[Drama 2022] Alchemy Of Souls: Light and Shadow ✴ 반환

[partyon]

1 hour ago, sadthe1st said:

and the hooded guy that groomed Nak Soo to be a skilled assassin, i suspect he is the king who is living off human energy.. but why on a mission to kill off mages?

Interesting theory. I think there are many scenarios possible here:

 

1) The king is still trapped in Jang Gang’s body but does he really have the skills or the ability to make Naksu an assassin? We have to remember that the King was weak and would probably not have known any magic nor had fighting skills.

On the other hand, the King might want to protect his legitimate son from becoming a mage and he might want to end the whole mage era to stop further problems for occurring? 

Question now would be whose body original Jang Gang is inhabiting…Also, is the King really a good guy? He kinda gave off some weird vibes to me in ep1.

 

2) The king and Jang gang switched places before the king’s body died. Could the assassin be Jang Gang who has gone rogue? Does he want the end the mage era to stop the madness? It would make more sense if it were Original Jang Gang who wanted to stop it. He knows first hand how much problems alchemy of souls is causing. Even though Ug is not his son, he seems to be a decent guy and would still probably not want him to become a mage in order to protect him. He might have turned on his own, if that makes sense?
 

Question is then where the king is hiding? My thought is that he's doing something evil....

 

If there is one thing that I have learnt from Hong sisters’ dramas is that the story is gonna get a lot more convoluted and that it’s likely that all of our theories will go out the window at some point  

 

Agree about the blue mark in the eyes though. 

 

@backstreetboysfan The ratings are pretty good for ep 1! Let's see how ep 2 fares tonight?

 

Does anyone know how many episodes this drama is going to have? MDL has 20, but saw that Netflix is listing 30 episodes.

 

Pre-release of ep 2:

 

[sadthe1st]

1 hour ago, partyon said:

I think there are many scenarios possible here

i'm more curious if, they did manage to switch back the bodies after 7 days..

or Jang Gang already died in the weak King's body before the 7th day is up?

 

and i highly doubt the king would want to switch back to his own shell after experiencing a younger healthier body that is also influential and powerful in the mage arena. it's like, Milo in Morbius where he was so sick of his weak health that he went on a rampage right after gaining new powers..

 

1 hour ago, partyon said:

Could the assassin be Jang Gang who has gone rogue? Does he want the end the mage era to stop the madness? It would make more sense if it were Original Jang Gang who wanted to stop it.

highly possible.. but then the king in Jang Gang's body will not have any mage powers.. or enough to match what was of the actual owner to the body, his identity would have been exposed..

 

hahahaha anyway that's a lot of guessing from us when it's only ep1..!!

 

==

 

@partyon chingu

here's one for your favorite ahjussi oppa

Spoiler

 

cr.: owner

 

[partyon]

5 minutes ago, sadthe1st said:

and i highly doubt the king would want to switch back to his own shell after experiencing a younger healthier body that is also influential and powerful in the mage arena.

 

I think that this is what makes the most sense as well. I was discussing with @agenth chingu about it yesterday.

I think Jang Gang is alive in some form or shape still though.

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Your the ratings are good for Episode 1 eh @partyon! .

 

 

Lee Jae Wook Tenderly Embraces A Blood-Spattered Jung So Min In “Alchemy Of Souls”

tvN’s new drama “Alchemy of Souls” has shared an intriguing sneak peek of its upcoming second episode!

 

Penned by the famous screenwriting duo known as the Hong Sisters, “Alchemy of Souls” is a fantasy romance drama set in the fictional nation of Daeho, a country that does not exist in history or on maps. The drama tells the story of characters whose fates become twisted due to magic that swaps people’s souls.

 

Spoilers

On the first episode of “Alchemy of Souls,” the great assassin Nak Soo used forbidden soul-swapping magic to switch bodies with the physically weak Mu Deok Yi (played by Jung So Min). When she crossed paths with Jang Wook (Lee Jae Wook), he immediately noticed the telltale blue light in her eyes that revealed her identity as a soul shifter—and as he had been searching for a master to teach him magic, he bought her as a servant in the hopes of convincing her to become his teacher.

