If there was ever a negative bell curve this drama would be it. Alchemy of Souls managed to start strong for about 15 minutes and end strong for the final 15 minutes and everything in between was the slow descent into pure drivel with an eventual attempt to climb back out. The nadir was the ending to season 1 and now season 2 wraps up this story in ways that still make no sense if one thought about it (and one needn’t think too hard at that) BUT is actually a really satisfying happy ending if you are a devoted fan who loves the OTP. After even more lame conflict with Jin Mu, who soul swapped into younger man’s body but remains the douche-iest villain ever, all the good guys survived along with Naksu and Wook who got married and lived happily ever to collect escaped mystical artifacts to put back into Jinyowan. The whole Naksu took Bu Yeon’s body ethical conundrum was negated by there never being a real Jin Bu Yeon in the first place – the baby was dead in the womb and resurrected to be born using the ice stone and the soul inside was that of Jin ancestor Jin So Ran who remained so she could one day protect the country again. So Jin So Ran left Jin Bu Yeon’s physical body to Naksu so that Naksu and Wook could be the Light and Shadow that protects the world. All in all, I think pretezaling to this happy ending was the best way to end this drama and now onward to less brain hurty fare.
I totally agree! They managed to wrap it up pretty nicely but everything in between was a hot mess unfortunately…
Negl, completely obsessed teens screaming about the bestest best kdrama of all time are making me laugh so much that I am at least having fun with that aspect of this mess.
Connecting the dots in this Part 2 wrap-up was a convoluted exercise that gave me a headache. The Hong Sisters have imaginative story ideas, but this Part 2 sent any coherent conclusion for a good story line into a stretched-out-careening-off-the-rails final conclusion with a cutesy tidy bow. Meh.
You’ve been less dramatic about wonky Chinese dramas that violate “moral” lines, so I can only gather that you picked at that Jin Bu-yeon/Naksu soul point (which I don’t believe violated “moral” lines) because you were actually really bothered by the Jung So-min and Go Yoon-jung switch up (which was never a switch up anyways because Go Yoon-jung was casted first).
Heh.
Ultimately, if Wook, Bu-yeon, and Naksu would’ve all died, it would’ve been right for any and all of them to die in any way inside of the design of the world the Hong sisters created, since all of them were either a) never supposed to exist or b) supposed to die because of their sins.
Though the multiple Jin soul thread was introduced sort of late in this second part, I can accept it because it fits inside the design of their world.
I’m happy the characters’ stories live on.
Lol, true. koalas has really turned over to cdrama as of late. Just a matter of time until she get fatigue. I probably will get back to cdrama in the future. I’m at that fatigue stage. All their story lines are repeat w/ unnecessary long eps. them doing 2seasons is only to bypass government regulations(haha). So it surprised me when Cdrama fans complete about Kdrama having fillers.
Her dissatisfaction of the switch of actresses was clear, so I don’t take her review of the JBY/MD seriously story.
Anybody feels that everytime Naksu get a shot of herself suddenly there’s glowing filter or it’s just me?
Full on filter. Her actual expression lost under these filters, I think.
The only impressive part of the whole 2 seasons are the wholesale killing of the villains.
You have to admit the body count was like over 100 ppl in 2 episodes.
Did I watch a thriller? LJW is as usual awesome but the female lead’s part was nutso.
Alchemy of Souls 2 had a better beginning and end, but the overall plot could have been better and made more sense. The main characters got married, and all the good characters survived. it was revealed that there was no real Bu Yeon – the baby had died in the womb and been resurrected using an ice stone containing the soul of an ancestor–Jin So Ran — pretty lame plot twist. The happy ending was included for the benefit of devoted fans, but I am done with Hong’s sister so let’s move on.
As long as I have my happy ending
Nothing impressive I’m the first place. Did not even hit 10%
It was a disaster. They made the leads being so unteresting… the love story was the worse.
I would say Lee Jae Wook is spectacular in both seasons, the saving grace in this mess. I hope to see him in better written dramas as ML. He is young and talented.
If it’s not for LJW, I won’t waste my time in it. He is very amazing actor, I finished it for him.
Everything scream “tedious” about that drama
It’s true that the story sounded better on paper. But I loved this series. The charming characters and amazing cast made up for the script which was messy and draggy at times. I’d have loved it much more if it was more action packed and Naksu got to be badass for longer and not only a couple of minutes in ep.01. But it’s fine…AoS is easily my fave 2022 drama, along with Reborn rich.
An epic non sensical journey but i watch it . Why ? At first for Lee Jae Wook, Jung So Min, the scenery, after that, i wanted to know if the Hong sisters could reach new heights of absurdity , they didn’t disappoint me . Even The big bang theory ‘s team couldn’t have been able to explain the story .
I understand you never got over the Hong Sisters switching actresses for 2nd season but this is a bit dramatic even considering that. The show had pretty good good ratings and people responded well overall despite some initial resistance. It was a neat ending, there were issues here and there but its still a fun drama and was interesting fantasy genre attempt. 7.5/10 from me.
Good ratings ? Debatable
Why are stans always think that criticizing AoS2=can’t get over JSM? Terrible script is terrible no matter who the casts are.
Not even 10%.
The movie actually started well though but this season 2 and it’s ending is a total mess
To me they just had to wrap things up but then again all the wrapping should have been done in the season 1, all my expectations 😌 died I didn’t even feel the movie like I used to
It was partly enjoyable. I truly enjoyed the first season. I don’t know; I just felt that the acting was top-notch. However the second season, there were a few episodes that I thought were well executed; however, as the episodes went on, it just became a bit was it not messy, and it wasn’t something that I was looking forward to watching every weekend l I did with the first season. Season one, I think, was better directed and had a better storyline and the leads; you can tell that they are experienced, and the acting was much more natural and excited to see them both on screen. Whereas season two was a little bit messy, I enjoyed it. Season 1 was rated 8/9, and season 2 was rated 7… happy watching, guys. Let’s keep it positive. They all did an excellent job. It was enjoyable😊
Hong Sisters writing another hot mess…not surprised in the least.
I wish they spent less time on the romance and amnesia stuff, and more time on the actual imminent danger. They killed the fire bird and all the villains so easily. There was probably less than 20 minutes of actual action. Luckily no one died, but I would’ve been pissed if people died to prevent the fire bird from waking up, only to have the answer be wake up the fire bird to burn all the villains and let Jang Uk kill it with one arrow.