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

[frozentundra]

4 hours ago, deishii said:

I really want Jang Uk to end up with Mudeok/Bu Yeon. Can Naksu end up with Yul since she already has her body back? I want Yul to be happy as well.

JSM is not coming back. Go Yoon Jung (original Naksu) is on the cast list, though. So I think they do separate them out. But Uk is in love with Naksu, not Buyeon. He doesn't even know Buyeon exists. And Naksu doesn't know her, either. (She thinks the visions she's had are relics from Jinyowon, not another soul actually residing in the same body.) 

 

So who was it who pulled her out of the lake at the end? I know Jin Mama wanted her found. But is Buyeon dead, then? I was never clear if she was still there or not, if Mudeok/Naksu's choice to pick Uk over ultimate power meant the end of Buyeon (because otherwise Buyeon's power could have interfered with Jin Mu's bells, right?) If JSM isn't coming back, then I think Buyeon must die off. Maybe they'll bring her body back to Jinyowon so Mama Jin can mourn or something, but I don't see how she can possibly continue if the actress isn't going to be there. 

4 hours ago, suga02pearl said:

Jang Uk fell in love with Naksu, her soul. Part 2 will focus on how he will always recognise the soul he fell in love with. There is potential for this story in part 2.

Yes, I think this is where the story is going. But he will be out for blood when it comes to Jin Mu. 

 

As for Yul + Naksu, if he has the body somehow, he may well hide her out where he is. But I think the romance line for that is done, with nails in the coffin (I am very sorry to those who were hoping for that). That scene in ep 19 was too final. However! I think we have a use finally for the medical granddaughter! She is a nice character and smart, and Yul needs continual medical care, and I have a feeling it will be him, not the crown prince, who ultimately starts something with her. And yeah, it sounds like that blood worm will continue to be an issue for him. I wonder how many episodes before the bad guys realize they can control/affect him with it. Anyway, I would be happy if the two of them ended up together, as both are nice people and deserve some happiness. 

 

Best of luck to Go Yoon Jung following up on Naksu's character now. I hope Uk finds her and they are able to work things out. It was one thing to get everyone's blessing for him to marry his maid, but ahhh it's going to be a lot harder to convince his de facto parents when they literally saw her stab him. The production company literally said no one would die in the end (speaking of main cast, I assume)? ROTFL. That's the closest to "not killing anyone off" that I have seen. 

 

December is a long time away, but ummm I may also need some therapy during that time...

[marrez1]

I think there is a possibility of making a season 3 to tell the story of Buyeon within her family with JSM
But there to combine with season 1 & 2, the actors and the teams have already shot for 1 year, it's a lot, some will want to do something else

22 minutes ago, Jtwong27 said:

One thing...Junguk promises naksu to take her to the top of the tree...he has yet to do that from what I remember. I have a feeling that will be in S2 ...my gut tells me it will be in the last episode of S2 if it's a happy ending. 

 

Thoughts?

Maybe for the last episode for the tree, i see a happy ending, anyway hong sisters are much obliged for this

 

No one talks about Park Jin, it's the second time he almost killed Nasku and each time it changes her life

[TheQueenReturns]

This show irritated me so much that I couldn't even be properly irritated with the one character I wanted Dead since episode 1 and that's Jin Mu. He is like a honey badger. I love the actor that plays him, but he was such a queen in this drama. I was waiting for him to walk the runway like RuPaul's Drag Race singing "Sashay Chante".

 

 

[frozentundra]

34 minutes ago, marrez1 said:

Maybe for the last episode for the tree, i see a happy ending, anyway hong sisters are much obliged for this

 

No one talks about Park Jin, it's the second time he almost killed Nasku and each time it changes her life

The tree has been promised, and must occur!

 

Interesting thought on Park Jin. I hope that Jin Mu is forced to reveal what he did to Naksu and that Park Jin can understand and forgive Naksu. When I think of the damage Jin Mu has done to Naksu and her entire family and loved ones, my head just... 

