Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow

LOVED IT!!!

I don't really leave reviews but this one here deserves one.i don't get ppl not liking this I mean😭.well to me instead of preferring one season over other id rather consider this as a whole 30episode drama it makes so much sense in this way.the way I laughed and sobbed through this drama is insane,I've no words to explain how much I love it.his chemistry with both the actresses was amazing the ost the cast the story I mean🤌🏼🤌🏼.the number of twists this story had I didn't sleep untill 4 in the mrng to binge anyways don't listen to the ppl with useless reasons telling its not good I understand they miss the old actress but it's a part of the plot if you loved season1 you WILL love season2.i did not expect humour at all tbh but damn did they surprise me agn,and the way I cried in the first part of season thinking of uks heartbreak it's a perfect mixture like a whole package go for itttt😭🤌🏼

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What a sequel!!!

Top notch season following up on a top notch season 1. I'm not a fan of sequels in Asian dramas. But, in this case, I couldn't be more excited and happy that there were 10 more episodes to this amazing story.

They rounded off all the story arcs & life did come full circle here. Leads just ate, I was wondering if changing female lead would impact any visual aspect of the show, it didn't. The story really flew well, the change made sense and I loved their chemistry. The ML was so charismatic & their constant banter kept me hooked. Sometimes, I even would rewind just to see them saying those lines again.

Really loved the way story came to its conclusion. Loved this show so much! Definitely on my re-watch list!

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A Light that embraces a Shadow

Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow begin three years where season 1 left off Jang UK uses the ice stone that brought him back to life to kill souls shifters, and Naksu who was believed to be dead came back and was rescued and was living in Jin Bu Yeon body when no memory of who she once was our leads meets again because of soul shifting a soul shifter when into Jinyowon and Jang UK went after it and met Jin Bu Yeon in Jinyowon with no idea that she was Naksu and Naksu met Jang UK with no recall of who he was and they created a pact and so begins they Marriage of Convenience.

P.S. I did not state what their pact was, so if you are curious, you will have to watch 😊

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A fantastic sequel with character-driven conflicts, never seen plot twists, and top tier chemistry.

Season two has a totally different vibe and focus from season one. If you’re looking for something similar to season one, a story packed with conflicts and climactic events, then season two might not necessarily be your cup of tea. On the other hand, if you’re a big fan of character-focused stories, then this one is for you.

The conflicts in season two mainly lie with the characters themselves. Season two started off with a very different Jang Uk, who chose to stay within his darkness, not having a great will to live as he aims to take the ice stone out to die. He is the most powerful man in Daeho but he doesn’t have any more will to right any wrongs or move on from his past. He didn’t want to face his past and still felt a great amount of guilt and pain. Up until he met Jin Buyeon who helped him see a little bit of light and hope and showed him that warmth is possible even during the coldest nights. As he gain his will to live, he also gained his will to right wrongs. The story focuses on the conflicts within himself and how he managed to end up choosing to do what is right again and live to fulfill his destiny. You also get to see him go back to his old self slowly throughout the season, with his gaze softening, him laughing more, and his clothes becoming lighter colored.

As for Naksu/Jin Buyeon, season two clearly showed how trauma or painful memories can really change who you are. Without her memories, she’s very bubbly and free spirited. She never had the chance to truly be herself but at the same time, she was also still trying to find who she truly is. Once she gained her memories, she still felt like she didn’t deserve to live. She acknowledges that she had done a lot of terrible things in the past during her conversation with Yul, but even Yul highlighted that it was all Jin Mu’s doing all along. Season two is her journey to finding her true self after being used by others her whole life. At the end, she chose not to train again to gain her Chwisu skills back because “it’s too much work” but at the same time I feel like it also shows how she’s completely leaving her Naksu assassin self behind for good. Initially I was also looking forward to having her show her Naksu assassin self again, but watching how the story unfolded, I’m glad she decided to leave it all behind.

Other characters also had their own self development journeys. In this season, we managed to see how far Go Won had come and how he’s trying to do what is right by working together with Jang Uk. While Yul’s conflict lies with his personal guilt with what happened with Naksu and even thinking about surrendering himself to death because of it. But in the end, everyone had grown out of their past and have dealt with their guilt and regrets.

Aside from the great focus on the characters, this season also had very good plot twists. The plot twists of Go Won working together with Jang Uk, the plot twist of Jin Bu Yeon being Jin Seol Ran, and the great plot twist of the three empty coffins which made everyone cry their eyes out. I love the finale as they made us cry but gave the characters the deserved happy endings.

Another great point was the parallels. We had so many great parallels to season one which definitely adds to the story line and the engagement of emotions.

The only thing that I feel like was lacking is how the “action”. I think it might be because it is only 10 episodes that the ending seemed less epic and too simple. Yes, we had the amazing plot twists but how Jin Mu died was not satisfying enough. It was kind of like “that’s it?”. And Jang Uk defeated the fire bird so easily even though everyone was so fearful of the catastrophic consequences it might’ve bring to the world.

