Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow (2022)

LEGENDARY

Not gonna lie, this drama, from script, direction, and acting, up to CGI and editing, was just legendary. But how did this become legendary? This season continues the story where it was left off in the 1st season, which I rated 9.5. So, why did I rate this 8.5 instead?


To be honest, the first season is far superior to this one, and the reason this season has become so successful is clearly due to the first season. Let's look why:

First of all, this lacked the punch of the 1st Part. The 1st Part introduced us to a whole new world, and much time was used to build the lore and the details. This kept us engaged and interested. However, nothing much happened in Part 2, in general. Everything was established in the 1st seasonitself,f and this 2nd part didn't have much twists and turns like the 1st.


The pace of the story was another problem. This problem had been there in the 1st season an well. The starting episodes were amazing, but somehow, after some episodes, it felt like the story was moving downhill. The plot was, like, not moving at all. But they picked up the momentum in the later episodes, nonetheless. Honestly, they could have done the whole drama, I mean, part 1 and 2 together, In just 15 or 20 eps.


This is another issue I've had since the first season. They promised us strong, witty, smart, and brave female characters. However, all we got were sidekicks. Let's take a look at the main female characters in the story:

1. First of all, Naksu/Cho Yeong- I really wanted to see her fighting with her sword again. I wanted her to be like how she had been as Mu Doek. Don't get me wrong, I honestly loved how they separated the real Cho Yeong from the Naksu that Jin Mu created. All I wanted was for her to be as sharp-witted and as quick-witted as her older self. That Naksu was more interesting than the present Cho Yeong. In Part 2, Naksu seemed to be reduced to a one-dimensional, not-that-witty, not-that-smart person who was really only meant to host Jin Bu Yeon's priestess powers and to mend Uk's broken heart.

2. Jin Bu Yeon/Jin Seol Ran - She seemed like just a background character, appearing here and there. She was a character with much potential, but sadly, it was wasted. I would have loved to know more about the time when she was Seol Ran, how she went through what they call the Great Chaos, and all. Also, it was entioned in almost all episodes about how powerful she is. But, pity that we didn't even get a glimpse of it.

3. Maidservent Kim - She had no powers whatsoever. She had been just a mother figure for Uk and a love interest for Park Jin, right from the start to the end. But I did love her, nevertheless.

4. Jin Cho Yeon - She was introduced as one of the Jin clan, with great powers, but we didn't actually get to see even one scene where she was using her powers usefully. Again, she was reduced to just a love interest for Dang Gu.

5. Jin Ho Kyung - Again, another character with great powers. In the end, she couldn't even protect her fortress. I know she was ageing and eventually losing her powers, but when Park Jin didn't have any problems while ageing, why does she?

6. Heo Yoon Ok - Okay, I didn't like her. She wasn't said to have great powers, but what made me dislike her was that she was overcome with jealousy half of the time, going after Uk and attempting to separate him and Naksu in both the 1st and 2nd parts. And her happy ending was jsut seeing someone.

7. So Yi - She was another great character with great potential. I really liked her character. She is one of the strongest female characters in the entire series, in my opinion, whose potential got wasted. She could have been developed into a GREAT character. But...

This drama would have been even better if the FLs were as strong as they were said to be. Now, that's all about the female characters. Let's talk about other problems.


They dragged out the amnesia plot for too long. This is one of those common, clichéd plot lines that I hate. But, if executed well, it could become a masterpiece too. Sadly, this wasn't the case with AoS Part 2. They could have either made Naksu remember it earlier, or made Uk realise that it was Naksu all along. And, when they did realise it, it felt really underwhelming.


I really hated to believe that Uk had finally forgotten about his Naksu/Mu Doek and moved on to fall in love with another woman. I know it was her all along, but I just didn't like the feel of it. That ruined the whole point of this romance, for me.


Underwhelming villain characters - this was one of the main things that bothered me. The villains, especially Jin Mu, all had proper goals and objectives and plans to achieve them, but I felt like they were all acting behind the scenes. I would have liked them to be utilised more and build more tension between them and the heroes. Towards the end, Jin Mu seemed reduced to one of those cartoonish villain charactes with just an evil smile and no brains.


