Alchemy of Souls (2022)

A drama that made me unable to wait for the next episode to come

I watch all kind of Asian dramas and among them K dramas are my favorite. If it's a K drama, I don't mind the genre, I just watch it. However, being someone who is hard to be impressed, I rarely go crazy for them.

However, this kept me glued to the screen entire time. I found it unable to wait for next episode and now I am dying waiting for part2. I loved the unique plot, the characters, music and cinematography. Acting is top notch from main characters to supporting. I enjoyed the relationship dynamics between Uk and MD and MD and rest of the characters. I have been a fan of both the leads (LJW & JSM) watching all the dramas they appeared. But, this made me fall for them harder.

As for the flaws, some parts were quite draggy and some things need more explanations. Other than that, a good watch.

So, if you are hesitating, don't think too much. Just watch it. It's a MUST watch if you are a crazy K drama fan like me. Loved this

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This is my own personal review so I suggest not reading it because it won't make any sense

I just finished the drama and I don't think I have ever felt such a rush of emotions before. There is a reason that I avoid sad dramas with a passion. I think the only way I will be able to write a coherent review is if I separate the first 19 episodes and the finale. Oh my goodness.
First 19 episodes:
Let me try to dredge up my feelings from 40 minutes ago. This is definitely going down in my top 10 favorite shows(I can just pretend the show ends on episode 19 if the second season is bad). I actually might have to do a competition to see if I have a new favorite otp. They are definitely the most passionate couple. I had a very unique experience with this show. I wasn't able to watch it when I was in Israel besides the first two episodes because of stupid region lock. When I finally was able to see it again, I binged 6 episodes in 2(?) days. This is why I feel like my memory of the beginning is a little bit spotty. The finale has also completely ruined my image of the show.

To me, I think the first thing that comes to mind regarding this show is the dynamics. Each character had a unique dynamic with another character. There was no "Hangs out in the same friend group but for some reason, never seem to acknowledge each other" relationships. The double master dynamic of the mains is the primary thing that captivated me at the start of the show. I loved how both had power in the relationship which is always nice and healthy person life. Let me just move onto categories since that might be easier for my mismashed brain currently.
Characters:

