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

[partyon]

5 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

This is a link to one of the articles about the actresses and Part 2 that I posted earlier -

 

Yes, but this article was to my understanding posted later after the first news broke about original Naksu actress starring in season 2 and Jung So Min not appearing in it. When the first news broke it was like @Jeannie and I remembered, but clearly the backlash caused them to change their minds....

 

7 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

if Part 1 ends in a cliffhanger then we agonize over the ending and the inclusion/exclusion of the Part 2 lead actress ... and our wait continues

 

Please don't let this happen drama gods...

[Tina288]

25 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

 

Are you certain they're re-writing it? A few articles do indeed mention that the original Naksu will be in part 2 but a few also would not say she was a female lead, maybe its just stories of her time as the assassin prior to the events in part 1  

 

Bu Yeon/Mu Deok is back albeit without her memories, however when we saw the first Bu Yeon (fake) she clearly didn't have any memories either and Mother Jin didn't seem to mind. 

 

Bu Yeon/Mu Deok/Naksu merge - she retains a bit of the Jin divination power - she stays with Jang Uk.   This is the mistake corrected that the Songrim founder & Jin founder made in not expressing their feelings in the past. 

 

Jang Uk leads Songrim - Bu Yeon/Naksu leads Jin - the Crown Prince becomes King - Yul guards the kingdom from fortress Seo ( with So I perhaps??? )  and that free's Cho Yeon & Dang Gu to marry. 

 

Works for me -

I believe buyeon had memories. It would make more sense if she has it. I think buyeon on purpose do not want to reveal herself through nasku’s memories. When mudeok was mumbling with confusion, it was naksu. Buyeon seems to be restraining herself but the house of jin seems to recognise her and her powers. First of all, I think buyeon is well aware of everything through Naksu’s soul and memories. 
 

reasoning for buyeon to have memories: 

she rescued jang uk from the soul shifting universe. 
She got naksu into her body because she seems to feel that naksu share destiny with her. 
she can bind Naksu’s powers for a reason especially around jang uk. 
she and jang uk share same destiny 

reasoning that buyeon has to restrain from sharing memories with naksu: 

buyeon has everyone after her ice stone but 

her destiny is to protect and work with Jang uk to save the nation

naksu is a dangerous assassin who is after ice stone. Buyeon seems to stall naksu to figure out that the ice stone is in Mudeok’s body. She just want her to protect and teach jang uk. There is also reason why master Lee did not tell mudeok/naksu and Jang Uk that there is another soul in mudeok. I do think master Lee knows mudeok has ice stone inside. He may have equate her to same fate of jin seol ran. Master Lee sees to know that buyeon is important part of jang UK’s journey taking the role of jin seol ran. He was careful not to expose her identity or make anyone curious. It is just naksu he started to talk about with park jin and maid servant kim. 

Too many enemies in jin household. Buyeon did not go blind for long time. She seems to restrain in but the confusion comes from naksu. If she is revealed, jin mu will target her. Hell will break lose. 

 

And that brings to the part why Jin mother who doesn’t seems to care much about it whether buyeon gets memories or not. It is one of the common problem when a person had to go through trauma eventually loses their memories. Majority will have memories back. Some never did. The mole, scar, and the opening door already confirms it. But when she saw mudeok and the light shown behind her, she started to connect the dots. I think the mother who is also jin priestess knows how capable of her daughter to have special power to trap the soul and bind their power. And use their memories while they stay indirect way to control the situation. I think it was practice among jin women priestess to hide their identity. I think Jin mother knew what buyeon is trying to do. And continue to bluff jin mu and fake buyeon. I think she actually has a plan no one knows about. Songrim in a way have needed a mole in jin mu plan. She is the best and only person for it. 
 

it kinds of explain how jin priestess have the power to trap the soul and bind their magic to their liking. And jin mother seems to connect the dots and figured that buyeon wants to remain hiding. 

 

I don’t think jang uk can lead songrim. Based on his inheritance: Jang uk actually will lead cheongbawan or take over the royal throne. He was the son of the previous king. He is either Go or Jang family. 

park dang gu is the heir of songrim. Next one is saeho. Heirs of songrim are park family. 
 

jin buyeon: once everyone knows she has ice stone, she had to either sacrifice herself or disappear. Jin cho yeon may not have a choice to lead jin household. Dang Gu May Marry to her household while new heir of songrim will take over. 
 

naksu- I think she will return to her own body. I think yul kept her body safe. Jin buyeon May give naksu hwansu and maybe master Lee will teach her how to use it without needing ice stone. She may take over her father’s job in cheongbawan. 
 

