In fact many of these dramas are not original Netflix projects, most of them are projects of local Korean channels…
Thank you for the re-assurance. I am actually considerably less likely to watch a series if it is commissioned by Netflix. I can't be angry with Netflix because it is the platform that helped me to discover the world of K-drama, and continue to have a very good library, but I just hate to see K-dramas also becoming multi-seasoned shows.
Today I watched the last 2 episodes. I must say that in the the last 2 weeks I finished watching "My Mister", so I am coming from a VERY high place. My Mister is one of the best shows I have seen in my life in any language. I am saying this to show the state of my mind. But, this is about AoS. Evaluating the two parts together, I would say it was an entertaining drivel. I think this would have been much better series if it was only 16 episodes. The series had lots of great moments, and there was always something to keep us entertained. But, it also dragged forever, had enormous number of plot holes and inconsistencies. I think the writing is mediocre at best when it comes to Fantasy, but much better when it comes to Comedy. Also the acting was very good and kept it being watchable. Personally, I find MDL 9.1 rating totally undeserved. I have watched about only 25 K-dramas, and even with such low number this show doesn't rank that high (certainly outside top 10). At the end, I think it is entertaining, and I would ecommend it but with big caution. For me it is around 6.5-7
Finished this yesterday. I have watched only about 25 K-dramas, but this one is certainly a very strong candidate for number 1 spot. I also have a feeling that the first series I finished in 2023 is going to be best. I can't tell you how many times I cried. The writing is amazing, and I am only reading subtitles. I bet I would have been even more impressed if I knew Korean. However, the most remarkable thing about it is how much is conveyed with very little or no dialogue. Most of my favourite scenes the main characters are not even in the same scene.
Absolutely!As an International viewer I escapped from the American model of open ended series with them stretching…
I hope I didn't come across as anti-American shows. I think you are a bit harsh on them. There are many wonderful American shows. There is no lack of creativity or good material, but the open ended multi-seasons format is just SOOOO annoying. You have to wait for years just for one show to end. Not to mention the threat of cancelation that is hanging like the sword of Damocles. And now the situation is much worse than it used to be. With so many shows produced, it is not even humans who decide which show remain on air. It is all about computers deciding. I am not American myself, but I have watched mainly American shows for decades. I find K-drama (and other non-English speaking shows) very refreshing. New faces, new creative teams new enviorment, new ways to look at issues instead of the same things. I do think K-dramas though are especially good, and they cover all genres presented to you in one season.
One of the comments here made me remember an inconsistency (and a missed opportunity) in Part 1: we know that…
This show has more plot holes, lack of logic, and inconsisties than a sieve. They make things up as they go. BUT, once I stopped caring about them and just accepted what I am told I felt better. Despite all its shortcomings, I still find it very entertaining. It has a great mix of this and that. I started watching it because I absolutely LOVED JSM in "Because this is your first life", but I discovered many more good actors. I find the actor who plays Park amazing! He can be very convincing as a leader and as slow witted and hillarious in romance. The actress playing Kim also is very good. Despite all these young very beautiful couples, I find the older actors romance the best.
Nice to know others are watching a truly well done series. No season 3 please, it's part 1 and 2.
Absolutely! As an International viewer I escapped from the American model of open ended series with them stretching to many seasons until they become rubbish, or you get bored. The biggest advantage of K-drama for me is the one season format. It is an excellent format. You start a series knowing that you get a complete arc. Alchemy of Souls has already dragged more than it needed to be. They should have ended it in the original 20 episodes. But, it is a fun show, and its positives are more than its negatives. However, I don't think I will watch another season of it. Korea! PLEASE PLEASE stick to the one (maybe two) season format. Don't become just a copy of USA. Keep your unique flavour.
I am not Korean, and I became big fan of K-drama only in the last 2 years, so I don't know a lot about this award. In principle I don't really care about them (Oscars, Emmys, Baftas, etc etc). But, as this is totally new to me, I am mildly curious, although I expect similar problems. My reaction to this is how comes that "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" didn't get even a single nomination? Also, there are only few shows that got everything. This is strange for a country that produces so many series. Or is it this award only for shows of this channel?