Naksu/Mudeok: I will start with her because her character development is in a way the most simple but subtle. She starts off the show with only power as her motivation. She views weak people as useless. She has been given zero affection for the majority of her life. Her sense of authority is ruined due to believing the mages killed her father unjustly and then having stupid(literally the worst person in the whole wide world, shares the title of "Back Off Foul Beast" with the guy from One Spring Night, I honestly think I hate him more than the guy from Happiness, if he showed up in front of me in real life I think the only chance of him surviving is if someone held me back) Jin Mu be her employer. She has no real relationships but she has insane power. In her mind, this is the right life. This honestly is really meaningful to me because in most people's mind, this is the good life. So many people choose careers over a life of love but what is the point of all that power, if you have no one to enjoy it with? In the middle of the show, the only person she trusts is Jang Uk and hides her true self from everyone. Even Jang Uk though is only temporary. She is ready to betray him at any second. It is only after seeing his hard work and his dedication to her that she changes her mind. When she begins to love Jang Uk, she also seems to open herself up to other people. As the 18th episode showcased, Mudeok has real tenderness for many people now. Her love of Jang Uk and her interaction with good people change her. As Girl Meets World said, "People change people." The cap of her character development is when she chooses to sacrifice her power to save Uk. That is when she threw her past self away. She even acknowledges this to Yul. Her past self was willing to kill herself if she didn't have any power. Now, she is ready to live a wholesome life(where is that show???) with Uk. Now, all that serious talk aside, lets talk about how awesome Mudeok is!!! Everyone knows how a female lead will be introduced as a major bad awesome but will quickly wither away to a helpless damsel in constant need of the male lead. Not Naksu. She stays strong and powerful throughout the show even when she doesn't have her power. Jung Somin really showed off her acting prowess. I have always liked her for delicacy and grace but she completely blew my socks off with this role. That scene in episode 18... you could see the weight of the decision flashing in Mudeok's eyes. I am really sad to see her go. Hopefully, Younjung is good although I tend to find her a bit stone faced. Her facial expressions were able to compete with the king of expressions, Lee Jae Wook(although he did win, he isn't the king for nothing). I loved her Mudeok side and her Naksu. The glare in her eye is really impressive as a fellow baby face. Also, oh my goodness, she looks so young for her age. She only seems older than Lee Jaewook due to her experience. Oh yeah, I also love how op she is. It makes sense that she would be stronger than the other young mages since she didn't have the luxury of taking breaks when she was younger but it is still so satisfying.
Jang Uk: Congratulations, Lee Jaewook, you are now third in my favorite actor list. This role was the perfect encapsulation of all of his charms. Before I go full fangirl, let me properly analyze. Jang Uk started this drama as a good-for-nothing spoiled rich kid. Nobody expected anything from him. He was looked down upon for having no powers and being illegitimate but people still acted two faced since his father is his father. His only source of affection was the (lovely) Kim Doju. He was surrounded by the one thing he was unable to do: magic. How must it have felt to not even able to attempt the one thing that could make people believe you are your father's son? Nevertheless, he still tried. He attempted to learn from 13 masters who all gave him busy work while looking down upon him. No wonder he becomes so desperate to even take Naksu as his master. This already . hinted to us the greyness of his character. He begins to learn from her and is loyal as possible. His loyalty stems from her being the first person to let him actually live. We see the frustration and hard work of his early journey. This is why even though I binged his journey of becoming a proper mage, I still felt as proud as Kim Doju watching him. This is his moment. After such a lax childhood, no wonder he kept losing motivation easily especially since his teacher enforced tough love which was definitely not the right teaching method for him. This didn't matter though because when someone he loves is on the line, he is not willing to stop at any cost to help them. Jang Uk is loyal. That is almost the fastest way to sum up his character. His character development ended when he realized that the reputation he so badly wanted to earn didn't actually matter. As long as Mudeok thought highly of him, that is all that matters. Now, *cracks knuckles*, let the fangirling begin. Can I just say as a facial expression addict, Uk was like cocaine. I loved his sassy, playful, cheeky, and swoony expressions. Lee Jae Wook is so talented for so young. This role especially at the beginning would have been so annoying from anyone else. Also, his look throughout the drama was *chef kiss*. I feel like this role really allowed Lee Jaewook to exercise all of his acting chops. Most likely due to the fact that it seems like the role closest to his actual personality of out of all of his roles. Oh my goodness, Lee Jaewook in all of his black outfits throughout promotion nearly made my heart stop. I can't believe I didn't find him good looking at first. Actually, when I saw him smile in that True Beauty preview, I did find him good looking. Proving once again that I am a no bad boy gal. Okay, let me go to sleep.

Master Lee:

Yul, Danggu, and CP:

Arin:

Kim Doju:

Parents:

Bad Guys:
Humor:

Depths of characters:

Intelligence of mains:

Final episode:

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Very unique story

This definitely became one of my favourite kdramas. Its story is fresh and unique and kept me interested throughout all the episodes. Usually I skip a bit during the episodes because I don't always have patience watching filler scenes but this was one of the few kdramas that I didn't skip anything because the story was so intriguing. Each plot was written in a way that made sense with the story as a whole and pieces of the story were revealed at the appropriate time. The actors also did an incredible job, especially after having seen some of them in different kdramas with a completely different character. I would definitely recommend this kdrama.

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Same stuff as time travel

People moving from one body into another is just like people going back and forth in time, making a mess of who is who and the relatives. Some people enjoy it.
The development of the plot was confusing and slow, filled with meetings across 20 episodes, making it look like a play from Ancient Greece. The participants at these meetings kept rambling about the power structure in the Joseon-lookalike kingdom and an "ice stone". What was extremely unclear was the basis for what was legit and what wasn't in this magical world.
One thig was extremely clear: everything was fake as fake can be.

