Everything we know about ‘Alchemy Of Souls’ season 2 so far: release date, cast, plot and more

Boasting breathtaking visuals and an all-star cast, the Korean drama Alchemy Of Souls has – to everyone’s dismay – wrapped its first season, after 20 episodes of high-octane, otherworldly mysteries that have just barely scratched the surface of the show’s sweeping lore.

Penned by the acclaimed screenwriting duo who call themselves the Hong Sisters (consisting Hong Jung-eun and Mi-ran), Alchemy Of Souls is 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 centered 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.

That cliffhanger of a season ending gave us much to mourn and mull over, but the good news is that a new season of the K-drama is on the way. Here’s everything we know about season 2 of Alchemy Of Souls. Expect spoilers ahead.

Latest news:

• Release window confirmed for Alchemy of Souls season 2
• Season 2 of Alchemy of Souls confirmed

Has Alchemy Of Souls season 2 been confirmed?

Prior to the premiere of Alchemy Of Souls’ first season in June, director Park Joon-hwa shared during a press conference for the series that a second season had always been on the cards for the show. “There were so many changes and variations in our narrative, so I thought I wanted to put a human story in it,” he told press at the time, per Sports Chosun.

“I’m still writing the script for part two, but it’s in progress. A story that can be contained. It was more difficult than I thought to put the narrative and relationship story in 20 parts, so I made the decision [to produce a second season] early on.”

And in July, the South China Morning Post reported that Alchemy Of Souls season 2 was confirmed.

• READ MORE: Alchemy of Souls review: an ambitious spell that risks falling flat

Is there a release date for Alchemy of Souls season 2?

South Korean cable network tVN officially announced that Alchemy Of Souls season 2 would air sometime in December 2022 just days before the first season wrapped up, per Star News.

Several reports about the timeline of season 2’s production began surfacing ahead of the first season finale, claiming that the Alchemy Of Souls’ cast and crew had begun filming season 2 in July and are expected to wrap sometime in the fall. Soompi then reported that a source from the K-drama’s production team had said that “part two of Alchemy Of Souls is set to air in December”. A definitive premiere date has yet to be announced.

How many episodes will Alchemy of Souls season 2 have?

According to the aforementioned report by South China Morning Post in July, Alchemy of Souls season 2 will have 10 episodes. That’s half the 20 episodes of the first season.

What could the plot of Alchemy Of Souls season 2 be like?

Spoilers for Alchemy of Souls season one ahead.

No official information has emerged pertaining to the plot of season 2. However, the recent finale gave several hints for the direction the Hong Sisters have planned for the next season. After the supposed death of Jang Wook at the hands of Nak-su (who is using Mu-deok’s body as a vessel), he emerges from the pyre in the courtyard as it erupts into blue flames, resurrected from the dead due to his identity as the King’s Star.

Meanwhile, the real Mu-deok is on the brink of death after jumping off a cliff and into a body of water. Just as you think she might have met her end, a pair of disembodied hands grab her and pull her back up to the surface.

The end of the final episode also gives viewers a tantalising first glimpse of what awaits them in the second season. In what appears to be a time skip from the events of season one, Jang Wook is seen in the brief clip to be on a killing spree as he mercilessly slays soul-shifters with Nak-su’s sword. Most interestingly, it also teases the return of Go Yoon-jung as Nak-su, intensifying the ambiguity surrounding Mu-deok’s fate.

Who is in the cast of Alchemy of Souls season 2?

As indicated by the aforementioned season 2 preview, it seems that almost 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. According to the South China Morning Post, Go’s Nak-su is set to become a leading character in the second season.

The publication also reported that actors Lee Jae-wook, Minhyun, OH MY GIRL’s Arin, Shin Seung-ho, Oh Na-ra and more would reprise their roles – and were later spotted in the preview.

Previous reports said the representatives of Jung So-min (who played Mu-deok) were unable to confirm her involvement in the second season. As the production team told Soompi prior to the season finale: “There are still two episodes left, so it’s difficult to answer because it will be a spoiler.” Considering the uncertainty of Mu-deok’s fate at the end of Alchemy Of Soul’s first season and Go’s return as Nak-su, there is a chance Jung may not appear in the sequel – however, this has yet to be confirmed.

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