Now, enough with the bad points. Let's start with the good points that make this drama stand out from the rest;

The chemistry:

1. The Crown Prince and the Turtle: We can't help but love the Crown Prince. He was the best character in the entire series for me, and I was rooting for him until the very end. He and our MVP Turtle were truly the best duo in the entire series!

2. Crown Prince and Jang Uk - I really really loved the dynamics between Crown Prince and Ukkie, in the 1st as well as 2nd part. Even though it cannot be considered as a real bromance, I loved it, and I would watch an entire series with just them without any complaint.


The comic relief - I laughed hard enough watching this to add comedy as one of its genres. Those scenes were like breaths of fresh air in an intense plot line.


I loved how they explained the meaning of the title. Jang Uk being the light that protects Cho Yeong and Her being the sadow, embrassing him. It was so endearing!


Acting - DO I NEED TO SAY MORE?? The perforance of the cast was impeccably beautiful. I was initially quite disappointed in the replacement of Jung So Min with Go Yoon Jung, but after the first two episodes, I was convinced that she deserved the role. She really is a gifted actress with great potential. Even though she didin't quite manage to catch So Min's charm, she was great in her own accord.

Jae Wook's performance shook me to the core. He was a new actor to me, and I haven't seen any of his earlier works, but this drama alone is enough for me to make him a part of my list of favourite actors.

I had seen Shin Seoung Ho in A-Teen before, but I didn't even realise it! I figured this out recently, and I'm blown! I hope he gets more great characters like this in the future so that he can showcase his great talent! He really does have an acting genre in him!

All the others did a good job as well. Out of the supporting cast, the one who stands out is Do Sang Woo, who played Yul's uncle. His last scenes as Jin Mu, after the Alchemy of Souls were mind blowing. He nailed it. He really did give off the original Jin Mu's vibes!


Music - The music score and OSTs used in the drama were perfect! It gives us the right vibe for every scenes. Some of the OSTs are still on my Spotify favourites list.


Lastly, I enjoyed most part of it. Even with the slow pace, this is a good watch, nevertheless. I would surely recommend this drama to people who love fantasy and heartbreaking romance, original plot lines, amazing cast and chemistry, etc. This drama is legendary and will live on in my memory.

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10 episodes that should've been cut in 5

Let's just start with Season 1 was a 10 for me. It had ALL The exciting elements that YES finally S2 is here! And then it felt ..... draggy & flat, completely anti climatic. NO fault to the actors and I know people are complaining about the change of the FL. No chemistry etc. Personally I think the script is the problem. Naksu's character shouldn't have deteriorated to a sick love puppy that only in ep 8 did her original personality started to show. Progression was terrible!! If the story isn't there don't drag it out like what C dramas tend to do & just ended. Instead they filled it with flashbacks, blank stares, forced comic lines at the wrong times, and hot red birds ep 1-7.

S2 managed to recover the initial glory in ep 8-10 and ended with a semi satisfying ending but it should've been so much better. The cast did an amazing job regardless!

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This sequel was not made with AOS fans in mind

Disclaimer:This review might get more personal than most of my reviews,but I`ll still try to keep it objective as much as I can.

In thinking how I should begin reviewing such an anticipated sequel on my part,to a drama I gave my second 10/10 to,realisation dawned upon me.The perfect way I`d describe it is stunning...ly mediocre.But it`s not only that.Seeing how much enthusiasm and love I had for this universe Hong Sisters created,what this installment did for me instead,is not something I expected.It made me decide to turn my back on Hong Sisters.And it also led me to conclude this:Hong Sisters,in large measure,do not understand their own characters.So let`s talk about it.

First I`d like to thank every person involved with this drama,as I`m well aware of how tough it must be to create,write and produce a drama,even if it results in such a bland show.This is my way of giving respect to everyone.And it also serves as a good enough segue way into my thoughts going forward.

"So...what went wrong?" - that`s a perfect question I`d like to pose to the writers of this sequel.As I`m writing this,my mind swirls with any and every problem present in this drama.Yet,I`d firstly list off the positives(scarce as they might be) and then dive into the problems plaguing this meddling sequel.

