Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow

It was underwhelming to say the least.

DISCLAIMER: I just completed this so my thoughts haven't really marinated as yet but somehow the show left me feeling empty. I've been feeling like this since the ending of season 1.

Season 1 was definitely SO MUCH better than season 2 in my opinion, I mean I even rated it a 9/10 and I usually don't give dramas such high ratings. I couldn't get over the fact that the Naksu/Buyeon amnesia arc overshadowed the main plot and the essence of the show. Call me biased idc... I don't think Go Yoon's Jung acting was that strong in comparison to her counterparts. She makes the same blank / innocent facial expressions and cries a lot — this got old, tired and extremely annoying for me. Also the back and forth with her and Uk and him not realizing who she was sooner really agitated me. The pining / longing in season 1 was wayyyy better than what they tried to achieve bringing the newer actress in. I guess I didn't see the chemistry that everyone kept raving about. There were no sparks. I felt sorry for her character when they made it seem like all she would ever be was a replacement for Mudeok and someone to warm his bed at nights to free him from the wraiths. I thought him keeping her around was cruel and that he should set her free but the irony was she ran away from home in order to be free but her being with Uk was like another prison where she had to not only face/fight her demons but also his too. That was a burden she should not have been carrying.

This season felt way too insta lovey (especially when Uk and Buyeon/Naksu kissed in the 2nd episode) for me to enjoy it. I felt like their "chemistry" was being pushed down my throat and that Bu Yeon was coming on way too strong. In my opinion Jung So Min had the best on screen chemistry with all of the guys while Go Yoon Jung only ever really tried to have chemistry with Lee Jae Wook. I feel like Go Yoon Jung was all looks and no substance. I personally didn't feel any emotion, passion or see true authenticity. She didn't really give what Jung So Min gave when she was Naksu in season 1. If anything all she served was face / strong visuals (even though she looks like a child imo) and like a very soft version of Bu Yeon. That aside, I think the progression of their relationship was not built up as well as it was in season 1 and again I reiterate that their marriage of convenience romance subplot became the main plot and the whole alchemy of souls and Jang Uk's story of being born under the king's star and now possessing the ice stone was immensely overlooked. What kept me watching this drama was the fact that it was so overhyped and I didn't want to be left out of the loop. Honestly I wasn't planning on finishing it but i did. I feel like the last 2-3 episodes were quite rushed and it felt choppy and like the 3rd act conflict was very much underdeveloped.

I wish Jung So Min at least made an appearance in the final episode because when both Seo Yul and the crown prince (Go Won) finally admitted and acknowledged their feelings for Mudeok when she was “Buyeon”, it just didn't hit the same for me. I spent a lot of season 2 wishing and hoping Jung So Min would come back (at least in the last episode) because in my heart I was so attached to her character and each episode with the flashbacks only made it worse. I tried to remain impartial and unbiased while watching but found myself picking apart everything and comparing/overanalyzing – I guess that happens when shows switch / replace actors.

I love the soundtrack but I felt like the Blue flower theme, I'm Sorry and Love Letter (with you) was played much too frequently. I was glad to see that Min Hyun sang over Tree (Just Watching You) it sounded so similar to the original that even I was shocked. But truthfully I preferred the season 1 soundtrack and how they spaced the songs combined with the instrumentals far more than season 2.

I enjoyed Maidservant Kim and Park Jin as well as Jin Ho-Gyeong, she was cruel to Naksu but she just wanted her daughter to return to her as she has been searching for her for years. The Crown Prince and Seo Yul are truly underrated gems. They became my faves this season as I became tired and annoyed with this dark, brooding and moody Jang Uk - don't get me wrong LJW's acting is generally good but I preferred his acting in S1. I feel like all those actors always put so much emotion and effort into their scenes that you can feel it through the screen. Somehow I'm always impressed by Jin Mu's acting even though he is the worst character in the show. When he switched bodies with Seo Yoon O I thought the actor Do Sang Woo really nailed the part. I wish Jin Mu had suffered a bit more and died a slow and painful death but I guess we don't always get what we want. In my humble opinion I don't think this show needs season 3 and I am okay with how they wrapped it all up quickly and neatly. I was unbothered by the happy ending but in my opinion it felt rushed/choppy. It seemed like they tried to fit 3 more episodes into 1 episode which was unrealistic in a sense and I just couldn't truly be happy for the main couple.

