I don’t write review for every k-drama i watch. But alchemy of souls is worthy of a review. I felt an itch and needed to get it off my chest.
Alchemy of souls is a blend of fantasy, action and romance with a historical backdrop. There is no historical fantasy k-drama closer to its level.

Although story is quite intriguing but can’t say it’s totally unique. There are many old tropes that are used in this drama. For instance, an assassin with a goal to avenge her family falling in love with her enemy is nothing new. Naksu lost her powers and had to rely on Jung uk to retrieve her powers back, but in the process she forget what her actual goal was. She kept pushing the ML to achieve his goal but lost her own way ! THAT was disappointing considering she was a total badass assassin. She became a character who lost her purpose and was left incomplete and unfulfilled.

Then comes our male lead with a broken past, Jung uk born under the kings star with prophecy to be world’s saviour and declared “special”. His past and identity crisis is used to make him get away with everything. It’s cool up to a certain point but when a character becomes too invincible, their journey becomes too predictable . Further naksu is the one who always gets him out of trouble.. her role was confined to that only.. Individually both characters had flaws but as a couple they complemented each other. Their chemistry is definitely something. Slow burn romance is more convincing. I enjoyed their bond as master and pupil but I didn’t thought it will last till the end and we will never get to see assassin naksu again.

Although the love square with mudok and three guys was alot to take in .Specially the crown prince falling for a servant was bit too much. However Yul’s past with naksu was touching and i felt every bit of his emotion. He silently protected her. I wish he had confronted naksu and told her that he know about her identity. I wonder why he stayed silent and never told her!!. I also don’t understand why she carried Yul’s whistle with her!!

My major disappointment is that naksu’s role was minimised. I was expecting more out of her character as an assassin since this was not romcom but an action fantasy drama. I wanted to see her more in action. Meanwhile male lead was overhyped by the writers with the saviour plot. Every superhero movie has the same plot “he is the saviour” and all.
Yul was introduced as a powerful and smartest mage yet his role was just that of a bystander as he knew everything about naksu but still did nothing!!! Mater Lee had better role to play than him. Crown prince unexpectedly became one of my favourite.
Music was good, “ just watching you” is my favourite track from the drama.