Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Alchemy of Souls’ on Netflix, A Korean Fantasy With A Twist of Comedy And Young Romance

Alchemy of Souls (Netflix) from creators the Hong Sisters, Jung-eun and Mi-ran (Hotel Del Luna, Korean Odyssey), takes us to a magical land called Daeho, where sorcerers have harnessed the power of the natural world. When a sword-wielding assassin’s soul is accidentally trapped in a different body, she suddenly finds herself in a predicament that she can’t just cut and slice her way out of. 

ALCHEMY OF SOULS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A woman walks haltingly through the pouring rain in a village setting not unlike the Joseon Dynasty era of Korean history. She’s got a plan to feed a street urchin to her son, who’s all hopped up on soul-shifting monster pills.

The Gist: The woman might be desperate to save her only son, but it’s not fair that an innocent should suffer, and a powerful sorcerer known as Jang Gang (Joo Sang-wook) appears to put an end to her plan. Energy flies from his fingers, and columns of smoke push the possessed boy into Lake Gyeongcheondaeho, where he turns into stone. It’s a typical result – everybody knows that when bodies clash with the soul they’re carrying, bodies turn to stone. At least that’s what happens around here, in the land of Daeho, where well-heeled sorcerers like Jang manage the magic and keep the peace. But preventing the dirty tricks of a commoner is one thing. What happens when the aging, sickly king demands a little of that black market sorcery? “I am a king protected by the skies, and you are the best mage in this land. Give this king a different body.” What can Jang do? He helps the guy out. But it doesn’t go according to plan.

Flash forward 20 years. Naksu (Go Yoon-jung), a shadow assassin, is facing Master Park Jin (Yoo Jun-sang) and his men across the vast frozen surface of the lake. In the fight that ensues, Park’s forces take a hit. But they manage to pursue Naksu into the city and corner her in a tavern, where she transports her soul into the body of a peasant girl named Mu-Deok (Jung So-min) as a means of escape. They have Naksu’s sword and body. But her soul is free to fight another day. She talks to herself, wondering about Mu-Deok’s weaker and magic-less form, and how she might get her sword back, a process that apparently will involve lots of beheadings.

When Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook) gives Mu-Deok work in his home, it’s with an ulterior motive – as a student of the magic arts, he has sensed Naksu’s presence inside of her. (He’s also crushing a little.) Jang put a spell on Uk so that he can’t perform spells, and Uk wants to use Naksu’s powers to break it, much to the chagrin of his pals and fellow students Dang-gu (Yoo In-soo) and Seo Ha-sun (Kang Kyung-heon). But Naksu’s dark masters are plotting attacks from their perch outside of town. They want her body and sword back, and are still targeting Master Park for execution. Will Naksu soften her stance on head slicing as she lives her life as Mu-Deok? Will she agree to help Jang Uk with his limitations on spell-casting? Or will these two find a more conventional route to romance?

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Netflix also features Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain, concerning the fantasy adventures of a young disciple to the Spirit Blade sect. And in The Untamed, star-crossed soulmates encounter mysteries and evil with links to their destinies.

Our Take: It takes a few minutes to get a handle on all the terminology. Is a shadow assassin the same thing as a soul shifter? Can a mage make all magic happen, or just some of it? But once Alchemy of Souls settles into its groove, there’s plenty to enjoy. As the old guard – stuffy Master Park, and Jang Gang, who’s become a vagabond since that body-switching business with the king 20 years before – attempts to contain Naksu, who did her fair share of damage while still in her original form, the young princes are walking around Daeho doing what young princes so often do: meeting girls, getting into some mischief, and generally shirking their studies in favor of eating crab platters and visiting the tavern. Coming off as smug at first, Uk turns out to be a curious soul who sees more in people than he lets on, and Lee Jae-wook plays Uk’s feisty nature well off Yoo In-soo’s more comical Park Dang-gu. And that’s part of what’s probably the biggest surprise about Alchemy: this show is funny. After all the fantasy whooshes and energy balls swirling, after the crystalline spirit arrows formed from thin air, magic bows and arrows, and spells cast to expunge the fire overtaking a building, Alchemy of Souls boils down to Uk and Mu-Deok pulling faces at each other as they navigate their budding romance inside the frame of a master-and-servant relationship. Cue the wacky music as Uk makes her fill his bath with hot water, and then cold; watch her fret and blow a hair out of her face when he asks for food and sends it away. These two have a lot to sort out – she’s technically still the shadow assassin that everyone is looking for. But Uk and Mu-Deok are already a fun couple.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: “The soul shifter Naksu, the shadow assassin. I have been searching for someone who can break this spell to call my master. I want you to be my master.” Jang Uk is pretty trusting, considering the murderous track record of soul shifters. But the spell that’s preventing him from conducting magical rites is a strong one, and besides, he has a crush on Naksu, too.

Sleeper Star: We’re going to go with the costume design here. Alchemy of Souls is awash in gorgeous fabrics and hues, from honeysuckle jeogoris and turquoise chimas to mens’ hanboks rich with vermillion and marigold.

Most Pilot-y Line: “A lot of people have already seen Naksu’s body,” Master Park Jin tells his counterpart, Master Heo.”Word will spread about the alchemy of souls.” Heo can’t believe it’s been 20 years since Daeho last encountered a soul shifter, but now that one has appeared, he thinks blood will spill. He’s right.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Alchemy of Souls will scratch your fantasy itch – there are spells popping off right and left. But there’s a lot of flirty comedy, too, as the young people circle each other.

Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift. Follow him on Twitter: @glennganges