I really wanted to like part 2 of Alchemy of Souls but unfortunately for me it missed the mark. Initially I had rated it a 7/10 while watching weekly but there were so many things just not properly executed that I could not overlook. After watching the last 3 episodes my rating lowered to a 6.25/10. I believe I am being generous by rounding it up to a 6.5/10 rating overall. With that said a lot of this season was forgettable and I definitely would not rewatch.

S1 >>>>>>>> S2

ARGUE WITH THE WALL!!!!

✌️

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This sequel was not made with AOS fans in mind

Disclaimer:This review might get more personal than most of my reviews,but I`ll still try to keep it objective as much as I can.

In thinking how I should begin reviewing such an anticipated sequel on my part,to a drama I gave my second 10/10 to,realisation dawned upon me.The perfect way I`d describe it is stunning...ly mediocre.But it`s not only that.Seeing how much enthusiasm and love I had for this universe Hong Sisters created,what this installment did for me instead,is not something I expected.It made me decide to turn my back on Hong Sisters.And it also led me to conclude this:Hong Sisters,in large measure,do not understand their own characters.So let`s talk about it.

First I`d like to thank every person involved with this drama,as I`m well aware of how tough it must be to create,write and produce a drama,even if it results in such a bland show.This is my way of giving respect to everyone.And it also serves as a good enough segue way into my thoughts going forward.

"So...what went wrong?" - that`s a perfect question I`d like to pose to the writers of this sequel.As I`m writing this,my mind swirls with any and every problem present in this drama.Yet,I`d firstly list off the positives(scarce as they might be) and then dive into the problems plaguing this meddling sequel.

To start,the cinematography is expectedly beautiful.Daeho looks as inviting as ever,and,in the hands of more ambitious writers,I`d love to see other stories being told with it serving as the background.I see so much potential within its walls.Another point goes to Crown Prince,who is absolutely,without a doubt,the only persistently unchanging (and funny) character in this story.His turtle and him are more engaging than everything else this has to offer.
Finally,the music is beautiful.Every OST is delicate,appropriate and at times fun.

There.Now let`s get into what grinds my gears with Alchemy of Souls and why Hong Sisters should really consider bringing in new talent,or brushing up on their writing skills.They probably won`t.A girl can dream,though.

I like to think of myself as an AOS fan.In fact,I loved how the first installment made me feel.It reminded me of older isekai animes like Inuyasha and Fushigi Yuugi,old childhood favorites.All of this wonder,possibility and chance for exploration.The characters were memorable,the leads witty and full of charisma, and villains camp,over the top,yet ruthless.We got a lot of information about Daeho,its inhabitants and alchemy of souls as such.The romance,while chaste and an undeniable subplot,was lovely,layered and interesting.I didn't even mind the ending as much as others did.Hell,even the love triangle was resolved quite maturely.

None of these attributes are present in Light and Shadow.Truth be told,I`m not sure where I should start.From some small details I`d be nitpicking(like how most characters generally have nothing to do) to more serious issues(like the unnecessary,cluttered mess the story ends up being due to unneeded justifications).Still,if I had to choose,nothing else perfectly encapsulates how inconsistent,flawed and underwhelming "Alchemy of Souls Season 2:Light and Shadow" is,quite like the relationship between its leads:Jang Uk and Naksu.I loved these two.I loved their story,chemistry and relationship.Naksu was a female lead we don`t often get in dramas:She was physically weak,yet mentally tough.A scheming assassin turned tutor who was willing to push her student to the brink,see him succeed and find herself.Where is she here?I was one of those people fervently defending and rooting for Go Yoon Jung as I knew her to be talented and her voice overs,as well as the first fight we meet her in,greatly depicted what she`s capable of.And then...they stripped every ounce of capability.Directed her in ways that make Song Hye Kyo`s acting seem expressive by comparison.I wouldn`t be exaggerating if I said I didn`t believe her struggles for a second.And then,while Lee Jae Wook`s character and his shift to a darker persona are believable,what isn`t is how quick and jarring the transition between strangers to long lost lovers occurs between our couple.Why?Because,putting aside everything else that happens with Naksu and her memory,knowing Jang Uk is realizing he`d never act the way he does in the first two episodes towards Bu Yeon.It is plot convenience,no doubts about it.In fact,their romance,brought to you by fate(that thing Hong Sisters love using when they can`t be bothered with a proper buildup) is as interesting and thrilling as watching paint dry.It is no longer the story OF TWO characters doing their best to prevail,it is a story of one overpowered individual feat his love who does something...sometimes.I deem Naksu a strong female character,even when she`s relegated to a role of a tutor to a spoiled brat.I don`t see this Naksu as strong.What sets them apart?Intent.No matter what you go through,if you`ve got a reason(Crown Prince shows that well),characters like Naksu set their mind in motion.What they don`t do is cling and wait on others.


