Alchemy of Souls (환혼) is a 2022 Korean fantasy drama which is set in the imaginary world of Daeho. The story revolves around young magicians who are to carry the burden of the past. Starring Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min and Hwang Min-hyun, the show premiered on tvN on Jun 18, 2022. The show will have 20 episodes and it takes over tvN’s Saturday-Sunday 9 PM KST timeslot previously occupied by Our Blues. Alchemy of Souls episode 20 has a runtime of 87 minutes.
Netflix describes the series as:
A POWERFUL SORCERESS IN A BLIND WOMAN’S BODY ENCOUNTERS A MAN FROM A PRESTIGIOUS FAMILY, WHO WANTS HER HELP TO CHANGE HIS DESTINY.
-Alchemy of Souls Episode 20 Recap contains spoilers-
Alchemy of Souls episode 20 starts off with Park Jin and Kim Do-ju looking out for houses for the so-to-be wed when the latter speaks about the kind of house she would like to live in with her husband. Park Jin then tells her that he will gift her a house when she gets married to master Lee.
This surprises her and she confesses to him that she had always liked him. She finds his foolishness unbelievable and runs away from Park Jin who is left speechless. Back at the Jang household, Jang Uk sees the crying Kim Do-ju and asks her what happened but she makes up the reason that it is because of him not getting married.
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Jang Uk then tells her that he too will be getting married soon which makes her think of Heo Yoon-ok. However, he tells her that it is Mu-deok whom he loves and will be getting married to which leaves her shocked.
In Chwiseonru, Mu-deok tells Joo Wol about her getting married to Jang Uk and the latter is ready to spread the news everywhere. On the other hand, Jin Mu continues to convince the crown prince that he is still valuable to him.
While the crown prince tells him that Jang Uk has lost all his powers, Jin Mu is not ready to believe this and tells him that the ice stone must be with Jang Uk. It is the power of the sky and this will only make Jang Uk stronger.
At Sejukwon, Jin Ho-kyung is beside a wounded Jin Woo-tak and tells him that her feelings for him had always been sincere. She had fallen in love with him long back and had stayed true to these feelings. She also reveals that she is telling this to him so that he can always regret his decision of colluding with Jin Mu.
At a secret hideout, Jin Mu gets to know that Jin Woo-tak is still alive and is now planning on ways to kill him. A palace maid then arrives with shaman Choi’s soul potions and divination bell. These bells are capable of making a soul shifter go wild and he is ready to make all soul shifters that he has created wreak havoc in Daeho.
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Elsewhere, Mu-deok and Jang Uk are getting their rings made out of the yin-and-yang jade that they always carry with them when the former is made to come face to face with the latter’s many affairs. This angers her but Jang Uk pacifies her anger by letting her know that she is the only woman in his heart.
Heo Yoon-ok witnesses the happiness that the couple excuse from afar and can’t help but regret not being able to confess her feelings. Later, Seo Yul is feeling pain from his wound which is the same place where So Yi had made the blood worm enter. He consults Heo Yoon-ok but they are unable to find the cause.
Elsewhere, So Yi is worried about Seo Yul’s pain and is thinking of ways to sneak inside the Jin household to get him the medicine she took. At the Jang household, Kim Do-ju tells Mu-deok to stop working around the house as she will soon be Jang Uk’s wife, letting her know that she has accepted their relationship.
However, when Mu-deok talks about Park Jin, Kim Do-ju can’t help but tear up. In Songrim, Park Jin is no less distressed as he blames himself for not understanding Kim Do-ju.
Jang Uk is shocked to see him like this and tells him that he will be leaving the city with Kim Do-ju and will not be coming back for a long time. This then instigates Park Jin to go and stop Kim Do-ju from leaving and the two are able to get together.
The scene of their getting together is seen by master Lee who leaves and cries near the lakeside. Later, Kim Do-ju passes on Jang Kang’s wish to clear Cho Chung’s (Naksu’s father) name to Park Jin, Heo Yeom and Jin Ho-kyung. They get to know that Jin Mu had turned Cho Chung into a soul shifter to keep him shut after he got to know that Jang Kang practised sorcery.
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While they agree to catch him, Park Jin wants Jin Mu dead because if he is caught then he will reveal the truth about Jang Uk’s birth to everyone.