Yul- may stay in songrim and become a teacher there. He will head to seoho fortress if needed. He probably would like to stay with his friends. 
 

Naksu May face love triangle in season 2 with yul and jang uk. 
 

 

 

[partyon]

7 minutes ago, Tina288 said:

Naksu May face love triangle in season 2 with yul and jang uk. 

Team Yul all the way! 

 

cr. to owner

 

Tagging @sadthe1st

 

@Tina288 Thanks for your insightful post! I really enjoyed reading it!

[LeftCoastOppa]

4 minutes ago, Tina288 said:

I believe buyeon had memories. It would make more sense if she has it. I think buyeon on purpose do not want to reveal herself through nasku’s memories.

 

You misunderstand, so long as Naksu is dominant in Mu Deok, she is not (currently) drawing on Bu Yeons memories - therefore even if she was finally recognized by others as the real Bu Yeon, she(Naksu) still has no access to Bu Yeons memories.  Not that this is a problem, as before Mother Jin seems to accept memory loss in the previous fake Bu Yeon

 

8 minutes ago, Tina288 said:

I don’t think jang uk can lead songrim. Based on his inheritance: Jang uk actually will lead cheongbawan or take over the royal throne. He was the son of the previous king. He is either Go or Jang family. 

 

I'll disagree with you here - Just as the founder of Songrim was born under the Kings Star, so is Jang Uk - The founder did not become King, and I don't believe Jang Uk will either.  After Park Jin, I see him leading Songrim as the founder originally did.

 

 

[ferily]

1 hour ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

On the flip side of all of this speculation is that we only have to wait out 4 more episodes to know the truth one way or the other - if the Jang Uk/Naksu storyline completes then Part 2 is most likely spinoffs - if Part 1 ends in a cliffhanger then we agonize over the ending and the inclusion/exclusion of the Part 2 lead actress ... and our wait continues

Honestly I’m starting to get a feeling that part 2 will be a continuation of the main plot. I’m thinking that part 1 is going to end with Naksu back in her own body (how? I have no idea yet, maybe the ice stone) and maybe Mu Deok will a) either die and that’s why Jung so Min isnt in part 2 or b) Mu Deok ends up alive and she’ll be in part 2 but announcing Jung so Min being in part 2 will lead to MAJOR spoilers so that’s why they’ve been hush hush about it. (Possibly also because Mu Deok is Bu yeon and the drama didn’t confirm that until in the second half of the drama so that’s why they haven’t announced it? Or maybe something bigger will happen in the last 4 episodes)

like maybe by the end of part 1, Naksu will have all her energy back and be able to properly fight against Jin Mu so part 2 will be about that? The fact that Lee Jae Wook (and the rest of the cast) is still filming for part 2 gives me the feeling that the second part will be a continuation. All my theories though. We’ll find out by the end of this month, but for now damn this one week break!!! 
 

Also @partyon love the choice of gifs for the event. I recently finished Search WWW and LOVED IT!! Especially loved the side couple, Lee Da Hee and Lee Jae Wook 

[Rollito Deprimavera]

2 hours ago, Jeannie said:

I don’t think it’s a prequel because I read somewhere that they are doing a season 2 because they can’t fit everything in 20 episodes. Maybe there’s a huge cliffhanger which I hope not leading up to season 2. 

I bet for the cliffhanger option too. I don't think they are filming any spin offs, just the end of the story.

[rocher22]

Jang Uk - '' Why is everything so dramatic with you''...

Uk, baby, are you stupid...She is Naksu...

 

 

 

 

 

Uk and Sapsali against JM's men...  

 

 

[SleepyKitty]

Wah, a whole interesting discussion (and a poll!) happened while i was asleep lol.

 

Really interesting guys, keep the theories coming!

 

Adding more theories here. Personally, i really can't see janguk leading anything. I mean sure he has incredible (hidden) power, but mentally? He's too reckless and has never shown any single leadership quality so far. Going by this trajectory, i'm imagining he'd ended up more like free spirited prodigy, someone like master lee, free roaming the world. At the very least, it can help him to gain a lot more experience, wisdom, and skills. Besides, with naksu on his side, he's going to face too many backlash if he were going to be placed into any powerful position by the end of season 1. People are not just going to easily forget that she's an ex assasin. And keeping her identity as a secret until the end of time is not a good option either for me.

 

For me, that could be the very reason for the split into season 2. As janguk (and naksu) travels around the world, they get to meet a lot of people, going to places they've never been, thus expanding the universe, and creating a lot of spin off stories for the side characters. If he were going to end up leading anything, i can only see it as a situation where he's being called back into the capital after being a more mature individual than what we've been seeing now.