And at what moment did I figure out where this drama was leading,you may ask?From the moment they decided to prolong Naksu`s memory loss and clumsily justify it once again.This decision undermined every,and I do mean every connection between her and other characters(not to mention using memory loss of all things,in a soul shifting show,is quite redundant,but whatever).

The alchemy,also.Where is it,bar last 2 episodes?Where`s the joie de vivre of our antagonist,Jin Mu?He`s barely in this,thanks to paper thin plot that feels more tacked on than your average Naruto filler episode.The biggest sin this sequel commits,is making me go from caring about all these people,to feeling indifferent to their death.What a feat to overcome.Characters that were once complex and rich,now read as flat and soulless.When it`s obvious the writers didn`t know what to do with them,they were unceremoniously killed off.

Just to clarify,I also think Season 1 has some plot conveniences and cracks.But it is nowhere as visible as it is here.

In conclusion,no amount of episodes,timing or changes in schedule can vindicate a sequel written with not much care or respect for your characters in mind.And while,of course,everyone can have their own taste (everyone`s different),the defiant side of me can`t help but scoff at this sequel`s success.I know it is petty,but seeing such an outcome in turn,tells Hong Sisters and the writing room that this is okay.You don`t have to try harder.We`re fine with this quality.

I love you Alchemy of Souls,but I see no light in this overwhelmingly muddy and dark sequel.You deserved better.

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10 episodes that should've been cut in 5

Let's just start with Season 1 was a 10 for me. It had ALL The exciting elements that YES finally S2 is here! And then it felt ..... draggy & flat, completely anti climatic. NO fault to the actors and I know people are complaining about the change of the FL. No chemistry etc. Personally I think the script is the problem. Naksu's character shouldn't have deteriorated to a sick love puppy that only in ep 8 did her original personality started to show. Progression was terrible!! If the story isn't there don't drag it out like what C dramas tend to do & just ended. Instead they filled it with flashbacks, blank stares, forced comic lines at the wrong times, and hot red birds ep 1-7.

S2 managed to recover the initial glory in ep 8-10 and ended with a semi satisfying ending but it should've been so much better. The cast did an amazing job regardless!

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Internalised misogyny 101 and a masterclass in reducing strong women to pure drivel

Alchemy of souls season 1’s downhill trajectory in the second half and that clusterfuck of an ending should have been enough of a hint for us to not continue with season 2.

Oh but most of us did. We so did. And do you know what? S2 actually had a promising start. For what it’s worth, I thought Go Young Jung did a good job with bringing forward a new Naksu who had retained her innocence and wasn’t tainted by all the misery. Jung so Min was a tough act to follow and GYJ did it seamlessly, quickly making us like this cute, sweet, resilient and silently strong woman in love, atleast for a short while.

The usual amnesia, cold man/warm woman angst worked well enough as a guilty pleasure watch in the first, say, three episodes but then… it got real old real fast and you quickly realise:

YOU DON’T WANT A CUTE, SWEET, RESILIENT AND SILENTLY STRONG WOMAN IN LOVE ANY MORE.

No. You want Naksu back. It’s absolutely ridiculous how Hong sisters created this idea of a damaged female assassin with baggage who can be selfish, tough, vulnerable, ruthless and is actually a multi layered character and then spent a season and a half forcing her into the role of a ditzy damsel in distress, constantly in need of saving by oh so strong men.

