Alchemy of Souls part 2 episode 6 recap & review

Open Go TV / December 28, 2022 / Reviews

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In the sixth episode of the second part of ‘Alchemy of Souls’, Yul finds out that Naksu is alive but decides against sharing this news with Jang Uk. The episode is now streaming on Netflix.

Recap

Bu-yeon surprises Jang Uk by talking about the tree in Danhyanggok. She could tell that it made him think of Naksu again. She wants him to see her for her, not Naksu.

Bu-yeon and Jang Uk come across Yul, who has come to rescue So-i. Jang Uk distracts Jin Ho-gyeong while Bu-yeon leads Yul to So-i.

Jin Ho-gyeong shows Jang Uk the fire bird’s egg, which would bring severe drought if it hatches. Jinyowon would fall if the egg is taken.

So-i, after being rescued, tells Yul that Bu-yeon is Naksu. The two decide to keep the information to themselves because So-i knows that Jin Ho-gyeong would not help Yul get rid of the parasite if the secret is revealed to others.

Yul embraces Bu-yeon. He believes that it is now his responsibility to do what he could not do three years ago because this time around, he is the first one to discover Naksu’s identity.

Jang Uk takes Bu-yeon home with him, making Lady Heo jealous. Bu-yeon later tells Jang Uk that she is friends with Yul. Not knowing what has been happening with Bu-yeon bothers him. He then tells her he is trying to see her as her.

Songrim is now inspecting all the boats that are entering the capital. Yun-o asks his subordinates to dispose of the replicas of the fire bird to avoid getting caught.

Jin Mu advises the king to make Jang Uk a general and send him to the Northern Fortress. He also asks to prepone the date for the lake’s rite.

When Jang Uk tells Master Lee that Cheonbugwan and the royal family are behind the drying up of wells, Master Lee tells him that fighting against them would be considered a revolt, and winning it would make Jang Uk the king.

Jang Uk remembers being told by Park Jin that his real father was the late King, who had switched his body with Jang Gang to impregnate his mother. Although the King’s Star is Jang Uk’s, he is not supposed to exist because he was born through the alchemy of souls.

Naksu’s father died hiding the King’s Star, while Jang Gang died trying to take responsibility and keep the truth concealed. Park Jin warns him that if he uses his powers to bring chaos to the world, he would do everything to stop him.

Master Lee tells Jang Uk that Master Seo Gyeong left the Ice Stone to save his lover, Jin Seol-ran.

Meanwhile, Bu-yeon uses her powers to help Park Jin locate the replicas of the fire bird. The queen invites Cho-yeon to tea. She praises her beauty in a way that suggests that she has an ulterior motive.

Go Won and Bu-yeon meet again. They have developed a kind of friendship; they both give each other helpful advice without actually knowing the other’s real dilemmas.

Go Won decides to visit Jang Uk and tells him about Jin Mu’s plans to send him away. The two are aware of what Jin Mu is scheming, but Jang Uk does not care enough to stop him.

A disappointed Go Won remarks that Jang Uk now possesses great powers, but he is dead inside.

Jin Ho-gyeong, still unaware that the blood parasite is inside Yul, explains that if the parasite inside Yul goes mad, the pain will drive him crazy and will kill him eventually. However, there is a way to save him.

Master Lee thinks to himself that Bu-yeon will first regain her powers, then her memories, and will eventually be rejected by that body.

Bu-yeon, who has received the Spirit Plaque of Songrim, promises to protect Jang Uk. Even though she constantly says things that Naksu used to say, Jang Uk admits that he is no longer sure what he wants from her.

Yul tries to send So-i away to keep her safe, but she comes back to see if he has gone to Jinyowon to get treated. He makes up his mind to take the burden of killing Naksu upon himself, as Jang Uk has already suffered more than enough.

Yul writes his last letters to everyone and offers to take Bu-yeon to see the tree in Danhyanggok, where he plans to kill himself along with her.

Jang Uk ensures that Bu-yeon has not been carrying the blue jade while regaining memories that are strangely similar to the memories of Naksu. He also confesses to her that she cannot be just a friend to him.

So-i is ordered to be brought to Cheonbugwan by Jin Mu when Yun-o fails him. She gets beaten up by Jin Mu’s men, who want to know how she got rid of the blood parasite.

So-i’s trusted man rushes to inform Yul, who is with Bu-yeon, about this, and he comes to save her. However, due to the parasite inside him, he grows weak and cannot fight, and So-i dies protecting him.

Before the men could kill him as well, Jang Uk, who has been told about Yul’s illness and the attack on So-i by Bu-yeon, reaches there to save him.

Review

The flashback scene in the episode in which Jang Uk is told by Park Jin that his birth in itself is a sin, however small, is so poignant that it steals the spotlight.
The episode fails to convey whether it is the blood parasite that is responsible for Yul’s actions or a misplaced sense of responsibility.
So-i’s death does not leave an impact on the audience; it seems insignificant. It could have had a greater impact if the writers had done something original rather than make it seem like any other dramatic death on TV.