“Alchemy of Souls Part 2: Light and Shadow” synopsis by episode (Eps. 1-10, no spoilers) with in-depth analysis of its cinematography

The video above summarizes what Part 1 of this drama is all about and what happened to the characters.

Note: This drama has two parts — Part 1 (Eps. 1-20) was aired from June 18, 2022 up to August 28, 2022, while Part 2 subtitled “Light and Shadow” (Eps. 1-10) was aired from December 10, 2022 to January 08, 2023. (Some websites and blogs use the word “Season” instead of “Part.”)

Jump to synopsis of Part 2 Episode 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; and 10 (Finale); How I wrote these episode summaries with no spoilers; Historical / cultural backgrounders and other information; Lessons in photography from “Alchemy of Souls Part 2: Light and Shadow” with in-depth analysis of its cinematography

How I wrote these episode summaries with no spoilers

1. I assumed that you will be reading these summaries and watching the videos chronologically.

2. I narrated some of the main actions in each episode without revealing the plot’s twists and turns.

3. At the beginning of each summary starting with Episode 2, I placed in a table a recap of the major twists and turns of the previous episode. But because you have already watched the video of the previous episode, they aren’t spoilers anymore.

4. I followed this structure all throughout, except for Ep. 10 (Finale) where I included spoilers. Reason — most people want to know if the drama has a good/happy ending or a sad ending before they invest the time in watching it.

Episode 1

Three years later ...

After delivering memorial wine to Jinyowon, three itinerant merchants stumble upon a household where the residents have all been killed. They nervously clutch their talismans that supposedly will protect them from soul shifters because the talismans were made from Naksu’s petrified body which has been pounded into powder. As they find one dead body after another, they meet Jang Uk, who wields Naksu’s sword.

As Dang-gu and the mage-warriors from Songrim chase a soul shifter who wreaked havoc in a dock, the soul shifter hides inside Jinyowon. But they’re met at the gate by Cho-yeon and her guards who refuse to let them enter Jinyowon. Jang Uk arrives, however, and, using the power of the Ice Stone, speeds his way into Jinyowon, bypassing Cho-yeon and the guards. After chasing the soul shifter, he stumbles upon what seems like a prison that’s protected by a barrier and finds inside it a young Jinyowon priestess. The priestess pleads with him to help her escape.

The next day, Maidservant Kim Do-joo visits Songrim. On her way to visit Park Jin, she sees Lady Heo Yun-ok, who’s tending to patients in Sejukwon; she tells Master Heo Yeom that Lady Heo Yun-ok has not yet given up on her love for Jang Uk. On the other hand, still pining for Cho-yeon, Dang-gu gets drunk after he finds out that Jinyowon is preparing for a wedding.

Yul returns to Daeho Fortress after three years; at the dock, So-i watches him in secret. Meanwhile, at the Palace, Master Lee insists that Crown Prince Won continue to reward Jang Uk in person for killing the soul shifters.

Episode 2

Ep. 1 recap: As Jang Uk uses Naksu’s sword to ruthlessly seek out and kill the soul shifters, the people in Daeho now view him as an unhinged killer; the mage-trainees in Jeongjingak have also left because of him. But he gets paid 1,000 nyang in gold for every soul shifter that he kills. Dang-gu is now Songrim’s leader, with Park Jin spending his time farming and doing household work, including making kimchi. For the last three years, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong has imprisoned Bu-yeon in a special room in Jinyowon. When Cho-yeon objects to her plan to marry off Bu-yeon, she insists that the soul of the body they recovered from Lake Gyeoncheondaeho has perished and that Bu-yeon’s spirit now lives in that body. Later, she tells Bu-yeon that after marrying a man from the Seo family, she must strive to give birth to a girl who will someday become Jinyowon’s leader. Bu-yeon escapes from Jinyowon through Jang Uk’s help. In Chwiseonru, she finds out from Ju-wol, the head gisaeng, about the four most eligible bachelors in Daeho — Crown Prince Won, Dang-gu, Yul, and Jang Uk. She mistakenly thinks that Yul is her betrothed. While hiding from Jinyowon’s guards, she meets Jang Uk. Desperate to escape being married and being forever confined to that room in Jinyowon, she reveals to Jang Uk her identity as the eldest daughter of Lady Jin Ho-gyeong and Jinyowon’s future leader; she pleads with Jang Uk to marry her. Suspicious at first, Jang Uk remembers that, in Jinyowon when they first met, Bu-yeon saw through his soul and sensed the power of the Ice Stone within him. Before getting caught by the Jinyowon guards, Bu-yeon pleads with Jang Uk to come for her and help her escape before the full moon, the scheduled date of her marriage. Reunited with Yul and Jang Uk, Dang-gu gets drunk, thinking that it’s Cho-yeon who’s getting married. Park Jin confirms to Jang Uk that Lady Jin Ho-gyeong’s eldest daughter Bu-yeon died trying to retrieve the Ice Stone from Lake Gyeoncheondaeho. He also says that Bu-yeon could have been more powerful than Jin Seol-ran, Jinyowon’s first leader. When Jang Uk asks if Bu-yeon has the power to extract the Ice Stone from his body, he warns him that he will die if the Ice Stone is extracted from his body. On the night of the full moon, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong and Cho-yeon wait for Bu-yeon to arrive from Jinyowon. Cho-yeon finds out that the groom is the cousin of General Heo and the Queen. Using the power of the Ice Stone, Jang Uk kidnaps Bu-yeon from the bridal procession. As they meet on a river bank, Bu-yeon calls him “My husband!” and leaps into his arms.

As they walk away from the river, Bu-yeon tells Jang Uk that she doesn’t remember anything other than that her mother (Lady Jin Ho-gyeong) saved her. Remembering that Bu-yeon was said to be blind, Jang Uk looks into her eyes to see if she has the blue spots; he’s also taken aback when she asks him if he killed the infamous soul shifter.

A grotesque creature emerges from the river and observes that Jang Uk has the power of the Ice Stone; later, the creature takes over a fisherman’s body.