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Slow Paced

The "alchemy of souls" magic spell, which permits souls to transfer bodies, is a forbidden magic spell that is used in the series, which is set in the fictional nation of Daeho and follows the love and development of young mages as they fight their twisted fates.

It tells the tale of a renowned warrior named Nak-su, whose soul was unintentionally imprisoned inside Mu- eok's frail body. She becomes involved with Jang Uk, a member of a noble family, and becomes his slave and master. Uk learns her skills from her while they fall in love.

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Worst storyline, draggy, repetitive and has annoying characters. Not creative, just borrowed elements from Xaxia Cdrama. Bad writing is when the writer exposes everything in the first few episodes only to the viewers only to drag it and reveal it later..
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The ML is said to be a genius only when the writer sees it suitable for a particular scene. He is actually very slow and his fast learning skills are only due to the King's star under which he was born.

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It is lacking

The story has everything I like, romance, action, comedy, fantasy, strong leads. But alas, it lacks everything.

Romance: the ML, FL chemistry has good vibes, but romance is little and dull.
Action: good sword fights, but no fight was an intense or a thrilling one, as all fights were training for ml. He didnt fight a single serious villain in all of 20 episodes.
Comedy: can't complain on this.
Fantasy: Doesn't hold a candle to animes I've watched. No aspect of it was new.
Leads: Entire story builds on premise that FL is weak and hunted. She becomes strong in finale, the episode that does only to build premise for next season.

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Something missing

Honestly, I expected a lot from this series. I am stuck between do I like this series or is mediocre? I love that the Hong sisters wrote this. I always enjoy their work. Just like every Hong sister series, the hype of wanting to continue each episode, how everything was execute perfectly between being serious and comical, it has a great storyline, awesome cast, and memorable music. BUT something was always missing for me, even from the beginning. For this series, I felt the chemistry between the leads missing. More so from the FL. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy her character. I think the actress makes it work but to be in love with ML with all that breaking heartache...I didn't feel it. I was disappointed because I was told this was a love story. I was expecting a bit too much from the series and was disappointed. I've seen snippets of the second season, so I am hopeful that I might get the heartwrenching love line I was looking for.

The other downside to this was that the story started out slow, a lot happened within each episode but I skipped a lot. And the ending and the discovery of how things unfold in the last few episodes were fast. There were so many unexpected events that did not feel like the cliffhanger was necessary nor was it something that should have been put there. I felt disappointed even though I knew a second season was in place. I still felt it could have been handled a bit differently.

6.5/10 for me
Rewatch value: 1/10. I really wanted it to be higher. I really thought that my low rating might have been due to skipping a lot of content but I still got the storyline and the main points. I might go back if someone can point out pieces of information I may have missed.

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It is getting repetitive..

Hello, just want to preface this review by saying, yes, I did drop the drama. However, I skimmed through the last few episodes, which is why I can't technically say I watched all of them. So ignore my review if this bothers you. Back to the review, this is all my own opinion, not meant to sway anyone or change anyone's mind about trying this drama out, because it could totally be for you.

Overall, the drama started out good. I was excited for it as I thought it had potential. I like both Lee Jaewook and Jung Somin, I think they acted well and did what they could with their characters. However, from the very start, I picked up on the extreme similarities of the main character writing + otp dynamics from the Hong sisters last two works, like are they not bored? They give us a strong FL to start with, and a goofy-ish male lead (who will get stronger later while FL gets weaker) and it is all just so predictable. I'm sorry, I just feel like they need to try something new out. Aside from this though, I could feel the magic die as the show went on, it just lost that fire it had at the start in my opinion. I don't know what it is, but it started to become a chore to me to have to watch this drama. So, it wasn't for me to force myself to finish watching it.