[SleepyKitty]

Right, so, I think part of why i feel so betrayed with the ending is just, it feels like i have been promised for one thing, only to be handed a completely different thing. Like they take us to play snakes and ladders only to find out in the end that we've been playing monopoly all along. It's as if they're determined to throw us off the rails.

 

I suppose that's my main issue with this show. I have high hopes, because i like the premise, the characters, the set up. They have the potential to build a rich and detailed universe with all those resources, and yet they choose to focus on unnecessary stuff, and totally glossed over the core of the story. It's one thing if they want to create plot twists, but this plot roller coaster is a whole another thing! As @K-dramafan22 pointed out, we watch drama to be entertained, not to be constantly exhausted from figuring things out.

 

For example, take what they do with the crown prince. He's been delightfully written all throughout the series, an interesting balance between petty but wise, smart but silly. To watch him fell down into this cliche archetype of paranoid monarch is just, wow, what a waste.

 

There are a lot of other issues and you guys have pointed out some of them. Overall, this is a 'drama that could have been'. And I might check on the 2nd season because I'm way too deep not to see where this end. But next time I might just wait to binge. This journey of live viewing with you guys have been fun and I really enjoy meeting you all here. But man I don't think i could deal with the mental and emotional gymnastics all over again.

[rocher22]

that was a great episode...

 

The market scene was so hilarious...I laughed so much...  

The vendor was more nervous than Uk. I wonder where the ying and yang jade is now.

 

 

 

Ju Wol is such a bright character..

Her way of stopping the rumors about Uk is unique. 

JW - '' She checked and he is not impotent''...  

 

Maidservant Kim - '' Im the true master..''

I have to admit, for a moment , I thought there was going to be some kind of twist...

 

 

Uk decided to go to Sari Village. That was smart and the only way he could find out who Mudeok was.

 

[thistle]

2 hours ago, marrez1 said:

.....anyway hong sisters are much obliged for this.....

 

I wanted to watch this drama for the leads and because the story seemed interesting but Absolutely Refused due to the HONG SISTERS!  They have written too many soul-destroying dramas.  They build you up and then let you die crying.  Endings are never good, solid, or satisfying. 

 

Hong Sisters--the very name sounds like a curse to me now.  Watch one of their dramas?  Never never never again.

[breakmyheart]

If JSM is not in Season 2 then how are they going to explain Mudeok being whisked away in the ending of the Season? Perhaps they are going to start Season 2 as many years from the ending of Season 1 and will just explain what happened to Mudeok and how Naksu's soul got put back in her body.

 

I understand that the writers wanted to make things right as it is quite weird and strange to have the male lead and female lead get married and have children and live happily ever after with the female lead having 2 souls in a body that isn't even hers. However, they could have fixed it up right in the middle of season 1 so we could have seen the relationship development of the two with the soul in the correct body and have not invested on Mudeok and Uk. Also it would have given us a chance to have gotten to know Buyeon much better as a separate entity or body from Naksu's soul. But whatever. I'm over it. LOL! I'll let the writer write whatever they want to write. I give up. LOL!

[backstreetboysfan]

Here is the ratings for Episode 20 *Last of Part one*! .

 

 

“Alchemy Of Souls” Part 1 Finale Achieves No. 1 Ratings

Part 1 of tvN’s “Alchemy of Souls” has come to an end!

 

On August 28, the popular fantasy romance drama wrapped up the first part of its run at the top of its time slot. According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode of Part 1 of “Alchemy of Souls” scored an average nationwide rating of 9.2 percent, taking first place in its time slot across all cable channels. The Part 1 finale also fell just 0.1 percent shy of its all-time high of 9.3 percent from last week.

 

Additionally, “Alchemy of Souls” continued its streak at first place in its time slot among the key demographic of viewers ages 20 to 49, with whom it scored a nationwide average of 5.0 percent.

 

“Alchemy of Souls” will return with Part 2 in December.

