Alquimia de Almas Parte 2: Luz y Sombra (2022)

Valio la espera

He visto solo dos capítulos y estoy fascinada, me encanta esta serie, desde que termino la primera temporada, espere con ansias que empezara y ahora me verán ansiosa todas las semanas esperando mas nuevos capítulos, Se las recomiendo de corazón, vean la temporada uno, para poder seguir con esta, no vale la pena una sin la otra. Por ahora la historia sigue bien armada. Cero spoiler, véanla, todos los personajes son adorables.
Mi mayor miedo era no aceptar a la nueva actriz, pero no, esta chica lo esta haciendo muy bien. De verdad.
ACTUALIZACIÓN
Para no poner Spoilers, esta serie supero mis expectativas, fue genial, los 10 capítulos fueron intensos, y el final, fue mágico, grite, reí, llore, todas las emociones juntas, lo amo 100%, en un mes lo vuelvo a ver.

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Las segundas partes nunca fueron buenas

Me da pena que una serie que tiene una historia tan buena , la segunda parte de tanta pena y más con unos actores protagonistas tan buenos.....
Lee Jae Wook fue un descubrimiento en la primera parte, aqui sin embargo pese a la calidad de su actuación se pasa todo el rato bebiendo y matando aquellos que han intercambiado almas, le limitan mucho la actuación. La historia de estar 'en duelo' pero que de repente cambia cuando tiene que salvar a Jin Bu Yeon de la prisión que le ha hecho su madre cuando en la primera temporada le daba igual todo el tema se me hace poco creible.Y es que encima se casa con ella y se enamora de ella cuando se ve que esta super enamorado de Naksu....
Go Youn Jung una maravilla de actriz, se puede ve en Death's Game, pero aquí no. Me da rabia porque me gustaba mas esta actriz que la protagonista de la primera parte. Sin embargo, aquí la hacen interpretar una Naksu/ Jin Bu Yeon indefensa y sinceramente en algunos momentos tonta.
El personaje de Jin Mu en la primera parte es maravilloso pero aquí su historia es unicamente a quién me tengo que arrimar para sobrevivir, hubiera preferido que le hubieran dejado un mejor final muriendo en Gwido.
Lo mejor de esta temporada es Yul y toda la escena para quitar el parasito , aunque me hubiera gustado que hubiesen explorado mas todo lo que hizo Soi.

De verdad lo mejor de esta temporada es el Principe y la tortuga.
Para mi alchemy of souls debería haberse quedado en la primera temporada.

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Una de las mejores

Si dudas creo que es una de las mejores series que ví y habló por toda la serie (temp 1 y 2). Me sorprendió mucho que la amara tanto y me mire la serie siendo 30 caps en general, no soy de mirar series de época o mágicas pero AOS sin dudas captó toda mi atención y amor. Cómo siguieron la historia sin dudas lo amé, ni hablar de como siguen su vida todos los personajes en esta s2 después de ese final en la s1. Las actuaciones son un 10 para todos siento que no me imagino a otros actores/actrices trabajando en esto, la producción tiene un 10 obviamente, la música no llega al 10 porque me quedé con ganas de escuchar más ost pero los que hay son un 10 enorme y bien ganado. El humor y la acción siguen vigentes como en la s1, el odio y el amor por ciertos personajes también, la montaña rusa de emociones está peor. El amor de la pareja principal atraviesa la pantalla, te querés unir a su lucha y ayudarlos para que de una vez por todas puedan estar juntos y ser felices sin ningún obstáculo, sufrí con ellos, lloré con ellos, reí con ellos, amé con ellos. El cómo se conocen de nuevo después de 3 años, sin saber quiénes son y no llevándose para nada bien pero de todas maneras con el tiempo vuelven a enamorarse porque es su destino y sus almas son las que están destinadas a estar juntas, lo ame mucho. El significado del título en esta temporada me encantó y que lo explicarán en la serie más todavía :')
La química entre Jaewook y Younjung es de otro planeta, de verdad ame mucho ver cómo se completan porque literal sentías que estabas viendo a una pareja de verdad en sus altos y bajos. Ni hablar de la amistad y confianza que se formó en todo el cast. Ese final me hizo sufrir dejándome cómo payasa pero estoy muy contenta.