In the palace, when Crown Prince Won says that “wraiths and grotesques” always follow Jang Uk, Jin Mu advises him to stop visiting Master Lee. He also reassures him that Jang Uk cannot use the power of the Ice Stone for himself because Park Jin will forfeit his life, having guaranteed it with the royal family and the Unanimous Assembly before stepping down as Songrim’s leader.

In Songrim, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong confronts Park Jin and Master Heo and demands that Dang-gu return what he stole from her. When Dang-gu denies kidnapping Bu-yeon and Yul vouches for him, Master Heo Yeom becomes confused about all the talk about Bu-yeon who has been dead all these years.

Jang Uk brings Bu-yeon to his house and introduces her to Maidservant Kim Do-joo as his bride-to-be.

Lady Jin Ho-gyeong becomes frantic that Bu-yeon might have run away because she has regained her memories and powers. The man who treated Bu-yeon — after she was retrieved from Lake Gyeoncheondaeho — says that it’s possible because the body may belong to Bu-yeon but the spirit belongs to Naksu.

The grotesque creature from the river leaves the fisherman’s body and transfers itself into the body of a patrol officer. Shuffling into Jang Uk’s residence, it attacks the gatekeeper and then wanders around the halls. Alone, Bu-yeon confronts the creature, seeking to appease it with a Jinyowon relic. But the creature attacks her.

The next day, posters with images of Bu-yeon are posted all over the capital, promising a reward for whoever can provide information on her whereabouts. Jin Mu recognizes from the poster that Bu-yeon has Naksu’s face; on the other hand, So-i says that the image of Bu-yeon on the poster is wrong because Mu-deok is Bu-yeon.

Episode 3

Ep. 2 recap: Dang-gu realizes that Cho-yeon is disappointed that he did not kidnap Bu-yeon; he tells Yul that as Songrim’s leader, he cannot act rashly. But Yul advises him to follow his heart; otherwise he will live his whole life in great regret. When Bu-yeon fails to snuff out the flame from the lantern from Jinyowon, Jang Uk realizes that she does not have the divine powers that could help him. He uses the power of the Ice Stone to break the tracking thread on her wrist and orders her to go back to Jinyowon. When the grotesque creature from the river transfers from one body to another, it leaves the previous body unharmed. Without a physical body, it can only exist in a body of water. Master Lee forced Lady Jin Ho-gyeong to choose — Bu-yeon to die in her petrified body or Naksu’s spirit to live on in Bu-yeon’s body. Later on, he tells her that since Bu-yeon’s body has no divine powers and Naksu’s spirit has no memories, there’s no conflict between the body and spirit. But if Bu-yeon regains her powers, Naksu’s memories will follow. After meeting Lady Heo Yun-ok in Jang Uk’s residence and finding out about the posters, Bu-yeon packs up her clothes and goes to look for Yul, thinking that she has a better chance with him than staying with Jang Uk for the next three days. While waiting to meet Yul in Chwiseonru, Bu-yeon remembers from the night before how Jang Uk took care of her and drank wine from the cup that she offered; she asks herself if that counts as wedding wine. Later, she finds out from Yul that she was supposed to marry his uncle, not him. As she bids him goodbye, Jinyowon’s guards arrive and bring her back to Jinyowon. As he learns from his uncle that the marriage to Bu-yeon has been canceled because of the Queen’s anger, Yul suffers from another attack from the blood parasite that So-i transfused into him three years ago. Jin Mu tells Lady Jin Ho-gyeong that the King has ordered her to bring Bu-yeon before the Unanimous Assembly. When she refuses, saying that the royal family cannot order the Unanimous Assembly what to do, he threatens her that because of the rumors that she’s losing her powers and has no heir, the Unanimous Assembly is thinking of transferring control of Daeho’s relics and artifacts from the Jin family to another family. Seeing that the tracking thread on Bu-yeon’s wrist has been cut off, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong stitches a tracking thread on the back of Bu-yeon’s neck. While thinking about what Park Jin said, Jang Uk is stunned to see that the flame from the Jinyowon lantern has been snuffed out. Lady Jin Ho-gyeong presents Bu-yeon before the Unanimous Assembly as Jinyowon’s heir. But Jang Uk arrives, bringing with him the Jinyowon lantern with the flame on; he tells Bu-yeon that if she can snuff the flame out, he will bring her with him. When Jang Uk turns to leave, Bu-yeon reaches out and touches his arm, snuffing out the flame from the lamp. With a wave of his hand, Jang Uk lights up all the fires in the cauldrons, but the flame in the lantern remains snuffed out. He then throws the Unanimous Assembly into total confusion by proclaiming that Bu-yeon cannot be Jinyowon’s leader because he and Bu-yeon are already married.

Despite the objections of the Unanimous Assembly, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong’s pleas, and Jin Mu’s demand for someone to verify their marriage, Jang Uk and Bu-yeon leave the assembly. On their way out, they meet Dang-gu and Cho-yeon; later on, while meeting Yul, Dang-gu wonders if Jang Uk has really let go of Mu-deok.

Bu-yeon wonders if she herself snuffed out the flame in the Jinyowon lantern at the assembly, or if Jang Uk snuffed it out for her. On the table near the lantern, she sees Jang Uk’s sword.

In Cheonbugwan, Jin Mu thinks that Bu-yeon may look uncannily like Naksu, but her aura and physical stature are different. Through his right hand man, he orders So-i to bring Bu-yeon to him.

In Chwiseonru, Ju-wol gives Yul a new supply of the medicine that he needs; she also tells him that the person who’s secretly providing him with the medicine runs a notorious gambling den in Gaema Village.

Maidservant Kim Do-joo pleads with Jang Uk to destroy the red yin-and-yang jade ornament that he has kept with him since Mu-deok died. Jang Uk assures her that with their marriage, both he and Bu-yeon will find the freedom that they desire.

The next day, Maidservant Kim Do-joo introduces Bu-yeon to Park Jin, Master Heo Yeom, and Dang-gu; she tells them that Bu-yeon and Jang Uk will have a formal wedding ceremony.

Master Heo Yeom asks Bu-yeon if he has ever treated her because she looks familiar; when she replies that she has not and that she was treated by the best physician in Daeho, he becomes outraged and insists that he’s the best physician in Daeho.