To start,the cinematography is expectedly beautiful.Daeho looks as inviting as ever,and,in the hands of more ambitious writers,I`d love to see other stories being told with it serving as the background.I see so much potential within its walls.Another point goes to Crown Prince,who is absolutely,without a doubt,the only persistently unchanging (and funny) character in this story.His turtle and him are more engaging than everything else this has to offer.
Finally,the music is beautiful.Every OST is delicate,appropriate and at times fun.

There.Now let`s get into what grinds my gears with Alchemy of Souls and why Hong Sisters should really consider bringing in new talent,or brushing up on their writing skills.They probably won`t.A girl can dream,though.

I like to think of myself as an AOS fan.In fact,I loved how the first installment made me feel.It reminded me of older isekai animes like Inuyasha and Fushigi Yuugi,old childhood favorites.All of this wonder,possibility and chance for exploration.The characters were memorable,the leads witty and full of charisma, and villains camp,over the top,yet ruthless.We got a lot of information about Daeho,its inhabitants and alchemy of souls as such.The romance,while chaste and an undeniable subplot,was lovely,layered and interesting.I didn't even mind the ending as much as others did.Hell,even the love triangle was resolved quite maturely.

None of these attributes are present in Light and Shadow.Truth be told,I`m not sure where I should start.From some small details I`d be nitpicking(like how most characters generally have nothing to do) to more serious issues(like the unnecessary,cluttered mess the story ends up being due to unneeded justifications).Still,if I had to choose,nothing else perfectly encapsulates how inconsistent,flawed and underwhelming "Alchemy of Souls Season 2:Light and Shadow" is,quite like the relationship between its leads:Jang Uk and Naksu.I loved these two.I loved their story,chemistry and relationship.Naksu was a female lead we don`t often get in dramas:She was physically weak,yet mentally tough.A scheming assassin turned tutor who was willing to push her student to the brink,see him succeed and find herself.Where is she here?I was one of those people fervently defending and rooting for Go Yoon Jung as I knew her to be talented and her voice overs,as well as the first fight we meet her in,greatly depicted what she`s capable of.And then...they stripped every ounce of capability.Directed her in ways that make Song Hye Kyo`s acting seem expressive by comparison.I wouldn`t be exaggerating if I said I didn`t believe her struggles for a second.And then,while Lee Jae Wook`s character and his shift to a darker persona are believable,what isn`t is how quick and jarring the transition between strangers to long lost lovers occurs between our couple.Why?Because,putting aside everything else that happens with Naksu and her memory,knowing Jang Uk is realizing he`d never act the way he does in the first two episodes towards Bu Yeon.It is plot convenience,no doubts about it.In fact,their romance,brought to you by fate(that thing Hong Sisters love using when they can`t be bothered with a proper buildup) is as interesting and thrilling as watching paint dry.It is no longer the story OF TWO characters doing their best to prevail,it is a story of one overpowered individual feat his love who does something...sometimes.I deem Naksu a strong female character,even when she`s relegated to a role of a tutor to a spoiled brat.I don`t see this Naksu as strong.What sets them apart?Intent.No matter what you go through,if you`ve got a reason(Crown Prince shows that well),characters like Naksu set their mind in motion.What they don`t do is cling and wait on others.


And at what moment did I figure out where this drama was leading,you may ask?From the moment they decided to prolong Naksu`s memory loss and clumsily justify it once again.This decision undermined every,and I do mean every connection between her and other characters(not to mention using memory loss of all things,in a soul shifting show,is quite redundant,but whatever).

The alchemy,also.Where is it,bar last 2 episodes?Where`s the joie de vivre of our antagonist,Jin Mu?He`s barely in this,thanks to paper thin plot that feels more tacked on than your average Naruto filler episode.The biggest sin this sequel commits,is making me go from caring about all these people,to feeling indifferent to their death.What a feat to overcome.Characters that were once complex and rich,now read as flat and soulless.When it`s obvious the writers didn`t know what to do with them,they were unceremoniously killed off.

Just to clarify,I also think Season 1 has some plot conveniences and cracks.But it is nowhere as visible as it is here.

In conclusion,no amount of episodes,timing or changes in schedule can vindicate a sequel written with not much care or respect for your characters in mind.And while,of course,everyone can have their own taste (everyone`s different),the defiant side of me can`t help but scoff at this sequel`s success.I know it is petty,but seeing such an outcome in turn,tells Hong Sisters and the writing room that this is okay.You don`t have to try harder.We`re fine with this quality.

