Alchemy of Souls 환혼 [2022-2023]

[gilaswan]

Jin Mu is an absolute cockroach. That’s what he is. A cockroach.

[mademoiselle]

Lee Jae Wook and Go Youn Jung's IG Updates

 

Spoiler

Still looking for 4 leaf clover?

 

 

[ktcjdrama]

Finally... I can have a good night’s sleep after shedding quite a bit of tears 😄

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by ktcjdrama

[Tofu]

It's finished! I'm glad they got to be together at the end. 

[gilaswan]

I’m not so sure I understood the cause of the catastrophe… this fire bird thing was very confusing 

[Tofu]

@gilaswan Hahahaha! I'm glad I wasn't alone. Some parts were confusing and the ending to the fire bird was a bit anticlimactic. I'm just glad it was a happy ending for the couple. That's probably enough for me with this drama. 

[ktcjdrama]

I shed quite a bit of tears in the finale. One was during the scene between KDJ and PJ at Jinyowon. How what was happening was foreshadowed in one of their earlier conversations. Another one is the wedding ceremony (such sweet simple wedding which I was so afraid will not last) Then the other one is between the OTP when Yeong gave the sign to Uk that she remembered everything and said I love you then passed out. 
 

As for the fake deaths, I had a glimmer of hope when I saw that JHK and KDJ are only trapped inside. Because they could just have passed out inside and be rescued later by the young ones. But when Park Jin was stabbed at the heart, I kinda think maybe he won’t make it after all. But hey, Uk came back to life, so why can’t Park Jin? Those several minutes were hard to go through. But as the young ones explained how they couldn’t retrieve any of the bodies, my hope grew again. And when Uk nonchalantly announced they are not dead, I was fist pumping “yay!!!” Truly a rollercoaster ride for me, yet watching with bated breath. 
 

I also like that we are shown JHK selflessness in ensuring the dangerous relics do not get out. I finally (kinda) get why she is so rigid and inflexible about many things. Appreciate this scene as I can now understand and forgive her for sewing that tracking thread onto JBY. 

 

There are many other things which I want to talk about regarding how and why I love Hong sisters writing. How they always have a way to round things back; how most of the issues viewers been ranting and questioning are addressed in the story. But for now, I need to get back to RL and do stuff. Not in a hurry, as I foresee rewatching scenes from this drama, so I will post again.

 

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by ktcjdrama

[mademoiselle]

 

 

[mademoiselle]

The bromance continues...

[mademoiselle]

18 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

Finally... I can have a good night’s sleep

LOL, I watched it live last night exactly for this reason - thinking I'll be able to sleep earlier only to still be tossing and turning throughout the night 😅. And now I'm extremely sleepy.

10 hours ago, Tofu said:

Some parts were confusing and the ending to the fire bird was a bit anticlimactic.

IKR. The fire bird being killed so easily is so anti-climatic.

 

I am glad it is a happy ending, and also entertained the thought that perhaps this time round they had to write a happy ending for the OTP because they didn't give IU and Yeo Jin Goo a happy one. That said, I wanted more of Jang Wook and Naksu's scenes to be honest.

 

• • •

 

This finale episode was super long. I really could do without the unnecessary angst of the 3 supposedly dead Elders. The part where they cried, wailed and argued about the egg is too draggy.

 

The BGM after the fire bird died was nice (sounds like watching the Marvel heroes movies), but also made me wanted to laugh because it was a very grand and dramatic theme, except I wasn't impressed or woah by the execution. To be honest the fire bird (phoenix) vs the dragon (water dragon) has a good fantasy/wuxia/xianxia concept but it was underwhelming...if you guys know what I mean.

 

And honestly I don't quite understand why Jang Wook is the only one able to defeat it. Just because he possessed the ice stone and was born with the king's star? What's the king's star had anything to do with it? If it is only the latter, wasn't Master Lee also born with it?

 

I'm also trying to get my head around this world building and how a soul thing works. My understanding is that it is Jin Seol Ran's soul born into Jin Bu Yeon's body. In other words, she is the reincarnation of Jin Seol Ran. Regardless, she reincarnated so that makes her the daughter of Jin Ho Kyung, isn't it? However, how in the end that Jin Seol Ran can decide and disappear at her own accord...?