After finding out from Dang-gu what Jang Uk did for her the night before, Bu-yeon goes to the forest where Jang Uk spends most of his time. He has built stone towers in the forest for all the soul shifters that he has killed for the last three years; he also built a tower there for Mu-deok.

Episode 4

Ep. 3 recap: When Jin Mu insists that Jang Uk present a witness who can verify their marriage, Bu-yeon shocks everyone by claiming that she’s already pregnant. Bu-yeon lights the flame in the Jinyowon lantern as she reaches out and touches Jang Uk’s sword. She also surprises Jang Uk by kissing him. To stop the intense pain that Bu-yeon is experiencing because of the tracking thread on her back, Jang Uk goes to Jinyowon and smashes the spool of thread that Lady Jin Ho-gyeong is using to call Bu-yeon to her. So-i runs the gambling den in Gaema Village and does anything that Jin Mu orders her to do in exchange for the medicine that alleviates the pain from the blood parasite. Through Ju-wol, she gives the medicine to Yul. In the forest, Bu-yeon finds the stone tower that marks Mu-deok’s grave. As she touches it, memories come flooding into her consciousness. After part of the stone tower falls, she finds the blue jade ornament. Bu-yeon escapes from the trap set by So-i in the gambling den by submerging herself in the large tub of water, where Yul finds her. Later, as they walk around Gaema Village, Yul tells Bu-yeon about Naksu, the soul shifter and assassin, who Jang Uk killed. Meanwhile, in Cheonbugwan, So-i confirms to Jin Mu that Bu-yeon indeed has the power to sense energy. The Queen connives with Jin Mu in trying to take Jinyowon away from Lady Jin Ho-gyeong so that they can use a relic for a rite involving Lake Gyeoncheondaeho, but she worries about Jang Uk’s marriage to Bu-yeon. Jin Mu tells her not to worry because on the 3rd-year anniversary of Naksu’s death, he will summon Naksu’s spirit to distract Jang Uk; he will then orchestrate Bu-yeon’s marriage to her original betrothed. After seeing the attendant who was beaten up by the Queen, Crown Prince Won orders his eunuch to gather the cursed powder that the Queen has been giving to the royal concubines. Later, as he tracks down the source of the powder, he meets Bu-yeon, who mistakes him for a eunuch. After Park Jin forces him to confront the reality that Mu-deok died by falling into Lake Gyeoncheondaeho and won’t ever be coming back to him, Jang Uk spends the night alone in Jeongjingak. Lady Heo Yun-ok notices that Bu-yeon has the blue yin-and-yang jade ornament; when Bu-yeon says that she will return it to its owner, she says that it belongs to Naksu, who died after stabbing Jang Uk in the heart. She tells Bu-yeon to fill the jade ornament with energy and call for Jang Uk; she says that in that way, Bu-yeon will realize why no one believed that she and Jang Uk are married. Jang Uk rushes to the forest after seeing that his red jade ornament has been energized. But Bu-yeon tells him that she’s disappointed that he came there because of someone else, not because of her. She stuns him, however, by saying that in one memory that she has regained, they have liked each other for a long time.

When Bu-yeon says that the blue jade contains the memories of its owner, Jang Uk tells her to keep the jade because she might gain memories of its owner’s last moments. But Bu-yeon retorts that it’s not pleasant taking a peek into other people’s memories. She also accuses Jang Uk of putting her between him and a dead girl; realizing the truth of what Lady Heo Yun-ok said, she also mocks him by saying that the stone tower is his real wife, not her.

Panic and rumors spread among the people in the capital when the survivor of a massacre in a ship sailing on Lake Gyeoncheondaeho says that Naksu has returned as a grotesque, killing all of his fellow passengers, and threatening to shift souls. Later on, as they’re having breakfast, Park Jin, Jang Uk, Dang-gu, and Yul learn about the panic and rumors about Naksu’s return.

On the street while looking at the talismans that frantic people are buying up, Bu-yeon meets Juwol and finds out that she knew Naksu. Juwol trolls Bu-yeon by saying that she’ll probably be Naksu’s first target because she stole Jang Uk from her. Wanting to know more about who Naksu was, Bu-yeon accepts Ju Wol’s invitation for a drink. As they arrive in Chwiseonru, however, they find out that Crown Prince Won is also there.

When the King orders him to hunt down Naksu, Jang Uk refuses, saying that he cannot hunt down what does not exist and that the rumors among the people will soon die out. But Jin Mu messes with the King’s mind, saying that even more rumors will arise if Jang Uk refuses to act because the people know that Jang Uk and Naksu were betrothed to each other.

Jin Mu assures Crown Prince Won about his plan to bind Jang Uk in a vicious cycle of people’s fears, doubts, and concerns about Naksu and soul shifters. He also says that he cannot allow Jang Uk’s marriage to Bu-yeon because he plans to bring Jinyowon under the royal family’s control.

In Chwiseonru, Juwol drunkenly tells Bu-yeon everything about Naksu and Jang Uk — how they met, their courtship, and Jang Uk’s proposal. Later on, when Bu-yeon meets Yul, he offers to accompany her on her way home. As they stop when Yul loses his sense of direction again, Bu-yeon asks him if he’s well because she senses something strange inside his body; she tells him that it’s foolish not to seek treatment.

When Jang Uk says that Bu-yeon toppled Naksu’s stone tower in the forest, Park Jin says that Bu-yeon really meant what she said to him, Master Heo Yeom, and Dang-gu about protecting Jang Uk. He orders Jang Uk to go home and protect Bu-yeon in turn because as the kitchen ladies have gossiped about, Naksu’s ghost could become jealous and attack Bu-yeon.

The Queen asks the King’s permission to hold an extravagant banquet outside the palace to calm the fears of the young noblewomen in the capital who refuse to leave their houses because of Naksu. She plans to hold the banquet on the day Naksu is supposed to return — the 3rd-year anniversary of her death.

On the night of the banquet, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong refuses to let Park Jin enter Jinyowon’s storage room of sacred relics and artifacts. But Park Jin warns her that the rumors about Naksu could lead to Bu-yeon’s death.