Elsewhere, Jin Mu gets to know that Jang Uk is planning to leave the capital which goes against his plans of using the crown prince. But then he gets to know that Mu-deok will also be leaving with Jang Uk which makes his suspicion grow and he is able to connect her to Naksu.
He then decides to test this as he follows her into the market and sneakily makes her inhale the soul potion. He then rings the bells and is able to control her which makes him sure that Mu-deok is none other than Naksu. This gives him hope.
Near the lake, Jang Uk meets master Lee and tells him that he will be leaving with Mu-deok. He asks master Lee to keep his end of the bargain and not bother with the two from then on. He also reveals that he has the ice stone and hopes that master Lee will help him use it if Mu-deok goes wild.
In the Jin household, So Yi sneaks in to take the medicine that can help Seo Yul but is caught by Jin Ho-kyung. Having no other way to escape from her she gives her the blindfold that belonged to the real Jin Bu-yeon. She tells her that Jin Bu-yeon is alive and that she knows who it is but will not reveal it until she knows that she is safe.
The next day, the crown prince meets with Park Jin and the latter tells him about his plan to exterminate all soul shifters with the help of Jinyowon. She asks the crown prince for his help in this and also requests him to not protect Jin Mu when the time comes.
The topic then shifts to the King’s star as Park Jin feigns ignorance of the truth and associates the crown prince with the rise of the star. The crown prince soon leaves but comes across Mu-deok who thanks him for saving her. However, he lets her know that her telling this even after knowing the truth feels like mockery.
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He then shows her displeasure at seeing the two together and tells her that they should go away as far as possible. Elsewhere, Park Dang-gu, Jang Uk and Seo Yul are celebrating the former getting married the next day.
Park Dang-gu expresses his disappointment at not being able to see the two more often which give them a chance to make fun of Park Dang-gu and scare him. He brushes it off as envy and gives them his blessings to which Seo Yul reveals him being rejected.
Seo Yul tells the two about the pain he has been experiencing and leaves the two when Jo Wool comes to him with a package given to her by So Yi. He finds the pills and tries to guess who could’ve sent them.
Later, the crown prince once again meets up with Jun Mu and tells him to own up to his crimes but the latter is not ready. He tells the crown prince that there are many who know about Jang Uk being the King’s star and believe that he has the ice stone. He is determined to bring light onto this matter and make Jang Uk suffer.
Back at the Jang household, Jang Uk finds the drunk Mu-deok and Kim Do-ju and sees how the former is about to expose her identity. He then takes her away and tucks her into bed when Mu-deok reveals her feeling to him.
However, later that night, Mu-deok is awakened by the sound of bells which compels her into taking her sword and going to where Jin Mu is. He then gives her his energy to help her gain her powers and commands her to kill Jin Woo-tak and go wild in Songrim.
The next day, preparations for the wedding are complete while Jin Cho-yeon and Park Dang-gu have decided to sneak into Sejukwon to meet Jin Woo-tak. While Jang Uk and Seo Yul wonder where Mu-deok is, we see her standing in front of Sejukwon.
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She starts attacking the people around her and is ready to kill Jin Woo-tak when Jin Cho-yeon arrives and tries to stop her. However, Mu-deok is now the assassin Naksu and is too strong for her. Right then Park Dang-gu also arrives and tries to fight against her.
While he is able to stop her, he is unable to harm her due to her relationship with Jang Uk. But this does not stop Mu-deok as she uses her powers to stab her sword into Jin Woo-tak, thus killing him.
She then hears Jin Mu’s command to take her revenge on the four families for killing her father and she continues to attack the two. Elsewhere, Jin Mu arrives at Songrim and blames Songrim for hiding the soul shifter assassin Naksu. Right then a servant from Sejukwon arrives and notifies everyone of Mu-deok’s behaviour.
People from Cheonbugwan arrive at Sejukwon and try to stop her but fail. She runs into the forest where Park Jin arrives and is ready to hit her with his arrow when Jang Uk arrives and shields Mu-deok.
However, Mu-deok stabs him with her sword which makes her know that something is wrong with her, so he hugs her tight and keeps repeating her name in her ears. This brings her back to her sense for a while as she grieves over what she has done.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t last for long as the ringing of the bells is heard once again and she escapes from the scene. But the scene she has left behind is filled with tears by the loved ones of the dead.