 

Also why is it that Naksu never had to suck someone's Qi but the rest of the soul shifters do? Is it because she's in a body of a powerful mage?

7 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

There are many other things which I want to talk about regarding how and why I love Hong sisters writing. How they always have a way to round things back; how most of the issues viewers been ranting and questioning are addressed in the story. But for now, I need to get back to RL and do stuff. Not in a hurry, as I foresee rewatching scenes from this drama, so I will post again.

Please do post about this because I'm interested. I've read a lot of posts dissing the Hong sisters and said they copied others for Alchemy? I'm neither a big fan nor an anti but I do think they write fun fantasy dramas (The Master's Sun, Hotel Del Luna, Big)...just that their works can be a hit or miss.

Edited January 9, 2023 by mademoiselle

[ktcjdrama]

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

 

Also why is it that Naksu never had to suck someone's Qi but the rest of the soul shifters do?

She did. In Part 1. Eunuch Kim. But it’s not because she needed the energy. She doesn’t have to because there’s the divine power of JBY/JSR keeping her from turning. 
 

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

In other words, she is the reincarnation of Jin Seol Ran. Regardless, she reincarnated so that makes her the daughter of Jin Ho Kyung, isn't it? However, how in the end that Jin Seol Ran can decide and disappear at her own accord...?

I won’t say it’s reincarnation. She shifted into the dead baby’s body, just like Master Lee shifted to a dead boy’s body by the roadside. As for the disappearing, well, she is the great priestess, almost like god probably, so she get to give up the body to Cho Yeong. 
 

As for the King’s star, they’ve always been saying how great a power that Uk possesses. I think it’s still different from Master Lee, and tbh, I don’t remember him being born under King’s star. Did you confuse him with Master Seo Kyeong? The one who wrote the invisible poem?

 

Hong sisters... those who hate them, hate them to the core. I, am a big fan as I enjoyed many of their dramas. And The Greatest Love is what brought me back to dramaland, specifically falling in love with kdramas. Since then, I have never missed their works, and tried to catch up on their old works except for those too old. Some are great, some ended disappointingly. Even those with less satisfactory ending, the watch was always an enchanting ride for me, with wits I enjoyed. 
 

AOS is copied... Really, not a lot of things under this sky is pure original anymore. Stories and plots are recycled, told in different ways. Like The Glory, people are saying it’s just like Eve. Reborn Rich, like Again My Life. So I don’t see it as a big deal. Not defending them because I am a fan. Just that, the haters will always have something to pick on. As for me, my requirement is very simple: that I am entertained 😃
 

Edited January 9, 2023 by ktcjdrama

[mademoiselle]

18 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

She doesn’t have to because there’s the divine power of JBY/JSR keeping her from turning. 

Ok thanks for confirming it was Bu Yeon's power that kept her sane.

19 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

I won’t say it’s reincarnation. She shifted into the dead baby’s body, just like Master Lee shifted to a dead boy’s body by the roadside.

Mwo. Jin Bu Yeon was dead...? Was this from the conversation Jin Ho Kyung had with Master Lee... it went by too quickly the subs but was it why Jin Ho Kyung tried to use ice stone to revive baby Bu Yeon?

20 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

As for the King’s star, they’ve always been saying how great a power that Uk possesses. I think it’s still different from Master Lee, and tbh, I don’t remember him being born under King’s star. Did you confuse him with Master Seo Kyeong?

I'm not sure. I remember a scene where Master Lee mentioned he was born with the king's star too but he chose not to have anything to do with the throne as well. Maybe if you rewatch you can confirm this for us.

27 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

Reborn Rich, like Again My Life.

Who says that?? 😅 I've watched Again My Life - there is nothing alike about these two dramas. LOL.

[ktcjdrama]

4 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

Mwo. Jin Bu Yeon was dead...? Was this from the conversation Jin Ho Kyung had with Master Lee... it went by too quickly the subs but was it why Jin Ho Kyung tried to use ice stone to revive baby Bu Yeon?