Episode 5

Ep. 4 recap: Bu-yeon tries to build back the collapsed stone tower. On her way home, she stumbles in the dark and becomes afraid of wolves and tigers in the forest. But Jang Uk, who’s following her from a distance, sends a swarm of fireflies to light her way. As Bu-yeon asked him to, Crown Prince Won bought the turtle and is taking care of it in the palace. But Bu-yeon still thinks that a eunuch in the palace. During breakfast, Park Jin presents rice cakes to Jang Uk, Dang-gu, and Jang Uk and teaches them that life is unpredictable and that they must choose their own destinies. In Chwiseonru, Yul’s uncle (who was Bu-yeon’s original betrothed) meets with the trio of mage-trainees who bullied Mudeok. After boasting that he will rebuild Jeongjingak, he seeks to brag even more by having Bu-yeon appear before them. But Yul spoils his plan. On the street, after Bu-yeon offers him some honey biscuits, Yul suddenly remembers Mudeok when Bu-yeon replies to him about the pine pollen snacks that he likes. Maidservant Kim Do-joo becomes excited when Bu-yeon receives an invitation to the Queen’s banquet; she makes Bu-yeon try out one dress after another. Later on, after having cut Bu-yeon’s fingernails, she brings the clippings to Park Jin as Jang Uk told her to. When Bu-yeon arrives at the banquet with Maidservant Kim Do-joo, the Queen embarrasses Cho-yeon by asking her to leave because only one daughter of each family can attend. But Bu-yeon says that it’s she who has to leave since Cho-yeon is the true heir of the Jin family. Meanwhile, at the gambling den in Gaema Village, Yul confirms that it’s So-i who’s behind the man who claimed to have seen Naksu, the grotesque, massacre the people on the boat. Later on, to So-i’s shock, he says that he will soon die because he has not taken the medicine that she has been sending to him. Based on Jin Mu’s plan, a soul shifter from among the royal musicians attacks Bu-yeon; in front of all the horrified young noblewomen attending the banquet, Bu-yeon falls dead after the soul shifter flings her sword into Bu-yeon’s back. But it isn’t really Bu-yeon; it’s “Gwiseo,” a white mouse relic from Jinyowon who took on Bu-yeon’s appearance after eating the clippings from Bu-yeon’s fingernails. In full view of people on the bridge, Jang Uk kills the soul shifter sent by Jin Mu. In the palace, he tells the King that he killed Naksu once and for all. After visiting the cliff from where Mudeok fell to her death into Lake Gyeoncheondaeho, Jang Uk gets drunk in his study. He remembers Mu-deok’s words and their moments together. In his blurred vision, he sees Mudeok approaching him, but it’s actually Bu-yeon, who embraces and comforts him. As they lie together in bed, Jang Uk reaches out and kisses Bu-yeon.

So-i reveals to Yul that she transfused a “blood parasite” into his body and confirms that Jin Mu ordered her to spread the rumors of Naksu’s return. Meanwhile, in Jinyowon, Park Jin tells Lady Jin Ho-gyeong why Jang Uk wanted Bu-yeon.

Master Lee expresses his disappointment to Master Heo Yeom and Park Jin that Jeongjingak, which Master Seo Gyeong established, is now deserted. He piques Park Jin’s interest when he says that he treated Bu-yeon in secret upon Lady Jin Ho-gyeong’s desperate request.

After spending the night with Jang Uk, Bu-yeon gets hit by a flood of memories of a young woman meeting Jang Uk and calling him “Young Master.” Meanwhile, Jang Uk meets Yul, who tells him about Jin Mu’s connection to the rumors about Naksu. Yul also tells him that he has dreams of stabbing Naksu or of Naksu stabbing him. After assuring Yul that he’s not responsible for Naksu’s death, Jang Uk Ieaves, promising to make people in the palace pay for conniving with Jin Mu.

At the palace, Jang Uk finds out why the wells and Lake Gyeoncheondaeho are drying up.

Crown Prince Won seethes when his eunuch tells him that Jin Mu is summoning him to Cheonbugwan instead of coming to see him in the palace. Instead of going to Cheonbugwan, he decides to meet Jang Uk’s wife, Bu-yeon.

At the forest, Master Lee tells Jang Uk that he saved Bu-yeon’s life upon Lady Jin Ho-gyeong’s desperate request. He also tells him why Master Seo Gyeong and Jin Seol-ran built Jinyowon 200 years ago. Meanwhile, after Bu-yeon says that she’s slowly regaining her memories and powers, her mother Lady Jin Ho-gyeong demands that Jang Uk apologize to her at Jinyowon.

