Alchemy of Souls : Partie 1 (2022)

It's not how you start it's how you finish

I don't know what happened in the finale but they just decided to jump off a cliff, I found myself losing interest in the finale with all the filler information, to then in the last 15 minutes run rampant. You cant say it is a cliff hanger because the new series appears to be a prequel with Naksu instead of Bu Yeon. So it just begs the question what were they thinking ? Were they going to fill in the blanks or expect the audience create their own story? The ending just left a bad taste in my mouth, I cant say I watch many historical or fantasy KDramas but I cant say I would tune in for part 2

The acting was great, Jin Mu does well to make you hate him, the 3 love stories of the young, mature and older loves were fantastic, the chemistry was great, i found myself laughing numerous times, the battles were nice as well. You find yourself wanting to believe in those charcters and the story, to only find yourself disappointed with none of those plot lines coming to a close. I suppose they would of had that in mind leaving it as an open ending.

I may be wrong and this is a review of the halfway point but im not going to stay tuned to be potentially let down with the same situation at the end of part 2

Lire davantage

Surprising until the very end

SPOILERS ARE MARKED, READ WITH EASE

I've been waiting to write this review since somewhere around episode 10-12. Never seen such a well made drama in fantasy genre, so let me start to go into detail and be straight forward.

The story
Having a good plot doesn't mean viewers can't guess the ending, you can fully somewhat know the ending yet enjoy the show but having a plot and keeping the viewers at the edge of their seat until the very end is something else. At least I haven't encountered such show. The story was eye catching from the first episode. Characters were understandable since the very moment they were introduced. Their actions and way of logic was relatable. The story remained true to itself, clichés weren't involved, at least not to the point to ruin the unique story. I would say the story line kept getting better as time passed and the sub-plots were added smoothly. They all gracefully came together. Overall the story was unique and entertaining.

The characters
As I said before, characters were well made. They stayed true to themselves, their actions were based on the character NOT on the story. The character's choices made the story, there weren't out of character decisions just for the sake of plot.
For instance, (spoiler on this paragraph), Jung Uk's lack of motivation didn't magically disappear after Mu-Deok's entrance. As the love grew, we saw character development and it all made sense. Mu-Doek's character, unlike some opinions, was very well written and well used up until the end. (spoiler alert) For example the way she used Jung Uk to gain both of their powers, again, their love actually grew into them, it wasn't something to happen over night, yet I hope to see more of her own arc in the up coming season.

(spoiler ended.)

The action scenes were absolutely mind blowing, the casting was on point, the music was heartwarming, the only criticize I dare to make is the filler episodes, although it get back on track very soon.

I would say this drama was the best of 2022, probably be the best of 2023 if they maintain the same level of production in the next season, I keep my finger crossed and pray to have a well made 2nd season too.

Lire davantage

THIS SHOW IS EVERYTHING ❤️

i will just say that is show is a must watch!
the story, the characters, the chemistry everything is literally perfect.

the chemistry between jae wook and soo min is literally everything.
they made the cutest couple ever.

all the lines in this drama grow together perfectly. there is no boring details or unwanted characters. every character is there for a reason.

little sad that jung soo min wouldn't be our main lead the next season but i am sure the real naksu would do a great job.

+

the OST are magical ✨️

i hope su yeol find someone that he can love and end up happy also the crowned princes i really don't want him to turn bad.

Lire davantage

Typical Hong Sister's script problems

Although this drama has entertainment value and good actors in the roles, the Hong Sisters script is full of plot holes as usual. About Avery 15 min, I stop and say ' wait, that doesn't make sense". Yes, I understand it is a fantasy world, but fantasy's still need to make sense within the context of that fantasy. I think viewers willing suspend disbelief and brush aside these plot inconstancies and frankly dumb moments because of the entertaining pace of the story and likable characters. It could have been entertaining and well thought out if they had just thought the storyline through in detail. The Hong Sisters don't bother to do that, because they have a large fan base that is willing to go will the sloppy flow, so they don't make the effort. This could have been much better than it was.

Lire davantage

Probably my favorite historical-fantasy drama

I write this because I want to remember how this show affected me. I re watch this many times and only this moment I finally thought to write a review.

A wonderful show that's it.

Definitely recommended you to watch it and its getting better if you rewatch it with your friends and family... the feels idk.
Anyways the cast are great, the osts, ( oh I love "just watching you by jeong sewoon :((((<3 ) and the show itself is so good.