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CONTIENE SPOILERS!!! Review del drama completo, primera temporada y segunda.

Para ser sincera, comencé este drama al ver que la protagonista sería Somin y si no hubiera sido por ella probablemente no me hubiera interesado, luego al ver a Younjung en el primer capítulo me entusiasmé por su participación en el drama y me decepcioné cuando solo ví su cara al menos 20 minutos e inmediatamente ya se dió su muerte (aclaro que todavía no sabía que iba a haber una segunda temporada), pero en cuanto seguía viendo los capítulos más me quedaba atrapada por la historia.
Cada sábado se me hizo ameno gracias a los capítulos de Alquimia de Almas, la fantasía que envolvía al drama, la producción detras de todo, y aun que no soy muy fan de los efectos especiales en este tipo de género, alquimia de almas se destacó notoramiento con sus efectos, tal vez al ver a las personas volar se notaba un poco raro y me recordaba la ficción en esto pero los efectos de la magia fueron increíbles al punto que parecía que los actores realmente podían hacer magia; por otro lado las escenas de mayor tensión/dramatismo fueron las mejores logradas en la primera temporada, acompañadas por impecables performance de los actores y una música que iba a sintonia con las emociones del personaje, permitiendome vivir ese momento con aún más dramatismo.

Temporada 1: 7/10
La primera temporada siento que tal vez tuvo capítulos de más, hasta ya no me acuerdo qué pasa en los primeros 10 capítulos porque se dedicaron a relatar sucesos de manera rápida, dándoles un inicio y fin en tan solo un capítulo; mientras que, en los capítulos restantes se dedicaron más a la acción y revelación de los hechos, a mi parecer, más importantes de la trama, quién era mudeok y cuál era su pasado realmente, el plan de jinmu, la historia de jang gang, el nacimiento de jang uk, jin buyeon y cómo todo eso se conectaba entre sí, pero me llegó a desesperar la manera en que de repente todo iba muy lento y había demasiado suspenso para aclarar las cosas. Lógicamente esta temporada es esencial, ya que es el inicio de todo, pero como dije al principio, siento que pudo haber sido más corta, al menos tres o cuatro capítulos menos, concentrarse un poco más en la trama de la alquimia de almas y los secretos del pasado que envolvían a la gran mayoría de personajes y dejar para después la comedia y el romance.
Destaco a Jaewook en esta temporada, sabemos que Somin es una actriz a la altura del papel que se le dió y por eso estoy satisfecha y no la menciono, pero Jaewook me sorprendió especialmente en las escenas de mayor drama, como cuando Mudeok envenena a Uk, pierde la placa de Songrim y tiene que ser castigado por eso, las peleas con Mudeok, y muchas otras escenas en las que se lució y demostró ser un actor de grandes habilidades para trasnmitir las emociones que está sintiendo.

