✨Melinaa✨

Why is he carrying Naksu’s sword that once killed him? Some say he is bearing a bitter grudge, while others say he is just painfully in love with her.

[ID: gifs from the series Alchemy of Souls featuring Naksu’s sword, which has a white hilt. In the first, Naksu is shown in her original body swinging her sword preparing to perform Tansu. In the second, Naksu as Mu Deok stands before the sword, hand outstretched, as it floats upward in recognition. The next shows Mu Deok drawing the sword solemnly as she again prepares to perform Tansu. The next shows Mu Deok hugging Jang Uk, still clutching her sword and its sheath in her hands. Then, Mu Deok and Jang Uk are shown kneeling facing one another just after Mu Deok has stabbed him. The following gif shows Jang Uk’s hand holding her sword. Next, Jang Uk drawing it and using it to fight. The last gif shows Jang Uk from the back as he walks forward, her sword at his side. /end ID]

ALCHEMY OF SOULS: LIGHT AND SHADOW (2022-2023)

This scene right here broke all my resolve and shattered my heart

no other cinematographic kiss can have a chance since they exist

I think Yeong lost her appetite for violence when it led her to running a sword through the chest of the man she loves. She doesn't physically remember it, but deep inside, as much as she knows Uk is her love and her husband, it was violence that separated them.

And she's allowed to turn her back on that. She's allowed to put down the burden of her family's vengeance.

Completely agree with this 💯

I think Yeong lost her appetite for violence when it led her to running a sword through the chest of the man she loves. She doesn't physically remember it, but deep inside, as much as she knows Uk is her love and her husband, it was violence that separated them.

And she's allowed to turn her back on that. She's allowed to put down the burden of her family's vengeance.

This is probably my favorite romantic scene this episode. This is peak romance for me. The way he kissed her eyes first before kissing her lips? YES!!!!

It was her eyes that helped him notice her the first time and it’s the same eyes that led him to her again.

I really can't get over this quote here because it is probably true (at least in S1). Hear me out:

Uk loved Naksu to death, quite literally. The last thing he did after she stabbed him was to sink her sword deeper into his chest so he could embrace her and protect her from the other mages with his own body. Then reached for her hand in a secret "I love you" gesture because he couldn't even talk anymore.

Naksu was the first person who ever saw him for himself, and he would burn the world for her.

But for Naksu Uk was everything even if she never explicitly said it.

He was also the first and only person to see her for herself. He was her safe place in a world that hated, hunted and hurt her. She had to rely on herself ever since she was a kid, had to be strong, the strongest, since no weakness was allowed. She was isolated, living in the middle of nowhere in dire conditions.

And then Uk came along and offered her a house where people took care of her. HE took care of her, protected her, showed her she could rely on him. And all of a sudden she was no longer alone, she didn't have to fend for herself, she didn't have to be strong, she no longer was just an assassin. She was just her, someone worthy of love, someone who deserved to be taken care of, someone who could be weak.

He destroyed the walls she'd built and gave her a safe space where she could let go instead of living in survival mode.

He showered her with love when all she'd ever known was violence.

For most of her life, her sense of identity revolved around her power. She was the most powerful mage in all of Daeho. And he was the person she gave up all of that for. She gave up everything for him and she didn't care.

He was her haven in a world who killed her twice and then killed her a third time.

The moment she said that line, my whole heart broke because she must have been holding all these emotions in.

I really can't get over this quote here because it is probably true (at least in S1). Hear me out:

Uk loved Naksu to death, quite literally. The last thing he did after she stabbed him was to sink her sword deeper into his chest so he could embrace her and protect her from the other mages with his own body. Then reached for her hand in a secret "I love you" gesture because he couldn't even talk anymore.

Naksu was the first person who ever saw him for himself, and he would burn the world for her.

But for Naksu Uk was everything even if she never explicitly said it.

He was also the first and only person to see her for herself. He was her safe place in a world that hated, hunted and hurt her. She had to rely on herself ever since she was a kid, had to be strong, the strongest, since no weakness was allowed. She was isolated, living in the middle of nowhere in dire conditions.

And then Uk came along and offered her a house where people took care of her. HE took care of her, protected her, showed her she could rely on him. And all of a sudden she was no longer alone, she didn't have to fend for herself, she didn't have to be strong, she no longer was just an assassin. She was just her, someone worthy of love, someone who deserved to be taken care of, someone who could be weak.

He destroyed the walls she'd built and gave her a safe space where she could let go instead of living in survival mode.

He showered her with love when all she'd ever known was violence.

For most of her life, her sense of identity revolved around her power. She was the most powerful mage in all of Daeho. And he was the person she gave up all of that for. She gave up everything for him and she didn't care.

He was her haven in a world who killed her twice and then killed her a third time.

Even though it had it's flaws alchemy of souls have me something that k dramas have failed to do in a long time. Excitement. I remember waiting to watch k dramas as a teenager with baited breath for the next episodes to come out, falling in love with the characters with every step. And alchemy of souls delivered. So it will be one of my favorites. It could have been better but I will still love it even with it's flaws.

I haven’t felt this much excitement and anticipation in years. Since Scarlet Heart and Goblin. It’s one of those dramas that hook you from the very beginning and you can’t latch off until the end. Will definitely miss them and I will continue to love it so much

Obsessed with the way they look at each other.

