Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow (2022)

Among All Couples, You Two Are the Dearest--Light and Shadow!

Of course, I had no wish to spoil anything in the title, so I modified the quote of Master Lee as he tells Jang Uk and Cho Yeong, "Among all the married couples I have seen through my entire life, you two are the dearest." That is a sentiment that I'm sure resonates with most viewers.

A light that embraces a shadow will never be lost in darkness. This may be the most profound piece of wisdom said throughout the entire series. Most people fear the darkness; fear the shadow, but only by embracing it—accepting it—can it be released and let go. Jang Uk is the light, and Naksu is the shadow, and both are equally important in maintaining that balance.

Season 2 was every bit as incredible as Season 1, and in some ways, even more so as we finally come to the culmination of this vast, deep, complex, and incredible story. While it may be sad for those who’ve traveled this amazing journey, we are grateful to have been a part of it at all.

This is an epic series that transcends just about every other series that I have ever seen. It’s beautiful, it’s deep, it’s revealing, and it’s vast in its wisdom. Like so many other Korean shows, it invites the viewer to take a hard look at the world around him or her as well as to take a look within ourselves. It’s another reason why I believe that Koreans—and a few others—represent the next stage in the evolution of entertainment. That people no longer wish to JUST be entertained, but this medium of TV and film can be used to bring about change and wisdom.

Jang Uk embodies the ice stone, making him pretty much invincible. And while others crave the ice stone for its power and immortality, Jang Uk merely sees it as a vehicle to do what is right. That is what makes him a true hero, in my book because he is truly selfless. The only real question is whether or not he can find some spark of happiness for himself. He began this journey as a somewhat lazy and selfish young man. And now, he represents all that is good and noble in man.

When we last left Naksu, her sole desire was to get her energy back. However, had it not been for the bells, one has to believe that her love for Jang Uk would have prevailed. As Mu-deok, Naksu was a bit rough around the edges. We could see her fluctuating between her desire to get her power back and get revenge to softening and dropping her guard to let love inside. As Jin Bu-Yeon—despite her loss of memory—we see a much softer Naksu who smiles a lot more and seems deeply infatuated with Jang Uk. And nothing can substitute Naksu’s finally embracing the light AND shadow of who she is.

Maidservant Kim is as lovely and handsome as ever! And seeing Park Jin’s attempts at mastering the art of cooking were hilarious! They make a cute couple.

At 30 episodes, this series easily goes down as one of the best of all-time for me. And the best fantasy series since Lord of the Rings—and in some ways—even surpasses that one. They are just about even, as far as I’m concerned. We’re given an incredible world of mages whom—despite their extraordinary power—fall to the same evils as ordinary men. The story and characters are vibrant and deep, and the special effects are state-of-the-art, but they never overshadow the characters or the story. The special effects do what they are meant to do: compliment and enhance the story.

I cannot think of a single flaw in the series. It was well-written, well-directed, and immaculately performed by the entire cast. Performances across the board were impeccable. The chemistry between Lee Jae Wook and Go Yoon Jung was fantastic, which is really saying something because the chemistry between Lee Jae Wook and Jung So Min was equally impressive. When I saw that Jung So Min wasn’t going to be in the second part of the series, I admit that I was apprehensive, but Go Yoon Jung more than impressed me.

At some point, I will definitely want to rewatch this series. I’m sure there will be details that I’ve missed or forgotten. Plus, I can watch all 30 episodes together rather than having to wait. Alchemy of Souls is a journey that has been more than a privilege to be a part of. It’s like being grateful that you were alive to see and watch Star Wars for the very first time, watch Sohyang, Michael Jackson, Bruce Lee, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, etc. Those special people and moments that only seem to come around once in a lifetime. Alchemy of Souls is an unforgettable series for that reason.