 

“Alchemy Of Souls” Part 1 Finale Achieves No. 1 Ratings | Soompi

[ilovenico]

So many rants! And I need to add to them- why did they make her shed so much blood?!! Haiz!  And please bring back Buyeon- how can such a powerful priestess be killed off so easily? 
 

As for Yul, it shd be easy for him to rid himself of the worm if only he knows, since Soi who has no power can transfer to him so easily. 
 

 

[frozentundra]

So, who fished Naksu out of the lake? Were they people sent by Jin Mama to find her? (But Jin Mama doesn't know where she is, and hasn't really accepted the fact that the hated Mudeok servant girl is the body of Buyeon. Because that would mean that she tried to kill her own child.) Or, were they beings from the lake? (Since Naksu's power returns when she is in the lake as some connection to the ice stone I presume.) OR, did Uk, by power of the ice stone, somehow cause Naksu to be raised from the lake? It sorta looked like it could be the last one, the way they had the images stacked, but maybe they were just trying to show that both of them were being revived at the same time, through fire and water. 

 

Sweet little Choyeon has gone totally goth in ep 2, gosh, lol.

 

Uk is going to find out about Buyeon before her mother, I swear. (They should have been asking those questions already, but whatever.) Going to Sari village was a good plan. I see he's going to cart around Naksu's sword, too. 

 

I hate hate HATE what Jin Mu made Mudeok do. What a sick, evil, abusive person. Naksu is going to be seriously damaged after this, and I hate it after all the healing she did. Uk holding her hand and believing in her and loving her to the end was sweet, but what a horrible situation. 

 

I don't remember Master's Sun or even Hotel del Luna being quite so shocking. I haven't watched Korean Odyssey, so I can't speak to that one. The ending to season 2 had better be good to recover from this!

[LeftCoastOppa]

So .... Episode 20 (finale)

 

9 hours ago, Dramafreak said:

SO @LeftCoastOppa will we get a new story or will we get a continuation in December? Will they ever resolve anything? Why in the bloody world did Uk not even think of JM pulling tricks and keep MD close? Jin Mom still couldn't figure out that MD was her daughter?

 

Right up to the 1 hour mark in the last episode, I was confident that this was going to end the Jang Uk/Naksu story arc - With 27 minutes remaining, MD/BY/Naksu walks into the secret room to face Jin Mu, and I was almost giddy, as I thought okay, here is the big reveal, Bu Yeon is going to go blue-eyed the moment Jin Mu touches her back, and go on to tell us all why she chose Naksu - they had both been used by Jin Mu, and together they would take him down - Bu Yeon tells Jin Mu, we're no longer yours to manipulate ... Jin Mu asks - who is "we"? - Bu Yeons eyes flare even brighter blue, as she simply replies ... take him ... blues eyes go instantly dark, and in one fluid motion Naksu beheads him

 

the remaining 20+ minutes or so ... rings, weddings, and a trip to the top of the tree ...

 

 

But no ... we get the fantasy version of this ...

 

 

 

 

Thought on Episode 20 ...

 

- Park Jin maybe slow, but he's not THAT slow.  I hated what they did with his character in the Maidservant Kim scene, but his recovery scene with the seeds was nice.

 

- Park Jin finally confessed he thinks of Jang Uk as a son - I liked that (would've liked it more if he actually WAS his father... but still)

 

- The Crown Prince listening to Jin Mu - I mean at all - we've watched the Crown Princes transformation for the last 19 episodes - and all that gets tossed away with a few words of man being pursued as a criminal?  EPIC FAIL Hong sisters

 

- How is Jin dad still alive after gutting himself?

