dianalg

Don't apologize for your views but be able to clarify why you think like you do without getting offensive nor offended about it. That is maturity. Because of your personal experience, the character does not resonate with you. I respect you for that.
Since you share how it was for you.....I will share mine.
I had several experiences with students like the female character. They are brilliant but socially inept . I tried to understand them while feeling uncomfortable and unable to symphatize with them (then). If only I had watched EAW and had more empathy with them. Watching EAW, I wish I knew then that it is ok to have these feelings and can change. I wish I had enough unconditional love like her father, enough compassion like her best friend and colleague. I wish I didn't judge them by my limited standard. Thus, the show was thought provoking for me.

Wow, good observation skills. Yes, it does sound like Naksu actress' voice.

Watching both MDL and EAW. Loving both. MDL is on cable TV so the ratings of 6-7% is pretty decent. MDL is fun but EAW is more thought provoking as it deals with autism.

Hong sisters' writing has evolved a lot over the years. I loved You're Beautiful (charismatic ML, witty lines, poking fun at Kpop despite their overused tropes, rather childish but charming drama), The Greatest Love (amazing acting despite the overtopness of it all, poking fun at Korean Actors & Celebrities), Master Sun (interesting take on Ghosts, solid acting and a good caricature of Poor Girl-Rich Guy or Mary Sue trope), Hotel Del Luna (Young talented actors, poking fun at ghosts, the Hotel is smack in the centre of Myeongdong!), Korean Odyssey (solid acting, poking fun at Journey to the West characters) and then there was Big (such a disappointment. The plot just went south despite having Gong Yoo in it.)
Hong sisters' dramas have this fresh perspective which I really like. The only gripe I have is they don't know how to 'end well'. Most of the dramas leave a slight bitter taste at the end.
I don't think BY will get a happily ever after. Despite it, I am loving this one, Alchemy of Souls and keeping my fingers crossed that it will not go south with the extention. I think the Hong sisters' work are definitely worth watching. I don't mind buying an anthology of their writings with footnotes on their thoughts.

Ya, loved your perspective/take on these 2 potential problems. It shows that you are a pretty cool person in times of potential crisis. :)

He is the interfering character...like the well meaning character you find in most stories who despite their right motives just made things worse ....interfering mother, interfering best friend......writers use these to provoke strong emotions such as yours :)

Please excuse him. He is an idol trying to be an actor. Obviously he has less range than the more experienced actors. Even the young actors cannot be compared to the more experienced ones that play JinMu, Master Lee, etc.
But overall they are doing well. I don't think it affects the story much. At least for me.

I agree that Naksu within Mudeok is a dynamic character that changes from a hardened ruthless assassin into something else. You have pointed a possible catalyst (living a normal living with people that care for her) for that change.
I would like to propose another theory, that is, Bu Yeon the other entity within Mudeok. Bu Yeon is said to be kind , sensitive and helpful but rather passive. Perhaps they are merging as characters.
I also would propose that Mudeok (Bu Yeon part) is changing too because of Naksu who is aggressive. BY now steps out to 'rescue and save' others instead of being the helpless victim.
The two parts are becoming one. Just a hypothesis.

My mistake. Not petrified but burnt.
She was cremated or was she? Can the stone resurrect a cremated body? This question was raised. I think that is why the person came up with the theory that someone stole the body or else she can't be in Season 2!
Don't give up. I enjoy exchanging ideas with you. It is stimulating to exchange ideas and point out plot holes. The Hong sisters are wonderful story tellers and they have evolved over the last 10 years or so. They love incorporating Korean folk tales into their dramas.
Have a great week and do come back after the next 2 episodes to exchange ideas again, ya...

Yes, at this point of the story with what has been revealed thus far, Mudeok and JU are the most likely possibilities. But let's keep it slightly open to other possibilities such as the petrified body of Naksu. A little far fetched even for a guy who loved her, I know. Please bear with it. We will find out. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

I hope we do not get emotional about this intellectual discussion. Rationally
1) I am saying that the person that he wants to take away with him might not be Mudeok(Naksu). Because he is what you call a 'Stock Character' in literature, he can't change. He is written as a perfect character who sees the world as "Black & White', Right & Wrong' and therefore using the Stone or alchemy of souls is therefore TABOO. This was stressed in Ep 1 (by the narrator) and by the Leader of Songhrim. Lawful and stupid are not my choice of vocabulary. Let's be respectful.
I am suggesting that MuDeok might not be the person he wishes to take away although at this point it seems that she is. This tool is called Red Herring.
I am not grasping at straws. I suggest that we wait and see that there might be other possibilites. I am just sharing other people's theory.
I am offering it as a possibility ( a weak one I admit) that is in order to justify how Naksu could have been resurrected by the Stone if her body is destroyed. Someone (JinMu might be the other suspect) must have kept her body safe at this point. Since SY loved her, he might have kept her body. It is not as taboo as using the Stone.
Let us discuss rationally, get this forum active and share our ideas. Peace.

