Season 2 of Alchemy of Souls takes place three years in the future, and a lot has happened in Daeho. Jang Uk (Lee Jae-Wook) is no longer the bright, bouncy young wizard who went out to study his art with the help of his love (and master) Naksu.
Instead, he is now a monster hunter, a somewhat secluded man whose aims are to slaughter the soul shifters who afflict this remote region of the globe and to find someone to extract the prized ice stone from within him.
Dang-gu (Yoo In-soo) and Seo Yul (Hwang Min-Hyun), his buddies, have also experienced considerable transformations.
The former is Songrim’s new leader, evolving into a mature wizard befitting of his big job, while the latter has returned to Daeho focused on no longer hiding away, albeit he appears to be content concealing a worsening health condition.
There’s also the problem of Bu-Yeon (Ko Yoon-Jung). Ho-eldest gyeong’s daughter, who her mother frantically sought, has been located; nevertheless, she is not permitted to leave her room in Jinyowon. Because of Bu-Yeon’s memory loss, the priestess has lost her divine abilities and now carries Naksu’s soul inside of her only to keep them alive (though only Ho-gyeong and Lee Cheol (Im Chul-soo) are aware of this). Nonetheless, she has become involved with Jang Uk, whom she has hastily married to be able to live more freely, thus forgotten memories may soon be patched together.
Despite all of the changes, responsibilities, and individuals who have found themselves moving about as a result of the events of three years ago, much has remained the same. Jin Mu (Jo Jae-Yoon) is the cynical head of Cheonbugwan who enjoys causing havoc, the Crown Prince remains a petty monarch with a vendetta towards Jang Uk, and Maidservant Kim (Oh Na-ra) retains her charm.
This comfy familiarity may occasionally help proceedings, especially when the program begins to feel significantly different from the first season, which premiered this summer. The increased emphasis on Bu-Yeon is great and important given that the Jinyowon priestess is technically Naksu, but it may be discordant watching at times, failing to pack the same punch as when we see someone like Jang Uk doing his thing because of our pre-baked investment in him.
Also Read: Alchemy of Souls: Netflix’s Fascinating Fantasy Drama About a Sorceress
We’re only now officially meeting Ho-eldest gyeong’s daughter, and as a result, her tale feels very distinct from the ones based on the rest of the ensemble (not that the variety is a bad thing). This may change after Bu-Yeon realizes she is Naksu, but for the time being, the series is at its best when we get to see the fruits of the main characters’ three-year-long narrative development.
Having said that, it’s Jang Uk’s character who carries the most of the weight, with his rich narrative direction being the driving force of Alchemy of Souls’ second season. This introspective, even melancholy manifestation of the once hilariously youthful wizard, dressed in darkish attire, provides for interesting watching and leaves the audience with an eager abundance of questions. Will Jang Uk truly give up his life for the sake of peace by having the ice stone taken from him?
How else might he mean to use Bu-Yeon’s powers, and how will this alter when he finds the soul within the body belongs to the person he wishes to be with? Given his great power, what will he eventually do to preserve Daeho from the challenges it faces? Seeing how things play out for Jang Uk in this truncated part two gives viewers a compelling incentive to tune in for more, especially since they now know he might end up with Naksu after all.
Needless to say, you can’t talk about Jang Uk without mentioning Lee Jae-Wook, who adds new nuances to his already impressive performance as the show’s key protagonist. Lee’s portrayal of his character is filled with complexity, highlighting how his transformation from the charming magician in love with his master to the steely-nerved monster hunter has been syringed with anguish.
Similarly, Ko Yoon-Jung gives a fascinating performance as Bu-Yeon, bringing to life the bewildered priestess striving to rediscover herself while also escaping the suffocation of her “sickened jail” of a chamber she is typically trapped inside. Overall, it’s a fascinating reimagining of Jung So-Naksu, min’s however this has a lot to do with the fact that Bu-Yeon has no idea she’s just Ho-eldest gyeong’s daughter in the name.
Technically, Alchemy of Souls retains its vibrant cinematography, with the variety of locales serving as the perhaps underestimated backbone of each scene. Daeho has been painstakingly developed to be its own universe, brimming with personality, history, and vitality.
Overall, Alchemy of Souls season two has a sense of both the past and the present, which makes it seem both completely different from the previous chapter and equally familiar. There’s a distinct sensation that the undercurrents of tension are about to erupt into something big at any time, so you’d be wise to resist passing over the last chapter of this narrative, especially if you liked what you saw last summer.