Temporada 2: 9/10
En esta temporada lograron muchas cosas en las que tal vez habían fallado con la primera, le dan su tiempo a la comedia y al amor, también a sidestorys que no tenian una gran relevancia pero en ningún momento pierden el enfoque en la trama principal, la cual es la alquimia de almas. Hubo menos dramatismo (excepto por los tres últimos capítulos) pero hubo tensión, tristeza, confusión, acción y más que nada FANTASÍA, en la primera temporada muy probablemente al tener dos protagonistas incapaces de tener un gran manejo de la magia, no pudieron mostrar mucho de eso pero en esta temporada le sacaron todo el provecho, hasta el punto de convertir a una pequeña tortuga en un dios místico, personalmente eso hizo que ganara varios puntos de ventaja. Por otro lado, la producción en vez de bajar la calidad, se superó y eso es muy destacable en este tipo de géneros porque ví otras series o sagas en las que bajaban la calidad de producción conforme pasaba la historia.
En cuanto a la actuación, Younjung destacó increiblemente y estoy segura que este papel le abrirá muchisimas puertas en futuros proyectos, lo cual me pone muy feliz siendo que la conozco desde Sweet Home y siempre quise verla en papeles mayores como el que tomó en este drama; interpretó a tres identidades distintas en toda la trama, tenía que demostrar hostilidad e indiferencia cuando se trató de Naksu y lo hizo, después se presentó al público como alguien inocente pero segura y perspicaz para nada débil a pesar de sus condiciones físicas, tomando el papel de Jin Buyeon (en realidad era Yeong), y como última performance nos mostró a la verdadera Jin Buyeon, que aunque no tuvo mucho tiempo interpretandola, fue suficiente para mostrarnos a ese personaje y que no quedara duda que en ese cuerpo no estaba el alma de Yeong sino Buyeon; en otras palabras, Younjung ate slayed devored carried etc.
La última temporada logró todo un matiz de colores a medida que iba pasando los capítulos, al principio una trama melancólica, luego se volvió divertida y avanzó a una historia completamente oscura desenmascarando a muchos personajes. No tengo ninguna queja para el final, ¿Tenía que terminar mal? Según como iban las cosas entonces eso era lo que se esperaba, pero ¿Está bien el final que se le dió? Sí, queríamos un final feliz para todos nuestros personajes favoritos y eso obtuvimos; así que, no considero que debería cambiarse o agregarse algo, fue un final perfecto.

Extras:
Hay algunas cosas que me dejaron con el nudo en la garganta o la decepción en mano, como por ejemplo cuando Mudeok mata a Jang Uk, no hay demasiado tiempo para procesar los hechos y rápidamente vuelven a la persecución de asesinar; después en el capítulo final de la segunda temporada, me dejaron con las lágrimas en los ojos y los mocos cayendo cuando se mostró que Park Jin, Kim Doju y Lady Jin seguían vivos, obviamente no quería que se mueran (no Park Jin y Kim Doju por lo menos) pero la escena de revelación fue tan out of context, Jang Uk simplemente llegó al funeral confundido y se le formaron lágrimas en los ojos al ver como todos lloraban por los líderes de songrim y jinyowon, y más lágrimas cuando vió el ataúd de Kim Doju (lo cual eso me da a entender que él llora por aquellas muertes también), pero a los segunos él está rígido hablando de su visión sobre el pájaro de fuego y prácticamente les dice a los presente "Ah sí no están tiesos, están tomando unos mates en mi cabaña ??". Mi última queja acá es el no haber vuelto a ver a Naksu o por lo menos a Yeong recuperando sus poderes y peleando con su espada, pero esto se entiende completamente que no haya pasado porque Naksu es una identidad de Yeong que fue forzada brutalmente a llevar, era alguien ignorante a la verdad y su único propósito era la venganza, propósitos con los que Yeong ya no vivía y dejar de lado todo eso fue dejar atrás un pasado en el que había sido condenada, siendo ella inocente.
Por otra parte, lo más lindo de todo el drama fue el guión, no solo la parte de la fantasía sino también el romance que estaba envuelto en la trama, en la primera temporada seguramente las escenas de amor entre Uk y Mudeok fueron especiales y me convencieron de que sí se amaban gracias a los guiones detrás de todo, pero la segunda temporada inevitablemente se lleva todos los puntos respecto a este tema, las promesas de Yeong a Uk, las palabras de Uk hacia ella, el corazón roto de Yul, el arrepentimiento del príncipe, la necedad de Lady Jin, los acertijos del maestro Lee y sobre todo, la metáfora de la luz y la sombra con respecto a Uk y Yeong, es todo literaria y poeticamente hermoso.

Un drama con el que inicié sin ninguna expectiva, con algo de reselo y críticas, pero que terminé amando y disfrutando más de lo que esperaba, es sin dudas, una recomendación para todas las personas que quieren iniciar en esto de ver k-dramas. Definitivamente 10.

