Alchemy of Souls (2022)

STUPID FUCKING BELL

Sept 2, 2022

Whoa, this is such an amazing drama. As someone who struggles to finish historical dramas, Alchemy of Soul just hits different. This season is so good that I cannot wait for the next season in December. I have so many theories right now on what possibly might happen and I having high hopes for what the Hong sisters will bring in terms of writing the script for season 2. I think other reviewers here have already mentioned what I wanna say but I just really wanna emphasize my love for Yul. I think Yul is such an amazing character, I feel like all the things that he did for Mu-deok/Naksu was just amazing. I think Yul is an under appreciated character within the viewers. As for Uk and Naksu (because yk ? ), I love their chemistry and now that we are switching from Somin to Young-jung is really hyping me up for season 2.

I cant waitttt, so for those who are reading this, go WATCH ALCHEMY OF SOUL ON NETFLIX RIGHT NOW ?

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BEST KDRAMA OF 2022

If you’re also a fan of romance anime and loved Yona of the Dawn (*cough* like me), then you’ll most likely LOVE Alchemy of Souls. There’s action, romance, fantasy, and comedy along with heartfelt and heartwrenching moments and such a good looking cast all combined into one! It’s the best of ALL worlds!

Let me start off with the CGI/Special Effects. I’ve watched many different kinds of kdramas, and there were some where the CGI/Special Effects were so bad that I kind of just had to ignore it or accept it simply for the sake of the plot. This kdrama was nothing like that at all, and it is probably the best you will ever see in a kdrama to date.

The story itself is a ROLLERCOASTER and I loved every minute of it! There was never a dull moment in this drama, but it definitely requires you to pay attention or you might miss important details to the story. The cast did an amazing job at portraying their characters and the plot as well and it was easy to develop an emotional connection to them. I will not give any spoilers but all I can say is because of this cast and the production, it is 1000000% worth your time to watch it.

I rated the music a 9/10 which I feel like isn’t too important. For me the soundtrack didn’t stand out too much and it wasn’t as memorable as the OST for something like Crash Landing on You or 2521 (at least to me), but this kind of detail is so miniscule compared to what Alchemy of Souls offers.

Overall, this has become one of my favorite dramas of all time and it’s definitely going to be hard to top this.

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A fresh overview for K-dramas

This drama is absolutely a roller coaster ride. The story itself is refreshing to the K-dramas audience. I'm talking specifically about K-drama audience. I haven't watched that many C-drama fantasies. But I have a feeling there would be much more similar C- drama titles.

I absolutely love this drama. Combining all 20 episodes it was a good drama and I'm looking forward for part 2 in December.

This drama is special for so many reasons.
1. A very high quality production
2. A good casting selection with best acting
3. A heart grabbing fantasy story line
4. Some lovely OSTs (one of my fav OSTs ever)
5. One of the best comedy plots ever. Yes this drama is not all about fantasy and action.
6. Some of the best action scenes for a fantasy drama

The cons of the drama
1. Not enough action scenes for this type of drama.
2. Drama has a lot of comedic elements for a fantasy action drama. (some people may not enjoy it)
3. Filler scenes can get annoying for some people. (Binge watching might help)
4. The storyline can have little plot holes (but hopefully will be answered in part 2).
5. The complex storyline can be too much for some people.
6. The wait for season 2 (yes you have to absolutely watch it)

Similar dramas
This drama seems like the COMBINATION of following dramas (from what I have watched)
1. Mr. Queen (Yes, this drama includes a lot of comedy. But not to the point of Mr. Queen / Soul shifting is involved just like Mr. Queen).
2. Hotel del Luna (After all this was a Hong sister's work. Definitely have some parallels).
3. Bulgasal (ML and FLs love /hate fate is KIND OF similar).