While her male leads are getting these magnificent and badass grand entrances where they fight a hundred enemies in one go, what does the supposedly powerful female assassin get? A good amount of screen time where she faints, gets hot flashes or enjoys her favourite past time: crying helplessly.

The plot in season 2 is nothing to sing home about. It’s just Jang Uk running circles around the elephant in the room: the identity of Naksu who is traipsing right under his nose.

They just drag and drag and drag that one plot line that by the last episode you really just don’t care at all. The grand reveal is also extremely lacklustre and anti-climatic. It’s like the Hong sisters are making shit up as they go and wing-ing it like their lives depend on it.

The cheap attempts at contrived emotion with the fake deaths, sentimental music and dumb cliffhangers is the height of poor writing.

While the Crown Prince does bring in the comedy and there are a few adorable bromance moments; they are nearly not enough to carry the show on for ten episodes.

I am honestly so offended with the way they dangled the possibility of Naksu owning her skills and showing every one who’s boss in front of me like a carrot and forced me to watch till the end but all I really got was unnecessary pining, a grade school romance, a heroine whose entire purpose is solely to build the hero up and then make herself scarce and Hong sisters displaying how deeply they are entrenched in their own internalised misogyny.

There’s no other way to say it because God forbid, the female lead actually saves the day in even one episode. Blasphemy!

Don’t even get me started on the other potentially powerful female character in the drama “Jin Bu Yeon” who was reduced to little more than an after thought only getting five minutes of mentionable screen time.

So really, going in this show, please don’t expect an actual plot, story line or any sort of meaningful character development because you’ll end up having your intelligence insulted.

Instead, check it out only if you want a mindless watch that serves as a guilty pleasure and is more or less fan fiction in TV form.

Oh and there are some steamy kisses.
Hong sisters really thought they’ll throw in some skin ship as a band aid over the bleeding, torched, infected and full of pus wound that was season 2’s plot.

Make of that what you will.

Enjoy.

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ALCHEMY OF SOULS S2 HAS A LOT OF LOOPHOLES

Alchemy of Souls season2 has a lot of loopholes and inconsistencies. Doesn't create remarkable impact unlike the first season. Focuses more on Jang Uk and Naksu lovey dovey moments/kissing scenes and a lot of parallel thingy due to her amnesia plot. They did not give justice to the most powerful priestess (real JBY) and eventually turned her role into somewhat villain. It also has a lot of confusing twist from how they revive Naksu soul and used JBY body. When regards to acting, GJY and LJW is just okay, compare to better acting of SoMin, MinHyun and other side cast.
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For the last 2 episodes (edit)
It does have a happy ending but still lacking something. Making Jang Uk possessed the ice tone and being the most powerful mage make it boring as no one can win/ fight against Jang Uk like how easy he killed Jin Mu and the rest of the Unanimous pips.
No thrilled and challenge for the main lead. As for Naksu regaining her memory, still lack in acting unlike the first FL. The only memorable scenes for me for S2 : So-I Seo Yul moment, Park Jin Maid servant Kim DoJu and Jin Hogyeong when we thought they died on the last episode and the relationship between Go won and his turtle.
And the fast phasing of the last 2 episodes..

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JANG UK love any woman who live with him for few days, PLAYBOY Story

A Critical Deconstruction of Alchemy of Souls S2: The Love and Logic Problem

The Hong Sisters' Alchemy of Souls Part 2, Light and Shadow, concluded the epic fantasy saga, but not without leaving a vocal segment of the audience wrestling with perceived inconsistencies, particularly regarding the core romantic dynamic. While the world-building remained strong, the execution of the central love story and the characterization of its leads, Jang Uk and Naksu/Bu-yeon, often felt rushed and contradictory, leading to questions about the true nature of their bond.

The Jang Uk "Proximity-Based Love" Problem

The most pointed criticism centers on Jang Uk’s seemingly fluid affections. The narrative progression suggests a troubling pattern: Jang Uk falls in love with the woman currently in his life, leading to the perception that his love is based more on proximity and availability than the singular devotion befitting an epic hero.

Rapid Emotional Shift: His deep, soul-crushing grief over Naksu’s death in Part 1 is swiftly superseded by new feelings for the newly awakened Bu-yeon (who holds Naksu's soul). The speed at which Jang Uk appears to move on to the new identity (even before he fully understands the soul swap) undermines the intensity of his initial love and raises the question: Does he love the soul, the body, or simply the role of a companion?