 

Besides, jang gang is back now. And park jin has not even been able to sucessfully court kim do joo! The older generation are still capable and have a lot more going on for them in the future, so there's no need for any sucession of power yet. Except maybe for the king. I want to see go won being the king by the end of the series (and changing his catchphrase from 'i am the crown prince' into 'i am the king' lol).

[rocher22]

Jang Gang come back to the town at the right moment.

He is the only one left who still has something to teach Uk.

I wonder how powerful Uk will be because he belongs to two families.  

The crown prince deserves to be the king.

 

 

 

Good Guys Wear Blue..   

 

[sadthe1st]

8 hours ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

Yul guards the kingdom from fortress Seo ( with So I perhaps??? ) 

Spoiler

 

7 hours ago, partyon said:

Team Yul all the way!  

cr. to owner

 

Tagging @sadthe1st

as much as i root for Seo Yul, i doubt Mu Deok (Naksu) will end up with him as a couple.. let's assume she does go to Seoho Fortress with him, it's cos she is a skilled mage/swordswoman she could use her talents to help protect Daeho.

 

and Jang Uk will continue to search and destroy remaining ice stones.. (that sounds like harry potter and the horcrux..)

 

3 hours ago, rocher22 said:

The crown prince deserves to be the king.

 

 

 

Good Guys Wear Blue..   

the crown prince has displayed much wisdom, although he does show his cute petty ways in front of Mu Deok.. but overall, he has been observant.. believing what he sees (not believing his teacher Jin Mu blindly).. open to opnions and discussions.. i bet he would have thought the queen was weird during the meeting with teacher lee as well.

 

cr.: soompi

 

cr.: soompi

 

 

[kwayteow_mama]

10 hours ago, partyon said:

They need Bu Yeon/Mu Deok back in order to lead the Jin family. If they don't do that, then Cho Yeon and Dang Gu can't get married.

I like the way you think chingu 

 

11 hours ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

Personally, I'd like to see part 1 end with Jang Uk & Mu Deok/Naksu still together as they are now, no more soul shifts.  Have Mu Deok honor her pledge to help Yul in his task at the Seo fortress, and if Yul indeed has her old body, have her tell him to burn it as she is no longer that person - while Bu-Yeon's back story is intriguing there is no way to flesh out a full fledged character with 4 episodes left, I like the idea as some of you have already posted of Bu Yeon being a type of guardian angel, let her and the spirit of Naksu merge in the end ( I'm still holding out that she is in spirit at least, the original Jin founder )   As long as it has taken to bring Jang Uk and Mu Deok/Naksu to where they are, I cannot see any sort of realistic (bad word in a fantasy drama, I know ) ending for them if Naksu returns to her old body.  Jang Uk is not Yul, he never knew/saw Naksu in here old body - He is clearly in love with the combined Mu Deok/Naksu.

Couldn't have said it better myself here. Though honestly the whole GYJ returning as FL for S2 rumour kinda color my expectation that Naksu/Cho Yeong and MD/JBY's gonna be separated. I'm not holding out for any satisfactory end for our OTP at this point but at least, please do justice to Naksu/ Cho Yeong/ MD/ JBY characters. Both are tragic characters, IMHO.

[maribella]

10 hours ago, Jeannie said:

I don’t think it’s a prequel because I read somewhere that they are doing a season 2 because they can’t fit everything in 20 episodes. Maybe there’s a huge cliffhanger which I hope not leading up to season 2. 

 

Oh no, not a cliff hanger!

There was a time when it was 'Who shot JR' from the series Dallas, then someone told me, it was an utter waste of his time  to watch the ultimate final episode.

 

I am barely able to follow this show, and putting my head through another calesthenics of the brain? 

 

A nice straight forward story-telling is all I ask for.

 

Park is the evil queen? She was so sweet in Dae Jang Geum. Age does that to some people. 
 

Addendum after reading all possibilities:

I knew it, it's 3 in 1. Mu Deok/BY/ Naksu. For a cliff hanger, if they add little puppy soul shifting, making it 4, I'll definitely watch it. 