I just wish this will have more seasons and be consistent of the good writing and directing, for sure I will be there to watch it.

ps. Can not wait for december! :>>>>>

Lire davantage

Intricate world, great characters, unpredictable story, but pacing is inconsistent

WARNING: Don't watch this separately from part 2 if you can't handle sad endings, because it has a crazy angsty plot twist in the end akin to "red wedding" from GoT!

Other than that this drama has a great mix of genres - fantasy, drama, comedy, action. The world is intricately built, all characters are given enough time to introduce themselves and most lead characters have great character development. The plot is very complicated and twisted, with deliberate hints about late spoilers dropped for attentive watchers from early episodes. It will keep you hooked and guessing what will happen next without you actually being able to figure it out, so unpredictable it is.
However, in later half of the show for the sake of dragging it out to 20 episodes the plot started to stall and meander around the issues with no real resolutions until the last two episodes, where everything was dumped on the audience - a common problem of many kdramas that just have no sense of pace and don't know how to end themselves properly. Some sub-plots especially took an egregious amount of screen time, like that "fake Bu-Yeon" plot. The ending was shocking for sheer shock value with lots of unresolved dangling loose ends. The sins of FL, who's occupying the body of an innocent girl, finally caught up with her in the end, but said innocent girl was done dirty, she didn't deserve any of this. In any case, stay tuned for part 2 to see the real ending, they're not done yet.

The cast did a stellar job at portraying their characters. Special props for FL who played a difficult 3 in 1 role.

OST and production value of this drama are also through the roof.

Overall, an 8.5. A very solid and unique kind of drama. But I can't give it a higher score in good conscience because of the problems with the plot I highlighted above.

Lire davantage

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.

Lire davantage

An Epic Fantasy Romance for the Ages

Alchemy of Souls has been well-written, amazingly acted, wonderfully directed, gorgeously scored. The cinematography was beyond beautiful and the CGIs could be envied by Hollywood blockbusters with 200 million budgets.

The Hong sisters have shown the world how to write an epic tragic romance for the ages with a satisfying ending of season 1 - there is sadness and love and hope for the future that Wook and Naksu will find each other again with a second chance at love and life.

The story perfectly captures the meaning and message of trans-migratory stories - that true love sees past the trappings of one’s body and that the person who loves you will love you regardless of your appearance. The Hong Sisters understood the assignment. This is the opposite of the awful Mr. Queen final which ruined the whole drama and made no sense whatsoever.

It's been a complex, poignant story with multi-layered characters, a story about a love that overcomes death; the eternal struggle between good and evil; people overcoming their flaws and obstacles in life; about never giving up and trying even when everything seems lost; about friendship, hate, envy, happiness, loss; about finding one's purpose in life and place in the world; about losing it and finding it again,... and it's to be continued...
Episode 20 is, in fact, just an incredible mid-season finale, the story hasn't ended in any way. One stage of the characters' journey is over, another begins. The story continues.

Jung So Min has been sublime as Mu-deok/Naksu/Yeong/Bu-yeon, hers has been a legendary performance. It's so sad to see her go but Go Yoon-Jung has been incredible as Naksu in episode 1 so it will be exciting to watch her resume her role.

See you in December...

Lire davantage

Worthy of being one of the top Kdramas of the year! :)

WOW! What a ride! If you love historical romance, fantasy, and action, this is the PERFECT show for you!!

AoS is an incredible show that takes you through a series of thrilling action, good character development, great plot, and fantastic cinematography! (Plus, the OSTs are AMAZING!! And when the OSTs are good, that's when you know the show is good too 😏)

I took an interest in the show because of the strong, powerful Naksu that I was expecting. Although it doesn't quite turn out that way, her character development during the journey of the show has been incredible. Also, props to Jung So Min for her acting! She had to act two different characters who are in the same body, which cannot be easy. She did such a great job a portraying the emotions and actions of both Jin Bu Yeon and Naksu. In general, the cast of the show did a fantastic job at depicting their character's feelings, intentions, actions, and everything all with great chemistry. I will admit that there are some plot holes, but I did not feel like it took away from the story at all. The story was interesting (I mean we're talking about soul shifting here 👀) and took us on a great journey in Daeho. Thank you the director, writers, and cast for bringing this show to life!

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the show. Can't wait for Season 2!!

Lire davantage

After Hwayugi, the Hong sisters are back with another great fantasy drama…. Too bad i have to wait a few more months for its continuation. This drama was absolutely EPIC… great plot, directing, special effects, acting, although I am not the biggest fan of Jung so-Min because of her usually rather limited facial expressions (to me)… which is why I won’t be too bothered if she has another body swap in the next series… ;)
Lee Jae wook is just outstanding here. And compensâtes for her in my opinionThey have been so wise to cast him as the ML despite his limited experience at the time ….