 

- Oh look! lets introduce a new magic plot device (bells) that allows one to control soulshifters that was never mentioned in the 19 previous episodes

 

- I got an uneasy feeling with that extended scene of Lady Heo talking about "misunderstandings" with Jang Uk, for a moment I thought she might go dark too

 

- So I escaped, yet went back to get Yul medicine for his pain -  My Girl   (more on her later)

 

- The plot to kill Jin Dad - this is a plot hole so HUGE you could drive a Truck of Doom through it - So, we're eagerly awaiting for Jin Dad to recover so he can testify against Jin Mu and end this - Jin Mu knows this, and sends Naksu to kill him.   LETS REVIEW - more than 2 episodes ago at least 5 people ( Park Jin, Jang Uk, MD/Naksu, Yul, and Dang Gu ) knew So I was a plant for Jin Mu, yet after Queen/Shaman face off, and after the barrier falling, they allowed So I to escape when she could've provided almost the same information - and other than Yul, at the end of this episode no one is looking for her - EVEN AFTER she came back and ran into Jin Mother. 

 

- The moment the CP heard that MD/Naksu stabbed Jang Uk, he should've realized he was played by Jin Mu and called for his head

 

- Why did we finish this episode without a single attempt by Jin Mother to confront Mu Deok?  With everything we've seen, it should've happened the moment the barrier came down.

 

- WHERE THE HELL WAS MASTER LEE DURING ALL OF THIS???!!!   the man threatened to kill Naksu if she drew her sword, he's supposed to be a spiritual guide of sorts, and yet during the last 2 + episodes he's just GONE???  add another EPIC FAIL to the pile Hong Sisters

 

 

 

SEASON 2 -

 

Well I didn't want it to go down this way but here we are anyways.  Here is why I think Season 2 will be worse than the last episode of Season 1 ...

 

- Naksu - If MD/BY/Naksu had been revealed to a few more people in Season 1 it might have helped, but now it appears to all but Jang Uk & Yul, that she was clearly in Songrim for revenge

 

- Naksu killed Jin Dad, attacked Cho Yeon, Dang Gu, and killed several mages of both Songrim & Cheonbugwan ... and "killed" Jang Uk in front of Park Jin

 

- I don't care how good she looks in the preview, Naksu in her old body is going to be jarring for Jang Uk ... and that jarring only starts when he finally comes to realize who she is - he's never seen the old Naksu

 

- Who pulled MD/BY/Naksu from the lake?

 

- What did they do with the body?

 

- How is Naksu back in her old body when we saw it burned? How did she move her soul When she was unconscious the last we saw of her?

 

- What has really happened to Jang Uk? Is he still good? Has he gone Dark with revenge?

 

- What happened to Park Jin's long silky hair in the preview?

 

 

Questions that breed only more questions ... and they're gonna fix all this in just 10 episodes?

 

 

 

6 hours ago, maribella said:

7 hours ago, PororoQueen said:

Who ever say that Naksu is no longer an assassin please stand up, please stand up LOL

Let me do for him.... it's @LeftCoastOppa it's him, it's him.

 

6 hours ago, maribella said:

I have always known that she's an assassin.

 

You just gotta love how some can ignore the finer details of this show, like how the FL quite clearly stated "that person no longer exists in this world"  ... and that she was magically forced to kill ... she didn't choose freely to go on a rampage.

 

 

 

[orion00]

2 hours ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

What happened to Park Jin's long silky hair in the preview?

Probably he just went to barber..lol

[iqna]

This drama ended with so much loop hole.. Very disappointed with the ending. Why Jang Gang need to be back after many years only to disappear..same with Hotel Del Luna.. and they kept highlighted Bu Yeon greatest power but ended kill her own father. We need justice for Buyeon's character..based on the preview for next season seems like mudeok's body been saved and probably JSM will be on S2..but maybe as cameo since there focus too much on Naksu@GYJ. We all know that the main story is about Naksu and JSM did her job very well makes me more interested with Buyeon's history than Naksu..

[kwayteow_mama]

S2 preview

 

I'll start with saying all hell may break loose but the overriding principle is Jang Uk/ Cho Yeong romance end game. Period. They can end at some bridge or on top of a tree, cliff side, lake etc, soul shifter/ brought back to life/ ice stone/ body incinerated/ frozen etc, regardless of birth secrets and power levels. 