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great cgi, romance plot

8,8/10. Sumpah harus mulai darimana ya ??? ini tuh konfliknya ga sebanyak di s1. Mungkin karena dulu si jang uk belum punya kekuatan sepowerful sekarang, makanya konfliknya bejibun ABIS. Klimaks konflik s2 cuma di eps 9 - 10 doang, selebihnya full romance between jang uk - naksu & kim doju - park. Jang uk - naksu hubungannya gemes karena tarik ulur, kim doju - park gemes karena sama2 kocak. Di ending beneran ngira si ji mu bakal idup terus makanya semua org butuh s3, taunya yaa k.o juga doi walaupun dgn cara yg kureng sadis ?? kalo menurutku knp semua org butuh s3 karena ending yg kaya kurang penjelasan. Jujur pas liat ending tu aku harus ulang 2x baru agak ngeh dikit sama maksudnya. Juga jang uk - naksu pas sama2 inget satu sama lain tuh sedikit bgt partnya jadi kayak AKSHSJSNSJK lebih banyak pressurenya dibanding happy. Untuk sinematografi & cgi ya gausah ditanya, beneran bagus drama ini bikinnya. Dari s1 gapernah ngecewain ?? yg disayangkan mungkin part naksu yg powerful cuma ada di awal2 sama ending doang, jadi kaya kurenggg gitu padahal bagus bgt pas dia punya kekuatan itu. Tapi ya balik lagi mungkin emank plotnya ditujukan naksu itu hadir di saat yg emg genting bgt buat warga daeho. Ostnya suka di part kedua ini, lebih ngena ?

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A Mediocre watch

Going from watching the masterpiece that Alchemy of souls Season 1 is to this is truly disappointing this season lacked the depth humour and charm season 1 embodied i know alpt of people trash on this drama because if the actresses change but that isn't even on my radar because i liked the new actress of course i preferred the other but for me they didn't really feel like the same person and we ciuld partially understand why but it wasn't only that that failed this season the plot going artificially nowhere to the bombastic anticlimactic ending i was really hoping since she had been dubbed the workds deadliest assassin to see even a little taste of the power but no not even an imaginary glimps all in all it still provided something to chew on hence the 7 but for me personally imaginary gonna stick with only season 1

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Why Part 2 Totally Steals the Show

I found Part 2 to be far more enjoyable than Part 1! The love story is richer and more nuanced, resonating deeply with its theme of longing for a partner. The emotional complexity of the characters’ relationships beautifully encapsulates the highs and lows of love and desire, making it incredibly relatable and profound—I simply can't look away!

While I appreciated Part 1 as well, I don't quite understand the criticism regarding the change in the female lead. This decision was outlined in the script from the start, and everyone was aware of it. Part 2 is more streamlined, focusing less on side characters than its predecessor, which results in a tighter narrative, even though Part 1 wasn't necessarily slow-paced. Moreover, it wraps up all the mysteries in just 10 episodes instead of 20!

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Overall excellent fantasy

SOOO many people are confused about the 'change' of actresses.
The first season had Naksu in someone else's body. So she looked like said person. As all the soulshifters do.
It was wonderful, & Jong So Min did a great job. But let's remember that Naksu in actuality looked like Go Yoon Jung, okay?
So, that ends with her petrifying like other soul shifters.
But Master Lee, plus the powers of the owner of the original body, makes it possible to bring back Naksu/Bu Yeon, albeit without any memory of the past or her identity. The soul that inhabits the body being Naksu, it shapes the body to look like Naksu (very necessary for the plot). THIS undoubtedly was planned from the beginning, because otherwise everybody would have immediately recognized her as Mu Deok! I did find this a bit inconsistent, as the Queen doesn't manage to get her original form back, but I suppose it could be explained by the body of Bu Yeon being turned to stone & having to reconstruct itself.
So all the nonsense about the actress 'changing' is just that - coming from people who do not understand the underlying plot development very well, & possibly failed to realize that the actress in Part 2 is the SAME one playing Naksu (as Naksu) in Part 1!
As for the way Naksu as Bu Yeon acted, good grief! She totally behaved as Mu Deoki had done (or as Naksu as Mu Deoki had done). She didn't have the anger and drive of Naksu because she lacked the MEMORIES of Naksu, but she didn't act like the real Bu Yeon either (as much as one can tell, seeing we only saw her (as Mu Deoki) briefly. I totally enjoyed those episodes so much, because she was reminding Jang Uk of what drew him to Mu Deoki without him realizing what was happening.
The final 2 episodes had some WTF moments, but they weren't overwhelming & mainly had to do with the somewhat illogical plot around the House of Jin & that Firebird/Dragon. It did seem that Jang Uk managed to destroy the mages much too easily, as well, which could have been improved with another episode - but since he'd been touted as all-powerful through-out Episode 2, that didn't bother me overmuch.
I loved the way all the secondary plots & characters had their own stories wrapped up. So many of these fantasies end sadly or ambiguously - or 'they were reincarnated together' ~sigh~ This one didn't do that, and I'm grateful.
So overall this is one of the best high fantasy dramas I've seen - including Game of Thrones, The Witcher, The Rings of Power, as well as several Chinese ones, let alone Korean. It wasn't dragged out too long (GOT, & every Chinese fantasy I've seen other than Ghost Bride), didn't destroy itself in the end (The Witcher), and didn't have a book that it mangled (The Rings of Power, Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones once Martin left). The Hong sisters know their craft very well indeed. Kudos to them!