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Con la ansiedad al límite

Cuando supe que AOS iba a tener dos temporadas no sabía que esperar, no lo quería y si iba a pasar solo esperaba que la historia siguiera siendo entre Naksu y Uk, pues entendía bien que es una serie de cambio de almas.
Puedo decir que estoy aquí porque ame la temporada 1, sin embargo la temporada 2 sello para siempre que AOS este en mi top de dramas, WOW! que temporada me hizo llorar, sufrir, feliz y enamorarme nuevamente de cada aspecto. Las actuaciones son estupendas, cada actor trabajo muy bien su papel, escenario y música genial.
Para los que siguen la historia del drama más que el fanatismo de un actor en específico ciertamente la amaran!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ para mí se coronó como el mejor drama de fantasía que he podido ver! ??????

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DE LOS MEJORES K DRAMAS QUE HE VISTO

es BUENÍSIMO si no has visto la primera temporada no se que estas esperando. Solo quedan 8 episodios y no puedo creerlo, la historia es buenísima y a pesar de que muchos tuvieran dudas con el cambio de actriz a mi me parece estupendo, si en la primera temporada la química era buenos en esta lo es aún más y aunque la segunda temporada sólo lleva 2 episodios ya superó todas mis expectativas. tengo miedo de que en los pocos capítulos que quedan no se resuelva todo a tiempo pero confio en que los creadores sepan lo que están haciendo. no puedo esperar a ver a janguk feliz y sonriente de nuevo. tampoco puedo esperar a ver como revelan la identidad de naksu

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LEGENDARY

Not gonna lie, this drama, from script, direction, and acting, up to CGI and editing, was just legendary. But how did this become legendary? This season continues the story where it was left off in the 1st season, which I rated 9.5. So, why did I rate this 8.5 instead?


To be honest, the first season is far superior to this one, and the reason this season has become so successful is clearly due to the first season. Let's look why:

First of all, this lacked the punch of the 1st Part. The 1st Part introduced us to a whole new world, and much time was used to build the lore and the details. This kept us engaged and interested. However, nothing much happened in Part 2, in general. Everything was established in the 1st seasonitself,f and this 2nd part didn't have much twists and turns like the 1st.


The pace of the story was another problem. This problem had been there in the 1st season an well. The starting episodes were amazing, but somehow, after some episodes, it felt like the story was moving downhill. The plot was, like, not moving at all. But they picked up the momentum in the later episodes, nonetheless. Honestly, they could have done the whole drama, I mean, part 1 and 2 together, In just 15 or 20 eps.


This is another issue I've had since the first season. They promised us strong, witty, smart, and brave female characters. However, all we got were sidekicks. Let's take a look at the main female characters in the story:

1. First of all, Naksu/Cho Yeong- I really wanted to see her fighting with her sword again. I wanted her to be like how she had been as Mu Doek. Don't get me wrong, I honestly loved how they separated the real Cho Yeong from the Naksu that Jin Mu created. All I wanted was for her to be as sharp-witted and as quick-witted as her older self. That Naksu was more interesting than the present Cho Yeong. In Part 2, Naksu seemed to be reduced to a one-dimensional, not-that-witty, not-that-smart person who was really only meant to host Jin Bu Yeon's priestess powers and to mend Uk's broken heart.

2. Jin Bu Yeon/Jin Seol Ran - She seemed like just a background character, appearing here and there. She was a character with much potential, but sadly, it was wasted. I would have loved to know more about the time when she was Seol Ran, how she went through what they call the Great Chaos, and all. Also, it was entioned in almost all episodes about how powerful she is. But, pity that we didn't even get a glimpse of it.

3. Maidservent Kim - She had no powers whatsoever. She had been just a mother figure for Uk and a love interest for Park Jin, right from the start to the end. But I did love her, nevertheless.

4. Jin Cho Yeon - She was introduced as one of the Jin clan, with great powers, but we didn't actually get to see even one scene where she was using her powers usefully. Again, she was reduced to just a love interest for Dang Gu.