 

S2 is gonna be like a different drama than S1. I signed up for fantasy rom com for S1, I'm not sure if I have the stomach for the darker vibe in S2. That said, the young cast of S2 are sizzling with more sexual tension now esp Jang Uk/Naksu/Cho Yeong. If JSM/LJW has the cute romance type, GYJ/LJW is a more mature, sexy couple type. I wouldn't be surprised if they finally consumated their relationship in S2.

 

Considering the lack of filming updates from JSM now that the cast is in the thick of filming S2, I wonder if JSM may appear in a cameo role at the end of S2 when they finally explain how in the world Naksu was sucked back into her body and how her body was reconstructed/ being preserved or whatever. IF they will tell us, that is.

 

Ep20

 

It is a horrible episode not because the OTP did not end up together, or for the FL to stab the ML at the end. It is horrible in my books because I don't feel any wiser at the so called finale. I mean fine MD/JBY is not the true love of Jang Uk so she has to get out of the picture somehow so that the main OTP can be together properly. I don't feel like I get any closure for any of the main questions in the story, chief among them being JBY story. [Am also one of those who only stay on watching the drama for JBY story development, was really looking forward to Mama Jin realization that she almost killed her own daughter or that her daughter killed her own father soul shifter mode knowing that father had a hand in almost killing said daughter, this was the more interesting tangent to me] If they plan to just leave her story hanging like that, I've rather they left MD as a random blind girl on the streets instead of building her story to get me emotionally invested in her character only to have her do absolutely nothing when you have absolutely expected her to do something being the so called most powerful priestess at Daeho.

 

And what happened to that poster scene? You know the one at the bridge where MD is in purple garb. You know what? It's okay, I bet it's as inconsequential as the ring picking scene.

 

Conclusion, S2 is going to be the binge watch type of drama for me and only if it includes JBY story.

 

 

[lilyphenix]

@LeftCoastOppa Your ending (and writing!) is so much better and makes so much sense, it's giving me the closure I needed and am running with it! 

 

[K-dramafan22]

Though this drama sapped up so much of my energy that I am almost like that guy on the left....

It is still an enjoyable drama for me with a lot of roller coaster emotions and fun here and there in the comic relief  goofiness of the sub-plots, the cinematography and the cool fighting scenes linger in my mind.     It's only the way the built-up of the story of showing Mudeok/Bu-yeon was a powerful person and then hiding her for most of the times that got me 

It's like that character is so BADLY CONSTIPATED and just could not come out!!!  

It's the first time I have encountered a character like this...the mystery never ends for this character.....Initially my expectation was a romance with Jang Uk....then my expectation kept lowering until I just wanted to know exactly WHERE was she existing in?  5th dimension?   Multiverse??   whatever....just give me an answer!!!  

 

Even the illogical worm that popped out of Sol-i and went into Yul, I could still accept the weirdness of it...but killing this cat with curiosity here about Bu-yeon is just making me 

 

Soooo....PLEASE START SEASON 2 with an answer for Bu-yeon!!     I would definitely watch it!!  lol

 

As for Jung So Min, very happy to watch her in this drama, the honest truth is I have not seen any of her dramas before.  Maybe my Mudeok/Bu-yeon heart will now prompt me to watch another drama of hers.   Any recommendation from anyone?

 

38 minutes ago, kwayteow_mama said:

 

Ep20

 

It is a horrible episode not because the OTP did not end up together, or for the FL to stab the ML at the end. It is horrible in my books because I don't feel any wiser at the so called finale. I mean fine MD/JBY is not the true love of Jang Uk so she has to get out of the picture somehow so that the main OTP can be together properly. I don't feel like I get any closure for any of the main questions in the story, chief among them being JBY story. [Am also one of those who only stay on watching the drama for JBY story development, was really looking forward to Mama Jin realization that she almost killed her own daughter or that her daughter killed her own father soul shifter mode knowing that father had a hand in almost killing said daughter, this was the more interesting tangent to me] If they plan to just leave her story hanging like that, I've rather they left MD as a random blind girl on the streets instead of building her story to get me emotionally invested in her character only to have her do absolutely nothing when you have absolutely expected her to do something being the so called most powerful priestess at Daeho.