Her baby died inside her womb. So she begged Jang Gang to use ice stone to revive the baby. Jang Gang got hold of ice stone, use it to help her, but refused to return the ice stone to her. This is what started the whole AOS thing, and the reason why JHK despised Jang household. Jin Mu was Jang Gang's assistant. He was taught how to do the AOS and then got greedy for more power after Jang Gang disappeared, because of the existence of Jang Uk.

 

7 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

I remember a scene where Master Lee mentioned he was born with the king's star too but he chose not to have anything to do with the throne as well.

I will watch out for this. 

 

7 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

Who says that?? 😅 I've watched Again My Life - there is nothing alike about these two dramas. LOL.

I think it's that he was born again as someone else? I don't remember exactly the "accusation" because I didn't watch Again My Life despite my love for LJG.... There was just not enough time... sorry opppaaaa...

 

[mademoiselle]

3 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

Her baby died inside her womb. So she begged Jang Gang to use ice stone to revive the baby. Jang Gang got hold of ice stone, use it to help her, but refused to return the ice stone to her. This is what started the whole AOS thing, and the reason why JHK despised Jang household. Jin Mu was Jang Gang's assistant. He was taught how to do the AOS and then got greedy for more power after Jang Gang disappeared, because of the existence of Jang Uk.

Oh I see. Was this all from S1? 😅

5 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

I think it's that he was born again as someone else? I don't remember exactly the "accusation" because I didn't watch Again My Life despite my love for LJG.... There was just not enough time... sorry opppaaaa...

Probably not the reborn part because LJK's character died in the present and was reliving his life (starting from the last year of high school) and have time to be more prepared against the villain who killed him. There was also no rule in this storyline that the dead will die no matter what so LJK gets to change people's lives and recruit them as his "Avengers". If we really want to forcifully say there's similarity then it's the concept of "going back in time" and "re-live" the past.

 

@Tofu and I tried really hard to watch Again My Life but it got to a point that it became so boring and draggy, unlike Reborn Rich where each episode was so engaging and interesting.

[ktcjdrama]

2 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

Oh I see. Was this all from S1?

Yes mostly. But I think it was mentioned a bit in Part 2. Don't remember for sure though. Anyway, ice stone was in the care of Jinyowon. JHK gave Jang Gang access to it for personal reason, only to be betrayed by him. 

 

[gilaswan]

So this thing about Jin Buyeon/Jin Seolran/Naksu… my logic is that Jin Seolran kept her soul in the ice stone - so she was kept alive through it afterall. When Jin Hokyeong’s baby died she went to Jang Gang to use the ice stone to revive her baby, possibly cos he’s a powerful mage and could do it. However, it must not have been used in the same way it was used to revive Jang Uk cos for Uk, the stone was literally placed in his body. It sounded like Seolran merely sensed that the baby was dead and her soul moved to occupy the body. This was what happened to Master Lee. That’s why they were not considered “rogue soul shifters” since they did not oust the original owner thereby causing a death through their act. So while Jin Buyeon might not actually have been blind, her body being occupied by a blind soul made her blind. And that’s why Jin Buyeon was blind. Maybe Jin Buyeon originally took on Seolran’s physical features entirely too, like how the body eventually took on Naksu’s features. 

 

I think when Naksu ejected her soul, she ended up in Buyeon’s body because Jin Seolran recognised a powerful energy in her. If I remember right, it was Jin Seolran who “pulled” Naksu’s soul into Buyeon’s body. This gave the body sight. But this was also what allowed Naksu in many ways to originally not go rogue - she also did not oust the resident soul of the body she was occupying. That body’s original soul was actually already dead. It was Jin Seolran’s immense power that kept both souls in one body. 

 

So what happened when Naksu went rogue cos of Jin Mu’s bell spell? Because she killed (caused death), her body petrified. Again, with Seolran’s soul being able to occupy an inanimate or dead object, she technically wasn’t dead too even though the body became like rock. We saw earlier that it was possible to reverse the petrification process though not necessarily the tendency to go rogue. Somehow Master Lee knew how to do that but he has not yet figured out how dormant Jin Seolran’s soul would be in the process. He did know that for the revival of petrified bodies, the shifted soul (ie Naksu’s) would be what is awakened. But he also knew there were 2 souls in that body. I reckon they explained the “new face” as being the now active soul being first awakened. It was a matter of time before the “dormant soul” (ie Jin Seolran’s) would also awaken. 