5. Jin Ho Kyung - Again, another character with great powers. In the end, she couldn't even protect her fortress. I know she was ageing and eventually losing her powers, but when Park Jin didn't have any problems while ageing, why does she?

6. Heo Yoon Ok - Okay, I didn't like her. She wasn't said to have great powers, but what made me dislike her was that she was overcome with jealousy half of the time, going after Uk and attempting to separate him and Naksu in both the 1st and 2nd parts. And her happy ending was jsut seeing someone.

7. So Yi - She was another great character with great potential. I really liked her character. She is one of the strongest female characters in the entire series, in my opinion, whose potential got wasted. She could have been developed into a GREAT character. But...

This drama would have been even better if the FLs were as strong as they were said to be. Now, that's all about the female characters. Let's talk about other problems.


They dragged out the amnesia plot for too long. This is one of those common, clichéd plot lines that I hate. But, if executed well, it could become a masterpiece too. Sadly, this wasn't the case with AoS Part 2. They could have either made Naksu remember it earlier, or made Uk realise that it was Naksu all along. And, when they did realise it, it felt really underwhelming.


I really hated to believe that Uk had finally forgotten about his Naksu/Mu Doek and moved on to fall in love with another woman. I know it was her all along, but I just didn't like the feel of it. That ruined the whole point of this romance, for me.


Underwhelming villain characters - this was one of the main things that bothered me. The villains, especially Jin Mu, all had proper goals and objectives and plans to achieve them, but I felt like they were all acting behind the scenes. I would have liked them to be utilised more and build more tension between them and the heroes. Towards the end, Jin Mu seemed reduced to one of those cartoonish villain charactes with just an evil smile and no brains.


Now, enough with the bad points. Let's start with the good points that make this drama stand out from the rest;

The chemistry:

1. The Crown Prince and the Turtle: We can't help but love the Crown Prince. He was the best character in the entire series for me, and I was rooting for him until the very end. He and our MVP Turtle were truly the best duo in the entire series!

2. Crown Prince and Jang Uk - I really really loved the dynamics between Crown Prince and Ukkie, in the 1st as well as 2nd part. Even though it cannot be considered as a real bromance, I loved it, and I would watch an entire series with just them without any complaint.


The comic relief - I laughed hard enough watching this to add comedy as one of its genres. Those scenes were like breaths of fresh air in an intense plot line.


I loved how they explained the meaning of the title. Jang Uk being the light that protects Cho Yeong and Her being the sadow, embrassing him. It was so endearing!


Acting - DO I NEED TO SAY MORE?? The perforance of the cast was impeccably beautiful. I was initially quite disappointed in the replacement of Jung So Min with Go Yoon Jung, but after the first two episodes, I was convinced that she deserved the role. She really is a gifted actress with great potential. Even though she didin't quite manage to catch So Min's charm, she was great in her own accord.

Jae Wook's performance shook me to the core. He was a new actor to me, and I haven't seen any of his earlier works, but this drama alone is enough for me to make him a part of my list of favourite actors.

I had seen Shin Seoung Ho in A-Teen before, but I didn't even realise it! I figured this out recently, and I'm blown! I hope he gets more great characters like this in the future so that he can showcase his great talent! He really does have an acting genre in him!

All the others did a good job as well. Out of the supporting cast, the one who stands out is Do Sang Woo, who played Yul's uncle. His last scenes as Jin Mu, after the Alchemy of Souls were mind blowing. He nailed it. He really did give off the original Jin Mu's vibes!


Music - The music score and OSTs used in the drama were perfect! It gives us the right vibe for every scenes. Some of the OSTs are still on my Spotify favourites list.


Lastly, I enjoyed most part of it. Even with the slow pace, this is a good watch, nevertheless. I would surely recommend this drama to people who love fantasy and heartbreaking romance, original plot lines, amazing cast and chemistry, etc. This drama is legendary and will live on in my memory.