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Alchemy of Souls Episode 20 Ending
Alchemy of Souls episode 20 ends with Jin Cho-yeon promising to bring kill the assassin who did this to her father but Jin Ho-kyung tells her to bring Mu-deok back alive as the one who killed was the soul. She has doubts about the body of Mu-deok and believes it to be of her daughter.
In the palace, Jin Mu fabricates the story that Naksu was in collision with the Choi siblings and Songrim also played a part in this by hiding the assassin. He also puts the blame on Jang Uk and renders him a criminal.
Seo Yul wants to speak up for the two but is stopped by Heo Yeom who reminds him of his duties as the sole heir of the Seo Family. The next day, Jang Uk is given a funeral fit for a criminal that does not allow anyone to mourn for him.
While the funeral for him is prepared, Mu-deok finds herself at the place that is known as the soul shifter’s grave. Jang Uk’s body is set to light while his loved ones mourn for him. On the other hand, Mu-deok jumps into the lake.
Master Lee is present and does not believe that this will be the end for the one born with the energy of the King’s star and right then the fire heightens and turns blue which shocks everyone present there.
Suddenly, everything becomes calm and there’s only smoke present. And from within the smoke emerges Jang Uk who is now reborn. On the other hand, someone has saved the drawing Mu-deok.
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Alchemy of Souls Episode 20 Review
The Alchemy of Souls finale has definitely left us speechless, content and excited for what is to come in season 2. This episode was worth the wait and did not disappoint the viewers, that is if we set aside some points.
I have to say that the flow of this episode was one of the things that I really enjoyed as it went from calm, lovely, shocking, sad and awesome. I felt a bunch of emotions during this episode and it felt so natural and not one bit overwhelming.
The show has kept me on the edge since its beginning and has succeeded in doing so till the end which is another reason why I have enjoyed the show to this level.
When I saw Mu-deok stabbing Jang Uk and their story taking such a sad route, I couldn’t help but remember the comment made that lovers who carry the broken yin-and-yang jade are destined to not meet. Let us hope that this is only for Jang Uk and Mudeok and not Jang Uk and Naksu.
Finally, this has been one of the best endings for a season and has left me content and hopeful for the next season instead of crying.
What did you think of the Alchemy of Souls finale? Let us know in the comments below!
Alchemy Of Souls is streaming on Netflix.
Check out all of the other Alchemy of Souls reviews here.
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I really love watching I only wish that you would have English Audio so I don’t have to try to read and miss sence.
Where did you read about the broken yin yang jade? Could the two who pulled Mu Deok from.the water be Naksu and Bu Yeon? I thought the first 40 minutes was slow and not so great. The second half was better.
For God’s sake I now dislike the alchemy of souls now, omg I was waiting for their marriage but then…????oh my gosh, I thought this season would end with them and then the the next season to be naksu and yul but now it seems like my hope is now shattered into pieces…
Total waste of time, I regret watching. That’s the very thing about korean series, they always get you invested in their movies so much and then, Boooom!, they attach a tragic plot twist at the end of their series, which is unnecessary. They draged a series which could have ended in 16 episodes, just to give a trgic pathetic end because of extra Money. This was the end that played out in my head: Jin Mu shifts soul into the crown prince’s body(their bodies and soul being exchanged), the crown prince comes to take revenge in Jinmu’s body. The guards fight him off, but he overpowers them. The leader of songrim sees this as an opportunity to keep Jang uk’s secret and slays Jin mu(not knowing it is the crown prince). The Crown prince glares at him and screams Jin Mu’s name before getting petrified. Jin mu makes a crooked smile in the crown prince’s body and then proceeds to exposes Jang uk(him being the king’s star) and Mu deok secret(she being Naksu). This greatly infuriates the king and he orders for thier apprehension. Uk’s friends comes telling him. He is suddenly being surrounded by the palace guards and Mages. He and Mu deok fights but they are overpowered and Mu deok is severely injured in the process. Fearing she will run wild, Jang uk summons the power of the Ice stone and sends a powerful wave of bright energy beam that blows everyone away. He carries Mu deok and flees the scene into hiding, heading for Sari Village. Atleast, I thought this was how the film was gonna end, though nt perfect but the original finale scene just made me angry. Now, Mu deok doesn’t have a chance to clear her name. They are just gonna drag the Season 2 unnecessarily the same way they did to its predecessor and probably give a pathetic end with the trailer of a season 3
It’s not a waste there are just making it all interesting
I wanted to see Mudeok and Jang UK get married and leave Songrim. It looked like Mudeok was rescued from the lake. I know Jang UK loved Mudeok dearly. I hope Jin Mu is captured and sentenced to die. I am looking forward to watching Season 2.