The chemistry between the leads was also nothing special or unique in my opinion, I think a lot of this is due to how typical their love line was. It was just nothing new or different, nothing to cheer on. Also, this is perhaps a preference thing, but I'm really tired of the trope of having a female lead with three different guys who chase her, it feels so outdated.

For me personally, this drama was recycled with predictable twists and tropes, and it also failed to utilize the potential of things like the Four Seasons etc. So, it is a skip from me. However, I can totally understand the love it has gotten, and also respect everyone's own opinions and feelings towards it. :)

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WHY IS THE ML SO DETESTABLE?

I wrote my original review as I was watching the show, still under the full emotional overload, so it was a bit messy and more of a rant than anything else. To say I was furious is an understatement because I was really really really looking forward to this show.

Despite dropping the show for a short while I've now decided to put my emotional attachments to the side and try to finish it. It was mostly because I found the lore so intriguing and high production value in this genre is not exactly a daily occurrence. I've now finished it, gathered my thoughts and put it down in a more coherent matter.

Lets first get the good things out of the way.
- THE LORE
The lore was really awesome. They really put a lot of effort and thought in creating a really rich and intriguing world with complex relationships between families/characters , and rich albeit only limited history. Would've been great if we learned more about history beyond the last 200 years, as well as the world beyond the palace, Songrim etc. Considering the amount of superfluous stuff the stuffed in there this would've absolutely been better use of screen time.

- VFX
Without context it was okay-is at best (smoke simulations were quite iffy) but considering the nature of Korean series and comparing it to Hongs' previous fantasy endeavor Korean Odyssey, this was miles better. After a while you got used to it and it didn't distract from the story.

- MUSIC
Was good. Didn't distract, everything was complementing the story nicely, nothing to distracting but at the same time nothing unforgettable, My spotify is full of OST songs, at least 1 song from each show I watched (at least the theme song) because if it captures the emotion of the moment in the show you know it's going in there. But this show had none unfortunately.

- ACTING & CHARACTERS
Save for a pair of them (more on that later), everyone across the board was great. There were a few odd moments from the Queen (as Choi) and Jin Ho Kyung that were dangerously approaching the soap opera shouting matches. But were really sparse so easily forgivable.

Shin Seung Ho as crown prince was just phenomenal. The character itself was quite nicely written. Given the full range and arc. But his choices were just spot on. Always going against what was on the page and in the text. When the text called for over the top he was showing restraint, when the text called for self-pitty he was showing strength. Like a true veteran who knows the acting happens between the lines and under the text this fairly new actor was just delightful to watch. Will definitely keep an eye on him and really looking forward seeing his career progression.

Hwang Min Hyun as Seo Yul was great as well. The character itself was not that greatest to begin with. But he gave him life and internal thoughts reflected in his eyes even tho he was quite stoic, to the point where I totally got SLS.

Yoo Joon Sang as Park Jin, Im Chul Soo as Master Lee, Jo Jae Yoon as Jin Mu, Lee Do Kyung as Heo Yeom and Oh Na Ra as Kim Do Ju all just doing their thing so nothing to say here expect for lay back and enjoy the skills.

And an honorable mention Seo Hye Won as So Yi was another great pleasant surprise. With a character that could easily fall one either side of the bad spectrum she brought complexity and depth full of internal paradoxes that manifested itself in form of unexpected emotional switches that keep the character fresh and always reacting to the current circumstances and never a caricature or should I say archetype bound by its past.

- OTHER
It was really nicely shot, blocking and composition of the shots - the frame was (mostly) never dull or unbalanced .There were a few times when they utilized negative space way to many times despite the subtext being completely evident form the text. Production design was great, costumes & hair as well. A nice fusion of late Joeson period with some Three Kingdoms Shilla designs. All in all great production value.


Now the ROTTEN part:

- THE PREMISE
A bit on the fence about this one because although it was intriguing and had enough complexity to build and sustain more than 1 season, it left a bittersweet taste in my mouth because it relegated 2 of the best characters Naksu and Jang Kang to a mere furniture. And if we're brutally honest Jang Uk being kinda product of A RAPE!!! doesn't gel well with the whole Chose One agenda. I don't know about you that's a pretty bad start I would say.