I disagree much more than I agree, but I totally see your points, and understand them. I agree that S1 was probably better, and prior to Beach was better, but the Beach section was also very good. I think S2 was little bit uneven sometimes. I think the "Crossbow" girl wasn't needed at all. I wish we spent more time with our established characters. I also must say that I was annoyed when she didn't die despite taking so many bullets, but the final reveal put it in context. I quite liked the reveal. I mean it is a Sci-fi, so it was plausauble enough. But, overall, it was still very good and thrilling. It is nice though to hear different opinion.
Questions about Episode 1 I have already complained about this issue in Part 1, then got over it. But, now this part started, and it is bugging me again. But, I want to ask just in case I missed something. At the end os Part 1 we established that Jung So-Min had the body of Bu-yeon and the soul of Naksu. Then she went into the lake. We are told that they fished out the body. I can accept that Naksu's soul is somewhere, but the body is the same. Ok, they changed the actress, but it is still Bu-yeon body. If Jung So-Min had continued then we would be seeing her. What puzzles me is how can Jang Uk not recognise that body?? (or that lady in the guest house for that matter) I mean this new actress was even immitating the speech and manners of Jung So-Min ( I even half expected her to try and hang to the bridge lol). I am not even Korean, nor I speak the language, but it was still obvious to me. I am sure it is deliberate. They are basically implying that Naksu is somewhere there. I can get people missing the personality, but the body??
Am I missing something? or I just need to roll with it?
I have watched the original French series, which was absolutely fantastic. I didn't even bother with English version. France & England do have cultural differences, but not enough to warrant a remake. Also, the French series finished very recently. I am, however, intriguied by a Korean one. I don't know how things are done behind the scene in Korea, and there is probably a real cultural difference (although people are roughly the same everywhere). My question: If you have watched the original French. Is it worth to give this a chance?
I agree. First lets change the title. Totally misleading. I would totally cut the little sister (and her friend). I would also dispose of this entire Vietnam thing. Replace it with something simpler. As you said, the cast is excellent, and the spine of the story is good.
God! These last 2 episodes defied ALL logic! The show had lots of strong points. Acting, good build of mystery, and some really good tense moments. However, I felt 12 episodes were too much. This should have been 8, maybe 10 episodes at most. The writing is very loose, and has some serious logic issues. It always veer towards style and sacrifice logic. But, despite all criticism, I had pleasant time. For me it is 7/10.
I can't be angry with Netflix because it is the platform that helped me to discover the world of K-drama, and continue to have a very good library, but I just hate to see K-dramas also becoming multi-seasoned shows.
I must say that in the the last 2 weeks I finished watching "My Mister", so I am coming from a VERY high place. My Mister is one of the best shows I have seen in my life in any language. I am saying this to show the state of my mind.
But, this is about AoS. Evaluating the two parts together, I would say it was an entertaining drivel.
I think this would have been much better series if it was only 16 episodes.
The series had lots of great moments, and there was always something to keep us entertained. But, it also dragged forever, had enormous number of plot holes and inconsistencies. I think the writing is mediocre at best when it comes to Fantasy, but much better when it comes to Comedy.
Also the acting was very good and kept it being watchable.
Personally, I find MDL 9.1 rating totally undeserved. I have watched about only 25 K-dramas, and even with such low number this show doesn't rank that high (certainly outside top 10).
At the end, I think it is entertaining, and I would ecommend it but with big caution. For me it is around 6.5-7
I have watched only about 25 K-dramas, but this one is certainly a very strong candidate for number 1 spot.
I also have a feeling that the first series I finished in 2023 is going to be best.
I can't tell you how many times I cried.
The writing is amazing, and I am only reading subtitles. I bet I would have been even more impressed if I knew Korean.