Lire davantage

Power or Love In This Epic Fantasy Series!

First of all, I must say that Season 2 cannot get here fast enough! When the last episode ended, I literally groaned that I had to wait but was actually thrilled that this story was going to continue. Such a lush and beautiful story is too good to end here.

Once again, the Koreans continue to prove why they are the most proficient storytellers in the world in film and television. I’ve been trying to think of another fantasy series that was heartfelt and full of luscious characters like this one. The “Lord of the Rings” film series is the only other one that comes to mind. That tells me just how incredible this series has been. And what makes this series soar is that it is story and character-driven. While it has some incredible special effects, they only enhance the core, which is what is supposed to happen in high-quality story-telling.

In a fictional kingdom populated by mages, we have a power struggle going on to possess the “ice stone,” a stone of magic that can bring people back from the dead. Of course, anyone who seeks immortality would have a strong desire to possess such a relic. There is also a differentiation between magic and sorcery. Sorcery is forbidden magic that goes against nature itself. And one of the main devices of sorcery is soul-shifting. This means that a person dies but shifts their soul into another body. In some cases, soul-shifting can also mean trading bodies. This, of course, is forbidden magic.

At the center of the story is Naksu, an infamous soul assassin who was hunted down by the mages of the kingdom. Mortally wounded, she is able to soul-shift into another body and take her identity; the identity of Mu Deok. However, because of her new body, she has no access to her energy in order to perform magic. In short, she’s a regular person. However, her drive and desire to reacquire her energy and carry out her threat of killing those responsible for the deaths of her family members, is still very much at the forefront of her mind.

We then have Jang Uk, a somewhat spoiled and lazy young man who is supposed to be learning various forms of magic, despite also being cut off from his energy due to an edict from his father. He’s given no reason why, and so he spends much of his time lazing around and doing nothing until Mu Deok shows up and gets a job as his maid. However, it doesn’t take Jang Uk long to realize Mu Deok’s true identity, and he asks that she train him and become his master.

One of the central themes of this story is what is more important? Power or Love? It’s ironic that most people find love to be a weakness. What they fail to realize is that power without love IS weakness. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. This is something that Mu Deok must face and decide, which becomes an important factor when she is ultimately forced to decide what she wants: her power back or Jang Uk.

The settings created for this series are absolutely incredible. I have to believe that most of the fictional towns are sets, and they are elaborate enough to rival any major film project.

There are so many amazing performances in this series, that it is incredibly difficult to pick one that stands out from the rest. Lee Jae Wook (Jang Uk) and Jung So Min (Mu Deok) are absolutely fantastic and they have great chemistry together. One of my personal favorites was Kim Do Ju (Maidservant Kim) who was too exquisite for words. She is such a lovely woman, and her performance really stood out for me. However, the performance of Jo Jae Yoon as the villainous Jin Mu was captivating, to say the least. More often than not, a story is only as good as its villain. Imagine Star Wars without Darth Vader or Lord of the Rings without Sauron. They just don’t work nearly as well, and Jo Jae Yoon gives a stellar performance as the villain behind the throne; the man pulling all of the strings. I’ve seen Jo Jae Yoon once before in “Descendants of the Sun,” but this role feels like it was tailor-made for him. He’s deliciously evil and corrupt with little smirks that make you want to hit him. What makes his performance so grand is that he never plays Jin Mu in an over-the-top way. We have no angry outbursts or rage-filled speeches. He’s calm, level-headed, and far brighter than people give him credit for.

Of course, as with so many Korean series, we have moments of love, humor, inspiration, and even wisdom. Koreans are masters of character. They are always multi-leveled and multi-dimensional, much like real people.

The fight scenes are all well-choreographed. Some of which reminded me a little of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I also like that they explain the magic. Robert Jordan, who wrote one of the most epic fantasy series of all time in his “Wheel of Time” series, is considered to have explained the science of his magic better than any writer ever. But Alchemy of Souls comes really close as we learn how magic and energy are used.

This series is grand on an epic scale. Even a 20-episode series with each episode at an average of 75 minutes went by at a clip because I was so vested in the show. As I stated before, I cannot wait until the next series comes out. They ended things on a great cliffhanger that made me keep looking at the clock and going, “Oh, no! It’s almost over!” Yeah, I didn’t want it to end. For me, this is one of the best fantasy series I have ever seen, and frankly, it was the central theme of love and power that kept me coming back for more. And yes, I can’t wait for more!

Lire davantage