I love you Alchemy of Souls,but I see no light in this overwhelmingly muddy and dark sequel.You deserved better.

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It was underwhelming to say the least.

DISCLAIMER: I just completed this so my thoughts haven't really marinated as yet but somehow the show left me feeling empty. I've been feeling like this since the ending of season 1.

Season 1 was definitely SO MUCH better than season 2 in my opinion, I mean I even rated it a 9/10 and I usually don't give dramas such high ratings. I couldn't get over the fact that the Naksu/Buyeon amnesia arc overshadowed the main plot and the essence of the show. Call me biased idc... I don't think Go Yoon's Jung acting was that strong in comparison to her counterparts. She makes the same blank / innocent facial expressions and cries a lot — this got old, tired and extremely annoying for me. Also the back and forth with her and Uk and him not realizing who she was sooner really agitated me. The pining / longing in season 1 was wayyyy better than what they tried to achieve bringing the newer actress in. I guess I didn't see the chemistry that everyone kept raving about. There were no sparks. I felt sorry for her character when they made it seem like all she would ever be was a replacement for Mudeok and someone to warm his bed at nights to free him from the wraiths. I thought him keeping her around was cruel and that he should set her free but the irony was she ran away from home in order to be free but her being with Uk was like another prison where she had to not only face/fight her demons but also his too. That was a burden she should not have been carrying.

This season felt way too insta lovey (especially when Uk and Buyeon/Naksu kissed in the 2nd episode) for me to enjoy it. I felt like their "chemistry" was being pushed down my throat and that Bu Yeon was coming on way too strong. In my opinion Jung So Min had the best on screen chemistry with all of the guys while Go Yoon Jung only ever really tried to have chemistry with Lee Jae Wook. I feel like Go Yoon Jung was all looks and no substance. I personally didn't feel any emotion, passion or see true authenticity. She didn't really give what Jung So Min gave when she was Naksu in season 1. If anything all she served was face / strong visuals (even though she looks like a child imo) and like a very soft version of Bu Yeon. That aside, I think the progression of their relationship was not built up as well as it was in season 1 and again I reiterate that their marriage of convenience romance subplot became the main plot and the whole alchemy of souls and Jang Uk's story of being born under the king's star and now possessing the ice stone was immensely overlooked. What kept me watching this drama was the fact that it was so overhyped and I didn't want to be left out of the loop. Honestly I wasn't planning on finishing it but i did. I feel like the last 2-3 episodes were quite rushed and it felt choppy and like the 3rd act conflict was very much underdeveloped.

I wish Jung So Min at least made an appearance in the final episode because when both Seo Yul and the crown prince (Go Won) finally admitted and acknowledged their feelings for Mudeok when she was “Buyeon”, it just didn't hit the same for me. I spent a lot of season 2 wishing and hoping Jung So Min would come back (at least in the last episode) because in my heart I was so attached to her character and each episode with the flashbacks only made it worse. I tried to remain impartial and unbiased while watching but found myself picking apart everything and comparing/overanalyzing – I guess that happens when shows switch / replace actors.

I love the soundtrack but I felt like the Blue flower theme, I'm Sorry and Love Letter (with you) was played much too frequently. I was glad to see that Min Hyun sang over Tree (Just Watching You) it sounded so similar to the original that even I was shocked. But truthfully I preferred the season 1 soundtrack and how they spaced the songs combined with the instrumentals far more than season 2.

I enjoyed Maidservant Kim and Park Jin as well as Jin Ho-Gyeong, she was cruel to Naksu but she just wanted her daughter to return to her as she has been searching for her for years. The Crown Prince and Seo Yul are truly underrated gems. They became my faves this season as I became tired and annoyed with this dark, brooding and moody Jang Uk - don't get me wrong LJW's acting is generally good but I preferred his acting in S1. I feel like all those actors always put so much emotion and effort into their scenes that you can feel it through the screen. Somehow I'm always impressed by Jin Mu's acting even though he is the worst character in the show. When he switched bodies with Seo Yoon O I thought the actor Do Sang Woo really nailed the part. I wish Jin Mu had suffered a bit more and died a slow and painful death but I guess we don't always get what we want. In my humble opinion I don't think this show needs season 3 and I am okay with how they wrapped it all up quickly and neatly. I was unbothered by the happy ending but in my opinion it felt rushed/choppy. It seemed like they tried to fit 3 more episodes into 1 episode which was unrealistic in a sense and I just couldn't truly be happy for the main couple.

