WHY I WAS DRAWN TO SERIES: It was hyped as a big-budget fantasy show.
EXPECTATIONS: High because of Hong Sisters and the premise since I thought it would be like Hotel de Luna in scale and storytelling.
WHAT I LIKED: The premise, the sets, the costumes and the actors.
IMPRESSIONS: There were many good scenes throughout the series, but there was a disconnect in the overall story tract. It was like pieces of a quilt not sewn together to make a nice, warm blanket.
WHAT I DISLIKED: The two parts really did not fit well; part 2 was a separate story which did not answer part 1’s open questions. The world building and magic/fantasy elements were vague and incomplete. It is one thing to suspend belief at the beginning because it is a fantasy story, but it is another to suspend belief within the story. There was more telling than showing narrative which diminished the impact of the romance and conflict scenes.
WHY TO WATCH. Overall, despite divided opinions on elements of the show and plot lines, it was entertaining and gives one the opportunity to discuss, debate and theorize about it in DB community forums which in some respects is better than the first watch.
OVERALL: I think the writers could have gotten to their ending in a better, more coherent way. For the complexity and cinematography, it is an above average kdrama.

Personally, I think this is just my type of show. I liked the romance but it wasn't a mushy, overwhelming type of romance. I really like the sarcastic and deadpan humor.
I like the fantasy and the worldbuilding.
I *really* like the relationships between the characters.

Objectively, I can't really find any flaws. It's a clear beginning, middle, and ending. Everyone got an ending that was fitting for their characters. The world is totally engaging.

I don't think the comedy is laugh out loud but it's enjoyable. Maybe others will also enjoy noticing allusions to other works. The action is cool to watch, particularly Jank Uk.

I loved both parts of this show, and do not regret my time watching and talking about it in the least.

That said, I also feel like this is a drama for which people might not seek out reviews in order to decide whether or not to watch. Both parts got a lot of attention, here and elsewhere on the web, so potential viewers likely have already watched it or decided it's not for them. So I'm not sure sharing my take will make or change anyone's mind.

That said, if you're on the fence about watching, and you can answer yes to most of the questions below, give it a try:

--Do you enjoy fantasy romance and action and are willing to wait for explanations or accept last-minute rationales for the rules of the world?

--Have you watched and enjoyed even parts of previous Hong sisters' works?

--Do you have time to watch 30 episodes, some of which are over an hour, but which tend to fly by?

--Are you looking for something that isn't too complicated, but at times (especially in the first part) is a bit plot heavy so you occasionally have to just go with the flow?

Again, if you answered "yes" to most of the questions above, I think at the very least, you'll be entertained by AoS, and there's a strong chance you'll end up loving it as much as I did.

After around 6 months of showing, with more than 200 comments per weecap, that should holds enough interest; if you are looking a light, fantasy, high budget, well-known writernim drama.

The beanies here well dissected each episode and rant out their heart, whether in positive or negative light. So, for me it is a well-made drama that gather enough fans all over the world.

If the drama is your cup-of-tea or just came here looking for recommendation or need places for nitpicking of your-perfect-idea kdrama, Alchemy of Souls seems a good start one 😅. Pick your poison ✌️🫰

Season 1 : watch episodes 1 to 10. Fast forward or skip episodes 11 to 18, then watch episodes 19 and 20. Prepare for a lot of eye rolling (bring eyedrops).

Season 2: Watch episode 1 to get your answer about Season 1 cliff hanger. Fast forward or skip eps 2 to 8. Watch eps 9 and 10. Bring additional eye drops.

Exciting plot premise and set-up, pretty costumes, cute and beautiful actors and actresses, great cinematography. Poor script, and execution. Ultimately, the world they tried to build does not make sense and is not important as this is after all a light romance in costumes.

I`d rate part 1 6/10 and part 2 8/10. Overall 7 for me
Somehow i have seen all the dramas Lee Jae Wook was in. Guy is good at picking projects. He has given solid performance here. I loved his transformation from cheery, happy and cute to broody and mature. I think actor gained more fandom with this drama as he deserves it.
I also loved both FLs and saw them as same character rather than 2 different people. By the end she became who she wanted to be. I believe Naksu would have been bubbly and cute (as portrayed by Go Yoon Jung in part 2) if she wasn`t burdened by revenge. Naksu without memories in part 2 was her original nature. I love Jung So min in part 1 for being more mature, cunning and ruthless master of Jang Uk. Later when Naksu regained memories her mature side returned.
Crown prince was one of the best thing drama had. I loved character humor and without him drama would have been more boring.
Script had too many plot holes to count. I felt like Hong sisters did lazy writing a lot by bringing up new theories that is too convenient. Villain was so 2D with no depth. Last episode i was skipping his scenes because his plan and actions are too obvious.