- THE DIRECTING
Too many single gazing shots were the actors were just standing there out of their depth and didn't know what to do and were trying really hard to look like whatever emotion they were told to portray (ie squinting their eyes when expressing suspicion, or their eyebrows all the talking when they were supposed to be angry) - it was the two two leads. And this one is not even funny. It's so painfully obvious that it made me uncomfortable to the point of skipping it completely. Replaying the same moments we already saw with 10% of new information as if it was some big reveal. Too many dull and unwarranted flashbacks, especially ML&FL that missed the target so badly it was like watching a documentary on birds.

- THE WRITING

By ep3 I was starting getting this sick feeling in my stomach and was supper annoyed every-time ML showed up on screen. And that's when I knew this show is going to suck because if the show starts being annoying this early on especially if it's character writing it rarely recovers.

So the big question is: WHY IS THE ML SO UTTERLY DETESTABLE?

Lately there seems to be a trend with all the female lead shows (that are written by a woman) to make the ML really unlikable or a total pathetic looser (yes I'm looking at you 'Why Her'). Which is sad because I love female lead shows. It's like the writer spent all her energy on female character and just couldn't be bothered to properly develop the male lead so she used all the lazy and dirty tricks in the book and try to literally force us to like the male lead (More on that later).

The writing of the ML character was quite awful if you take it at a face value. He was an entitled whiny man-child who got everything through sheer dumb luck and was still super arrogant with no emotional growth. And everyone loved him despite all that (just because he was ML). I don't know how can anyone sympathize with that.

I totally get the backstory though I really do. Makes for more tension and conflict. But first inconsistency is him acting entitled. Ok fair enough it kinda makes sense if you MOSTLY lean into the fact that he's from one of the 4 top families. Rich spoiled kid and whatnot.

I mean entitlement is not really a characteristic you would want to build your ML around. I don't personally find it virtuous and believe majority of cultures around the world don't either but whatever.

But if you lean more into the parental neglect etc, I don't think the main characteristic would be entitlement. How can you be entitled if you've been hammered most of your life? Maybe entitled to expect more bad things to happen :) I believe it would be more in the line of bitterness towards the world maybe self loathing etc. right?

So then you kinda ask yourself. Well they set backstory and everything up so nicely and don't really lean into it. Then the only reason it's there is to act like a token to force us (and other characters) to feel sorry for him. On screen you see him act like a jerk with not subtext, but hey remember his past, he's a victim, you gotta feel sorry for him. To me that feels cheap. Actually it's called emotional extortion.

And I also get that he's supposed to be special with King's star energy but everything coming easy to an entitled person with, here's the important part: NO REDEMPTION on his part - what's there to rejoice?

Uk is the god of this universe everything he touches and does turns to gold and should thus be be praised and the people shall bow before him. God forbid you say anything against him. (In ep20 when Naksu is petrified of-course the voice of THE GOD Jang Uk is the only thing that get get her out of trance she's in)

I'm all for godlike ML. Yes please make my mouth water but make him a whole. This is like somebody took a spoiled rude billionaire's son who can buy everything with his dad's money (King's star) is not even drop dead good-looking and told you to adore him and hail him as a your perfect man. No thank you.

The writing is not that great but it's on the actor to fill in the missing gaps. Like for example: when she points out this fact that he's extremely lucky and got everything through his dumb luck. Great opportunity for redemption. He could acknowledge it, yeah she's right I gotta work harder to earn my keep - internal monologue so we see the wheels turning in his eyes, a slight nod. But all we get is the same 'cool' empty stare. Just do anything for christ's sake. So instead of coming across as a bad thing and making the ML reflect on his actions and attitudes, it feels like they are trying to pass it off as some sort of a virtue.

