Honestly One of The Best Drama In The Industry
I think this drama is going down in history as one of the best ever—damn! Where do I even start...
First of all, I get why some people were frustrated—the slow pacing, the two-season format, the female lead switch—these things annoyed a lot of netizens. The accusations of a weak female lead? Yeah, I see the point. These are, and I quote, "the only frustrating cons in this drama." And while I half-agree, let’s be real—have you ever seen a masterpiece in film or TV that was completely flawless? People always find it easier to nitpick than to appreciate the bigger picture.
>Let Me Tell You
Watching this drama made me realize that while there are plenty of series with similar themes—think Chinese wuxia dramas—*Alchemy of Souls* stands out because of its execution. The plot, the chemistry (not just between the main leads but also the secondary couples), the acting, the lighthearted comedy, the OST, and the overall production were just *chef’s kiss*. This drama truly feels like an original work.
>Strong (at Heart) Female Leads—LMAO
I was one of those frustrated viewers when they switched the female lead. We were all attached to Mu Deok/Jin Bu Yeon (Jung So Min), her insane acting skills, and her adorable presence. But let’s be real—what we were actually attached to was *Naksu* inside Mu Deok. We were just scared to see a new actress take that role. Logically, though, Go Youn Jung was always the *actual* female lead. It wasn’t a replacement—it was a return to the rightful character. And after watching Season 2, I finally saw the bigger picture.
Naksu (Cho Yeong) was the main character all along. Mu Deok/Jin Bu Yeon was meant to be a background character for a reason. People disliked that she was sidelined for most of the series, but in Season 2, it becomes clear—Jin Bu Yeon is a reincarnation of someone powerful, and she never had a singular, personal goal. She’s a deity for a reason! She doesn’t care who’s in her body or what they’re doing 💀. Meanwhile, our actual female lead, Chae Yeon, starts as a vengeful warrior molded by the villain Jin Mu, but deep down, she’s a soft-hearted, cheerful, delicate girl. Over time, she sheds her rebellious, revenge-driven persona and learns to rely on Jang Uk emotionally. She heals. That’s why she isn’t fighting in Season 2—it’s part of her character’s evolution. And let’s be real, she totally stole Jin Bu Yeon’s body... but thankfully, our girl Jin Bu Yeon *does not care* 💀.
As for the other female supporting characters, yeah, sometimes they’re frustratingly weak. The lack of magical power compared to the male leads, the constant self-sacrificing—it gets annoying. Like, girl, you’re a CLAN LEADER, USE YOUR POWERS! But mentally? They all had their own kind of strength.
>The Acting & The Chemistry—*Chef’s Kiss*
The chemistry in this drama is crazy good. Jang Uk (the luckiest bastard alive) got to kiss both female leads—he doesn’t discriminate, and honestly, I wouldn’t either 💀. But seriously, his chemistry with both Jung So Min and Go Youn Jung is top-tier. The way his eyes look so in love? Insane. And the way both actresses make their characters feel like one person? Absolutely brilliant. The raw emotions in every scene—especially in their eyes—add so much depth. It’s unreal.
>The Unhinged Humor (LMAO)
Bruh, I’d be bawling my eyes out one moment and then laughing my ass off the next. The comedic timing in this drama is so good. Even the slower parts were bearable because of the humor.
>There’s More to This Drama Than Meets the Eye
A lot of the frustrations people have? They actually make sense if you pay attention to the small details. The storytelling is intricate, and every little moment matters.
> The Few Cons That Stood Out (In My Opinion)
- The Female Lead Not Fighting: She gets her powers back twice, and we never get to see her go all out? I was waiting for a massive Naksu fight scene in both seasons, but nope. I wanted to see her wreck the villains with her sword from Season 1! Instead, Jang Uk just keeps it as a souvenir 😭. As a horrible feminist who wants badass female leads, this disappointed me so much. They could’ve given us an epic fight showing her power, maybe even surpassing Jang Uk...
- The Dragging Plot : Towards the end, things slow down unnecessarily. But Season 2 does tie everything together, so it’s worth it.
- Too Much Romance in the Screenplay: Not saying romance itself was bad, but the amount of recycled romantic scenes was way too much. It felt like they replayed the same moments 50 times between Seasons 1 and 2.
- Season 1 Was Better Than Season 2: Honestly, I have to say Season 1 was better. The back-and-forth amnesia between the main leads in Season 2 was definitely frustrating. At least three episodes were just blank amnesia moments. I’m not necessarily a hater of amnesia plots, but in this case, I personally think it didn’t add much to the story. It actually made me drop the drama for a few months. I only gave it another chance because of how scrumptious Season 1 was!
>Final Thoughts
Despite the flaws, this drama is an absolute *must-watch*. It’s a masterpiece, and I wouldn’t trade the experience of watching it for anything!
