I’ve decided that the thing that hurts most about s1 Jang Uk vs. s2 Jang Uk is that the sharp, inquisitive, openly spiteful part of him is now so muffled by grief and hopelessness. It’s still there, but he’s been cut down in a very real way, as we saw in the flashback with Park Jin. He was forced to give up on avenging his love, forced to work for the people who were to blame, forced to tame his ambitions and his image to make others more comfortable. He’s bearing this immense power that’s more a millstone than anything, and he’s bearing the knowledge that his lover is dead, and in the cruelest way possible. Not to mention the trauma of dying violently, resurrecting as an all-powerful monster, learning that he was born from rape and sorcery… He’s in a dark place.

And now he has Bu Yeon, who is the open, unbroken, unknowing soul of the woman who trained him, loved him, and murdered him, the woman who gave him purpose and agency for the first time in his life and truly Saw Him. And now she’s doing it all again, and of course he’s falling in love with her again. And that light is coming back into his eyes, the mischief and the cunning and the determination. He came back to life 3 years ago, but now he’s finally living again. Because of her.

They were all my memories. I was the owner of the blue jade. I was his master. Naksu.

The walk. The stance. The stare. 

Naksu is back. 

ok but can we get some love for seo yul? this guy fell in love with an assassin who threatened to kill him and gave her a whistle, saw the assassin's body years later, taking the whistle from her body, figured out whose body the assassin's soul was in, realised she was in love with his best friend, then after she died was sent back to his home far far away. After she came back again he found out who she was before anybody else and watched her fall in love with the same man again. meanwhile he had a parasite put into his body that ate away at his life-giving energy, befriended the person that put it in his body, didn't take the medicine that would have helped him, almost died trying to save the person's life but only managed to watch her die, then was in a critical state until his life was saved. then he had to carry the burden of knowing that the assassin's soul would fade away and he had to carry it alone until she died. they were friends.

this poor guy.

BRAINWASHED MANIPULATED

choose ur fighter

I watched Alchemy of Souls in 3 days and ✨cry a river✨

This is my contribution to the fandom

Alchemy of souls is just top tier grumpyxsunshine trope for me, Jang Uk was the sunshine in season 1 and became grumpy season 2, only to find his sunshine again in Bu Yeon/Naksu.

Unknowingly falling in love with the same person/soul is also top tier soulmate trope.

What I'm saying is Alchemy of Souls is top tier kdrama.

An interesting parallel I caught between Alchemy Of Souls: Light and Shadow and the russian fairy tale-like movie - I Am Dragon. 

The bride-to-be moving towards the bridegroom on a boat. 

Her sorrow for the one she awaits for not coming for her. 

The petal/snowflake suddenly being uplifted by a strong wind (caused by her monstrous soulmate). 

The man she desires for 'abducting' her.

Joy and embrace both expressed by the heroine.

SPOILERS EP 2/EP 22 ALCHEMY OF SOULS (LIGHT AND SHADOWS)

The way they justified Naksu's body perfectly makes sense but I hope Naksu will soon regain her memory and powers :( I hope her soul and body will soon be one again

And honestly I wish it was all Master Lee's plan to reunite Jang Uk and Naksu because clearly their destiny is to be together

Go Won treats the turtle like it’s his child, as well as acts as ifJang Uk and Bu-Yeon are co-parents…why can’t it just be that simple…

Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow Ep. 1 (2022) dir. Park Joon Hwa, Bae Hyun Jin

i thought we would see Jang Uk kissing the thread away and i would go insane but i have to say that the sexy entrance + the "My wife cannot sleep" really did something to me *faints*

Alchemy of Souls rant

So I binge watched from season 1 to the current episode in one day and yes I am now lacking sleep but it was worth it and now its everyone’s problem.

The only reason Bitch Jin (Jin mu) recognises Naksu but Seo Yul doesn't is because Bitch Jin has seen Naksu alive, Seo Yul only saw her grown self once and she was dead and drained of colour. Bitch Jin was also Dang-ja. Dang-ja I think trained Naksu for a while, so he has seen her alive and active as herself more than any other person in Daeho.

Mu-deok/Bu-Yeon is the true owner of the body. Thanks to Naksu’s energy saving the body Bu-Yeon now looks like Naksu. Naksu’s energy is still there co-existing with Bu-Yeon’s powers. I don't know if Bu-Yeon would ever regain her memories from childhood but Naksu is definitely coming back plus Naksu has Bu-Yeon’s memory so Naksu’s return will inevitably bring back Mu-deok/Bu-Yeon.

Jang Uk’s soul recognizes Naksu, he may not consciously know that's her, but he does. Yes, you can attribute Jang Uk’s kindness to him being a generally good person but come on.......... Plus, he has feelings for her. Naksu is beautiful and he’s not blind but he’s letting her into his space too easily. The other girl Young Lady Heo had three years to try but he never gave her or anyone else the time of day so why Bu-Yeon? Mu-deok was the only person that ever saw him cry but he cried in front of Bu-Yeon (I'm definitely giving some credit to the alcohol in his system but come on). He must feel guilty for feeling anything for anyone when to the best of his knowledge the love of his life is dead.

Whenever Naksu/Bu-Yeon/Mu-deok finally have their memory and power comeback and merge, I want you to know that Daeho would have nothing on Bu-Yeon and Jang Uk. They would put the POWER in power couple. Individually they are forces to reckon with but together and with the right amount of motivation???? only death can put an end to them.

That brings me to the fact that there's supposed to be a “witness”. A baby, a perfect mix of Naksu/Bu-Yeon/Mu-deok and Jang Uk (one that they seem to be trying for 😏). First of that child would be blindingly beautiful. But most importantly, that child would be different type of beast both feared and respected for the legacy it would be born into. I don't think that child is something a lot people want to happen.

I'm going crazy because of you.

Hoping in season 2 we get justice for BOTH Naksu and Buyeon cause these 2 girls had their whole lives changed and they still havent gotten their happy ending😭

Okay wait, hear me out.

What if, for unknown reasons yet, jang uk and bu yeon finds out the truth that she's actually naksu, the person jang uk truly loves, while she hasn't regained her memories and they're both already in love with each other??

Like, no. Just magine the ANGST of the sitiuation..

Bu yeon: W-what? I'm the person who.. who actually almost killed him?

Jang uk: No, Bu yeon. Wait-

Bu yeon: Don't touch me! Stay away from me!

Jang uk: Bu yeon, there must have been a misunderstanding..!

Bu yeon: No. Stay away from me. I hurt you.

*Bu yeon runs away from Uk*

And then.. AND THEN, for all stupid reasons, she'll go to Jin Mu because Jin Mu (as he always does) manipulated her into thinking that the only person who could absolutely help her is him (Jin Mu) since he practically "raised" her.

IMAGINE. THE. ANGST. OF. IT ALL.

P.S. I'm not a fan of the second part with Jin Mu but, what do yall think of the first part thooughh 😭😭😭

what AOS promotes its plot will be like: all of the dead people will rise from the grave!! 👻👻 the mages will join forces to fight them so expect lots of sorcery and magic 🔮🧝‍♂️🧙‍♂️🧝‍♀️

what AOS plot actually is: never ending peak married behavior of Jang Uk and Mu Deok/Bu Yeon/Cho Yeong 💒👰🤵👩‍❤️‍👨👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

(I'm not complaining though bc LJW playing anti-hero is really sexy. I just wish there is more to offer than multiple love lines which I don't really care about most of the times.)