Same goes for their relationship. The master-pupil relationship should be submissive or I should rather say respectful to begin with. But again he's super entitled with her from in the beginning and it takes ages before the dynamic actually changes. And when it does the damage has been done. Because even in the beginning the entitlement doesn't make sense. Like he searched her out in the first place because she's awesome (and he knows that), nothing in his past can make him think that he's any good (he doesn't know about his extreme powers). And when she starts training him she totally embarrasses him. But he still keeps going with the same attitude/delivery.

Well eventually the writers did try to redeem the ML but in the cheapest possible way. By showing him as a 'cute', in-love guy but it totally didn't work because the switch wasn't earned and the damage was done. Even on its own their romance between didn't work at all. Just felt off. When they were getting married I seriously puked in my mouth. And of-course a mandatory I will risk everything for a noble cause. That everything being something that you didn't work for, or with the analogy your dad's money, which doesn't really make it a sacrifice. Don't even get me started with the aftermath.

I can appreciate that the writers were trying to achieve a nuanced character and I blame the actor because his delivery was so bland that it makes a wooden plank look like a human being . He delivered everything with absolutely no subtext. So all the 'bad attitude' on paper was just plain rude and arrogant. I think that the writers didn't intend that because I watched a few of their other shows and other MLs didn't have the same problem. Fore example 이승기 in Korean Odyssey was written as quite of a jerk as well but he put in so much subtext that all his delivery had so much meaning attached to it and was super nuanced. And even withing the show itself, Jin and Housemaid Kim were constantly rude to each-other and bickering but there was so much subtext and meaning behind it because the actors were really good.

I know sometimes it's really hard to separate the actor from the character but I can in good faith say that he didn't do his best in making the character multifaceted let alone likable. Makes sense, ML here is an model turned actor who just got his feet wet and it shows. After a while the only expression he has is a one of a constipation. Plus I find his looks a bit annoying. But that's just my personal bias.

Finally with Ep9 I was beginning to get my hopes up that this show will finally rebound. And then in the last minute they go and ruin it again. With the most cheesy OH-IT'S-FATE moment ever. And her motivations don't make sense at all. All this time she was longing for Yul but the only obstacle she had was that she thought his family killed her dad. And when she finally learns the truth. She changes her mind and all of a sudden she loves this abusive man-child.

According to the writer all it takes is for someone to be nice to a woman (eye-roll) and she falls for them (Yul was being nicer and nicer to her with each passing moment and they have history) but I guess only when it's the ML and convenient for them.

After that the I started skipping whole scenes (ML) because I didn't care anymore, so in the end I ended skipping about 50% it and still knew what was going on and was actually better of because of it. The show could have been at least 6 episodes shorter.


- CONCLUSION

This show without the ML and maybe a different FL would have been 8 maybe 9/10. But the sins they committed are so grave and the disappointment or should I say the negative impact, weighted against the show's potential, my personal expectations and the nonsense of spinless 10/10 ratings, is so big that I cannot change my score and give it anything else but 1/10, even now.

So I'm gonna say this, if you have a least an ounce of brain this show will insult you intelligence over and over again to the point were it expects you to be a brainwashed YES person. And if you don't mind that or if you prepare yourself beforehand it can be somewhat fun. Otherwise avoid it like a plague. Because IT IS gonna make you wanna vomit at certain times.

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I LOVE THIS KDRAMA!!

First of all, I am not a fan of most of kdrama nowadays. Maybe for the plot wise, the main characters, side characters, the cinematographies and the story as a whole, I am not the avid kdrama fan. But, this drama really captured me left and right starting from epd 1 to epd 18. We only have 2 episodes left this season and hoping for the best. The criteria I always prefer when come across for a drama or movie 1) the acting 2) the well-written story 3) cinematography and I don't mind a slow burn drama if it is beautifully done by the writers, producers and actors.

Now, let's dive into the characters. ML in this drama is very rare in the kdramaland. He is honest and straightforward, kind, trustworthy, smart, a protector but at the same time very childish-like, sometimes weak. Don't we all? He is loved by many people who willingly will protect him at any cost. I appreciated the writers didn't make him a perfect ML characters. It is fun time to watch him grow into someone bigger and stronger.

