Alchemy of Souls

• Korean: 환혼
• Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy_of_Souls
• Rating: 5/5 
• Posted: March 14, 2024

• Episode 1-19 of Part 1: this show is pretty good.
• Episode 20 of Part 1: I hate this show with passion unchained.
• Episode 1 of Part 2: what is going on?
• Rest of Part 2 and in hindsight: best show ever.

One of the main themes of the show is about destinies, and whether love can persist through lifetimes. Because of this theme, it is very important for the FMC to be killed off at the end of part 1 (technically MMC also died at the end of part 1, but he was revived very much right away), and even more important that the FMC be replaced with another actress in part 2. This special premise allows for the MMC and FMC to fall in love all again, with the FMC regaining her memories first while the MMC takes longer to realise that the person that he's fallen in love with is the very same wife-to-be that killed him in part 1.

But let's talk about the thing I hate most about the show: the ending of Part 1 where the death of the FMC is extremely poorly telegraphed. The plot device about a magic bell being able to overpower soul-switched people has never shown up prior to the last episode; in fact, the entire episode has been (mis)leading the audience into thinking this is going to be happy ending. If there are hints and foreshadowing here and there about OK there might be this very powerful mind control device, our MMC and FMC are vaguely aware of it and have done everything they can in preparation, but in the end they still fail, I am still OK with that ending because the audience at least is prepared for that possibility. I've rewatched the show a few times, and every time I either skip episode 20 of Part 1, or just skip all of Part 1 altogether (would not recommend for new viewers).