wavers (Except for the part with Kil Joo but that is a great relationship development moment for them both.)
I love it how they are both open and honest with each other,
Mu Deok Casually, "Yeah I stole and tried to sell the spirit plaque" Jang Uk just accepts it without comment even though he had been beaten severely for loosing it;
Mu Deok to Seo Yul, "I stole Jang Uk's money to go drinking and buy nice things. Do you want to come in?" leaving him dumbfounded.
Jang Uk always being forthright with his feeling towards Mu Deok, "I missed you too."
Step by step, the pragmatism and devotion of their relationship leaves no cracks for others. Even Seo Yul who has significant leverage has a tough time.

Seo Yul: "I like pine pollen tea snacks"
Shop Keeper to Mu Deok, "Would you like some?"
Mu Deok: "No." (Boom, shut down.)

Heo Yoon Ok to Jang Uk: "I made you a hangover cure, would you like..." *Jang uk has already turned and walked 20 feet away.*

One of my favorite parts (ep 10) is when Jang Uk finally gets into Songrim and they belatedly realise that it's separated them. All goals are put on hold and independently, both of them hyper-focus on getting back together again. It's really fun to watch.

It's also fun to see the friend circle evolve and recognise Mu Deok's special status as more than just Jang Uk's servant and they start to include her more as their own friend. An important evolution which has an impact in episode 20. (SO GOOD.) This is often recognised by other characters as, "Mu Deok, the servant that's always by his side."

So unlike a lot of dramas where the ML & FL constantly bounce off each other to unconvincingly end up together in the finale, Alchemy of Souls shows their relationship evolving and strengthening from within. All the drama is them leaning on each other to fight external conflicts together. I like this framework best.

Confession: I've literally watched this show - without exaggeration - ten billion times; and I still love it.

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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.

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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!!

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Subverted expectations in the best way

There are some excellent, comprehensive reviews already so I'll just focus on my feelings: AAAAAA

I enjoyed this show so much. The storyline, the characters and their relationships, the humour!!! Not to mention such a lush and beautiful world. I was caught most off-guard by how funny this show is (SO good), and also how serious it can get (That Scene...you know the one... hands down one of my favourites ever).

I'm one episode off from finishing Season 2 but I needed to vent some energy first. So many times I've started the next episode to just watch the first ten minutes...and then I ended up finishing it. Which is really a testament to how good the pacing is.

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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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Alchemy of Souls is a breathtaking blend of fantasy, romance, and mystery that captivates from the very first episode. Set in the fictional land of Daeho, the series weaves a rich tapestry of magic, soul-shifting, and destiny, anchored by compelling characters and intricate storytelling. The chemistry between the leads, especially the enigmatic assassin trapped in a blind woman's body and her noble yet conflicted master, adds emotional depth to the narrative. Visually stunning with lush cinematography and elegant costume design, the show immerses viewers in a world both ancient and otherworldly. Its themes of identity, sacrifice, and love are explored with nuance and heart, making Alchemy of Souls not just a fantasy drama, but a poetic journey of transformation. A must-watch for fans of epic storytelling and emotional resonance.
Mu-deok + Jang Uk = one of my fav couples --> you can feel the emotion and love from the very start and how he suffers in season 2 , just beautiful

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Quite the Unusual Masterpiece Plot

Naksu, a shadow assassin feared by all in Daeho, found herself caught in a fight with Songrim mages that she could not extricate herself from. Left with no choice, she cast the forbidden sorcery of Alchemy of Souls while on the run, where she transfered her soul from her battered, dying body to another living person. When she finally came to, she found herself in the body of a blind girl on the way to be sold to a brothel, Mu-deok. Although her vision is now good, her escape attempt still failed as she posseses none of her past ability and skill as Naksu, and instead trapped in the body of an extremely weak girl. Jang Uk, one of the heir of a prominent family in Daeho, noticed that Mu-deok is a soul shifter, and hearing that Naksu had been captured dead after a failed casting of soul switching sorcery, he makes a bet that Mu-deok is Naksu after seeing the soul shifter sign in her eyes. He buys her off the brothel and made her his maid, and after several incidents, manage to make Mu-deok admit who she really was and agree to a deal of becoming his master in return for him to help her to retrieve her original powers. Thus began Jang Uk’s journey from being a useless young man born under the King’s star, whom no one dared to teach due to his father’s order, to a person that would save all of Daeho, after being under the tutelage of Naksu the feared evil assassin.

At first, I thought this is a typical reborn assassin female centric story as I saw Naksu’s overpowered performance in the opening scene, but it turned out to be zero-to-hero male centric kind. I had a hard time accepting Jang Uk as the ML due to his sharp, mischievous look with bratty character, and at some point i actually prefered the SML Seo Yul for his extremely green flag character plus gentle, sweet looking face. But Jang Uk kinda grew into me as he matured up into a responsible young man.

Jang Uk, Seo Yul and Park Danggu are the trio that one could never really prefer one from another, they kind of complement each other. Seo Yul is the extreme righteous one who would torture himself when he could do nothing to a wrong in his eyes, Jang Uk is the mischievous-often-misunderstood one who would wreak chaos just to be noticed, while Park Danggu is the balance between them, the one who is bratty enough to stand side by side with Jang Uk but with a mind sound enough to be resonate with Seo Yul, practically the balance between them all. Even with such contrasting characters, they would still stand by each other with complete trust.

I love what they did with the Crown Prince, a grey character that could turn red and green flag in a blink of an eye in accordance to situations that could benefit himself without sacrificing much conscience.

And Mu-deok is one of the most eye-catchy character of all. I love the accent she speaks with, which reminds me of a dielect in my country, though different language, the way of speaking sounded quite the same. Mu-deok is the accidental maid with conflicting assassin instinct. Realizing she had none of her powers that used to allow her reign above all, she had to resort to autracious acts that she wouldve never done before, doing housechores to serve masters and sucking up or giving in to people of higher status just to survive the day. Her private banters with her pupil is fun to watch, but when the going gets tough, she turned into the devilish Naksu that found humanity in the end.

I totally love the comic relief of the love triangle between the serious but rather slow-witted Park Jin leader of Songrim, the gentle motherlike Maidservant Kim and the chaste and reserved Master Lee.

Totally love the fight chroreograph here. They look fierce and forceful, especially when there is spells involved, and the CGI didnt look comical at all. What I like the most is that not every stab slash pound and flog would make the receivers to vomit blood, whish i see prevalent in most ancient shows.

The story ended with a rather cliffhanger but I dont mind as I didnt have to wait for the next production to release, cuz I watch this waaaay after the hype has ended. Now off I go to season 2. Toodledoo.

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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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