I really wanted to like part 2 of Alchemy of Souls but unfortunately for me it missed the mark. Initially I rated it a 7/10 but there were so many things just not properly executed that I could not overlook. I believe I am being generous by giving it a 6 rounded up to a 6.5/10 rating. With that said a lot of this season was forgettable and I definitely would not rewatch.

S1 >>>>>>>> S2

ARGUE WITH THE WALL!!!!

✌️

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Only loyalty kept me watching until the end . . .

With the writers taking zero risks, and turning the main female character into a 'mary sue' empty shell of her former self, there's really nothing to recommend.

Three scenes only stand out in my mind: Jang Uk storming up to the Jin Matriarch and getting the tracker taken out of Jin Bu Yeun, Seo Yul attempting to save So Yi, and any scene with Prince Go Won and his turtle.

Otherwise there was little chemistry between leads, everyone just kind of ran around for 10 episodes. The music was nothing too outstanding, and the rewatch value is nil.

It was just incredibly disappointing on all fronts, and I was grimly watching just to see whether the main couple ends up dying or not. We need more sci fi/fantasy epic romance, I'm all for it. But, to do an epic romance, you have to be willing to take risks, and this second season takes none.

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What is this??

I can handle storyline but when watching a series, I want to be convinced and I wasn’t. Naksu’s personality was not the same in Season 2, felt more like the leading lady had face of Naksu, body of Buyeon and personality of Buyeon. Where was the Naksu who was gutsy, clever, mischievous, a bit more reserved about her love for main lead? Naksu in season 2 was just sad, foolish, cared only for her looks, too emotional and open about her love – even if was she Buyeon at first, when Naksu remembered everything, shouldn’t she be more like Naksu in season 1? Felt like she wasn’t Naksu. Naksu would never cry or run away. She got hit in the head once and laughed whilst bleeding! Where did that Naksu go?

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Disappointed to tears

Very disappointing compared to part 1.
- I couldn’t feel the connection between the main leads. I didn’t feel the love. I couldn’t root for them because I loved mu deok with jang uk. It felt like betrayal to naksu/mu deok. How and when did they even fell in love? Jang uk fell in love with mu deok because she was so strong. How did he fall in love with a weak bird like bu yeon that always needed saving. I must have missed it. I couldn’t feel excited for them. They both became love-sick puppies.
- Where is my strong FL? I didn’t ask for a weak FL who is only pretty. Pining, whining, crying. I hate that still kept hiding behind the ML even at the end. Why do FL must be saved my ML.
Where are any strong female characters?
- The amnesia plot was prolonged for so long. I’m not sure anymore who the ML loved even though technically the FL was de same soul. I kept waiting for him to realise dat FL was naksu. The reveal was very anticlimactic as well.
- Plot what plot? Plot was ridiculous as hell.
- I waited a long time to watch part 2 and now I regret having watched it. I kept waiting for it to get better but it didn’t. I’m mad and sad!

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Truly a Shadow of Part 1

To preface, I gave part one 9 stars — I absolutely adored it. Part 2 lacked compelling characterization, had a plot that made zero sense, and just overall felt directionless. That best part about it was staying with endearing characters like Lord Park and the Crown Prince for just a little bit longer. The female characters were completely diminished and there was no real weight to any of the "danger."

Also, while I appreciate GYJ, there was a huge hole in part 2, and that was the gap left behind by the absolutely show-stopping Miss Jung Somin. Her performance carried audiences through the endless laughter and excruciating tears of Part 1. Part 1 had it all: novel world-building, suspenseful plotting, and intense chemistry. This season, while adequate, had none of that, and Jung Somin and her character of Mu Deok tied so much of that together. It's not just that I miss the actress — I miss the CHARACTER. Her persona, the way she was written, and the way she loves. GYJ as Bu Yeon was fine, but her character and performance weren't magic like JSM's Mu Deok was.