1. I’m melting because Naksu just looks unbelievably loved. Jang Uk is gently cupping her face, her eyes are glossy. I feel the love in the way Jang Uk touches her. And then Jang Uk looks at her like she’s his world. The sheer acknowledgement and recognition that this woman in front of him whom he pines for is exactly the woman he’s always been in love with.

2. Again GYJ does such a wonderful job relaying all of Naksu’s emotions in one look, through her eyes. She loves this man and adores him.

3. Jang Uk’s hunger is among us bc he goes all in after a gentle peck.

beautiful balance ALCHEMY OF SOULS- LIGHT AND SHADOW

Okay, so I've spent the whole span of AoS season 2 seeing people criticize Jang Uk for not recognising Naksu.

And I can't take it anymore.

Yes it is a bit of a lazy writing on the writers part. But this is not wrong in any way. See the biggest mistake they did was show us Jang Uk 3 yrs later, but there's just one flashback scene. Only one. We don't see him building into a dark character. That was definitely lazy writing.

But have you gone through a dark patch in your life? It takes so much away from you. It makes your mind foggy. It hampers with your thinking. You behave weirdly. So much so that people around you tell you're not you anymore. Which just adds on to the misery.

Which is exactly what happened to Jang Uk. He died guys. Protecting the woman he loved. But he came back alive. And he couldn't save her. And then he finds out that in some f**ked up way he's responsible for her death.

The 1st season was very clearly showed how smart Jang Uk was. Witty, edgy, sharp, spontaneous. A genius. He had to be. He had been judged and humiliated all his life, left with no speck of power. His wit was all he had.

So what changed?

Do you remember that flashback scene. It was sometime after he'd come back to life. And in that short span of time he'd completely figured out that she was not responsible for those crimes and who were. Till that moment Jang Uk was still sharp. But Park Jin telling him he's responsible for her death is the point of no return. You see in his eyes the moment he breaks apart (Lee Jae Wook deserves all the awards for this). For the first time in his life there is something, that with all his intelligence, he can't wrap his head around. That not only could he not save the love of his life, but he was responsible for her death.

After that Jang Uk changes. He doesn't see and notice things like before, because he's not like before. He's not bright and witty anymore. He considers himself dead, which is why he says he's not going to do anything. He wants to die. Do you think he's seeing things straight when he's suicidal?

We do see some semblance of the old Jang Uk when he's with his close ones. When he meets Yul and Dangu. When he's with Park Jin or Kim Doju. When Yul is sad he understands. He is genuinely happy Jin Bu-Yeon lights up the lamp.

When Park Jin asks Jang Uk who he would save between him and Kim Doju, he says Kim Doju. Which was a funny scene. But this not what season 1 Jang Uk would have said. Remember Jang Uk sacrificed his own powers to save everybody trapped in the ice stone. And when Park Jin says that he should save both, you see realisation hit his eyes. He was not given a scenario where he could only save one. He can save both, but this didn't occur to him. Season 1 Jang Uk would have answered that he would try to save both.

He saves Jin Bu-Yeon only because she can kill him. But you see he does recognise her. He looks deep into her eyes. Searching... But he doesn't find what he's looking for. Her actions confuse him. But at that point he's to scared to be hopeful. Because it's too good to be true. Which is why he outright says to Jin Bu-Yeon that she could be a replacement for Naksu since she reminded him so much of her. But she retaliates. Everytime. She repeatedly tells him she's not that woman. That she is herself. That he should see her for who she is. Which is how he is finally able to mourn and heal. He's finally able to be happy again.

Also him finding out who she was would have made him happy and relieved that she was alive. But it wouldn't have brought him out his guilt or his darkness. He would still be haunted by events of his past. He wouldn't have been able to mourn or heal.

And you see Jang Uk come back. He's accepted the fact that sometimes his wife might remember things from his past because she has the blue jade egg. He knows that she reminds him of his lover, but that's okay, he can love again. He's made peace with his past. And just when he is happy, she leaves, again. But this time he's not confused. He tells her that he doesn't care about her past. Or that he fell for her over some confusion. He also knows that she does like him, but also is only lying to him. But he doesn't pry. He only says that he'll wait for her.

Yes, I see the problem with him finding out about her so late. Or prolonging the amnesia plot. Because there's only 2 episodes left. And that's your problem. Only 10 episodes. If season 2 was also 20 episodes that wouldn't be a problem. Moving at this pace is not actually wrong. But leaving only 2 episodes to solve the rest of the problems is.

If you've read this far, you do see my point. Don't you?

P.S. I knew they weren't going to let them find out before they fell in love again. I knew that they were going to find out just when they were happy again. Because for some reason Hong Sisters don't like happy couples.

All the folks complaining that we didn’t get “badass Naksu” back really are showing that the only way they think a female character can be strong is if she kicks ass. Was Naksu awesome? Of course. But she was also the version of Cho Yeong that was abused, neglected, forced into becoming magically and physically powerful as a tool for Jin Mu. In the end, Cho Yeong made her own choice to reclaim her birth name, stick with the divine powers she received from Bu Yeon, and be happy and free alongside the person she loves. Also, would you want to go back to using the magic and the sword that you were forced to kill your lover with?! Yeong and Uk both spend the whole story chasing freedom, and they both got it in the end. They are both powerful, both free of others’ control, both happy with each other. I don’t see how that isn’t an ideal ending.

THISSSS

JANG UK IS SO FUKING SEXY FOR THIS