Episode 6

Ep. 5 recap: So-i cuts her forearm and asks Yul to transfer back the blood parasite into her. But Yul says that the blood parasite has seeped into his core and is slowly destroying it. Jang Uk tells Bu-yeon that he kissed her for herself and not because she reminded him of somebody else. He thanks her for getting rid of the wraiths, allowing him to sleep in peace, but draws a boundary between them. Crown Prince Won orders his eunuch to bring his turtle to Chwiseonru; when his eunuch asks him if he’s going to see Jang Uk and his wife Bu-yeon who are in the palace, he declines, thinking and feeling guilty about how he took Mu-deok/Naksu away from Jang Uk. Later on, after realizing that he’s just a tool in Jin Mu’s hands, he becomes confused about Jang Uk’s attitude towards him after he finds out that Jang Uk took care of his turtle. Jang Uk finds out from the Queen that she’s drying up the wells and Lake Gyeoncheondaeho in order to summon another Ice Stone that would enable her to soul shift away from her despised body. Lady Jin Ho-gyeong tells Bu-yeon that if she comes back to Jinyowon, she will allow her to do as she pleases and won’t confine her. She also mocks Bu-yeon for loving someone who doesn’t love her back. Master Lee tells Jang Uk that Master Seo Gyeong and Jin Seol-ran built Jinyowon in order to confine the “fire bird” whose earthenware replicas are now being used to dry up the wells and Lake Gyeoncheondaeho. He tells Jang Uk to go to Jinyowon to check if the fire bird is still there, but Jang Uk refuses. So-i threatens Lady Jin Ho-gyeong that if she doesn’t find the cure for the blood parasite that has seeped into her core, she will expose who the real Bu-yeon is. When one of the Jinyowon guards says that Bu-yeon has arrived, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong strikes So-i down with a spell and orders the guard her to lock her up. Dejected, Bu-yeon walks alone into Jinyowon, but at the very last moment, Jang Uk appears beside her. (Jang Uk wondered why Master Lee wasn’t angry when he refused to go to Jinyowon.) Through a prearranged plan, So-i’s servant at the gambling house warns Yul that So-i is in danger and that Lady Jin Ho-gyeong’s real daughter is the blind girl from Sari Village. Dang-gu and the Songrim mages rejoice when they hear Maidservant Kim Do-joo accept Park Jin’s proposal of marriage. Jin Mu orders Yul’s uncle to use his family’s influence to escort into the capital a boat filled with dozens of earthenware replicas of the fire bird. Later on, he dares Crown Prince Won to reveal to Jang Uk the truth of what happened to Naksu. When Lady Jin Ho-gyeong demands to know who else knows the truth about Bu-yeon, So-i mocks her, saying that she should tell everyone that the daughter whom she rescued from Lake Gyeoncheondaeho is actually the soul shifter Naksu. On their way to Jinyowon’s storage room of sacred relics and artifacts to check if the fire bird is still there, Bu-yeon tells Jang Uk that when she was locked up in the secret room, she sometimes imagined being on top of a tree to escape from the dreariness. Jang Uk is stunned, and as he interlocks fingers with Bu-yeon, he says that he’s going crazy because of her.

While Jang Uk distracts Lady Jin Ho-gyeong, Yul overcomes the guards of Jinyowon and rescues So-i; he brings her to his quarters in Jeongjingak where Lady Heo Yun-ok treats her.

On their way home from Jeongjingak, Bu-yeon tells Jang Uk how she and Yul met and became friends.

Seo Yoon-o (Yul’s uncle) abandons in haste Jin Mu’s plan to bring the earthenware replicas of the fire bird; meanwhile, at the palace, Jin Mu urges the King to allow Cheonbugwan to gather the Unanimous Assembly and to advance the date for the rite for Lake Gyeoncheondaeho. He also asks the King to grant a much bigger reward to Jang Uk for killing Naksu and bringing stability to the people in the capital.

In the forest, Master Lee explains to Jang Uk that when the world suffered from extreme drought 200 years ago, the Ice Stone fell from the sky. Some people want another Ice Stone to appear by awakening the fire bird. When Jang Uk asks if he wants him to fight the royal family and Cheonbugwan who are behind the plan to awaken the fire bird, he explains that such a fight would be considered as a revolt; he also says that winning the fight means that Jang Uk could become the next King because he has the energy of the King’s star.

At a riverside, Bu-yeon helps Park Jin and the Songrim mages to find a replica of the fire bird; she promises to use whatever powers she has now to find the other replicas. Meanwhile, at the palace, the Queen tells Cho-yeon to visit her often because she wants to see the spring that’s about to come.

While on a boat searching the canal for replicas of the fire bird, Bu-yeon sees a small bridge. She jumps up from the boat and clings to the bridge. Feeling no strenght in her arms that would enable her to climb the bridge, she falls back to the boat.

After passing by Chwiseonru to check up on his turtle, Crown Prince Won visits Jang Uk in Jeongjingak. But on a table, he sees a book about the fire bird, which Jang Uk has been reading. When Jang Uk says that he just might accept the King’s reward, Crown Prince Won flares up, saying that he has forgotten his master’s words about dying being better than not doing anything.

Episode 7

Ep. 6 recap: Yul is stunned when So-i says that Bu-yeon is Naksu. Later, as he meets Bu-yeon, he sees her as the teenaged Naksu whom he knew from Danhyanggok and embraces her tenderly. With Songrim inspecting all boats at the docks, the men who were supposed to bring the replicas of the fire bird into the capital dump the replicas into Lake Gyeoncheondaeho. Jin Mu asks the King to appoint Jang Uk as the general of the faraway North Fortress. When the King hesitates, he says that Cheonbugwan now has more mages than what Songrim ever had and can keep the capital stable. Flashback ... Jang Uk wants revenge against those responsible for Mu-deok’s death, but Park Jin stops him by finally revealing that his real father is the previous King. In Chwiseonru, Bu-yeon meets Crown Prince Won, who has come by to visit his turtle. When Bu-yeon speaks about her marital problems and the need for her to find for herself a new room where her husband won’t mistake her for a different woman, Crown Prince Won teases her that she can live in one of his many rooms. So-i pleads with Yul to go to Jinyowon because Lady Jin Ho-gyeong told her that there’s a cure for the blood parasite. But Yul arranges for So-i and her servant to depart from the capital and live in Seoho Fortress. Yul places in a bundle some of his personal things, including a letter which he seals with a spell. He also destroys the bird whistle. Afterwards, after coming upon Dang-gu and Bu-yeon, he volunteers to guide Bu-yeon to the giant tree in Danhyanggok. After inspecting the replicas of the fire bird that were confiscated by Songrim through Bu-yeon’s help, Master Lee thinks that Bu-yeon’s body will reject Naksu’s soul when Naksu regains her full powers. Bu-yeon reveals to Jang Uk that Yul is seriously sick, having sensed an unusual energy within him. Yul fights off the Cheonbugwan mages who have captured So-i and beat her up to reveal to whom she transferred the blood parasite. But he collapses when the energy of the blood parasite surges within him. As he’s about to be killed by Jin Mu’s right hand man, Jang Uk arrives.

With the dire possibility of General Seo bringing his army from Seoho Fortress into the capital and of a bloody conflict between Songrim and Cheonbugwan, Crown Prince Won appeals to Jang Uk to reconsider his actions. After the Songrim mages led by Park Jin arrive, Jang Uk demands that Crown Prince Won bring Jin Mu before him.

Not knowing what a blood parasite is and how to control it, the Unanimous Assembly forces Jin Mu to beg on his knees and ask Lady Jin Ho-gyeong for help.