The Writer’s Definition of Love: The storyline posits that love can be transferred or instantly rekindled with a new identity, begging the question: Do the writers understand "epic romance," or is the relationship driven by convenient plot mechanics? The plot involving marriage, kissing, and other displays of affection directed at Bu-yeon—even while she possessed Naksu's soul—makes the previous emotional investment feel cheapened.

The Softening of a Warrior: Naksu's Character Arc

Naksu, introduced as the ruthless, "badass" assassin, experiences a significant reduction in agency in Part 2.

Weakening for Utility: The critique suggests that the once powerful and formidable Naksu had to be strategically weakened—both emotionally and physically—to elevate Jang Uk's role as the indispensable male lead. The shift from a decisive warrior to a more passive, sometimes "crying baby" figure (when played by the new actress) served only to enable Jang Uk's narrative purpose.

Complicity and Consequence: Furthermore, the soul of Naksu, known for her sharp intelligence, appears disturbingly passive, seemingly fine with Jang Uk marrying or showing affection toward the Bu-yeon identity. This diminishes her character’s core strength and sacrifices her unique personality for the sake of the plot's required resolution.

The Casting Divide: A Question of Dramatic Depth

While the story required a change in the physical body of the female lead, the shift in performance style proved highly polarizing:


Part 1 Portrayal (Jung So-min) Mu-deok/Naksu

Nuanced, comedic, tragic, and multi-layered; successfully conveyed the assassin's soul trapped in a weak body.

Part 2 Portrayal (Go Yoon-jung) A more passive, emotionally fragile character, criticized by some as lacking the grit and complexity of the original 'Mu-deok' performance.

For many, Jung So-min's ability to convey the hidden assassin through the comedic, yet powerful, exterior of Mu-deok was the emotional anchor of the series. The replacement, while fulfilling the narrative's visual requirement, was unable to recapture that specific dramatic depth, leading to the sentiment that the female lead became an underdeveloped accessory—present mainly "for kissing."

In conclusion, this narrative deconstruction suggests that while Alchemy of Souls excelled in scale and fantasy, it arguably faltered in the intimate logic of its character relationships. The series seemed to prioritize plot progression and the final pairing over the internal consistency and emotional integrity of the characters' arcs.

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Hope Dies Last

Even though, sometimes, the first season of a drama doesn’t give you what you want, when a second season is announced, there's always hope for things to get better. As one of the persons who was disappointed by the first season of Alchemy of Souls, but still full of hope & curiosity, I've given AoS's second season a chance, to see what more this story had to offer.


~~S1 vs S2 ~~

World & Rules

In my review of AoS S1 I have written "in AoS the rules/grounds of body sifting are very interesting yet the concept of it somehow lacked". Well, in AoS S2 the rules/grounds of the whole world's structure just lacked.

The world doesn't follow a predetermined setting,a natural flow. In S2 new rules/abilities are constantly added and the only reason behind their existence is because somehow the plot had to move forwards. It's not a bad thing to create rules that help the plot out, but you can't excuse everything that happens because "it's magic" or "it's a fantasy drama not based in reality". Even in fantasy stories there should be grounded and have limitations and everything that's done should have a reasoning behind it.

Winner: S1 The world setting was way better there.

Pace

AoS S2 consists of 10 episodes which is the half amount of the S1 episodes and this helped the drama's pace a lot. S2 has a lot fewer filler scenes than S1 so it's more focused on the story which is actually a good advantage. Generally though, I had to say that the S2's individual pace as a drama wasn't perfect, just not as problematic.

Winner:S2 ? Well...

Story & Development

Having the characters and their relationships already set, the 10 episode-length S2 of AoS is ready to set another thing: the story. But jokes on you! S2 spends most of its time resetting the relationship between the two main characters while it didn't develop the core of the story until the last 2 episodes. In all the other episodes, the things that move the plot forward didn't have as much screen time.

As in S1, the villains were on the background plotting once again and doing nothing. The other relationships between all the other characters are already known from S1 and they made, from time to time, guest appearances in episodes , just to remind that they also exist in the story but they don't evolve further (except some exceptions).