Now, the FL. What can I say, the actress slayyyy the roles. Definitely difficult to do 3 different roles but she is a pro. You will love her and if you're not there is something wrong with you. I love how she is the contrast of the ML but they are the same nevertheless. Hard-headed peoples. They take time to warm to each other until they are finally understand each other with just their eyes😘.

Finally, the characters. They are unique and distinct characters in every way and no one is useless. SML is not a toxic character. No one is toxic hopefully 🤞. This drama will be just as fun with just these characters. I love the writers made the bad characters not so bad characters but the evil characters is just as evil.

The plot. I think I can agree in the midway, the plot kind of draggy with unnecessary stories but I enjoyed them so much. I don't know how they gonna wrap up the remaining 2 episodes. The comedy is on point, not too over the top or too cringy. Nevertheless, it is well-written and beautifully done by the writers. The VFX are awesome. I just love the OSTs. They are on🔥🔥. Definitely, I will rewatch this drama so many times.

Edited after part 1 finale:-

I just love the major cliffhanger for this finale. The preview for the part 2 looked great though. Although I felt utterly sad for JSM to leave the show but I also anticipated with the OG Naksu to come back.

I used to watch open/sad ending for the most of the series and this one will be good considering there will be part 2. I just hope all the plot holes will be answered in the next part. I know many viewers were disappointed with the cliffhangers, plot holes, JSM is no longer in the drama but for me I will patiently waiting for the next part. And I hope you guys too 😉.

See you again in December. 🙆

P/S: Please excuse my grammars. I am not an English speaker in the first place. 😉

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Alchemy of Souls is everything a fantasy story should be (plus some)

I am a lover of fantasy in pretty much all forms of media but wasn't sure I wanted to start such a long on-air drama, especially since it was going to be split into two seasons. After all, how much story is there to tell in that genre that hasn't been done before? I am so glad I did. Alchemy of Souls (AoS) does just about everything right; from successfully portraying complex morally grey characters, to creating a detailed but digestible fantasy background.

Every character in this drama has serious flaws (don't we all), but the audience gets to grow with them as the story progresses. It is so seamless and unforced, that you don't even realize how much the characters have developed until they are confronted by one of their original weaknesses (ie-Naksu constantly being presented with opportunities to *unalive* people). The actors have such amazing chemistry together and are giving impeccable performances, allowing these characters to have so much depth and personality that you're constantly hypnotized regardless of the plot. In writing it can be easy to rely on either the characters *or* the plot, especially when in a fantasy narrative. However, here we have a truly seamless blend, where it feels like each is just as important as the other.

The characters have to make choices that give you pause, thinking about what you would do if you were there; there is often not a black and white "good versus evil" choice. The prime example of this is Naksu's whole ~body~ situation; we all kind of want her to stay as we know her, but is that really the "right" choice? Or even the main ~romance~ storyline; seeing their relationship develop, and how well they mature and get to know each other. They are both often forced to give pause and think about what they want, versus how it will impact the other. In my personal opinion, this kind of moral complexity, the kind that is so subtle but forces the audience to subconsciously engage with the story on a deeper level, is the trademark of good storytelling. And while this isn't especially easy to achieve in novel form, I think it is much more difficult to portray on television, when you can just *show* people what they are supposed to think. AoS does an amazing job with this.

"People can be very foolish.” – Crown Prince

“They are not foolish. They are frightened.” – Jang Uk

I love myself a good fantasy novel or movie, but so often it can be intimidating to even understand what is happening due to all the lore; AoS definitely has a lot of this to catch up on, but they spread out a lot of the lore through the story. Uk's character is especially good for this; he grew up in the world but was constantly shut out from truly understanding it. The audience gets to learn about the important details as he does. Side note, I love the incorporation of modern fashion in the character designs. It brings new life to the historically inspired fantasy style, and I think it makes the whole world feel quite fresh and engaging, without trying too hard. Despite the length of episodes, I find myself very rarely skipping through scenes (I'm looking at you, So-Yi).