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I'm completely in love with this drama

I'm not going to lie that memory plot was irritating as far as it was extended, but it still managed to hook me and look forward to the next episodes. The characters are so passionate, especially the protagonists, Naksu and Jang Uk. It's beautiful to see how their love transcends the physical, it's really a meeting of souls. In terms of plot, part 1 still wins, but in part 2, the chemistry between the main couple overflows on screen. I think both parties had very different proposals, but the essence of the story is still there. I just loved the parallels I noticed while watching

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naksu

The best fantasy historical drama in my opinion that I have ever watched, Actually, I don't really like historical dramas, I'm always picky when I want to watch historical dramas. and this is the best drama.. Starting from season 1 and 2, each episode doesn't make you bored at all.
At first I was confused when I saw scane clip reviews from other, between Naksu, Mudeok, Jin Buyeon, Choyoung, but after watching it is not confusing at all.
There's comedy, there's romance, let alone action, everything is perfect.
Even though the female lead was replaced, Go Younjung managed to build chemistry with the male lead

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A few issues story wise, but good overall.

If you want an almost perfect story to answer most of the questions that you had while watching part 1/S1, then don't expect too much. For me personally, the story was okay. There were a few issues. I know people had different opinions and some didn't like it. That's why I'm writing this review to show my perspective. Also note, that I'm going to use pt1-2/s1-2 interchangeably.

These are the issues I encountered regarding the stories & characters:
#1) I don't know if the subtitles were mistranslated, but Master Lee stated that Naksu was not a soul shifter which makes no sense. If it wasn't an incorrect translation, that means there's a flaw in the story somewhere. In S1, she performed the AOS but she had a different target & Bu yeon interfered in the process, leading Naksu's soul to go to Bu yeon's body. People who fail to soul shift also have a blue mark in their original body ( Naksu's original body also had one). In S1, by the temple, Gil joo(Jin mu's assistant) tried to shift souls in Jang uk's body but failed & his soul went back to his original body and he ran wild. In the end of S1, where Naku lost control with the bell & was easily controlled by Jin Mu because he gave his energy to her. She also got petrified, a characteristic of soul shifters.

#2) Jin Mu. I feel like they dragged Jin Mu for too long. I understand that he's the main villain, but there were so many occasions where he could've been rid of both in Pt1 &Pt2. It seems to me they came up with every reason for him to survive just so he could be the villain who brings out the fire bird, the source of chaos 200 years ago. Also Jin Mu's death in the fire with other mages didn't feel good enough. Feel like he should've suffered more.

#3) The fire bird. They made it sound like a huge issue, but it didn't seem like one. They never mentioned it pt 1 that the fire bird was the source of chaos. I feel like it should've been mentioned there & not near the end of pt2? Another thing is if the person of the king's star is able to kill the bird, why didn't master seo gyeong do that 200 years ago with jin seolran. Why did it have to be sealed instead? They made it look effortless to kill that bird. In just a minute, Jang Uk killed it without breaking a sweat. That's something that was never explained.

