Alchemy of Souls, a new fantasy period drama from Korean broadcaster tvN that is currently available on Netflix globally, is set in a universe of wizards and “soul shifters.” Visual effects are used to create a kaleidoscopic variety of spells on the screen.
The program merrily sidesteps cultural validity and historical accuracy by creating an entire fantasy mythology from scratch that melds modern tastes with traditional style — just look at the boldly patterned clothing and shocks of blond hair to see what I mean.
This is the newest series by Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ra, better known as the Hong Sisters, who have written numerous romantic comedies, including Sassy Girl Chun-hyang and Hotel del Luna, starring Lee Ji-eun (aka IU) and Yeo Jin-goo.
Alchemy of Souls isn’t their first foray into fantasy, but it is their most daring mash-up yet, with the tone shifting from historical drama, action, romance, and humor on a regular basis.
While this is a romantic comedy at heart, it takes a while for them to remind us of that since there are so many characters and so much exposition to get through while they set up their fantasy universe.
In this fate-fueled fantasy, Jung So-min (Monthly Magazine Home), Lee Jae-wook (Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol), and Minhyun (previously of K-pop boy band Nu’est) play the lead parts, with Arin (of K-pop girl group Oh My Girl) and Yoo In-soo (All of Us Are Dead) among the rest of the mostly youthful cast.
The tale opens with a lady attempting to protect her children from a soul shifter, a demon capable of changing bodies but who, when revealed, takes on a stony look. Jang Gang (Joo Sang-wook), a magician, comes and saves the commoners before consigning the beast to the seabed.
Jang is the ill king’s main wizard, and he’s created a spell called “alchemy of souls,” which permits souls to transfer bodies. The monarch demands that they swap souls for a week, and his first action is to rape and impregnate Jang’s wife.
The programme looks to be a long cry from the conventional Korean historical drama of the era. A narrator tells us early on in the first episode that the narrative we’re going to see takes place in the kingdom of Daeho, a mystical realm that isn’t seen on maps or in history books.
It may seem implausible that this kingdom might be confused with the Joseon monarchy, which ruled the Korean peninsula for five centuries, but one can never be too careful when it comes to Korean dramas these days, where everything with even a smidgeon of historical connection gets scrutinized online.