To sum up, S2 was static. The only hot topic was the recreation of the main character's relationship and not what was actually happening in the world of the drama. The reason why this was bad is because it somehow made AoS S2 look like an individual drama that was inspired by AoS S1... Maybe a FanFic??

Winner: Tie. Both seasons lacked in story development and only move forward the very last minute


~~Cancel Writing~~

AoS's story has a very big disadvantage, and will call this problem "cancel writing". It means, when something that is written in the story is canceled by future events, for example, a character is represented to be very strong, but never one in the story was. A character has a curse that can't be broken, but it actually did, with the most easy way possible etc... This is bothering because the events that made you happy or sad and gave an emotional value to the story, got canceled, just like they didn't even happen.

In addition to that, I felt like the writers didn't dare to move the story a little bit further, so that everyone in fandom could be satisfied. Story-unrelated example, when a beloved character stays good and flawless, so that none of the fans is hurt because of their beloved ones behavior.

The above can make the drama boring, because you know that the story is not gonna pass a certain point and pull out something unpredictable and even if an event disturbs the story's waters, it will get canceled. As a result to this, everything in AoS ended as a bit cliche and not out of the box drama.



~~Overall~~

To say something positive about AoS, in both seasons, there were some things that I really enjoyed. In S1, I enjoyed the characters' interactions, the lore of the world. In S2, I appreciated the action scenes and the production behind this drama a lot more. AoS is generally a very well-made drama and no one can say otherwise.

The story had many possibilities to be good, and some of its parts were actually really good. I thought many times that if some things would turn out otherwise, AoS would be excellent in my eyes, but it wasn't. AoS's story never reached its full potential.


In the end, hope dies last, but dies


And just like that, as far as the story is concerned, AoS ends up as something I wouldn't recommend watching.

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Disappointing story development. Pretty/handsome but underwhelming lead actress and actor.

Disappointing story development. Not too sure what's the point of having season 2 with only 10 episodes.
8 episodes are wasted to get Naksu to remember her past.
Felt like season 2 is just a major advertisement to promote Go Yoon Jung and how pretty she is.

Without a strong female lead like So min, Jae Wook's acting for season 2 is just boring and underwhelming compared to Min Hyun
 (Seo Yul) and Seung Ho (Go Won).

Let's not compare So min with Yoon Jung. So min is on another level. Yoon Jung's acting range has alot to catch up with Arin (Cho Yeon) and Hye Won (So Yi). Hye Won is just outstanding! For Yoon Jung, acting cute is not part of acting. But too bad, pretty faces are always pushed for leads irregardless of acting skills.

To sum up, the supporting casts were the ones who carried the show. Not forgetting the CG effects. Too bad, most viewers are carried away by the kissing scenes, Yoon Jung acting cute and boring story development. High ratings does not mean the story is good. I hope they will just give couple awards to Yoon Jung and Jae wook but please don't win any Best actress or Best actor please....it will not be convincing. Hope the supporting casts will win some awards.

Will forever remember how Alchemy of Soul's director capitalise on loyal fans from Season 1 to watch the underwhelming season 2.

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wow

You can be watching a drama written by two women in the year of 2022 and *still* be hit in the face with internalized misogyny.

Where were the prominent female characters without a romantic story arc?
Where were the female characters with their own epic battle scenes?
Where were the complicated friendships, bonds, and relationships between female characters?
Where were the women in the background? Female mages? More than one female doctor? Women in power that were not obsessed with their beauty?

And most importantly: where was the Naksu I was promised?

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What is this??

I can handle storyline but when watching a series, I want to be convinced and I wasn’t. Naksu’s personality was not the same in Season 2, felt more like the leading lady had face of Naksu, body of Buyeon and personality of Buyeon. Where was the Naksu who was gutsy, clever, mischievous, a bit more reserved about her love for main lead? Naksu in season 2 was just sad, foolish, cared only for her looks, too emotional and open about her love – even if was she Buyeon at first, when Naksu remembered everything, shouldn’t she be more like Naksu in season 1? Felt like she wasn’t Naksu. Naksu would never cry or run away. She got hit in the head once and laughed whilst bleeding! Where did that Naksu go?

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