Lazy Unnie’s Couch: Alchemy of Souls 2: Light and Shadow

Jang Uk returns from death, and three years later, the story of the mages unfolds anew. Jang Uk becomes a hunter of the soul-shifters when a young woman, a prisoner in her own home, seeks his help to reclaim her freedom.
mydramalist

Starring: Lee Jae Wook | Go Yoon Jung | Hwang Min Hyun | Shin Seung Ho | Yoo Joon Sang | Oh Na Ra | Yoo In Soo | Arin
Episodes: 10 (1 hr. 21 mins. )
Aired: December 10, 2022 – January 8, 2023
Network: tvN
Where to Watch: Netflix

It is almost a week since finishing part two and I initially wanted to write this review right when I finished but I needed to sit with my feelings because I was highly torn about it. The whole time I watched, I felt like I was waiting for the inevitable Hong Sisters shoe to drop. Did it? Maybe more of it slipped off and they put it neatly back on at the end and hoped no one realized it had slipped. Let me go into what was good before I go into what was insane.

The highlight of this so-called second season was Go Yoon Jung now returning to play the lead. I am well aware that a lot of people loved Jung So Min in the first season, and I did as well. But I feel like what Yoon Jung brought to the role was something fresh and fun. She was neither, Mudeok, Naksu nor Buyeon. She approached the role in a combination of all three and created this kinda fun rom-com female lead. I adored how forward she was with Jang Uk. And even with the people she met. The vibe it gave off is like rapunzel finally being set free. I found her dynamic with the rest of the cast seamless and that was what I was worried about.

Honestly, the best part of season two was the actual humor that was added. Season one had its moments but season one spent a lot of time world-building for us. In season two, we thought we knew this world and all of the ins and outs. But then you have Master Lee throwing wrenches every time he was on screen. And enter the frustration. We spent way too much time with the amnesia plot and because of that, the season felt dragged and rushed at the same time. Each week we were wondering when Buyeon aka Naksu was going to be found out but then we find out that if she does remember, she dies. BUT THEN SHE DOESN’T DIE! The pacing of this was annoying because again, each week I’m sitting wondering how they were going to wrap up all these plot holes they created in such a short time. Apparently, I didn’t need to worry because magic will solve everything.

I could go into how the cinematography was on point and we got to see more actual fighting and magic scenes. Which was nice. I really enjoyed how with a time jump between the seasons of 3 years, it really felt as if these characters evolved or devolved in some way. I give props to Lee Jae Wook because boy did he carry. In the past, I legit complained about every ending that the Hong Sisters did, with Korean Odyssey but here we got a nice ending with a bow on top and some babies. My only complaint about the ending was it was a very Marvel Cinematic Universe. And by that I mean, once we realized key people weren’t dying, the stakes were pretty much gone. The battle at the end wasn’t spectacular like they hyped it up to be but that’s what we get when you tell me a character is all-powerful, where do they go from there?

I laughed, I cried, and I sure as hell swooned. But could this all have been done in one long season of maybe 24 episodes? Absolutely. Take out some of the dragging parts of season one and then add the good parts of season two and then we have a masterpiece. The Hong Sister’s tried to give us the Infinity War and End Game of K-dramas. I think they succeeded with just a lesser of a bang.