Lady Jin Ho-gyeong tells Jang Uk that she will provide the cure for Yul on one condition — he must send Bu-yeon back to Jinyowon.

With Crown Prince Won waiting in Jinyowon, Master Heo Yeom outlines to Jang Uk, Bu-yeon, Dang-gu, and Cho-yeon the complicated and dangerous procedure of extracting the blood parasite from Yul’s core. But Dang-gu objects to the procedure after learning that it could endanger Cho-yeon.

After finding out that Bu-yeon knew about the blood parasite in Yul’s core but didn’t tell anyone about it, Lady Heo Yun-ok finds Yul’s will among his belongings. Later on, she unseals the will and finds out that Bu-yeon is Naksu.

Episode 8

Ep. 7 recap: Dang-gu refuses to allow Cho-yeon to help extract the blood parasite from Yul’s core because they have already slept together and she could be pregnant. In Jinyowon’s storage room of relics and artifacts, Bu-yeon and Crown Prince Won meet and finally find out their real identities. With the energy of Jang Uk’s 30,000 nyang worth of gold keeping intact the barrier that encloses the fire bird, Crown Prince Won extracts the blood parasite from Bu-yeon. In Sejukwon, Bu-yeon kisses Yul and transfers his core of energy back to him. In Cheonbugwan, Jin Mu uses the long hidden constellation plate to show Crown Prince Won that Jang Uk has the energy of the King’s Star because, through the Alchemy of Souls, he is the son of the late King. Jin Mu confirms to Yul that Naksu’s spirit dwells within Bu-yeon’s body; he also says that, contrary to his intentions, Naksu will soon vanish as Bu-yeon’s body rejects her spirit. In Jeongjingak, Jang Uk finally reveals to Bu-yeon that he wanted her to remove the Ice Stone from his body so that he could die. When she turns to leave, he stops her, saying that when the Jinyowon lantern’s light is on, he begins to pine for her. They kiss passionately.

After some time thinking about what Master Lee said about Naksu’s soul vanishing when Bu-yeon regains her powers, Yul tells Park Jin, Master Heo, Maidservant Kim Do-joo, Cho-yeon, and Dang-gu that he will take responsibility for everything.

As Bu-yeon visits him in Sejukwon, Yul tells her that she and Jang Uk will cause each other pain. When he says that he feels sad because he dreamt about the woman whom he has cherished for a long time, Bu-yeon suddenly has a vision and asks him if they met before in Danhyanggok. He urges her to go to Danhyanggok to find out who she really is, what he meant to do if they had gone there, and why she and Jang Uk will cause each other pain. But she refuses to go and find out the truth if it means that she and Jang Uk cannot be together.

Through his eunuch, Crown Prince Won asks Jang Uk to meet him in the palace. He also sends him a box — inside it is the King’s Gold Plaque. Later at home, as he’s changing clothes to prepare to go to the palace, Bu-yeon sees on his body where Naksu had fatally stabbed him with her sword.

Lady Heo Yun-ok prepares the medicine that will expose Bu-yeon’s identity as a soul shifter. Meanwhile, in Jinyowon, Yul reveals to Lady Jin Ho-gyeong that he knows that Naksu’s spirit dwells in Bu-yeon’s body. When he says that Naksu’s spirit will soon disappear as Bu-yeon reclaims her body, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong realizes that Master Lee has been lying to her all this time.

In the palace, Jang Uk tells the King, Crown Prince Won, and Jin Mu that he will accept the King’s order for him to go to the North Fortress as its general. As they meet afterwards, Jin Mu tells Crown Prince Won that Jang Uk and Park Jin fail to do what’s necessary because they’re restrained by a sense of justice, which is a sign of weakness.

After Lady Heo Yun-ok splashes the medicine on her, Bu-yeon goes to a stream to wash it off. As she stares at her reflection, she sees the blue marks in her eyes and gets a vision of Naksu as she’s soul shifting into a new body. Stunned, she asks herself, “Am I her?”

Episode 9

Ep. 8 recap: Jin Mu got rid of the turtle, telling Crown Prince Won that he should not attach himself to something weak and useless. Yul stops Lady Heo Yun-ok from exposing who Bu-yeon really is by revealing that Naksu’s spirit will soon vanish. In Danhyanggok, Bu-yeon (Naksu) meets the young Bu-yeon, who tells her that if she had found out that she’s Naksu after she (Bu-yeon) had regained all her powers, she would have left without any regrets. Despite Jang Uk’s pleas, Bu-yeon (Naksu) returns to Jinyowon. The next day, as Jang Uk says goodbye to him, Park Jin, Master Heo Yeom, Maidservant Kim Do-joo, and Dang-gu, Yul remembers what Master Lee told him: With the Ice Stone, Jang Uk has the power to expel Bu-yeon’s spirit from her body and keep Naksu’s spirit, but he will be faced with the agonizing choice that no one should ever face. On a river side, Master Lee sees Crown Prince Won’s turtle; he calls it as the “Black Tortoise” that will lead someone to the right path. After Jin Mu promises to make him as powerful as Jang Uk and to introduce him to the secret organization, Crown Prince Won gives him the means and authority to bring in more of the earthenware replicas of the fire bird into the capital and to place them in the capital’s canals. In Cheonbugwan, Jin Mu and Crown Prince Won force Lady Jin Ho-gyeong to give up control of the plaque that the Unanimous Assembly granted her and which empowers the Jin family to countermand the royal family’s authority. But Bu-yeon arrives, bringing with her the plaque and Crown Prince Won’s turtle; she surprises Lady Jin Ho-gyeong by telling her not to surrender the plaque. To test whether Bu-yeon really has the divine power to protect the plaque, Jin Mu throws the plaque inside a prison which holds those who once performed sorcery; he gives Bu-yeon one day to retrieve the plaque. Inside the vast area that constitutes the prison, the turtle leads Bu-yeon to a blue object that’s inside a skeleton. But a wraith attacks and chases her. The wraith corners Bu-yeon, but Jung Uk arrives and destroys it. As he asks Bu-yeon what she’s doing inside the prison, he sees the blue marks on her eyes.