[LeftCoastOppa]

On 8/8/2022 at 1:39 PM, ferily said:

Honestly I’m starting to get a feeling that part 2 will be a continuation of the main plot. I’m thinking that part 1 is going to end with Naksu back in her own body (how? I have no idea yet, maybe the ice stone) and maybe Mu Deok will a) either die and that’s why Jung so Min isnt in part 2

 

Alot more rumors for this than to the contrary I'm sad to say - I just can't see a drama that after 16 episodes still hasn't brought the leads truly together, will attempt to change bodies on the FL and wrap it all up in 10 extra episodes - Yes, its all about who is inside but when you've fallen in love with a face and suddenly you're looking at someone you don't recognize or whose voice is unfamiliar, thats beyond 10+ episodes type jarring, nevermind the Yul/Naksu/Jang Uk fun that'll ensue if they truly go that route - they can't do it justice.  And if, after all the time they've dedicated to the ML/FL romance they decide to ditch it on some noble idiocy tangent then just as chingu @Sleepy Owl foretold, this drama joins the list right next to ALICE ... thats why I cling to the hope that they will somehow wrap it up all in part 1

 

On 8/8/2022 at 3:08 PM, SleepyKitty said:

Personally, i really can't see janguk leading anything. I mean sure he has incredible (hidden) power, but mentally? He's too reckless and has never shown any single leadership quality so far. Going by this trajectory, i'm imagining he'd ended up more like free spirited prodigy, someone like master lee, free roaming the world. At the very least, it can help him to gain a lot more experience, wisdom, and skills. Besides, with naksu on his side, he's going to face too many backlash if he were going to be placed into any powerful position by the end of season 1.

 

Upon further review I'm forced to agree, while he's managed to get himself out of trouble and protect those close to him, he's never really lead the charge   ( however, I never envisioned it actually happening in the drama proper, more like the voice over narratives on Daeho history we get from time to time would relay his eventual rise to lead Songrim ... roll credits!)

 

On 8/8/2022 at 7:21 PM, sadthe1st said:

 

 

No love for So I?  

 

Why not, Yul is already her kryptonite, and per preview she's no doubt gonna give away her ability to see when Yul gets attacked (bye bye Bu Yeon cover) - I'm not saying they'll have a whirlwind romance especially considering her station, but being a thief to live and using drastic measures to stay alive in her situation, in my mind is forgivable ... especially if she gives team Songrim her valuable insight on whats really going on with the Queen, and Jin Mu ... ( I'm sure Master Heo can get that worm out of her somehow )

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by ferily
Please don’t quote gifs. Thanks!

[sadthe1st]

10 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

No love for So I?

she can be paired with Park Jin's right hand man..

i have too much love for Seo Yul to give him away to her!

 

 

11 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

I'm sure Master Heo can get that worm out of her somehow

it's going to be a collaboration with Kingdom.. the worm will die in water.. ice cold water.. now we know, it's all related to the ice stone!

 

 

[maribella]

This is a show of abnormal women:

-Evil queen who may be a soul shifting something but gave birth to a highly popular brow young man

 

- So-I who is a thief and a fake with aspirations to bed a powerful, and a highly popular mage. Or maybe it's just @LeftCoastOppa 's wish.

 

- a nursemaid who obsesses over her charge who is a powerful new mage 

 

- of course, the 3 in one assasin cum born again foetus cum plain old girl

 

@sadthe1st don't forget the recap at the end. I am depending on you to free me of this puzzling show. 

[sadthe1st]

14 minutes ago, maribella said:

don't forget the recap at the end. I am depending on you to free me of this puzzling show.

i'm quite sure @LeftCoastOppa is more clear minded with the story progress.. there is only a handful of pretty unnies in the drama

 

but tons of handsome oppas.. and even ahjussi oppas with abs.. i might get distracted sometimes you know.. like this one, his hair is way more silkier than mine!

 

cr.: owner

 

okay, you know i'm kidding here! hahaha

 

 

[K-dramafan22]

Think if and when Naksu returns to her own body, the most confused person would be Jang Uk like us...

 

He has never seen Bu-yeon's face nor encountered Mu-deok's soul before.   During their childhood, he must have met Bu-yeong before?  Maybe there would be a backstory of Bu-yeon and the 4 seasons in Season 2 as her being part of the 4 seasons until she was lost?

 

Jang Uk would be faced with a Mu-deok's body and a Bu-Yeon's soul when Natsu is spilt from her Siamese-twin soul.    Mu-deok is the person without the soul but has a body that 2 men are accustomed to and loved??  It's quite weird right thinking about it?  haha  That's fantasy genre...  

