25
32
6
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
Suitable for newcomers, a disappointment for experienced watchers
Spring Cleaning Challenge made me finish this after I dropped it twice. I needed a whole year to watch it.
---- If you loved this drama, keep scrolling ---
From my enjoyment, I would rate this 6/10, but objectively speaking, depending on what you prioritize, it could be a 7/10. Visually, it's absolutely stunning, and although I put the drama aside for months, I listened to the OST a lot during that time. The acting was great as well. I loved Jang Uk as a character and seeing his development.
The rest was...not even remotely as noteworthy.
I think Alchemy of Souls is a great drama for those who just started getting into Kdramas, especially Romance ones. But I can't get over the disappointment of getting a a fantasy setting with a badass FL only to end up with "damsel in distress FL in an average romcom but make it fancy" setting.
I will spare you the details of all the ways I was let down, but let me mention this: Although I really liked Jang Uk, I was team SML. FL had chemistry with literally everyone but ML. I still don't get why the mains fell for each other except for the fact they went through a lot together. Don't get me wrong, I don't always need a "reason". But the romance developed so weirdly paced and felt sudden and...like a plot device.
Now, imagine your main selling point is only a plot device and then the plot is only mediocre, too. It's interrupted by misplaced comedy, full of plotholes and entirely predictable. As the characters stumble from sidequest to sidequest, they solve their issues with luck rather than the wit, competence and effort you'd expect from their position. The whole storytelling was exactly that - telling. With all those visuals that could have shown something truly outstanding, they decided to prioritize telling over showing. I am almost sure the writers also forgot about 90% of plotlines and backstories they opened as they wrote the consecutive episodes, since many main plot issues introduced once never resurfaced again.
I should add that the description of Season 2 I saw on accident got me spoilered so hard it ruined the last bit of suspense that kept me going. Hence, my enjoyment was heavily detrimented by that. But experience told me those spoilers, especially coming from Netflix, aren't necessarily true, so I kept hoping.
It wasn't as bad as I thought.
But what was that ending? I made it through 20 episodes of 90 minute length, which, if I may say so, is longer than some movies I've watched, yet they still had to rush the ending? And...that's it? Shouldn't a drama rated this highly at least be one of the few exceptions that have a great, well-balanced, timely ending?
I expected more of this. So much more. But in the end, I only kept watching because people kept promising me season 2 was different. They better be right.
Would I recommend watching? Actually, yes. But only if I knew you're the kind of watcher who can leave their brain at home when they watch something and you prioritize visuals over content.
---- If you loved this drama, keep scrolling ---
From my enjoyment, I would rate this 6/10, but objectively speaking, depending on what you prioritize, it could be a 7/10. Visually, it's absolutely stunning, and although I put the drama aside for months, I listened to the OST a lot during that time. The acting was great as well. I loved Jang Uk as a character and seeing his development.
The rest was...not even remotely as noteworthy.
I think Alchemy of Souls is a great drama for those who just started getting into Kdramas, especially Romance ones. But I can't get over the disappointment of getting a a fantasy setting with a badass FL only to end up with "damsel in distress FL in an average romcom but make it fancy" setting.
I will spare you the details of all the ways I was let down, but let me mention this: Although I really liked Jang Uk, I was team SML. FL had chemistry with literally everyone but ML. I still don't get why the mains fell for each other except for the fact they went through a lot together. Don't get me wrong, I don't always need a "reason". But the romance developed so weirdly paced and felt sudden and...like a plot device.
Now, imagine your main selling point is only a plot device and then the plot is only mediocre, too. It's interrupted by misplaced comedy, full of plotholes and entirely predictable. As the characters stumble from sidequest to sidequest, they solve their issues with luck rather than the wit, competence and effort you'd expect from their position. The whole storytelling was exactly that - telling. With all those visuals that could have shown something truly outstanding, they decided to prioritize telling over showing. I am almost sure the writers also forgot about 90% of plotlines and backstories they opened as they wrote the consecutive episodes, since many main plot issues introduced once never resurfaced again.
I should add that the description of Season 2 I saw on accident got me spoilered so hard it ruined the last bit of suspense that kept me going. Hence, my enjoyment was heavily detrimented by that. But experience told me those spoilers, especially coming from Netflix, aren't necessarily true, so I kept hoping.
It wasn't as bad as I thought.
But what was that ending? I made it through 20 episodes of 90 minute length, which, if I may say so, is longer than some movies I've watched, yet they still had to rush the ending? And...that's it? Shouldn't a drama rated this highly at least be one of the few exceptions that have a great, well-balanced, timely ending?
I expected more of this. So much more. But in the end, I only kept watching because people kept promising me season 2 was different. They better be right.
Would I recommend watching? Actually, yes. But only if I knew you're the kind of watcher who can leave their brain at home when they watch something and you prioritize visuals over content.
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