 

In newly released stills from the drama’s next episode, it appears that Mu Deok Yi has fallen into grave danger. After finding her covered in blood and seemingly about to lose consciousness at any given second, a worried Jang Wook visibly frets over Mu Deok Yi as she nearly collapses in his arms. In the end, he tenderly pulls her close so that she can rest her head on his shoulder.

 

 

Not only do the photos hint at the deepening relationship between Mu Deok Yi and Jang Wook, but Mu Deok Yi’s state also raises the alarming question of whether her identity has already been found out.

 

The producers of “Alchemy of Souls” teased, “In the story, Lee Jae Wook and Jung So Min will find themselves in danger.

 

Because of this, their relationship will evolve from young master and servant into something stronger.”

 

They continued, “Episode 2 in particular will feature even more unpredictable and spectacular plot developments than Episode 1, so please look forward to it.”

 

The next episode of “Alchemy of Souls” will air on June 19 at 9:10 p.m. KST.

 

Lee Jae Wook Tenderly Embraces A Blood-Spattered Jung So Min In “Alchemy Of Souls” | Soompi

[agenth]

I had another theory:

what if the shadow bandit is Jang Gang? He wants to take revenge on the nobles (and the king) because he was "imprisoned" in the wrong body? So he trains this girl who should kill the people for him. 

 

In any case, I know it's far too early to have any good theories, at least from my side. it's just something i wanted to note down.

 

the setting is quite unique so i am interested in following this story.-

 

 

[rocat]

in this show of magic and mystique,

I love that they have ikea lamps in the tunnel of their treasure trove…so many! 

and that all the young male mages have short well cut hair; one I mistook for a BTS member, another I mistook for cha eun woo 

 

and that the highly skilled female assassin is clever and seems very powerful - makes me curious about her origins

 

and that the head mage did not seem to have the soul of the king when the baby was born; if Uk isn’t the mage’s son, how is Uk a mage? Stopping him from wizarding seemed a good way to hide his identity.

More! 

[agenth]

The plot is getting holey like cheese...

still enjoying it so far but i longed to FF a couple of times in Episode 2.

 

Some things to note:

• FL too cold/bloodthirsty - but she has been raised by shadow lord to be a killing machine. i look forward when she will "mellow out". the funny thing is only Uk noticed her: because she was "new" and he looked closer - he knew she was Naksu then. Everybody else however seems to have blinders on their eyes. The funniest thing was when it was amber alert due to "Naksu" / the dark mages attacking the compound, but Uk's friends don't even blink to see a new face in their "secret room". As if it's normal to bring your maid into a secret room lol. 
• Things are too easy for Uk and Naksu - escaping that ghostdog, etc, "close calls" aren't actually close calls. That's when it gets boring...
• So Jang Kang isn't the shadowlord after all. I should have known it would be the guy from Empress Ki who was a shadow lord in that drama as well. It makes sense :D. 
• Apropos Jang Kang: I'm surprised to hear he retains his position despite decades-long absence. I guess that's nepotism in practice? In that respect I do have to pity the poor and evil Vice-Gwanju. He definitely deserves to be Gwanju as the actual guy vanished . No wonder he became evil! Lack of appreciation turns into loathing and disloyalty!
• I'm tired of Yul telling us everything - it's lazy writing to tell instead of showing. I know he loves to hear himself talking so he found a willing listener in Naksu, but this is boring, too. 
• Uk: He ruined a family heirloom and didn't even apologise to his ex-fiancée. Girl, you are definitely better off without him!!! But she clearly has feelings so there will be a double triangle...

