Everything to know about ‘Alchemy Of Souls’ season 2: how to watch, cast, plot and more

As far as period K-dramas go, Alchemy of Souls has and continues to go against the grain as one with sweeping lore, expertly devised visual effects and a galore of fantasy. After wrapping the 20-episode run of its first season in August, the series returned in December for its follow-up – dubbed Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow – to tie up the mysterious loose ends the first season concluded with. 

• READ MORE: Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow review: hyped fantasy K-drama sharpens its focus
  

Penned by the acclaimed screenwriting duo the Hong Sisters (of Hong Jung-eun and Mi-ran), Alchemy of Souls season two is once again set in Daeho, a fictional kingdom within South Korea that appears to be loosely based on the country’s Joseon era. 

The series’ first season centred on the origins and rise of Jang Wook (Lee Jae-wook) as Daeho’s most powerful sorcerer, who harbours a dark secret that involves unlawful soul-shifting. The second season, however, jumps forward in time three years after the high-octane events of the first season. Jang Wook, who is now resurrected as the newly minted bearer of the ice stone, has taken on the duties of a rogue soul-shifter hunter. 

Now that Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow is airing on tvN and streaming on Netflix, here’s everything to know about the show, including its all-star cast, comprehensive plot and more. Expect spoilers for both seasons ahead. 

Latest news:

• Preview of episode three reveals Jang Wook engaged in battle and Jin Mu’s mounting suspicions about Bu-yeon’s identity 
• Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow premieres with higher ratings than that of season one
• Alchemy of Souls 2 premieres first two episodes on December 10 and 11

How can I watch Alchemy Of Souls season 2?

After premiering its first episode on Netflix last week on December 10, Alchemy of Souls is being simulcast on the streaming service, complete with English subtitles. For Korean audiences, season two will be broadcast via cable network tVN. 

What time do new episodes of Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow air?

The original broadcast of Alchemy of Souls: Light And Dark on tVN goes live at 9:10pm KST every Saturday and Sunday. While Netflix does not provide a specific time for when new episodes are made available to stream, past K-drama simulcasts have indicated that episodes will most likely be put up on Netflix around two hours after it airs in South Korea. 

Alchemy of Souls season 2 will be aired every weekend for five consecutive weeks, with a finale currently scheduled for January 8, 2023.

What has the response to Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow been like?

The premiere of Alchemy of Souls season two has been met with plenty of excitement from fans, new viewers and critics alike. In a five-star review of the new season, NME’s Tanu I. Raj argued that it is “shaping up to be a tighter and more engaging show than its predecessor”. They continued: “This time around, the show strips away the lingering sequences and dives right into the mysterious yet devastating aftermath of the first season. The result is a considerably more confident storyline that does not feel the need to impress viewers with glorious CGI, though that’s still aplenty.”

Plenty of South Korean viewers have also tuned in for the season premiere – according to Nielsen Korea, the season two premiere accumulated an average nationwide rating of 6.7 per cent, according to a report dated December 11. This is a higher rating than that of season one, which premiered to a nationwide average of 5.2 per cent. Season two episode two later received an even higher rating of 7.7 per cent, after it saw a substantial rise in viewership. 

What is the plot of Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow like so far?

The show reintroduces Jang Wook, who’s wielding Nak-su’s sword and battling soul shifters. Despite a renewed, albeit temporary, purpose in life, he still spends his days – when not hunting soul shifters, of course – sulking alone and reminiscing about Nak-su. An encounter with a soul shifter allows him to cross paths with a woman named Jin Bu-yeon (Go Yoon-jung), who viewers will recognise as the original Nak-su.

 Bu-yeon, on the other hand, has no recollection of her life in the three years since the events of the first season, and most have presumed her to be dead. When the pair cross paths, she has just escaped Jinyowon, and takes the opportunity to beg Jang Wook to marry her. Though he declines, the duo embark on a shared adventure, and the flames of their past romance as Nak-su and Jang Wook look set to reignite. 

Who is in the cast of Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow?

Fans were provided with a solid preview of the second season as soon as the first wrapped up, and that preview indicated  all the characters and their corresponding actors would make a subsequent return to Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow. 

Nearly all of the existing cast of Alchemy Of Souls will be returning to the show – including Go Yoon-jung, who first appeared as the original Nak-su at the beginning of the show. Other notable actors who have returned to the second season include Lee Jae-wook, Minhyun, OH MY GIRL’s Arin, Shin Seung-ho, Oh Na-ra and more, all of whom have reprised their previous roles. 

However, after months of speculation regarding her involvement in the second season, Jung So-min – who starred as Mu-deok and Nak-su in season one – has so far not returned to the series, and remains the only cast member to do so. That said, there has been a lack of concrete confirmation about her appearance on the new season, so there might be a possibility of her making a cameo appearance as the episodes progress.

What are the next episodes of Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow going to be about?

The most recent episode, Episode 2 (which aired on December 11), ended with Jang Wook making a false announcement that he’s married to Bu-yeon. In the brief preview of the third episode – included at the end of Episode 2 – it seems as though Jang Wook’s announcement was met with pushback. “If my powers can be considered justification, I would like to see you try arguing with that,” he declares, as he engages in a fierce battle in the middle of a courtyard. Bu-yeon (or Naksu) tells Jang Wook that she was “hoping for this”.

Meanwhile, Jin Mu has his suspicions about Bu-yeon’s true identity, and resolves to gather as much information on her as he can. He is later spotted using the jade to summon Nak-su’s soul in order to distract Jang Wook. 

The remaining episodes will continue to detail the stakes at hand for Jang Wook, who has to learn to handle the power of the ice stone or risk death if he ever removes it. Watch the full trailer for Alchemy of Souls: Light And Shadow below: 

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