DistantDream

It’s hard to put into words how I feel about this drama, but “mediocre” is probably the best way to describe it.

First, the props, world building, magic system, and overall concept are probably the strongest aspects of the show. It really does transport you into a fantasy world and makes it feel believable. But that’s where it stops.

We are first introduced to Naksu, who goes on a killing spree for an unknown reason, which we learn later. She is injured and forced to switch her soul through, you guessed it, “Alchemy of Souls.” Cue the outro music; we get the title of the show said as dialogue, I’m joking here. She then becomes Mu Deok, a “blind,” otherwise unremarkable girl. She gets sold to what is essentially a brothel, where she is then introduced to the Four Seasons, Jin Cho-yeon, Park Dang-gu, Seo Yul, and finally our male lead, Jang Uk.

We learn that Jang Uk is also an unremarkable person who has been kicked out by many masters due to the fact that his father sealed his energy channels, preventing him from performing spells or becoming a mage.

Then the story slowly unfolds, revealing why Jang Uk is unable to perform spells and what his father, Jang Gang, did. Naksu, now Mu Deok, also has her own secret. She is a soul shifter trying to regain her power, hiding her identity, and using Jang Uk to do so, while Jang Uk is using her to break the seal and become a mage.

The story continues to unfold, and the relationship between Jang Uk and Mu Deok drives much of the narrative. They attempt to keep Mu Deok’s identity a secret, while interacting with many supporting characters as they learn about the ice stone, the people behind the newly created soul shifters, and Jang Gang’s past mistakes.

Here is my problem with the show. Multiple times throughout the story, we are clearly teased that Mu Deok is Jin Bu-yeon, like when she magically opens the secret vault of the Jin family, which can only be opened by someone from that bloodline.

It became so predictable that it almost felt insulting when the characters later learned the “truth.” The music swells, faces look shocked, but as a viewer, I was just thinking, yeah, that’s exactly what I expected.

As for the romance, I don’t even know what to say. Why do the Crown Prince and the male lead have better chemistry than the female lead and the male lead?

Why does the comedic love triangle between Park Jin, Maid Kim, and Master Lee feel more compelling than the main couple?

It’s probably because the show created a more compelling first love story between Seo Yul and Naksu. I’m sure there are people rooting for that pairing. It’s simple, people love a good underdog story. There was never really a sense that the female lead might end up with someone other than the male lead, so the tension just wasn’t there.

There was just very little at stake, or the emotion was not built correctly. The drama didn't successfully convey to me why I should care about Jang Uk and Mu Deok's romance; much of it was due to circumstance. She needs help to get her power back, and he needs her to give him power. Yes, they both make sacrifices for each other and say cliché one-liners, but that is not enough to make me believe in their "love."

Or when Jang Gang returns, confesses his sins, and sacrifices himself, which was probably meant to be an emotional moment. It just falls flat. I suppose it was meant to show that even a “good” person can make the wrong choices that lead to all the problems in the story. So, in a sense, he ends up feeling like the main antagonist of the show.

Or Shaman Choi could also be considered one of the main villains. Why do I feel bad about her death? Because she was evil? Or a cause of circumstance and prejudice against the shaman? Like they had to add a line saying she descended from the bloodline of the person who caused the disaster 200 years ago to really nail home the fact that she is evil.

I'm not saying they are not wrong, I'm pointing out the fact, why do I care about these villains? And even when they are defeated, I still feel nothing like cool. We built it all up, and the climax was meh.

It’s sad because the show had the potential to go in a much stronger direction. But ultimately, the characterization of Jang Uk and Naksu, along with their lackluster chemistry, makes everything else feel less meaningful. When the central relationship feels lackluster, it becomes hard to care about the stakes, the conflicts, or even the resolution.

At the end of the day, no matter how strong the world-building or concepts are, if the characters and their relationships don’t resonate, then nothing else really matters. And that is why, despite all its potential, the drama ends up feeling just mediocre.

Lowkey, though, that scene with the crown prince and Jang Uk on the bridge with the yin yang stone... LMAO WHY do they have better CHEMISTRY?!?!