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10 episodes that should've been cut in 5

Let's just start with Season 1 was a 10 for me. It had ALL The exciting elements that YES finally S2 is here! And then it felt ..... draggy & flat, completely anti climatic. NO fault to the actors and I know people are complaining about the change of the FL. No chemistry etc. Personally I think the script is the problem. Naksu's character shouldn't have deteriorated to a sick love puppy that only in ep 8 did her original personality started to show. Progression was terrible!! If the story isn't there don't drag it out like what C dramas tend to do & just ended. Instead they filled it with flashbacks, blank stares, forced comic lines at the wrong times, and hot red birds ep 1-7.

S2 managed to recover the initial glory in ep 8-10 and ended with a semi satisfying ending but it should've been so much better. The cast did an amazing job regardless!

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This sequel was not made with AOS fans in mind

Disclaimer:This review might get more personal than most of my reviews,but I`ll still try to keep it objective as much as I can.

In thinking how I should begin reviewing such an anticipated sequel on my part,to a drama I gave my second 10/10 to,realisation dawned upon me.The perfect way I`d describe it is stunning...ly mediocre.But it`s not only that.Seeing how much enthusiasm and love I had for this universe Hong Sisters created,what this installment did for me instead,is not something I expected.It made me decide to turn my back on Hong Sisters.And it also led me to conclude this:Hong Sisters,in large measure,do not understand their own characters.So let`s talk about it.

First I`d like to thank every person involved with this drama,as I`m well aware of how tough it must be to create,write and produce a drama,even if it results in such a bland show.This is my way of giving respect to everyone.And it also serves as a good enough segue way into my thoughts going forward.

"So...what went wrong?" - that`s a perfect question I`d like to pose to the writers of this sequel.As I`m writing this,my mind swirls with any and every problem present in this drama.Yet,I`d firstly list off the positives(scarce as they might be) and then dive into the problems plaguing this meddling sequel.

To start,the cinematography is expectedly beautiful.Daeho looks as inviting as ever,and,in the hands of more ambitious writers,I`d love to see other stories being told with it serving as the background.I see so much potential within its walls.Another point goes to Crown Prince,who is absolutely,without a doubt,the only persistently unchanging (and funny) character in this story.His turtle and him are more engaging than everything else this has to offer.
Finally,the music is beautiful.Every OST is delicate,appropriate and at times fun.

There.Now let`s get into what grinds my gears with Alchemy of Souls and why Hong Sisters should really consider bringing in new talent,or brushing up on their writing skills.They probably won`t.A girl can dream,though.

I like to think of myself as an AOS fan.In fact,I loved how the first installment made me feel.It reminded me of older isekai animes like Inuyasha and Fushigi Yuugi,old childhood favorites.All of this wonder,possibility and chance for exploration.The characters were memorable,the leads witty and full of charisma, and villains camp,over the top,yet ruthless.We got a lot of information about Daeho,its inhabitants and alchemy of souls as such.The romance,while chaste and an undeniable subplot,was lovely,layered and interesting.I didn't even mind the ending as much as others did.Hell,even the love triangle was resolved quite maturely.