All in all, I feel like the cast did a 10/10 job. Lee Jae Wook subtle expressions and Go Youn Jung perfect depiction of the multiple characters she had to portray was amazing. Also, this season is romance heavy and their chemistry also hard carried the story. I think if they didn’t have such great chemistry with one another, this show wouldn’t have been as successful. The main point of season two is also to point out that Jang Uk and Cho Yeong will find and love each other in whatever form. They love each other’s soul and just like light and shadow, they belong together and will continue to protect and support each other. Their love was also what made Jin Seol Ran decide to bring Yeong back to bring the shadow back to his light. It was also why Master Lee asked them to get married — to show the sky and Jin Seol Ran how strong their love is for one another.

Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow is a fantastic drama and is officially in my top three favorite drama of all time.

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Light and shadow

As a AOS fan from S1, i was worried about how the ending will be. But the ending was very satisfactory. The story was little slow at first, but the second half moved a bit fast. I cried at the ending. Overall, I recommed this drama cause this genre is very arre in kdrama. I don't think there is a drama that has a story coinciding wuth AOS. The whole fantasy theme is very different, which makes it unique.
Talking about the cast and acting, I would applaud the team of AOS for casting brilliant actors that are perfect for their roles. I cannot imagine any other actor giving justice to all the characters of AOS. The acting and chemistry between the casts is also top notch. Specially, the trio of Uk, Yul and Dan Gu and my favorite couple Crown prince and Uk. Everyone gpt their happy ending and the series wrapped up beautifully.
So, give this drama a try. I hope we can all find our light and shadow soon!!!

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MASTER PIECE

LOVE THIS SO MUCH THE CASTING IS SO GOOD THEY'RE SO GOOD SPECIALLY GO YOUNJUNG SHE'S SO GOOD AT THIS HOPE THEY CAN GIVE US MORE OF HER FIGHTING SCENE I WATCH SEASON 1 BECAUSE OF HER BUT HER SCREEN TIME IN S1 IS SO DISAPPOINTING BUT HER IN SEASON 2 IS SO GOOD LIKE HOW CAN I MOVE ON?!!! SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND ELEGANT SHE MAKESS ME THINK THAT GOD DIDN'T LIKE ME THAT MUCH THAT HE MAKE GYJ SO PRETTY AND BLESSED BUT ME A DISAPPOINTMENT ARGHHHH💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

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A must-watch kdrama!

Really liked the plot, the actors and actresses and loved how they ended the story. Hopefully there's Season 3 with the same lead, Lee Jaewook and Go Yoonjung. Maybe for others this ending is a little bit rushed, but for me it is a good ending, a happy ending specifically that is very rare for the Hong Sisters to do. Really thankful for the Hong Sisters that they made this drama have a happy ending. I will definitely miss this drama. I don't know how will i move on from this drama because i got too attached to it, and it's because of the great acting of the cast of Alchemy of Souls. I hope TVN will cast Lee Jaewook and Go Yoonjung in a same drama again as couples, i really loved their chemistry.

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Unpopular Opinion: Better than Part One.

I know this is an incredibly unpopular opinion, but I preferred this season to the last. LET ME EXPLAIN!

One thing I will say is that I loved Jung So Min's portrayal of Naksu/Mudeok in Season 1, but I also really enjoyed the Season 2 portrayal, which reminded me of a Rapunzel-esque character who is locked away with no memories and thus kept childlike/innocent. I think the new female lead portrayed that pretty well. So this was not a major point of contention for me.

Regarding the other actors, I think Arin improved a lot, especially in portraying Jin Cho Yeon's forced maturing and JinYoWon's closing to outsiders. Jang Uk's portrayal was also really great, describing how Naksu's death impacted him and guided his character growth.

Personally, I prefer shorter drama, and the 20 episodes to me felt like it dragged on for a bit, so I for sure preferred the 10 episodes instead.

However, I will also argue that I am mildly put off and confused by the explanation of Jin BuYeon and Naksu's identity. Like from my understanding:
Bodies - Mudeok, Jin BuYeon
Souls - Mudeok, Naksu, Jin BuYeon

I am confused about whether Jin Buyeon's body was already inhabited by Naksu from the beginning or whether Naksu is JinBuyeon.

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mehhh

I was OBSESSED with S1. I felt like I was under a spell. I loved everything about it and wondered why American TV couldn’t be as entertaining and thought out. I was anticipating S2 like a child. And then came my disappointment. I had no idea about the change in female leads. The chemistry just isn’t there with the new female lead TBH. There was something magical about Jung So Min and Lee Jae Wook that you cannot teach. It made me believe in the story. Not sure what to do with S2. I’ll probably continue to watch it out of respect for the other characters I enjoy but my heart will always be with S1. What a huge letdown. And PS…why the tortured weekly release, Netflix? You’re soon becoming like “regular” TV.

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