Season 1 AoS: Excellent acting, hilarious and witty dialogue, and strong chemistry between all actors. The above components made ignoring plot holes easy. It's fast and easy sailing through because it's just so much fun and so funny. While the story might get a 6 from me, the other components are a 10. so thats a solid 8 average from me. would i recommend this drama, season 1, particularly? absolutely.

Season 2 AoS: The success of the previous season, the cast, and setup of this season set expectations so high that maybe we were anticipating too much. I don't know. I was a little disappointed with this season. However, I loved the characters and cast enough that i wanted to see it through to the end. Also, season 1 left off at an irresistible cliffhanger so it was impossible for me to not be hooked. This season gets a 4 in terms of story from me and an 8 in terms of how hooked i was throughout despite it all; so a solid 6 average. would I recommend it? yes, but with caution. Yes - just because the cast and chemistry between all actors were still great, though not as strong as the first season. We also got some answers and closure overall. With caution - because there were quite a bit of missed opportunities, particularly with regards to not capitalizing upon the female lead's character arc and acting potential.

Unpopular opinion: I enjoyed Part 2 a little more than Part 1.

A classic Hong sisters drama that delivers on the comedy, romance, and inevitable angst. It has it's flaws in terms of plot, pacing, world-building, and sometimes inconsistent characterizations, but if you like to consume media for the characters, give this a chance. Personally I enjoyed both seasons (although I must say the couple's chemistry in S2 is much stronger imo) and the characters will remain in my heart for a while.

This is my first time writing a show review... so please be patient.
I really never thought of watching this show at first, cos historical shows are just not for me, but I saw a random reel on Insta of season 1 which really made me watch the show.
The series is so so so wonderful and one should not really miss it! I got the adrenaline surge, the plot, novelty, romance, cuteness, action, mystery, and the just wowww effects and a HAPPY ending!(well that's why we have season 2, ryt?)
Watching this 30 episodes packed drama was like immersing myself in a thick novel after so many years of being not able to read novels. The plot was well planned with its own twists and turns, which weren't too cruel( maybe because I watched it after it was fully released). The fresh storyline, which was new and cool, then the Master-pupil turned "I will make him the best" to the crisp romance was so beautiful... until the best worst villain got his ways and made naksu run wild. That was really sad but still a cool way to put it(cuddos to the writer, since even with a sad end, it still felt that something good will definitely happen, with Jang uk's return and naksu/mudeok body retrieval)
Season 2 was totally something else to behold, I swooned 10 times at the main leads, got frustrated 7 episodes straight on Jang uk, still trying to understand his pain, but everything fell perfectly in place through the series. The actress change didn't bother me, cos since the beginning the story was Naksu and Jang Uk's.
This drama has everything, joy, pain, love, sorrow, amiable friendships, bromance, married troupe, action, cuteness and yes a logical plot with a happy ending. I'm so glad! Just watch it! It's 10000/10!

Took a month for me to finally say something about Alchemy of Souls but here we go.

Part 1 9/10

I love the world building and while there are flaws and loopholes I feel that each character is important and that they will play a more vital role in the next episodes. It keeps you excited and seated for the possibilities and has the balance that a good drama should have to keep the viewers wanting more. While some people say that JSM and LJW don't have that big chemistry unlike with GYJ because of the "age difference" I would fight tooth and nail for this because from my perspective Part 1 was written with more focus on the "Master-Pupil" trope. While there's romance it's unfair to compare like it's not something that the other actress can't do. And that I guess is what makes Part 1 stronger because the romance didn't dilute the overall trajectory of the plot. It stayed true to the fantasy angle with subtle romance that makes it more stable and well-established.

Part 2 6/10

I don't mind the change in the FL as long as the story makes sense. Just like everyone said the rules keep changing to a point where this half doesn't tie well with the first one. Part 2 became a love fest and to me, it's a big disservice to Naksu's arc as a strong female character. Even if she has amnesia the spunk isn't something that should disappear to the extent that she's chasing Jang Uk. The support characters felt like nothing, and the plot just became more about Uk than Naksu. There were so many lost opportunities and it became apparent to me that Part 2 failed to replicate the strong foundation that Part 1 laid out. I know there's no such thing as a perfect drama, but to me, the world of Alchemy of Souls has so much potential that it's such a big loss not to capitalize on it. While I know Uk and Naksu's romance is important it was too much that it killed the overly dark plot they tried to set up for Part 2. Naksu didn't get that happy ending she truly deserved, and is still hiding in Jin Buyeon's identity not free to be who she is as Cho Yeong.

Overall I would rate AOS as 7/10 and the rewatch value is more on Part 1 than on Part 2 because at the end of it all it's all about the plot not just the romance.