 

 

[Vega Lyra]

I enjoyed the first episode a lot!   It was fun and engaging. I love that the leads are already tied in some way, although they are reluctant... So I'm expecting plenty of hijinks, teasing and banter between them. Also, I find the story refreshing and original. So far this is off to a promising start and seems to be perfect light summer watch that I was looking for. Can't wait till next episode!!

[backstreetboysfan]

Another good episode.

 

Omg what she did, but it paid off he is okay and she will now help him.

[TheQueenReturns]

I'm still in the meh category with drama. Like someone already mentioned, it has a lot of potholes already. I'm not particularly sold on the male lead . He's going to have to up his game if he is to be the leader of this drama because of his dry acting. With a lot of Veteran actors thay can actually Act. It sounds the light on his lack of skills. The character itself is spoiled, immature and petty and not in the type of way were you rooting for him to overcome. Actually, I thought it will be in easier to get rid of him in the first two episodes and that's not a good thing . This is shaping up to be a ridiculous fantasy drama in the end 

[aria26]

2 hours ago, TheQueenReturns said:

I'm still in the meh category with drama. Like someone already mentioned, it has a lot of potholes already. I'm not particularly sold on the male lead . He's going to have to up his game and he is to be the leader of this drama because of his dry acting. With a lot of Veteran actors thay can actually Act. It sounds the light on his lack of skills. The character itself is spoiled, immature and petty and not in the type of way were you rooting for him to overcome. Actually, I thought it will be in easier to get rid of him in the first two episodes and that's not a good thing . This is shaping up to be a ridiculous fantasy drama in the end 

this is a typical hong sisters male lead, gu chang seong was the most likeable of their male leads. aside from that, this does not feel like a hong sisters drama at all. first 2 episodes did not have any interesting dialogues, no explicit symbolisms, not funny and was too plot driven, it feels like they are in a hurry. it's not bad but it's almost unrecognizable (the hong sisters are my fave kdrama writers). wondering where they'll take this because the big hurdle for me (male lead teaming up with female lead) was already resolved by the end of ep 2. I kinda miss the typical loud talkative female lead coz it would have been fun to watch the leads bicker at the start, but now, they are already in a master-student position.

everyone's so pretty though, my favorite house so far are the jins coz the females are so beautiful

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 2! .

 

 

“Alchemy Of Souls” Ratings Rise For 2nd Episode + “Cleaning Up” Hits New All-Time High

Two dramas climbed to new heights last night!

 

On June 19, tvN’s new drama “Alchemy of Souls” enjoyed a rise in viewership for its second episode. According to Nielsen Korea, the fantasy romance drama starring Lee Jae Wook and Jung So Min scored an average nationwide rating of 5.9 percent, marking an increase from its premiere the night before.

 

“Alchemy Of Souls” Ratings Rise For 2nd Episode + “Cleaning Up” Hits New All-Time High | Soompi

[partyon]

9 hours ago, agenth said:

still enjoying it so far but i longed to FF a couple of times in Episode 2.

I fell asleep twice during ep 2

 

9 hours ago, agenth said:

So Jang Kang isn't the shadowlord after all. I should have known it would be the guy from Empress Ki who was a shadow lord in that drama as well. It makes sense

His voice gave him away before they revealed his face. The actor has a distinct way of speaking. That’s why I realized who Gol Ta was in Empress Ki too - before they revealed his true colors  @Sleepy Owl

 

5 hours ago, TheQueenReturns said:

I'm still in the meh category with drama. Like someone already mentioned, it has a lot of potholes already.

 

Agree with you on this one. The first episode was good but the second episode already had a lot of snooze elements. And this drama is going to have at least 20 episodes - maybe even 30

The Hong Sisters are known for their dramas being either hits or misses, and I can sense that this one can still go either way. I feel like they have a tendency to take a plot line and start making it overly complex or convoluted to the sense that plot holes start appearing left and right. We end up with a Swiss cheese  in the end.

 

5 hours ago, TheQueenReturns said:

I'm not particularly sold on the male lead .

Agree also with this. His hairstyle annoys me.  