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The Acting & OST

I feel like this show is underrated, in my personal opinion I think this is one of the best kdramas in 2022. This whole show keeps you wanting for more, the acting is amazing, the OST IS BEAUTIFUL AND AMAZING, I fell in love with the music that was in this show, the actors are very talented and the chemistry was there. It also contain some humor which I also adored. If you're still debating if you want to watch this Kdrama, I 100% recommend. It hard to understand in beginning but by episode 2 or 3 you will understand! Overall the production was amazing and I would definitely rewatch the show again ?

p.s. I'm not a big fan of historical dramas but this drama just hits different ? All the actors are also good looking !

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All Around Perfection...

I'm going to be completely honest when I first saw the trailer I thought "wow this looks interesting" but it wasn't to a point where I was dying to watch it. BUT after starting it, I have not regretted it one bit.

The story, casting, cinematics, and pacing were all magnificent and this would still be an understatement. If I could be given the opportunity to forget everything and rewatch it from the start again, I would do it in a heartbeat.

This show has everything from the light and comedic scenes all the way to the heartbreaking scenes. This is the definition of a production that did it so RIGHT. I assure you that you would not regret picking up this show.

Arguably the best k-drama I have ever watched.

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A drama that made me unable to wait for the next episode to come

I watch all kind of Asian dramas and among them K dramas are my favorite. If it's a K drama, I don't mind the genre, I just watch it. However, being someone who is hard to be impressed, I rarely go crazy for them.

However, this kept me glued to the screen entire time. I found it unable to wait for next episode and now I am dying waiting for part2. I loved the unique plot, the characters, music and cinematography. Acting is top notch from main characters to supporting. I enjoyed the relationship dynamics between Uk and MD and MD and rest of the characters. I have been a fan of both the leads (LJW & JSM) watching all the dramas they appeared. But, this made me fall for them harder.

As for the flaws, some parts were quite draggy and some things need more explanations. Other than that, a good watch.

So, if you are hesitating, don't think too much. Just watch it. It's a MUST watch if you are a crazy K drama fan like me. Loved this

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This is my own personal review so I suggest not reading it because it won't make any sense

I just finished the drama and I don't think I have ever felt such a rush of emotions before. There is a reason that I avoid sad dramas with a passion. I think the only way I will be able to write a coherent review is if I separate the first 19 episodes and the finale. Oh my goodness.
First 19 episodes:
Let me try to dredge up my feelings from 40 minutes ago. This is definitely going down in my top 10 favorite shows(I can just pretend the show ends on episode 19 if the second season is bad). I actually might have to do a competition to see if I have a new favorite otp. They are definitely the most passionate couple. I had a very unique experience with this show. I wasn't able to watch it when I was in Israel besides the first two episodes because of stupid region lock. When I finally was able to see it again, I binged 6 episodes in 2(?) days. This is why I feel like my memory of the beginning is a little bit spotty. The finale has also completely ruined my image of the show.

To me, I think the first thing that comes to mind regarding this show is the dynamics. Each character had a unique dynamic with another character. There was no "Hangs out in the same friend group but for some reason, never seem to acknowledge each other" relationships. The double master dynamic of the mains is the primary thing that captivated me at the start of the show. I loved how both had power in the relationship which is always nice and healthy person life. Let me just move onto categories since that might be easier for my mismashed brain currently.
Characters:

