K-Drama 
This review may contain spoilers
Worth rewatching.
This is not my first time watching this show, and it probably won’t be the last (I am a sucker for Jang Uk). The number of bad reviews for this season was a shock to me, actually; I, too, find the first season better, but not for the reasons many stated here.
The common feedback seems to be: “the first actress was better!” and “there is no romantic chemistry!”. As those are subjective interpretations, I will just say that, to me, Lee Jae Wook can even develop chemistry with a wall. And for the second actress, I think her acting is good. Not better or worse than the first one, just good overall (I also like Jung So Min, but I wouldn’t call her acting in part one “peak” as many reviews here do. I mean, her “I-know-something-you-don’t” face was basically the 😏 emoji)
No, the real problem with this season is the writing. First, let me address the strong points before I start to break down the failed details: Throughout every Hong Sisters’ show, I always find the strong character development to be a fixed constant – which is also true in part 2 of AoS. As much as people might not like Naksu and Jang Uk’s new personalities, they are perfectly fitting as a follow-up to part 1’s finale. Jang Uk is a depressed mess, having been stabbed by his one true love, and Naksu now has a more “gleeful” aspect, having forgotten all the tragedies of her past.
HOWEVER… The plot. Where is it? If you asked me what the protagonist's main goal was at the start of this season, I would have a hard time responding. Jang Uk wanted to die, and Bu Yeon wanted to escape her prison. Okay, she achieves her objective in episode two, and Jang Uk never really does anything about getting her to develop her powers so that she could remove the Ice Stone from inside him. That’s why we, the audience, keep anxiously expecting the moment when they’re going to realize that Bu Yeon is actually Naksu. But when they do, nothing changes. This information does nothing to enhance or move the story in another direction. All we are watching is Jang Uk and Naksu falling in love again, which, don’t get me wrong, I love and find super cute, but I can understand that it may feel like a gigantic filler, especially when the ending of part 1 was so impactful.
And what even is Jin Mu’s objective? Why would ANYONE volunteer to be a soul shifter when, day in and day out, we see them running wild and getting petrified? They SAY that is because the rich can be rich forever, young forever, powerful forever, blah blah blah… But we never really see this taking place. None of Jin Mu’s followers has ever seen a successful case of someone who’s been through the alchemy of souls and whose life became better afterwards. You could argue that Master Lee is an example, but it only worked nicely because he shifted into a dead body. None of Jin Mu’s soul-shiftings did that.
Seo Yul’s storyline was the one that made the least sense. He finds out Bu Yeon is Naksu, and his first thought is to die together? Why, my good guy? Why would you not say a single thing to anyone about the pain you were suffering FOR THREE WHOLE YEARS? Was So-i sending you medicine from the capital to the North Fortress all this time? Is mail a thing in Daeho? When she figured out that there was a cure, why would you still not do anything about it? (Speaking of So-i, we can all agree she was the most plot-devicey character ever made in this entire show, yes? Okay then.)
About the two-ish final episodes: I have different opinions from my first and second viewing. The first time I watched it, I was too deep into the story to wonder why all that was even happening. This time, however, it hit differently. Once I reached the part where Jang Uk and Naksu recognized each other again, I lost any interest I had left in the story. The whole Fire Bird plot is meaningless and is only there to add impactful visuals. The OG Jin Bu Yeon/Seol Ran says that they must wake the Fire Bird even after the main threat (Jin Mu and the other mages) had been defeated, because… reasons.
My final thoughts are that I like this world and these characters a lot, so I will probably watch it again in a few more years. Part 1 definitely feels richer and more developed, but despite its simpler plot, Part 2 has its moments. I’m overall grateful for the number of episodes we were given to enjoy Jang Uk and Naksu’s story.
The common feedback seems to be: “the first actress was better!” and “there is no romantic chemistry!”. As those are subjective interpretations, I will just say that, to me, Lee Jae Wook can even develop chemistry with a wall. And for the second actress, I think her acting is good. Not better or worse than the first one, just good overall (I also like Jung So Min, but I wouldn’t call her acting in part one “peak” as many reviews here do. I mean, her “I-know-something-you-don’t” face was basically the 😏 emoji)
No, the real problem with this season is the writing. First, let me address the strong points before I start to break down the failed details: Throughout every Hong Sisters’ show, I always find the strong character development to be a fixed constant – which is also true in part 2 of AoS. As much as people might not like Naksu and Jang Uk’s new personalities, they are perfectly fitting as a follow-up to part 1’s finale. Jang Uk is a depressed mess, having been stabbed by his one true love, and Naksu now has a more “gleeful” aspect, having forgotten all the tragedies of her past.
HOWEVER… The plot. Where is it? If you asked me what the protagonist's main goal was at the start of this season, I would have a hard time responding. Jang Uk wanted to die, and Bu Yeon wanted to escape her prison. Okay, she achieves her objective in episode two, and Jang Uk never really does anything about getting her to develop her powers so that she could remove the Ice Stone from inside him. That’s why we, the audience, keep anxiously expecting the moment when they’re going to realize that Bu Yeon is actually Naksu. But when they do, nothing changes. This information does nothing to enhance or move the story in another direction. All we are watching is Jang Uk and Naksu falling in love again, which, don’t get me wrong, I love and find super cute, but I can understand that it may feel like a gigantic filler, especially when the ending of part 1 was so impactful.
And what even is Jin Mu’s objective? Why would ANYONE volunteer to be a soul shifter when, day in and day out, we see them running wild and getting petrified? They SAY that is because the rich can be rich forever, young forever, powerful forever, blah blah blah… But we never really see this taking place. None of Jin Mu’s followers has ever seen a successful case of someone who’s been through the alchemy of souls and whose life became better afterwards. You could argue that Master Lee is an example, but it only worked nicely because he shifted into a dead body. None of Jin Mu’s soul-shiftings did that.
Seo Yul’s storyline was the one that made the least sense. He finds out Bu Yeon is Naksu, and his first thought is to die together? Why, my good guy? Why would you not say a single thing to anyone about the pain you were suffering FOR THREE WHOLE YEARS? Was So-i sending you medicine from the capital to the North Fortress all this time? Is mail a thing in Daeho? When she figured out that there was a cure, why would you still not do anything about it? (Speaking of So-i, we can all agree she was the most plot-devicey character ever made in this entire show, yes? Okay then.)
About the two-ish final episodes: I have different opinions from my first and second viewing. The first time I watched it, I was too deep into the story to wonder why all that was even happening. This time, however, it hit differently. Once I reached the part where Jang Uk and Naksu recognized each other again, I lost any interest I had left in the story. The whole Fire Bird plot is meaningless and is only there to add impactful visuals. The OG Jin Bu Yeon/Seol Ran says that they must wake the Fire Bird even after the main threat (Jin Mu and the other mages) had been defeated, because… reasons.
My final thoughts are that I like this world and these characters a lot, so I will probably watch it again in a few more years. Part 1 definitely feels richer and more developed, but despite its simpler plot, Part 2 has its moments. I’m overall grateful for the number of episodes we were given to enjoy Jang Uk and Naksu’s story.
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