#4) A lot of things felt rushed. If they wanted to end this in 10 episodes, the amnesia shouldn't have been dragged to like episode 8.

#5) The bells. I hated that they introduced it in S1 (it felt unnecessary), but I don't recall it ever being shown to be used again in Part 2. They mentioned it for like 10 minutes just so Naksu would feel less guilty about her killing people.

What I don't see as issues:
1- FL change. If you cannot handle changes and watch a new face or you cannot accept someone new to play a role since you're familiarized with someone else's face for a character, then don't watch it. My honest opinion is that for the character that was shown in S2 for Buyeon/Cho Yeong, I don't see JSM pulling it off. I could be wrong. I liked Pt1/S1 & JSM, but another thing is that we were already shown GYJ's face as Naksu in pt1/S1. It makes sense to use GYJ face in pt2/s2. It may not be a plausible reason, but it was given in the start of pt2/s2. Before, Buyeon kept Naksu's energy under control to prevent her from going crazy and being petrified. However, when Naksu's energy took over with Jin Mu's energy, Buyeon no longer had control. In order to save her life & reverse the petrification, Master Lee stated that they had to use Naksu's energy and soul, therefore Buyeon's body would have the appearance of Naksu's real body.


2- FL's character. I'll admit I'm into strong FL characters myself, but I don't mind the type of FL character portrayed for S2 because it wasn't a frustrating character (most writers turn females into weak, whiny, jealous, immature, dumb characters which pisses me off the most). I, like others, expected her to go back to her usual self, the badass Naksu who kicked ass. When things didn't go as expected, I understood why they chose it that way and I didn't mind it. It actually seemed better. People (and I) forgot that Naksu was the identity of an assassin. She was used by Jin Mu & killed a lot of people & even stabbed the man she loved (although I really hated that part it was the most stupidest thing writers chose to do but that's for S1). It would make sense for her to want to let go of that identity because it was related to her vengeance and dark past. Additionally, Naksu's reputation would never be cleared in the eyes of the people. You cannot convince an entire country that she was a victim instead and attempting to do so would cause problems and further chaos. So letting go of the identity of Naksu, the elite shadow assassin who kills high level mages, was better for her. When her and Jang Uk were getting married, she said she wanted to use her birth name Cho Yeong. We don't know how Cho Yeong would grow up if she did not suffer that trauma. I'm assuming with the trauma gone, she would act similarly to how she was when she had amnesia. Basically the writers saying that if she hadn't suffered she would be like other female characters in the drama like Jin Choyeon or Yoon ok. Yes, one thing maybe they could've done differently is show a physically strong FL regardless of whether there is trauma or not. For example, in the end, Cho Yeong decides that she would be willing to train her mage powers to Chisu level again to help people. Completely different than being an assassin. But she's using her divine powers of Buyeon to help people instead in the ending that they showed us.

Damsel in distress. I partially agree with damsel distress but she's not weak (maybe physically but not mentally) or dumb. When she was trying to get the jade back, she didn't blindly follow the guy into the trap leading to Jin mu. She used her ability to see energy to follow the correct person (So yi). She also didn't inhale the powder that was meant to knock her unconscious & used her brain to jump in water to avoid it. Seo Yul did help her so yes it's partially damsel in distress. In order to prevent the Unanimous Assembly from taking out Jang Uk's ice stone she gave her being a soul shifter as a reason as to why his ice stone cannot be removed. She knew how to respond in times of stress & didn't make foolish decisions. She also got her revenge on Jin Mu (which the writers ruined by keeping him alive till the end).

What I watched this part2 for & liked:
- The continuation of the slight bromance between CP & Jang Uk. This part included a turtle.
- Maidservant Kim & Park Jin.
- Master Lee.
- The romance between Jang Uk & Bu yeon/Cho Yeong. Part 1 felt more of a platonic relationship & more master-pupil.