Naksu/Mudeok: I will start with her because her character development is in a way the most simple but subtle. She starts off the show with only power as her motivation. She views weak people as useless. She has been given zero affection for the majority of her life. Her sense of authority is ruined due to believing the mages killed her father unjustly and then having stupid(literally the worst person in the whole wide world, shares the title of "Back Off Foul Beast" with the guy from One Spring Night, I honestly think I hate him more than the guy from Happiness, if he showed up in front of me in real life I think the only chance of him surviving is if someone held me back) Jin Mu be her employer. She has no real relationships but she has insane power. In her mind, this is the right life. This honestly is really meaningful to me because in most people's mind, this is the good life. So many people choose careers over a life of love but what is the point of all that power, if you have no one to enjoy it with? In the middle of the show, the only person she trusts is Jang Uk and hides her true self from everyone. Even Jang Uk though is only temporary. She is ready to betray him at any second. It is only after seeing his hard work and his dedication to her that she changes her mind. When she begins to love Jang Uk, she also seems to open herself up to other people. As the 18th episode showcased, Mudeok has real tenderness for many people now. Her love of Jang Uk and her interaction with good people change her. As Girl Meets World said, "People change people." The cap of her character development is when she chooses to sacrifice her power to save Uk. That is when she threw her past self away. She even acknowledges this to Yul. Her past self was willing to kill herself if she didn't have any power. Now, she is ready to live a wholesome life(where is that show???) with Uk. Now, all that serious talk aside, lets talk about how awesome Mudeok is!!! Everyone knows how a female lead will be introduced as a major bad awesome but will quickly wither away to a helpless damsel in constant need of the male lead. Not Naksu. She stays strong and powerful throughout the show even when she doesn't have her power. Jung Somin really showed off her acting prowess. I have always liked her for delicacy and grace but she completely blew my socks off with this role. That scene in episode 18... you could see the weight of the decision flashing in Mudeok's eyes. I am really sad to see her go. Hopefully, Younjung is good although I tend to find her a bit stone faced. Her facial expressions were able to compete with the king of expressions, Lee Jae Wook(although he did win, he isn't the king for nothing). I loved her Mudeok side and her Naksu. The glare in her eye is really impressive as a fellow baby face. Also, oh my goodness, she looks so young for her age. She only seems older than Lee Jaewook due to her experience. Oh yeah, I also love how op she is. It makes sense that she would be stronger than the other young mages since she didn't have the luxury of taking breaks when she was younger but it is still so satisfying.
Jang Uk: Congratulations, Lee Jaewook, you are now third in my favorite actor list. This role was the perfect encapsulation of all of his charms. Before I go full fangirl, let me properly analyze. Jang Uk started this drama as a good-for-nothing spoiled rich kid. Nobody expected anything from him. He was looked down upon for having no powers and being illegitimate but people still acted two faced since his father is his father. His only source of affection was the (lovely) Kim Doju. He was surrounded by the one thing he was unable to do: magic. How must it have felt to not even able to attempt the one thing that could make people believe you are your father's son? Nevertheless, he still tried. He attempted to learn from 13 masters who all gave him busy work while looking down upon him. No wonder he becomes so desperate to even take Naksu as his master. This already . hinted to us the greyness of his character. He begins to learn from her and is loyal as possible. His loyalty stems from her being the first person to let him actually live. We see the frustration and hard work of his early journey. This is why even though I binged his journey of becoming a proper mage, I still felt as proud as Kim Doju watching him. This is his moment. After such a lax childhood, no wonder he kept losing motivation easily especially since his teacher enforced tough love which was definitely not the right teaching method for him. This didn't matter though because when someone he loves is on the line, he is not willing to stop at any cost to help them. Jang Uk is loyal. That is almost the fastest way to sum up his character. His character development ended when he realized that the reputation he so badly wanted to earn didn't actually matter. As long as Mudeok thought highly of him, that is all that matters. Now, *cracks knuckles*, let the fangirling begin. Can I just say as a facial expression addict, Uk was like cocaine. I loved his sassy, playful, cheeky, and swoony expressions. Lee Jae Wook is so talented for so young. This role especially at the beginning would have been so annoying from anyone else. Also, his look throughout the drama was *chef kiss*. I feel like this role really allowed Lee Jaewook to exercise all of his acting chops. Most likely due to the fact that it seems like the role closest to his actual personality of out of all of his roles. Oh my goodness, Lee Jaewook in all of his black outfits throughout promotion nearly made my heart stop. I can't believe I didn't find him good looking at first. Actually, when I saw him smile in that True Beauty preview, I did find him good looking. Proving once again that I am a no bad boy gal. Okay, let me go to sleep.

