Details

  • Last Online: Sep 5, 2023
  • Gender: Female
  • Location:
  • Contribution Points: 0 LV0
  • Roles:
  • Join Date: July 8, 2020

whatestheriswatching

whatestheriswatching

Alchemy of Souls korean drama review
Completed
Alchemy of Souls
1 people found this review helpful
by whatestheriswatching
Aug 29, 2022
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

FYI: There are two seasons to this show!

I have lots of mixed feelings about this show after just watching the finale. I don’t typically watch period dramas but decided to check this out after one of my favourite authors mentioned it on their blog and was hooked! This isn't your typical period drama, and takes place in a fictional land named Daeho where there are mages. The trailer definitely doesn’t explain much and the premise is quite confusing, so you have to pay attention to all the details. I think it's one of those shows where you just have to go along with the flow and figure things out as you go.

Sometimes the plot is really ridiculous and dramatic, and Naksu had some pretty extreme training methods. In Jang Uk's place I don't think I would like her very much, but I think the romance progressed well and was believable. The advantage of the first season being 20 episodes is that it didn't feel like instalove and you could see their relationship grow as they go through experiences together.

The plot is quite complicated and does get heavy, but the comedy really helps to break it up. The show has a star studded cast, and they are all very good at comedic timing and breaking up the tension so that despite the sometimes heavy plot, it's still entertaining and easy to watch. Some things were a bit predictable/obvious like finding out who Naksu's body belongs to, while others came out of left field for me.

I didn't realize that there were going to be two seasons, so I was expecting a happy ending in the last episode and was super unprepared for what actually happened. I get why they are going in this direction but at the same time, I really liked Jung So Min as Mu Deok and I don’t know how season two is going to work. I feel like it’s not going to be the same.

They did a good job of wrapping up some of the plotlines in season one, like the backstory behind the Choi siblings, but at the same time there were some things that happened that didn't make sense to me. For example, how was So-i able to just dig out the worm just like that when it was supposed to be a threat to keep her under Jin Mu's control? And why would everyone die if Naksu used the ice stone? I also found Jang Gang's ending to be quite abrupt and not very satisfying. I feel like there could have been more closure for Jang Uk.

Season two airs in December, so the good thing is we only have to wait a few months to see what happens next! Hoping that season two will be as good, although I'm really going to miss Jung So Min and I wonder how the chemistry will be between Go Yoon Jung and Lee Jae Wook.
Was this review helpful to you?