Alchemy of Souls is getting boring

  • So I have watched this drama till EP 15, and it's starting to annoy me. It had a great start and I was hooked until EP 8 but after that it wasn't the same as before.


    First off, Mudeok and Janguk have no chemistry. Hell, even Go Ara looked better with Lee Jaewook.


    Tbh, I like Arin and the Songrim heir guy more. Even Master Heo's granddaughter looked better with Jang Wook.


    Secondly, love traingle. They are so old why do drama still have this theme, I don't get it. Seo Yul and Master Heo's granddaughter would be a better match. They are both calm and composed.


    Thirdly, So-i subplot is VERY annoying. It's been 8(?) episodes since she was introduced but there she still hasn't entered the Jin household :suure:


    Tbff I don't even understand why she was introduced. Literally we are 4 episodes away from finale and she has yet to do anything that would make her stand out. A filler character.


    FINALLY, 16 episodes and Naksu's powers are still not back. It's annoying. All the focus is on UK's character and it was fine in the first half of the show but now it has been quite a while since he entered Songrim, why won't the writers give Naksu her powers back :waterr:

  • I agree with you. The writing for this show is a silly, messy, and all over the place. They had momentum but then killed it with all the sub-stories told in a SUPER predictable way. I just watch it as background filler since I started it and want to see how it goes but very disappointed. It does have its comedic moments but I think the writers are confused about what they want -- like a KPOP version of a Chinese Wuxia/XianXia drama but failed.

  • I agree with you. The writing for this show is a silly, messy, and all over the place. They had momentum but then killed it with all the sub-stories told in a SUPER predictable way. I just watch it as background filler since I started it and want to see how it goes but very disappointed. It does have its comedic moments but I think the writers are confused about what they want -- like a KPOP version of a Chinese Wuxia/XianXia drama but failed.

    Show started off great and I really like it being a Korean take on Chinese XianXia but like most shows this long it is running out of steam.

  • I agree with you. The writing for this show is a silly, messy, and all over the place. They had momentum but then killed it with all the sub-stories told in a SUPER predictable way. I just watch it as background filler since I started it and want to see how it goes but very disappointed. It does have its comedic moments but I think the writers are confused about what they want -- like a KPOP version of a Chinese Wuxia/XianXia drama but failed.

    While Alchemy of Souls has its flaws, it's still one of the best kdramas in the past two years or so, at least for me. I have tried out many dramas but couldn't watch more than the first few episodes.


    This one while still getting boring sometimes even more right now as the story is stuck at one point, I still check it out mainly because it had a super strong start and I want to see how it ends.


    The mages + fantasy concept of AOS is definitely new in kdramaland tho I do agree it's kinda inspired by Chinese shows.


    And true, the writing of second half of the show isn't as good. In the first half of the show the characters had their own goals and driving force (UK wanting to open his gate of energy, trying to enter Songrim, Naksu trying to regain her powers etc) but ever since Jang Uk entered Songrim all the focus is on his and Naksu's story and literally 0 development for her as an individual.


    I have some hopes for the last four episodes as Jang Gang is finally back and Naksu unsheathed her sword. Hope they don't disappoint.

  • I liked the show, because it is kind of deprecating of the heroic-tropes of most historical/fantasy dramas.


    The powerful magical school head, is still a klutz with women. So is the hero in many occasions etc., the heroine stays on her agenda and does not easily fall.

    Rather unusual for such genre.


    But yes, while the script scenarios or good, the movement along the overall arc is patchy. So the ending either will be rushed or incomplete or worse, left for season 2.


    I like K-dramas, but generally they fumble towards the end.

  • I agree with everthing you guys said. The first few episodes were truly captivating but the closer we get to the end the sloppier it gets. I would sum it up as a perfectly hot bath the first maybe 8-10 episodes and then the water in the bath just keeps getting more and more luke-warm.

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