When Jang Uk asks who she is, Bu-yeon answers, “I am exactly what you see; I am a soul shifter with blue marks in my eyes. When the blue marks happened to reappear, I remembered who I was. I am not Jin Bu-yeon; my soul belongs to someone else.”

When Crown Prince Won suddenly arrives in Gwido (Cheonbugwan’s prison for those who performed sorcery) and comes upon them, Jang Uk spins Bu-yeon around and covers her eyes; as he once told Mu-deok, he tells Bu-yeon that no one’s allowed to come close to her except him.

As they stand over the skeleton that Buyeon earlier stumbled upon as she searched for the Jinyowon Plaque, Jang Uk tells Crown Prince Won that the blue object inside the skeleton’s chest is an Ice Stone. They also find out the reason why the wraith attacked Bu-yeon.

In Jinyowon, Master Lee thinks that if Jin Seol-ran’s spirit remained in the Ice Stone after she died, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong might have saved Jin Seol-ran herself when she begged Master Jang Gang to save her unborn baby (Bu-yeon). Lady Jin Ho-gyeong replies that if Bu-yeon has Jin Seol-ran’s powers and thus will manage to get out of Gwido. But Master Lee wonders if Naksu willingly went into Gwido in order to regain her own powers but now has decided to disappear there?

Yul learns from So-i’s servant about the “bell potion” that Jin Mu uses to control the soul shifters and that So-i regretted giving the potion to a girl from Sari Village. Together with Park Jin, Yul asks the Queen if she ever heard bells when she was kept captive in Gaema Village. But the Queen refuses to answer; exploding in anger that there’s nothing wrong with using the Alchemy of Souls, she mocks Park Jin for his hypocrisy.

As he promised, Jin Mu takes Crown Prince Won to Cheonbugwan to meet the 78 members of his secret organization of soul shifters. But Park Jin has already given orders to Yul, Dang-gu, and their mage-warriors to protect Jinyowon and to attack Cheonbugwan.

In Gwido, Bu-yeon finally finds the Jinyowon Plaque.

Episode 10, Finale (with spoilers)

Ep. 9 recap: When Jang Uk asks him why he’s joining the fight against Jin Mu, Crown Prince Won replies that Jin Mu stole his turtle. Later on, the turtle brings Gwido’s portal to them in their hiding place; it also helps Bu-yeon find the Jinyowon Plaque. After killing the 78 soul shifters from the secret organization, Jang Uk sends Jin Mu to Gwido. There, Bu-yeon reveals to Jin Mu her real identity as Naksu; she also places the Ice Stone into Jin Mu’s body so that it can suck off his energy the way soul shifters suck energy from humans. To ease Naksu’s guilt about what happened three years ago, Yul tells her about how Jin Mu controlled the soul shifters through the potion and the bells. Bu-yeon presents the Jinyowon Plaque as proof of her powers, thus preventing the Unanimous Assembly from taking control of Jinyowon. But she also reveals that in Gwido, Jang Uk recognized but refused to act against a soul shifter. When she reveals what she did to Jin Mu, the Unanimous Assembly orders her to remove the Ice Stone from Jang Uk’s body, despite Master Heo Yeom’s protest that doing so would kill Jang Uk. The Queen and Yul’s uncle manage to get into Gwido. When the Queen demands that he reveal where he hid the last Soul Ejector, Jin Mu kills her by extracting the Soul Ejector from her body. He then shifts souls with Yul’s uncle. In the palace, after Jin Mu reveals himself (in his new body), the King deliriously delights in getting the power to become eternal; he also calls the members of the Unanimous Assembly to join him and Jin Mu. After spending some intimate moments with Naksu in Danhyanggok, Jang Uk returns to Songrim. To his shock, he sees Dang-gu, Cho-yeon, and Park Jin’s right hand man grieving before three caskets.

In Danhyanggok, Master Lee officiates at the wedding of Jang Uk and Cho-yeong (Bu-yeon/Naksu/Mu-deok). With “Jang” meaning “light” and “Yeong” meaning “shadow,” he says that they were fated to meet each other. After finally climbing up the giant tree, Jang Uk and Cho-yeong consummate their marriage.

Flashback ... Master Lee tells Lady Jin Ho-gyeong that Jin Seol-ran may have have chosen to let her spirit stay in the Ice Stone because she knew it would be needed 200 years later for another Great Chaos.

After the red jade glows, Jang Uk goes to the stream where he sees Cho-yeong (Bu-yeon) surrounded by a barrier. After entering the barrier, he meets Jin Seol-ran (who’s in the body of the young Bu-yeon). She warns him that foolish, greedy men will unleash the fire bird to turn the world into ashes.

In the palace, when the Unanimous Assembly dilly dallies about what the justification could be in taking away the Jinyowon Plaque, Jin Mu orders them to simply take it. He also asks the King to take Crown Prince Won’s Gold Plaque, signifying that he’s no longer the successor to the throne.

With Jinyowon about to collapse, thus releasing all the dangerous relics and artifacts, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong enters the storage room with Maidservant Kim Do-joo’s help. When Park Jin learns about it, he tries to rush into the storage room, but the dangerous relics and artifacts have started to escape. Lady Jin Ho-gyeong tells Maidservant Kim Do-joo to leave and save herself because she must seal the door to prevent the relics and artifacts from escaping, but Maidservant Kim Do-joo refuses to leave her.

At the palace, Jin Mu, the King, and the Unanimous Assembly offer Park Jin a way of rescuing Maidservant Kim Do-joo by joining them. But Park Jin refuses and fights off the mage-leaders to prevent them from breaking the seal surrounding the fire bird. As he tries to protect the seal, Jin Mu stabs him.

After seeing from Danhyanggok how Jinyowon is collapsing, Naksu (Cho-yeong) finally leaves Bu-yeon’s body, allowing Bu-yeon to fully regain her powers. Bu-yeon creates a door that leads to the storage room and also sends Master Lee to look for Park Jin amidst the burning palace.

To prevent the King from mobilizing his army to protect Cheonbugwan from holding the rite for Lake Gyeoncheondaeho using the fire bird, Jang Uk gives his own Gold Plaque to Crown Prince Won.