None of these attributes are present in Light and Shadow.Truth be told,I`m not sure where I should start.From some small details I`d be nitpicking(like how most characters generally have nothing to do) to more serious issues(like the unnecessary,cluttered mess the story ends up being due to unneeded justifications).Still,if I had to choose,nothing else perfectly encapsulates how inconsistent,flawed and underwhelming "Alchemy of Souls Season 2:Light and Shadow" is,quite like the relationship between its leads:Jang Uk and Naksu.I loved these two.I loved their story,chemistry and relationship.Naksu was a female lead we don`t often get in dramas:She was physically weak,yet mentally tough.A scheming assassin turned tutor who was willing to push her student to the brink,see him succeed and find herself.Where is she here?I was one of those people fervently defending and rooting for Go Yoon Jung as I knew her to be talented and her voice overs,as well as the first fight we meet her in,greatly depicted what she`s capable of.And then...they stripped every ounce of capability.Directed her in ways that make Song Hye Kyo`s acting seem expressive by comparison.I wouldn`t be exaggerating if I said I didn`t believe her struggles for a second.And then,while Lee Jae Wook`s character and his shift to a darker persona are believable,what isn`t is how quick and jarring the transition between strangers to long lost lovers occurs between our couple.Why?Because,putting aside everything else that happens with Naksu and her memory,knowing Jang Uk is realizing he`d never act the way he does in the first two episodes towards Bu Yeon.It is plot convenience,no doubts about it.In fact,their romance,brought to you by fate(that thing Hong Sisters love using when they can`t be bothered with a proper buildup) is as interesting and thrilling as watching paint dry.It is no longer the story OF TWO characters doing their best to prevail,it is a story of one overpowered individual feat his love who does something...sometimes.I deem Naksu a strong female character,even when she`s relegated to a role of a tutor to a spoiled brat.I don`t see this Naksu as strong.What sets them apart?Intent.No matter what you go through,if you`ve got a reason(Crown Prince shows that well),characters like Naksu set their mind in motion.What they don`t do is cling and wait on others.


And at what moment did I figure out where this drama was leading,you may ask?From the moment they decided to prolong Naksu`s memory loss and clumsily justify it once again.This decision undermined every,and I do mean every connection between her and other characters(not to mention using memory loss of all things,in a soul shifting show,is quite redundant,but whatever).

The alchemy,also.Where is it,bar last 2 episodes?Where`s the joie de vivre of our antagonist,Jin Mu?He`s barely in this,thanks to paper thin plot that feels more tacked on than your average Naruto filler episode.The biggest sin this sequel commits,is making me go from caring about all these people,to feeling indifferent to their death.What a feat to overcome.Characters that were once complex and rich,now read as flat and soulless.When it`s obvious the writers didn`t know what to do with them,they were unceremoniously killed off.

Just to clarify,I also think Season 1 has some plot conveniences and cracks.But it is nowhere as visible as it is here.

In conclusion,no amount of episodes,timing or changes in schedule can vindicate a sequel written with not much care or respect for your characters in mind.And while,of course,everyone can have their own taste (everyone`s different),the defiant side of me can`t help but scoff at this sequel`s success.I know it is petty,but seeing such an outcome in turn,tells Hong Sisters and the writing room that this is okay.You don`t have to try harder.We`re fine with this quality.

I love you Alchemy of Souls,but I see no light in this overwhelmingly muddy and dark sequel.You deserved better.

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It was underwhelming to say the least.

DISCLAIMER: I just completed this so my thoughts haven't really marinated as yet but somehow the show left me feeling empty. I've been feeling like this since the ending of season 1.

Season 1 was definitely SO MUCH better than season 2 in my opinion, I mean I even rated it a 9/10 and I usually don't give dramas such high ratings. I couldn't get over the fact that the Naksu/Buyeon amnesia arc overshadowed the main plot and the essence of the show. Call me biased idc... I don't think Go Yoon's Jung acting was that strong in comparison to her counterparts. She makes the same blank / innocent facial expressions and cries a lot — this got old, tired and extremely annoying for me. Also the back and forth with her and Uk and him not realizing who she was sooner really agitated me. The pining / longing in season 1 was wayyyy better than what they tried to achieve bringing the newer actress in. I guess I didn't see the chemistry that everyone kept raving about. There were no sparks. I felt sorry for her character when they made it seem like all she would ever be was a replacement for Mudeok and someone to warm his bed at nights to free him from the wraiths. I thought him keeping her around was cruel and that he should set her free but the irony was she ran away from home in order to be free but her being with Uk was like another prison where she had to not only face/fight her demons but also his too. That was a burden she should not have been carrying.