 

My question is this - when Seolran expelled Naksu’s soul so that she could fully perform the rites necessary to contain the fire bird, where did she place Naksu’s soul? Cos clearly she eventually brought Naksu back into the body and exited from the human realm, ya?

 

 

[Lynne]

First day after the ending.. how is everybody doing? 

I like the Happy Ending thats for sure... lol.. but most of all I'm glad UkYeong have a good life in the end.. 

 

Altho i feel things were kinda i dunno how to describe.. its like the highest doesn't reach that high and the lowest doesn't go that low.. its hard to describe how i feel about the story pacing.. ep 1-2 was perfect in giving me that high and low feeling.. .. but oh well... the most important thing is HAPPY ENDING OK? lolol

 

the soulmate is what I'm following the journey.. and yeah.. they're my ending too. just glad things work out for them. 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, gilaswan said:

My question is this - when Seolran expelled Naksu’s soul so that she could fully perform the rites necessary to contain the fire bird, where did she place Naksu’s soul? Cos clearly she eventually brought Naksu back into the body and exited from the human realm, ya?

I'm theorizing Yeong is still inside Seolran's body... just lay dormant as if asleep while Seolran takes over. Because what Yul says when they were in the room, saying there's not 6 person.. but 7.. the seventh would be Yeong's soul... perhaps.. lol.. 

[ktcjdrama]

8 hours ago, gilaswan said:

 

My question is this - when Seolran expelled Naksu’s soul so that she could fully perform the rites necessary to contain the fire bird, where did she place Naksu’s soul?

 She did some karate chops so that Naksu became unconscious, and took over the control of the body for a while. 
 

6 hours ago, Lynne said:

what Yul says when they were in the room, saying there's not 6 person.. but 7.. the seventh would be Yeong's soul... perhaps.. lol.. 

I think you’re right. Coz he looked at her when he said it. I actually paused the screen and counted the people and kept wondering whooooo is the 7th person. I thought he said the person is by Uk’s side, but no one else appeared at the lake. (Low key hoping original Naksu appearing to fight the fire bird with Uk 😁)

 

6 hours ago, Lynne said:

... the most important thing is HAPPY ENDING OK? lolol

Yes yes yes!! Hahahaa

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by ktcjdrama

[gilaswan]

I did for a moment wonder how the spirit of Naksu/Yeong would be with Uk at the final showdown… wish they had made something more fantastical of that. Many of us are still trying to fill in the gaps of logic and magic on our own. Agree that the last episode was slow and underwhelming. I felt it was not utilised well - for the first time I found myself wanting to fast forward through the scenes. 
 

Nevertheless, am also glad for the happy ending. Never doubted it would come. Just wished there were more OTP scenes.

[mademoiselle]

OST

 

 

[Lynne]

54 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

Agree that the last episode was slow and underwhelming. I felt it was not utilised well - for the first time I found myself wanting to fast forward through the scenes. 

Yeah... i have the same thought..  OTP time's together are so short too.. they never truly have time to breathe.. and like they keep teasing us of the witness.. but we got no witness till the end hahahaha.. 

Oh well.. at least we have a promise that they're planning for a daughter..  

[ktcjdrama]

I never feel the need to FF scenes, but I agree that we need more OTP scenes for the finale!!

 

(meanwhile, somewhere out there many people are complaining too many scenes spent on OTP and not enough on supporting characters 😆)

[mademoiselle]

42 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

I never feel the need to FF scenes, but I agree that we need more OTP scenes for the finale!!

 

(meanwhile, somewhere out there many people are complaining too many scenes spent on OTP and not enough on supporting characters 😆)

Tell them the OTP is the reason why @Tofu and I are watching

[mademoiselle]

 

Spoiler

 

[ktcjdrama]

Wow... 4N5D...

 

+chromakey studio for a drama AOS filming. I flew around and swung a sword while hanging from a wire, but it turned into a spectacular action after going through CG work. It was an amazing experience. (Esquire interviews during Hunt)