PARK Joon-hwa’s new period drama is a South Korean Netflix series set in a dream realm. Alchemy of Souls tells the story of a famous but outwardly weak son of a strong mage on the hunt for a master. Jang Uk (played by Lee Jae Wook) is one of the town’s famed ‘Four Seasons’, along with Seo Yool (Hwang Minhyun), Jin Choyeon (OH MY GIRL’s Arin), and Park Dang Gu (Yoo In Soo). Jung So Min as Naksu, a powerful sorceress who posesses the body of a blind maid named Mudeok, is at the centre of the plot.
Naksu gives Mudeok’s eyes the ability to see, but her injuries and the frail state of her body have robbed her of her magic. Mudeok is sold into a brothel, where she learns about the mage families who are responsible for her family’s demise. Somehow, Mudeok becomes Jang Uk’s maid, and he quickly realises who she is due to her remarkable blue-tinged eyes, but instead of exposing her, he forms an agreement with her: he will help her regain her abilities and leave if she helps him. This is because Jang Uk’s father sealed his magical talents when he was born. He needs Naksu to break the seal.
In the midst of all the desire for revenge, the two leads realise they may need each other more than they are prepared to acknowledge. There are already signs of an overpowering magical romance that keep viewers eagerly awaiting future episodes. For the time being, the programme appears to have it all: fantasy, family drama, intrigue, romance, and action. To be honest, I struggled to grasp the first few episodes since they were a little complicated. There are many twists and turns, and I feel there will be more in the following episodes. All I can say is that I hope the original Mudeok, who is currently supressed, will return at some time, and I hope the person Jang Uk falls in love with is the actual Mudeok, not Naksu, who has taken possession of her body. With so many undeveloped secondary characters, there are a lot of possibilities for the programme to take us in the next weeks. The general concept is interesting, as are the visual effects. So far, nothing looks cringy, and each character has their own plot development.
Nonetheless, Alchemy of Souls is a lot of fun to watch, even if it is imperfect and ridiculous at times. This elaborate fantasy universe is so beautifully designed that you have to praise the writer for coming up with a solid plot. It will definitely be intriguing to see what the series has to offer. Jae Wook has returned to the big screen, and I’m sure we can all agree that we missed his charisma. His chemistry with So Min was more than I had anticipated. They have a great chemistry together, which is another reason I’m looking forward to the forthcoming episodes.
The first few episodes of Alchemy of Souls left me with a great impression, and I sincerely hope that this series does well in the ratings. If you like historical dramas, Alchemy of Souls would be a nice choice. Alchemy of Souls is now accessible on Netflix, with new episodes released on Saturdays and Sundays until the season finale on Aug 21.