This season felt way too insta lovey (especially when Uk and Buyeon/Naksu kissed in the 2nd episode) for me to enjoy it. I felt like their "chemistry" was being pushed down my throat and that Bu Yeon was coming on way too strong. In my opinion Jung So Min had the best on screen chemistry with all of the guys while Go Yoon Jung only ever really tried to have chemistry with Lee Jae Wook. I feel like Go Yoon Jung was all looks and no substance. I personally didn't feel any emotion, passion or see true authenticity. She didn't really give what Jung So Min gave when she was Naksu in season 1. If anything all she served was face / strong visuals (even though she looks like a child imo) and like a very soft version of Bu Yeon. That aside, I think the progression of their relationship was not built up as well as it was in season 1 and again I reiterate that their marriage of convenience romance subplot became the main plot and the whole alchemy of souls and Jang Uk's story of being born under the king's star and now possessing the ice stone was immensely overlooked. What kept me watching this drama was the fact that it was so overhyped and I didn't want to be left out of the loop. Honestly I wasn't planning on finishing it but i did. I feel like the last 2-3 episodes were quite rushed and it felt choppy and like the 3rd act conflict was very much underdeveloped.

I wish Jung So Min at least made an appearance in the final episode because when both Seo Yul and the crown prince (Go Won) finally admitted and acknowledged their feelings for Mudeok when she was “Buyeon”, it just didn't hit the same for me. I spent a lot of season 2 wishing and hoping Jung So Min would come back (at least in the last episode) because in my heart I was so attached to her character and each episode with the flashbacks only made it worse. I tried to remain impartial and unbiased while watching but found myself picking apart everything and comparing/overanalyzing – I guess that happens when shows switch / replace actors.

I love the soundtrack but I felt like the Blue flower theme, I'm Sorry and Love Letter (with you) was played much too frequently. I was glad to see that Min Hyun sang over Tree (Just Watching You) it sounded so similar to the original that even I was shocked. But truthfully I preferred the season 1 soundtrack and how they spaced the songs combined with the instrumentals far more than season 2.

I enjoyed Maidservant Kim and Park Jin as well as Jin Ho-Gyeong, she was cruel to Naksu but she just wanted her daughter to return to her as she has been searching for her for years. The Crown Prince and Seo Yul are truly underrated gems. They became my faves this season as I became tired and annoyed with this dark, brooding and moody Jang Uk - don't get me wrong LJW's acting is generally good but I preferred his acting in S1. I feel like all those actors always put so much emotion and effort into their scenes that you can feel it through the screen. Somehow I'm always impressed by Jin Mu's acting even though he is the worst character in the show. When he switched bodies with Seo Yoon O I thought the actor Do Sang Woo really nailed the part. I wish Jin Mu had suffered a bit more and died a slow and painful death but I guess we don't always get what we want. In my humble opinion I don't think this show needs season 3 and I am okay with how they wrapped it all up quickly and neatly. I was unbothered by the happy ending but in my opinion it felt rushed/choppy. It seemed like they tried to fit 3 more episodes into 1 episode which was unrealistic in a sense and I just couldn't truly be happy for the main couple.

I really wanted to like part 2 of Alchemy of Souls but unfortunately for me it missed the mark. Initially I rated it a 7/10 but there were so many things just not properly executed that I could not overlook. I believe I am being generous by giving it a 6 rounded up to a 6.5/10 rating. With that said a lot of this season was forgettable and I definitely would not rewatch.

S1 >>>>>>>> S2

ARGUE WITH THE WALL!!!!

✌️

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Only loyalty kept me watching until the end . . .

With the writers taking zero risks, and turning the main female character into a 'mary sue' empty shell of her former self, there's really nothing to recommend.

Three scenes only stand out in my mind: Jang Uk storming up to the Jin Matriarch and getting the tracker taken out of Jin Bu Yeun, Seo Yul attempting to save So Yi, and any scene with Prince Go Won and his turtle.

Otherwise there was little chemistry between leads, everyone just kind of ran around for 10 episodes. The music was nothing too outstanding, and the rewatch value is nil.

It was just incredibly disappointing on all fronts, and I was grimly watching just to see whether the main couple ends up dying or not. We need more sci fi/fantasy epic romance, I'm all for it. But, to do an epic romance, you have to be willing to take risks, and this second season takes none.

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