However, the most remarkable thing about it is how much is conveyed with very little or no dialogue.
Most of my favourite scenes the main characters are not even in the same scene.
I am not American myself, but I have watched mainly American shows for decades. I find K-drama (and other non-English speaking shows) very refreshing. New faces, new creative teams new enviorment, new ways to look at issues instead of the same things.
I do think K-dramas though are especially good, and they cover all genres presented to you in one season.
Despite all its shortcomings, I still find it very entertaining. It has a great mix of this and that. I started watching it because I absolutely LOVED JSM in "Because this is your first life", but I discovered many more good actors. I find the actor who plays Park amazing! He can be very convincing as a leader and as slow witted and hillarious in romance. The actress playing Kim also is very good. Despite all these young very beautiful couples, I find the older actors romance the best.
As an International viewer I escapped from the American model of open ended series with them stretching to many seasons until they become rubbish, or you get bored.
The biggest advantage of K-drama for me is the one season format. It is an excellent format. You start a series knowing that you get a complete arc.
Alchemy of Souls has already dragged more than it needed to be. They should have ended it in the original 20 episodes. But, it is a fun show, and its positives are more than its negatives. However, I don't think I will watch another season of it.
Korea! PLEASE PLEASE stick to the one (maybe two) season format. Don't become just a copy of USA. Keep your unique flavour.
In principle I don't really care about them (Oscars, Emmys, Baftas, etc etc). But, as this is totally new to me, I am mildly curious, although I expect similar problems.
My reaction to this is how comes that "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" didn't get even a single nomination? Also, there are only few shows that got everything. This is strange for a country that produces so many series. Or is it this award only for shows of this channel?
I agree that S1 was probably better, and prior to Beach was better, but the Beach section was also very good.
I think S2 was little bit uneven sometimes. I think the "Crossbow" girl wasn't needed at all. I wish we spent more time with our established characters.
I also must say that I was annoyed when she didn't die despite taking so many bullets, but the final reveal put it in context.
I quite liked the reveal. I mean it is a Sci-fi, so it was plausauble enough.
But, overall, it was still very good and thrilling.
It is nice though to hear different opinion.
I have already complained about this issue in Part 1, then got over it. But, now this part started, and it is bugging me again.
But, I want to ask just in case I missed something.
At the end os Part 1 we established that Jung So-Min had the body of Bu-yeon and the soul of Naksu. Then she went into the lake.
We are told that they fished out the body. I can accept that Naksu's soul is somewhere, but the body is the same. Ok, they changed the actress, but it is still Bu-yeon body. If Jung So-Min had continued then we would be seeing her.
What puzzles me is how can Jang Uk not recognise that body?? (or that lady in the guest house for that matter)
I mean this new actress was even immitating the speech and manners of Jung So-Min ( I even half expected her to try and hang to the bridge lol). I am not even Korean, nor I speak the language, but it was still obvious to me. I am sure it is deliberate. They are basically implying that Naksu is somewhere there. I can get people missing the personality, but the body??
Am I missing something? or I just need to roll with it?
I am, however, intriguied by a Korean one. I don't know how things are done behind the scene in Korea, and there is probably a real cultural difference (although people are roughly the same everywhere).
My question: If you have watched the original French. Is it worth to give this a chance?
First lets change the title. Totally misleading.
I would totally cut the little sister (and her friend).
I would also dispose of this entire Vietnam thing. Replace it with something simpler.
As you said, the cast is excellent, and the spine of the story is good.
If you make it a movie, then you need to do a drastic cuts.
It could turn out to be a very good movie though.
But is it good? hmm. You need to set logic aside, and ignore your brain when it starts complaining lol.
The show had lots of strong points. Acting, good build of mystery, and some really good tense moments.
However, I felt 12 episodes were too much. This should have been 8, maybe 10 episodes at most. The writing is very loose, and has some serious logic issues. It always veer towards style and sacrifice logic.
But, despite all criticism, I had pleasant time. For me it is 7/10.