 

When Bu-Yeon's soul shifted into Mu-deok, Mu-deok must be dying just like the young boy whom Master Lee shifted into.  So when  Naksu was trying to soul-shift into another girl in that room that she busted into, Bu-Yeon must have sucked Naksu into hers instead if she was preventing her from shifting to the other girl's body....so technically, Naksu inside Bu-yeon is not a pure soul-shifter, hence the dog did not bark at her when it first saw her at Master Lee's home.  Also, during the time Cho-yeon(Ep 2?)  sent the gwigu to find soul-shifters, it jumped out at a person behind Mu-deok and Jang Uk but not Mu-Deok.   Typically, a soul shifter switched a soul out, Bu-Yeon superimposed her soul on Naksu  like protecting her(?) so that makes Naksu unique.

 

So Naksu is slowly figuring this out as she gets her dizzy and blinding spells meaning she would figure out that she has another soul within her?   Is it this realisation that makes her willing to eject from Mu-deok and back to her own body later or Bu-yeon basically has the power to eject her anyway?  Being together in one body is trapping Naksu's power as a mage. 

 

Just so curious why is Bu-yeon lying so low in profile though she is the powerful soul?       Does she need Naksu's soul to remove Mu-deok's blindness(since Mudeok was no longer blind after Naksu entered her body) in order to be Jang Uk's master to help him?    Was it all along her plan to seek Jang Uk out to help him remove the curse so that they can join forces to fight the chaos together?

 

I have so many questions....hopefully I can find the answers in the next 4 epsiodes or in season 2.  

 

[LeftCoastOppa]

29 minutes ago, maribella said:

So-I who is a thief and a fake with aspirations to bed a powerful, and a highly popular mage. Or maybe it's just @LeftCoastOppa 's wish.

 

how dare you besmirch our intrepid persevering So I with such a scandalous accusation - she never targeted him, he presented himself as the heroic mage of Songrim. Is it now a crime for a simple girl to be smitten by a hero?  

 

I seem to recall a similar situation in a daily not too far back, a spunky, well meaning, perhaps a bit naive girl, cursed to have come from a family of vultures, set her eyes on the simple yet noble bakery oppa - despite the naysayers and cruel comments, in the end (the very end, actually ... like 2 min from the final episode credits) she got her man

 

So I say Press on So I, Press on - I'm rooting for you!

 

[partyon]

5 hours ago, maribella said:

There was a time when it was 'Who shot JR' from the series Dallas, then someone told me, it was an utter waste of his time  to watch the ultimate final episode.

Almost as good as when JR’s brother Bobby died and was away for the rest of the season. Only to reappear in the first episode of the next season by stepping out of the shower.

Apparently it had all been a dream

 

3 hours ago, sadthe1st said:

she can be paired with Park Jin's right hand man..

i have too much love for Seo Yul to give him away to her!

Yea, So I needs to go.

 

35 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

 

how dare you besmirch our intrepid persevering So I with such a scandalous accusation - she never targeted him, he presented himself as the heroic mage of Songrim. Is it now a crime for a simple girl to be smitten by a hero?  

So I ? Simple?
She’s a scheming and annoying crook who caused many people to die. She doesn’t deserve Yul or anyone else

She’s out!

 

 

35 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

I seem to recall a similar situation in a daily not too far back, a spunky, well meaning, perhaps a bit naive girl, cursed to have come from a family of vultures, set her eyes on the simple yet noble bakery oppa - despite the naysayers and cruel comments, in the end (the very end, actually ... like 2 min from the final episode credits) she got her man

I can’t believe you’re mentioning this drama here.  If I remember correctly a lot of unamused reactions were thrown around on that thread… Would have been better to stay quiet about it, no?

 

Chingus, run! 

[LeftCoastOppa]

22 minutes ago, partyon said:

So I ? Simple?
She’s a scheming and annoying crook who caused many people to die. She doesn’t deserve Yul or anyone for that sense.

She’s out!

 

"scheming" ... "caused many people to die" ...

 

 

She didn't roll into town with death on her mind, she was kidnapped and forced under threat of death to comply - what was she supposed to do?  Offer up her life in fight where she didn't even know the players or what was going on when taken? 

 

Big mistake Noona - its on now!  kdramas are littered with stories of down-on-her luck girls who win the heart of the rich guy, and AoS is about to add another to that statistic - the Seo Yul & So I ship is about to sail!   #So-IYul!

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, partyon said:

I can’t believe you’re mentioning this drama here.  IIf I remember correctly a lot of unamused reactions were thrown around on that thread… Would have been better to stay quiet about it, no?

 

Stay quiet? Why? ... In the end, who was right?    Nevermind the fact that that a certain EO even had a poll question in that daily drama that specifically called for the girl NOT to get the guy for the sole purpose of breaking MY heart!