At the end of the day, you are the viewer. This might be the best or worst drama ever, depending on your personal taste and perspective. I’ve shared my thoughts, but you don’t have to agree with them—and that’s totally okay, loves! ^^
First of all, I get why some people were frustrated—the slow pacing, the two-season format, the female lead switch—these things annoyed a lot of netizens. The accusations of a weak female lead? Yeah, I see the point. These are, and I quote, "the only frustrating cons in this drama." And while I half-agree, let’s be real—have you ever seen a masterpiece in film or TV that was completely flawless? People always find it easier to nitpick than to appreciate the bigger picture.
>Let Me Tell You
Watching this drama made me realize that while there are plenty of series with similar themes—think Chinese wuxia dramas—*Alchemy of Souls* stands out because of its execution. The plot, the chemistry (not just between the main leads but also the secondary couples), the acting, the lighthearted comedy, the OST, and the overall production were just *chef’s kiss*. This drama truly feels like an original work.
>Strong (at Heart) Female Leads—LMAO
I was one of those frustrated viewers when they switched the female lead. We were all attached to Mu Deok/Jin Bu Yeon (Jung So Min), her insane acting skills, and her adorable presence. But let’s be real—what we were actually attached to was *Naksu* inside Mu Deok. We were just scared to see a new actress take that role. Logically, though, Go Youn Jung was always the *actual* female lead. It wasn’t a replacement—it was a return to the rightful character. And after watching Season 2, I finally saw the bigger picture.
Naksu (Cho Yeong) was the main character all along. Mu Deok/Jin Bu Yeon was meant to be a background character for a reason. People disliked that she was sidelined for most of the series, but in Season 2, it becomes clear—Jin Bu Yeon is a reincarnation of someone powerful, and she never had a singular, personal goal. She’s a deity for a reason! She doesn’t care who’s in her body or what they’re doing 💀. Meanwhile, our actual female lead, Chae Yeon, starts as a vengeful warrior molded by the villain Jin Mu, but deep down, she’s a soft-hearted, cheerful, delicate girl. Over time, she sheds her rebellious, revenge-driven persona and learns to rely on Jang Uk emotionally. She heals. That’s why she isn’t fighting in Season 2—it’s part of her character’s evolution. And let’s be real, she totally stole Jin Bu Yeon’s body... but thankfully, our girl Jin Bu Yeon *does not care* 💀.
As for the other female supporting characters, yeah, sometimes they’re frustratingly weak. The lack of magical power compared to the male leads, the constant self-sacrificing—it gets annoying. Like, girl, you’re a CLAN LEADER, USE YOUR POWERS! But mentally? They all had their own kind of strength.
>The Acting & The Chemistry—*Chef’s Kiss*
The chemistry in this drama is crazy good. Jang Uk (the luckiest bastard alive) got to kiss both female leads—he doesn’t discriminate, and honestly, I wouldn’t either 💀. But seriously, his chemistry with both Jung So Min and Go Youn Jung is top-tier. The way his eyes look so in love? Insane. And the way both actresses make their characters feel like one person? Absolutely brilliant. The raw emotions in every scene—especially in their eyes—add so much depth. It’s unreal.
>The Unhinged Humor (LMAO)
Bruh, I’d be bawling my eyes out one moment and then laughing my ass off the next. The comedic timing in this drama is so good. Even the slower parts were bearable because of the humor.
>There’s More to This Drama Than Meets the Eye
A lot of the frustrations people have? They actually make sense if you pay attention to the small details. The storytelling is intricate, and every little moment matters.
> The Few Cons That Stood Out (In My Opinion)
- The Female Lead Not Fighting: She gets her powers back twice, and we never get to see her go all out? I was waiting for a massive Naksu fight scene in both seasons, but nope. I wanted to see her wreck the villains with her sword from Season 1! Instead, Jang Uk just keeps it as a souvenir 😭. As a horrible feminist who wants badass female leads, this disappointed me so much. They could’ve given us an epic fight showing her power, maybe even surpassing Jang Uk...
- The Dragging Plot : Towards the end, things slow down unnecessarily. But Season 2 does tie everything together, so it’s worth it.
- Too Much Romance in the Screenplay: Not saying romance itself was bad, but the amount of recycled romantic scenes was way too much. It felt like they replayed the same moments 50 times between Seasons 1 and 2.
- Season 1 Was Better Than Season 2: Honestly, I have to say Season 1 was better. The back-and-forth amnesia between the main leads in Season 2 was definitely frustrating. At least three episodes were just blank amnesia moments. I’m not necessarily a hater of amnesia plots, but in this case, I personally think it didn’t add much to the story. It actually made me drop the drama for a few months. I only gave it another chance because of how scrumptious Season 1 was!
>Final Thoughts
Despite the flaws, this drama is an absolute *must-watch*. It’s a masterpiece, and I wouldn’t trade the experience of watching it for anything!
At the end of the day, you are the viewer. This might be the best or worst drama ever, depending on your personal taste and perspective. I’ve shared my thoughts, but you don’t have to agree with them—and that’s totally okay, loves! ^^
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