 

And what happened to that poster scene? You know the one at the bridge where MD is in purple garb. You know what? It's okay, I bet it's as inconsequential as the ring picking scene.

 

Conclusion, S2 is going to be the binge watch type of drama for me and only if it includes JBY story.

 

 

Exactly the words in red....I feel that the Hong sisters have successfully made a moron out of me!!!!   

[Lauriee]

My mind is literally running wild with so much questions after watching Ep 20.  It's too much to handle this. 

1. Just why change the leading actress, when we all saw the body of Naksu was burned already!!! so you mean there will be another resurrection on Season 2?? like how Jang uk resurrected at the end, but wait isn't too late for her? while Naksu is only a soul but you'll make her retrieve her own body untouched? But in case of Naksu she doesn't carry the ice stone like Jang uk, so how?????????

 

2. I felt sorry for the character of Buyeon aka. Mudeok, that she got used by Naksu soul and get all the credits. I am thinking, the first meet of Buyeon and Naksu was she is only saving the random girl that Naksu chose to shift her soul. And to stop Naksu's bad intention, Buyeon just grabbed the opportunity to trap Naksu's soul. But the consequence is Naksu will lead her body and the only thing that Buyeon held for is Naksu's own power. At the end of ep20, Jang uk wasn't able to tell Naksu on what he learned from Master Lee regarding to her Body owner. So when she jumped in the sea, she is still clueless that the great priestess, Buyeon is still there!!!! Just how possibly the writers will gonna end the character of Buyeon??? when they created her as a "powerful, great priestess like how she can control a soul and trapped it, and how she can sense everything even if she is blind". So, how????? and I think she is the owner of the ice stone because she was saved when she got cursed and died from her mothers womb.  but yes I know, I know, I know, on ep 20 her body is turning to stone, but still....

 

3. Isn't it too much and cruel that Buyeon didn't achieve her main goal to be home after years? Just to be with her family. Specially her Mother who misses her for years. Writers you there?? Have mercy on Buyeon, if changing leading actress is necessary, at least make sure to let Buyeon meet her family again. C'mon! I can still remember that moment when Buyeon wakes up and called her Mom...huhuhu Justice for Buyeon please!

 

4. Lastly, I think Jung So min has a possibility that she will be at beginning of Season 2. Like how the real face of Naksu appeared on Season 1 as cameo. So it will be vice versa on Season 2..???? don't blame me if I'm wrong or whatever, I am just hoping too.

I hope I'm right,.. I hope you make her a cameo until ep10  or just include Jung Somin as Buyeon-ssi on Season 2. And let alone Naksu retrieve her own body. Writers just please stop Shifting souls already.

My poor Jang uk lost his mom at birth then his father and now her beloved Mudeok~

I think the plot will be very interesting too if there will be new love triangle Buyeon, Naksu and Jang uk. huhuhu

 

THANK YOU FOR READING... 

 

[andy78]

2 hours ago, kwayteow_mama said:

S2 is gonna be like a different drama than S1.

i agree ...i'm sure will be darker...i'm still in shock after watching ep 20...so happy reading your thoughts my friends...THANK YOU !!!

[kwayteow_mama]

1 hour ago, K-dramafan22 said:

It's like that character is so BADLY CONSTIPATED and just could not come out!!!  

It's the first time I have encountered a character like this...the mystery never ends for this character.....Initially my expectation was a romance with Jang Uk....then my expectation kept lowering until I just wanted to know exactly WHERE was she existing in?  5th dimension?   Multiverse??   whatever....just give me an answer!!!  

 

 

 

THANKS CHINGU you just described exactly how I felt after watching ep 20 and lying in the bed thinking about it, CONSTIPATED... that's how I felt.