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Best kdrama ever

I love goyoojung and lee jaewook
Best couple with great chemistry
Every actors and actresses delivered perfectly
I wish this two actors work together in the future
They are perfect
The cast crew and everyone who contributed to the acting
The director and writers Hong sisters
Thank you so much for this beautiful drama
Hope one day will we see more drama with lee jaewook and goyoojung in the future
Love alchemy of soul light and shadow
Best drama ever
The perfect lines and drama you can never predict
It’s kept us on the edge throughout the movie
I love everything about it
So please direct more movies with both of them

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A fantastic sequel with character-driven conflicts, never seen plot twists, and top tier chemistry.

Season two has a totally different vibe and focus from season one. If you’re looking for something similar to season one, a story packed with conflicts and climactic events, then season two might not necessarily be your cup of tea. On the other hand, if you’re a big fan of character-focused stories, then this one is for you.

The conflicts in season two mainly lie with the characters themselves. Season two started off with a very different Jang Uk, who chose to stay within his darkness, not having a great will to live as he aims to take the ice stone out to die. He is the most powerful man in Daeho but he doesn’t have any more will to right any wrongs or move on from his past. He didn’t want to face his past and still felt a great amount of guilt and pain. Up until he met Jin Buyeon who helped him see a little bit of light and hope and showed him that warmth is possible even during the coldest nights. As he gain his will to live, he also gained his will to right wrongs. The story focuses on the conflicts within himself and how he managed to end up choosing to do what is right again and live to fulfill his destiny. You also get to see him go back to his old self slowly throughout the season, with his gaze softening, him laughing more, and his clothes becoming lighter colored.

As for Naksu/Jin Buyeon, season two clearly showed how trauma or painful memories can really change who you are. Without her memories, she’s very bubbly and free spirited. She never had the chance to truly be herself but at the same time, she was also still trying to find who she truly is. Once she gained her memories, she still felt like she didn’t deserve to live. She acknowledges that she had done a lot of terrible things in the past during her conversation with Yul, but even Yul highlighted that it was all Jin Mu’s doing all along. Season two is her journey to finding her true self after being used by others her whole life. At the end, she chose not to train again to gain her Chwisu skills back because “it’s too much work” but at the same time I feel like it also shows how she’s completely leaving her Naksu assassin self behind for good. Initially I was also looking forward to having her show her Naksu assassin self again, but watching how the story unfolded, I’m glad she decided to leave it all behind.

Other characters also had their own self development journeys. In this season, we managed to see how far Go Won had come and how he’s trying to do what is right by working together with Jang Uk. While Yul’s conflict lies with his personal guilt with what happened with Naksu and even thinking about surrendering himself to death because of it. But in the end, everyone had grown out of their past and have dealt with their guilt and regrets.

Aside from the great focus on the characters, this season also had very good plot twists. The plot twists of Go Won working together with Jang Uk, the plot twist of Jin Bu Yeon being Jin Seol Ran, and the great plot twist of the three empty coffins which made everyone cry their eyes out. I love the finale as they made us cry but gave the characters the deserved happy endings.

Another great point was the parallels. We had so many great parallels to season one which definitely adds to the story line and the engagement of emotions.

The only thing that I feel like was lacking is how the “action”. I think it might be because it is only 10 episodes that the ending seemed less epic and too simple. Yes, we had the amazing plot twists but how Jin Mu died was not satisfying enough. It was kind of like “that’s it?”. And Jang Uk defeated the fire bird so easily even though everyone was so fearful of the catastrophic consequences it might’ve bring to the world.

All in all, I feel like the cast did a 10/10 job. Lee Jae Wook subtle expressions and Go Youn Jung perfect depiction of the multiple characters she had to portray was amazing. Also, this season is romance heavy and their chemistry also hard carried the story. I think if they didn’t have such great chemistry with one another, this show wouldn’t have been as successful. The main point of season two is also to point out that Jang Uk and Cho Yeong will find and love each other in whatever form. They love each other’s soul and just like light and shadow, they belong together and will continue to protect and support each other. Their love was also what made Jin Seol Ran decide to bring Yeong back to bring the shadow back to his light. It was also why Master Lee asked them to get married — to show the sky and Jin Seol Ran how strong their love is for one another.

Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow is a fantastic drama and is officially in my top three favorite drama of all time.

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