There is a purpose behind his actions as demonstrated/stated by the other bestie ( I assume from the converstion). Win-win situation.
Also at the critical moment, Naksu can be removed from JU and will not harm him.
There is a theory that Seo Yul stole Naksu's body. And it is this body (with the return of the correct soul) will acompany him back. He sort of wanted Naksu to agree to go back to her body and leave JU. Not sure about that.
Or he still has not given up hope of winning Naksu back.
But I don't think it tallies with how his character is written. SY is too black and white like, a stock character.

They are called red herrings in story telling. One of the plot devices used by writers to mess with your head, mislead you so that they can do a 'Twist'.
As for looking for the Ice stone, it is in line with his character as a Black & White character (the leader of Songhrim is another such character) , he would never compromise by using the Stone. It is forbidden and must be destroyed.

Haha...I agree.

There's lots of possibilities:
Option A. Mudeok/BY ejects Naksu from her body. Naksu is resurrected back to her own body(which was not destroyed as it was conveniently stolen before being cremated). Everyone is happy except JU who has to choose.

Option B. NY sacrifies and ejects Naksu back to her own body. Thus Season 2 can continue. JU lives happily after with Naksu.

Option C. Actress playing Mudeok didn't renew her contract and loses her role. So writers scrambles to rewrite ending and adds a nother 10 episodes to explain the holes in their plots

Option D. Production spends too much money with sets and props. Has to cut down budget and rids main actress to save some money and forces writers to change the story.

Option E. Drama getting more attendion and ratings. Production hopes to squueze more money from drama.

Personally my money is on C, D and E. But I am too engrossed with the plot to let it bother me.

Then Seo Yul and CP characters are doing their 'jobs'. Congratulations Hong sisters.

Yes, Yul is written as the 'perfect' man/mage. A genius, obedient, brave, loyal friend ... He is like the leader of Songhrim who firmly believes that alchemy of the souls and the Stone is evil or can be used for evil and must be destroyed. His world is black and white. On the other side is JU and his father whose world is grey and because of one wrong decision (deviating from the principle of never practicing Alchemy of Soul and using the Stone-one painful lesson from the Wars of Mages 400 yrs ago) started the chaos again after hundred years of peace.
But in Master Lee's words, who can judge what is right and wrong?

Yes, it seems that way. But hold your judgement as the Hongs like their twists.
Yes definitely he wants to separate them as Mudeok(naksu) is dangerous to JU. She can run wild and hurt JU anytime. She is already showing that she has great influence on JU. He has changed so much since meeting her.
No he can't 'let' him win as JU has much pride. Remember JU forfeited the last one when his other bestie tried to help.
He has no way to know that JU will 100% win.
I sense that both besties (and the uncles) are very protective over JU what with his terrible childhood, 'horrid' father, unsavoury rumuors about his birth and that he would not end up as heir to the Jangs.
Into the mix of the above reasons, he has complicated and unresolved feelings of guilt/regret about Naksu his first love.
Feelings are not that straight forward. His character could be struggling at this point.
Taking Mudeok/Naksu (personally I am not 100% sure yet that the person is Mudeok. I don't trust the narrator 100%. There is a theory that it is the petrified body of Naksu) away with him will remove the 'catalyst'.

Not hundred persent sure that 'someone' is Naksu. Remember, things are not always like what it seems. There could be a twist.
The main reason Yul is getting hate is the way the trailers/previews show him to be a bad guy who wants to separate JU and MD. But it turns out that his motive for dueling is to protect JU and not jealousy.
So best not to judge any character until we have the full picture. I feel that the producers and writers are toying with us.

Thanks Mellody. I am not unhappy...just confused and want people to discuss ideas rather than just repeating something often enough as if it is the truth. Sad state of our education. I missed what we used to do during literature class-argue and prove our thesis statements.

Definitely Mudeok is a dual character. She is Naksu and she is BY. Where one ends and the other begins seem to be when they are in danger (as of now).
Thanks for sharing your theories how the writers will untangle the plot line. Your guess is as good as mine.
Another tangle: Naksu's body has been burnt. It didn't petrify as far as we know. How to resurrect her? Could ice stone resurrect if there is no body? The writers will have to do a good job on that in Season 2 if it is a continuation. If it is not, then, no problem.
Previous works of the Hong sisters had a bunch of plot holes and left a bitter taste.