
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.
Continue reading