I definitely think this is a drama that is truly elite to watch while airing, as the world is so new that the excitement and suspense can really be felt as it is quite unpredictable. It is not without its flaws or plot holes, but it is rare to find a drama (especially one this long) that feels so fresh and exciting, that you don't even think about hitting that "skip ahead" button. I certainly see myself rewatching this later in preparation for Season 2... I won't lie, as a fan of the Hong Sister's previous dramas, I am getting a bit nervous about this ending...so I decided to write the review before I potentially cried over this story, hah!

“Some things are hard to see because they are hidden, not because they do not exist.” – Jang Uk

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Great Build Up.. Disappointing Pay Off... Full of Huge Plotholes

Took two of the most powerful and badass characters in the show and combined them.. then turned her into a stupid useless damsel in distress for the whole season. I kept waiting for the moment she unleashes her powers and it never came.. when it finally came at the end, it was so frustrating and anticlimactic.. they just used it to set up season 2.

The 2nd most powerful character spent the whole season being missing. They kept building up for his return. At the end when all hopes were lost he actually returned.. then just died without doing anything!

The third most powerful character spent the whole show drinking chaste tea.

Jang's return, Mu-Deok's real identity reveal, Bu-Yeon's power to control the ice stone, Naksu reveal... All of them were ruined and nobody seemed to care about these reveal.. these were supposed to be the big moments in the finale. The only meaningful fight was in the very first episode. The finale didn't have any fight. They used the last Naksu fight as an end credit set up for season 2.

The last 4 episodes didn't even have 15 min worth of story. I don't even think a 2nd season was necessary.

Whoever cast the child actors for the 3 brothers must be blind cuz they look so different from their adult counter parts that it's not even funny.

Then there's the plotholes.. every single plotline was illogical. I think the writers had go through some intensive mental training to come up with those illogical excuses to stop Naksu from using her power and Bu-Yeon from controlling the Ice Stone. I am going to list a few of them plotholes here ..
1. Everyone blaming Jang Kang for using the ice stone when it was lady Jin who forced him to use it for her own gain.
2. Everyone can use the power of the ice stone for everything except Naksu and Bu-Yeon (who is supposed to be the only one who can control it's power)
3. Bu-Yeon, the most powerful priest who can control Naksu's power and stop her from running wild couldn't stop her from running wild after some weak spell from Ji Mu
4. Ice stone can stop every soul sifter from running wild or being petrified expect for Naksu
5. The whole ice stone barrier episode makes no sense
6. Lady Jin not confronting her husband and Ji Mu full well knowing her daughter is fake.
7. Even after learning that Mu-Deok could be her daughter she did nothing to save her.
9. How could everyone (including Songrim) just agree to kill Mu-Deok to see the power of the ice stone just like that?
10. How is Ji Mu still alive? It makes no sense. When everyone was confronting the queen, he was just standing there and nobody said anything to him.
11. Kept talking about how the ice stone can unlock Naksu's power and keep her from being petrified permanently but after she used it she was back to being Mu-Deok
12. Naksu never caring about who is the blind girl that keep showing up in her vision.. or everyone else not caring about what happened to the original Mu-Deok's soul.
13. Lady Jin letting Ji Mu enter Jijiyoung even after knowing her daughter is fake (atleast she claims that she already knew)

and I can just go on and on..

The whole cast was great, even the actors who played the smallest roles did great. Vfx, action and cinematography were top notch. Comedy was very good. The main idea behind the story was somewhat decent.. but if you pay even a little attention everything falls apart.

Overall the show felt like "2 hrs of foreplay and 4 sec of actual sex or even no sex at all"

PS: Don't ask how I know what it feels like to have "2 hrs of foreplay and 4 sec of actual sex"

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