Also I think that the leads don’t visually match each other and you can tell they have an age difference too. Not feeling any chemistry between them. Which is surprising, as they normally have pretty good chemistry with their co-stars.

 

3 hours ago, aria26 said:

this does not feel like a hong sisters drama at all.

oops, I feel like I am seeing a lot of their typical writing shining through already in the first 2 episodes though? Many things remind me of Hwayugi particularly. And not in a good way.

 

Looks like Jang Gang and the King in the end switched back, but I still think there’s more to the story…

[TheQueenReturns]

@partyon I'm really trying not to be Petty because I know I'm being real Petty when it comes to "It's Beautiful Now". I hate his hair too because it does not match his face at all. They do not have any chemistry. They probably should recast him but I think they may have already recorded the whole drama. I absolutely loved Hotel de Luna. This one may turn itself around but I'm not impressed. The first episode was pretty cool, but I was underwhelmed by episode 2 make. I did not like the drama because it's my first life. The first time I liked it 8/10, when I did a second watching of it I actually hated it 4/10.

[partyon]

@TheQueenReturns I am still gonna watch a couple of episodes to see if it improves. Like you said ep 1 was good, but ep 2 already faltered.

Only Hong sisters drama I've liked was The Greatest Love. But even with that one I had to FF a lot of the scenes, because the dialogues were sooooo annoying and too long, and the ML was too insufferable from time to time.

 

@aria26 I do agree with your comment that the first 2 episodes were very quick in getting the set-up of the main story out of the way. I am also wondering how they're gonna fill up the rest of the 18 (or is 28?) episodes.

[TheQueenReturns]

@partyon about that. I hope that was a Netflix typo because if this is supposed to be a 30 episode drama, they are moving far too fast. Imma give them to episode 6-8 to determine if I'm going to drop it. This look like it's going to be just as disappointing as Bulgasal 

[aria26]

1 hour ago, partyon said:

oops, I feel like I am seeing a lot of their typical writing shining through already in the first 2 episodes though? Many things remind me of Hwayugi particularly. And not in a good way.

 

I thought that Hwayugi suffered from bad directing, there was just no effort to make things pretty or make sense (or maybe I'm blinded by my hong sisters love I'm shifting the blame hehe). 

the future focus of the story that I'm worried about. the world is not so interesting to me and if we'll spend the rest of the story on trying to capture jin mu or finding jang kang, I think I'll be dropping this. The male lead's motivation of getting his spirit channel opened "seemed" to be fixed without much drama (really, anyone can really lift the barrier for him and just did not in 20 years?) and the female lead's motivation of revenge is not an enough pull for me. I love the over the top mundane symbolisms in The Greatest Love and there is none of that here. I hope things turn around and make things fun for ep 3. or they can just be honest and openly showcase their beautiful cast as a you're beautiful/2521/teen drama in a costumed era

[PororoQueen]

Wow Marco Han (Memory of Alhambra) is back and he's back to the past in Sageuk drama - Finally I have something to watch. Love all the cast members.

[rocher22]

I was expecting a ''I found my love'' cliche scene... but it wasnt like that   

 

 

 

the caption..    

 

 

[sadthe1st]

finally i get to catch up on Alchemy ep2.. it wasn't as bad.. probably just a lot of childish behaviors.. a lot a lot a lot

 

and i'm trying to relate this fictitious world to our conventional novels, the mages are like the supreme league of swordsmen where their "kungfu" attain highest level being able to control the elements of the earth with it..

 

the illuminated effect from their swords displays good energy and magic, and the dark smoky ones probably are unorthodox.. thus the soul shifting and the gwigu (literally means ghost dog)

 

9 hours ago, partyon said:

Looks like Jang Gang and the King in the end switched back, but I still think there’s more to the story…

where is Jang Gang hiding anyway.. 

 

the vast energy force in the lake, was it cos of all the soul shifted bodies they abandoned there, or it's actually Jang Gang's hideout?