Master Lee:

Yul, Danggu, and CP:

Arin:

Kim Doju:

Parents:

Bad Guys:
Humor:

Depths of characters:

Intelligence of mains:

Final episode:

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Very unique story

This definitely became one of my favourite kdramas. Its story is fresh and unique and kept me interested throughout all the episodes. Usually I skip a bit during the episodes because I don't always have patience watching filler scenes but this was one of the few kdramas that I didn't skip anything because the story was so intriguing. Each plot was written in a way that made sense with the story as a whole and pieces of the story were revealed at the appropriate time. The actors also did an incredible job, especially after having seen some of them in different kdramas with a completely different character. I would definitely recommend this kdrama.

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Fantasy with a lot happening, but why?

This show is a strange beast, because a lot happens in it, but it seems like less would be more in this case.
First, THE STORY:
1. This is distinctly a fantasy show, and there is a lot of world-building that is happening -- maybe too much. Not sure if this is a translation issue (though I do not think that is the case), but a lot of elements are introduced that appear extraneous and distract from the main plot. The confusing bit is that the viewer does not know which part will be important; at first I tried to keep track of the terms and ideas, but after a few episodes I let go of that and just let the plot develop without really trying to follow it too closely; that helped.
The story tries to establish that the main character is "extraordinary" because he manages to learn skills faster than others; this may have been impressive, except it is not clear what those skills really are or how he actually mastered them (the whole catching the fish thing was so unclear -- was it cheating? what did he actually learn in order to do it?). It felt a little like someone telling you that a song was the most beautiful ever written and expecting you to absolutely love it without hearing it or any other song ever.
2. I know this is asking a lot (and I am not being facetious -- it really is asking a lot for a complicated story over 20 episodes), but the "reality" of actions and reactions is tenuous. E.g., the female of the Four Seasons virtually sends the female lead to her death, and yet not only are there no real consequences for her, but also the audience is made to quickly get over and forget it.
3. Finally, the romantic tension. Don't get me wrong: The actors do a very good job interacting, but (related to point #1), at some point I lost track of what the heroine said she would do once she regained her powers and why (and I kind of stopped caring about the specifics). There will need to be a decision? or something? that will force the characters to separate? But is that something they can decide to do? Or something they would absolutely need to do? Something like that. Right now, it just feels like it's some kind of internal struggle thing for the heroine, but it feels like nonsense.
Regarding the ACTING, as stated, it's generally good.
The MUSIC is OK.
There are only two episodes to go, and I will absolutely watch them, but I do not consider those 20 hours well spent and cannot in good conscience recommend that others watch the show. Which is a shame.

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Same stuff as time travel

People moving from one body into another is just like people going back and forth in time, making a mess of who is who and the relatives. Some people enjoy it.
The development of the plot was confusing and slow, filled with meetings across 20 episodes, making it look like a play from Ancient Greece. The participants at these meetings kept rambling about the power structure in the Joseon-lookalike kingdom and an "ice stone". What was extremely unclear was the basis for what was legit and what wasn't in this magical world.
One thig was extremely clear: everything was fake as fake can be.

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Slow Paced

The "alchemy of souls" magic spell, which permits souls to transfer bodies, is a forbidden magic spell that is used in the series, which is set in the fictional nation of Daeho and follows the love and development of young mages as they fight their twisted fates.

It tells the tale of a renowned warrior named Nak-su, whose soul was unintentionally imprisoned inside Mu- eok's frail body. She becomes involved with Jang Uk, a member of a noble family, and becomes his slave and master. Uk learns her skills from her while they fall in love.

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Worst storyline, draggy, repetitive and has annoying characters. Not creative, just borrowed elements from Xaxia Cdrama. Bad writing is when the writer exposes everything in the first few episodes only to the viewers only to drag it and reveal it later..
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The ML is said to be a genius only when the writer sees it suitable for a particular scene. He is actually very slow and his fast learning skills are only due to the King's star under which he was born.

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