BUT ten stars to Lia's OST — I loved that.

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wow

You can be watching a drama written by two women in the year of 2022 and *still* be hit in the face with internalized misogyny.

Where were the prominent female characters without a romantic story arc?
Where were the female characters with their own epic battle scenes?
Where were the complicated friendships, bonds, and relationships between female characters?
Where were the women in the background? Female mages? More than one female doctor? Women in power that were not obsessed with their beauty?

And most importantly: where was the Naksu I was promised?

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Nothing really worked out this season

(some spoilers, but you’re better off not watching anyway.)

I really liked the first season but it admittedly fell down a bit at the end, then this season was extremely convoluted from episode 1. I constantly felt that the things that happened in the plot happened not because it made sense but because the writers were trying to force the story in a certain direction. For example, Naksu's face returns to her original despite being in Jin buyeon's body because the face must match the soul? Something like that. And she loses all her memories? The real reason is that the writers just wanted this long, convoluted saga of Naksu and Jang-uk not recognizing each other. Another example, the King and the unanimous assembly have this really stupid plan to use the firebird to create another ice stone. The only reason they’re on board with Jin Mu is because they want the ice stone’s power, despite the immense destruction the plan will cause. Strangely, these people have not made any preparations on how they would survive that destruction themselves…and they completely trust Jin Mu to share the power of the ice stone for no reason at all, he’s so obviously untrustworthy.

I also felt that the made female lead was not nearly as compelling as in the first season. It’s partly because her role is bad. She comes across all lovey dovey and cute. Unlike Jung so-min's unreadable poker face and sense of confidence, she often has a brooding somber expression. This is excusable at first but when she regains her memories you’d expect some return to her other, way more engaging personality. She’s simply not as cool as a character too, going from secret manipulator in the first season to needy damsel in distress in S2. Even when she does something brave like go to the Gwido prison to retrieve the Jinyowan token, she needs to be rescued by jang Uk. Another reviewer called this misogynistic, which it is, but for me it’s just a massive disappointment that all the badassery I expected to come out later never did— Naksu wasn’t even involved in the final fight and firebird scene! It’s ok to frustrate viewers for some time if there’s a good payoff later, but that payoff never comes.

Most other characters didn’t have an important role either. The crown prince makes the king step down. There’s no reason I guess that he had to do this when he did, ostensibly he could have done it anytime, way before or way after the firebird stuff and completely unrelated. The other characters help to fight chunbugweon mages but it doesn’t really matter since Jang uk confronts Jin Mu alone anyway, who by the way, dies a pretty anticlimactic death that didn’t feel like he got full justice for what he did to Naksu in S1.

The same issues that were in S1 were just as bad if not worse in S2–belaboring sidecharacter romantic subplots I don’t really care about and having many scenes that don’t really advance the plot but just reaffirm feelings or tell us things we already know. But in S2 there was no compelling plot to make up for it.

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ALCHEMY OF SOULS S2 HAS A LOT OF LOOPHOLES

Alchemy of Souls season2 has a lot of loopholes and inconsistencies. Doesn't create remarkable impact unlike the first season. Focuses more on Jang Uk and Naksu lovey dovey moments/kissing scenes and a lot of parallel thingy due to her amnesia plot. They did not give justice to the most powerful priestess (real JBY) and eventually turned her role into somewhat villain. It also has a lot of confusing twist from how they revive Naksu soul and used JBY body. When regards to acting, GJY and LJW is just okay, compare to better acting of SoMin, MinHyun and other side cast.
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For the last 2 episodes (edit)
It does have a happy ending but still lacking something. Making Jang Uk possessed the ice tone and being the most powerful mage make it boring as no one can win/ fight against Jang Uk like how easy he killed Jin Mu and the rest of the Unanimous pips.
No thrilled and challenge for the main lead. As for Naksu regaining her memory, still lack in acting unlike the first FL. The only memorable scenes for me for S2 : So-I Seo Yul moment, Park Jin Maid servant Kim DoJu and Jin Hogyeong when we thought they died on the last episode and the relationship between Go won and his turtle.
And the fast phasing of the last 2 episodes..

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