There is no point of watching series to where mudeok is not there or her character played by someone else.. they is no witness of positivity and hope of love… What is there dragging of such useless promises made… even such powers cannnot hold their promises… it is a worse ending.. and better stop watching nusensense… always few things needs to be revisited… if not making such sense..
We have keep watching that is the same the real emotion. And it make sense… what is there ?? To re run whole drama for next 100 episodes without Lee and jungo see min… useless and hope less we can have such many dramas more… their chemistry is good.. let live both the cast . Or kill both
You should probably direct your own movie
It’s a worst ending!
They just wanted to ruin the ending just to make the real naksu body return to season 2.
It is so DISAPPOINTING to know that Mu deok (Jung So Min ) make a really good acting that lead the drama into high rating but makes her a villain in the end which is totally unfair because she is just a victim of soul shifting.
My thoughts exactly. LOL. It’s the writers’ and director’s world and story.
*In reply to Jaycee’s comment.
Yes ending is a disappointment because the writers wanted to make way for season 2. so the villain escapes and the heroes suffer a great loss.
Exactly, also the bells make soul shifter petrified but nothing happened to all the soul shifters including the Queen herself. Ep. 20 is just a build up for Season 2 nothing more.
They ruined ending completely.. ????????????????????????????????????????????????????I was really crying over that. They shattered all those sweet love moments in one minute. Now everything seems waste and hopeless .. What Jang UK and mudeok did for each other
The ending was disappointing. It should have just ended with Jang UK and Mudeok getting married, Jin Mu punished and Jin Ho Kyung accepting her daughter’s soul is lost. It looks like in the second season Mudeok is being replaced by someone else which is disappointing.
It wasn’t your story to tell so why are you upset? Reading yours I think I prefer the skilled writers and director’s version
I enjoyed the twists and turns and sweet moments between couples. Most of us want justice Jang Uk and Mudeok. However, writers also gave us clues that’s not the case. Episode 20 is what made this drama extra special. I like that it’s not another Disney ending.
With that tragic ending, my preference (I’m sure others’ too) is that Jung So-Min stays the lead, she’s why this series worked. It’s a perfect chemistry between characters.
Congratulations on successful Season 1.
Huge shoe to fill on new female lead, I hope she doesn’t disappoint. Tbh, it seems she’s set to fail, who will watch Top Gun without Tom Cruise. This series IS about her. Producers/writers’ decision does not make sense.
ending not original but bad like others (Game of Thrones Daenaries and Attack of Titan Erin Yaeger) Boo. Also Please…like High Priestess Buyon would let the little dingaling bells take over her body, please stick to your storyline! Actually kind of silly 19 great episodes then Oh Wait there are some little bells out of nowhere that can just turn things bad… Please! thank you for 19 good episodes good luck with season 2 investing my time on something else.
Well it is crystal clear they have reset. Season 2 should be airing. UK has tonwork his way up. New villain will be Nachku
I’m sad of the ending of Season 1, hmmp I thought Buyeon’s body can resist the dumb bells power. So disappointed!!!!
The ending was so dumbfounded I was like what, it has ended already? It is good but the ending left me like WHAT
But I thought that Naksu did the soul shifting herself, which is why Jin Mu shouldn’t have been able to control her. When did Jin Mu do the soul shifting for Naksu?
I keep reading about season 2 in Dec. but at the end ofEpisode20 banner states more episodes coming in Sep. Which is correct?
Although not ideal and definitely not a welcomed ending for season 1, there is a unique beauty in sadness and loss. The lack of closure for the main leads just left me wanting for more answers, and of course wanting their share of happy ending.. which then makes the anticipation and the fans go crazy over what season 2 has in store! We just need to hang in there. Hopefully the Hong sisters be kind to all the lovers of this KDrama and give us fans and the characters the happy ending we all deserve in season 2! We can’t take the heartache and heart break twice la?!! ????