Jin Mu and the mage-leaders try to open the fire bird’s seal safely and harness its power, but Jang Uk arrives and deliberately awakens the fire bird.

In Cheonbugwan’s constellation room, Bu-yeon (Jin Seol-ran) uses Jang Uk’s constellation plate to release the fire bird’s energy into the sky and then send it to Jang Uk at Lake Gyeoncheondaeho.

With the fire bird destroyed, Cho-yeong (Naksu) meets in a mystical plane Jin Seol-ran (who’s in the body of the young Bu-yeon). Jin Seol-ran tells Cho-yeong (Naksu), “I shall now return your shadow. A light that embraces a shadow will never be lost in darkness.”

One year later ... Dang-gu and Cho-yeon now have twin boys, Dan and Gang.

Yul, who’s now in charge of Jeongjingak, democratizes the qualifying requirements for training by opening it even to those who do not come from prestigious families.

In Chwiseonru, the mages who used to bully Mu-deok gossip that since King (former Crown Prince) Won has taken Master Lee as his teacher, he must be practicing chastity.

While based in the North Fortress, Jang Uk and Cho-yeong (Naksu) chase after the dangerous relics and artifacts that escaped from Jinyowon.

Historical / cultural backgrounders and other information

1. Homage by “Alchemy of Souls” to historical dramas such as “The Princess’s Man” (2011), “Jumong” (2006), and “Haechi” (2019)?

A. In Ep. 5 (Part 2), Bu-yeon tries to get Jang Uk to visit her mother in Jinyowon. But it’s actually Yul who’s on the other side of the door. When I saw this shot of Bu-yeon (top picture in the collage), I was immediately reminded of similar shots from the 2011 blockbuster historical drama "The Princess’s Man" starring Moon Chae-won as Se-ryung, eldest daughter of Grand Prince Suyang. The bottom left picture is that of Se-ryung’s faithful servant, while the lower right picture is that of Se-ryung.

Just like “Alchemy of Souls,” “The Princess’s Man” also has a lot of high angle shots (aka bird’s eye view shots).

Note: I posted on reddit a discussion titled “The Princess’s Man” (historical backgrounders for those who have not yet watched this drama).

B. In Ep. 6 (Part 2), Jang Uk denies Master Lee’s plea to set aside his apathy and protect the world against those who are trying to use the fire bird for their own selfish benefit. He asks rhetorically, “How can I protect the world when I cannot even protect the one person I had sworn to protect?”

Jang Uk’s dialogue reminded me of the dialogue between Jumong and General Haemosu in Ep. 12 of "Jumong." General Haemosu founded and led the Damul Army against the Han Dynasty, but his greatest regret in life was not being able to protect Lady Yuhwa, the love of his life. He counsels Jumong: "How can you protect thousands if you cannot protect the person you love most?"

Note: Watch preview of “Jumong” (starring Song Il-gook and Han Hye-jin) on YouTube.

C. In Ep. 19 (Part 1), So-i tries to help the severely injured Yul by cutting her forearm and letting her blood drip into his body, thus transferring the blood parasite into him.

“Haechi” is a 2019 drama starring Jung Il-woo and Go Ara. In Ep. 34, Prince Yeoning tries to save King Gyeongjong by cutting his palm and dripping his blood into King Gyeongjong’s mouth. But Saheonbu’s Chief Inspector tries to stop him, saying that it will endanger his own life.

What was Prince Yeoning trying to do? Well, according to an expert on Korean language, culture, and history in Soompi, "in East Asia medicine, blood is considered mother of ’qi’ or life energy." Prince Yeoning was thus trying to revive King Gyeongjong by giving his blood, but in so doing, he is giving away his life energy. ("Qi" is also known as "ki," "chi," or "prana.")

Note: I posted on reddit a discussion titled “Historical backgrounders for those who have not yet seen Haechi.”

2. OST: “I'm Sorry” by Ailee

Lessons in photography from “Alchemy of Souls” (Part 2) with in-depth analysis of its visuals, cinematography, and editing

In my spoiler-free synopsis of this drama’s Part 1, I posted an in-depth analysis of its visuals, cinematography, and editing. In that analysis, I discussed the following topics:

A. Central framing with Dutch angle; symmetrical framing with Dutch angle; B. Push in with central framing and Dutch angle; C. Arc shots; D. Breaking the 180-degree rule or crossing the line to depict or reinforce emotional or psychological tension or to signify a change of beat; Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” and its influence on Ep. 6 of “Alchemy of Souls” and Ep. 11 of “Little Women”?; E. Visual motif of fire in the foreground or background with rack focus, or fire in the foreground or background to signify tension, crisis, or danger; The Secrets Behind Lighting a Shot with Fire (Premium Beat): Fire looks great on camera, but capturing it effectively is more difficult than igniting something and pressing record; F. Visual cues; G. Miscellaneous observations: 90-degree Dutch angle shots; from bilateral symmetry to spherical symmetry in Ep. 9; differences in cinematographic lighting in classic historical dramas (“A Jewel in the Palace” and “Dong Yi”) and modern historical dramas (“Kingdom” series, “River Where The Moon Rises,” and “Alchemy of Souls”)

Aside from Studio Dragon, two different production companies worked on Part 1 and Part 2 of this drama. Part 1 was directed by Park Joon-hwa alone, while Part 2 was directed by Park Joon-hwa and Bae Hyun-hin. But it seems that Part 2 continued to use the visual techniques enumerated above. One exception is the use of split screens in Ep. 4 when Maidservant Kim Do-joo asks Bu-yeon to try out numerous dresses for the Queen’s banquet; Part 1 does not use split screens.

Visual motif of fire in the foreground or background with rack focus:

Ep. 2: In a flashback, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong pleads with Master Lee to save her daughter Bu-yeon. Master Lee says that Bu-yeon’s spirit will vanish but her body will live on with Naksu’s spirit. He also says that as Bu-yeon’s body completely heals, however, she will have Naksu’s face. This is revealed in the shot where the lighted candle (frame right, foreground) is in focus while Bu-yeon is out of focus in the background. As the candle becomes out of focus, Bu-yeon becomes in focus. In the next shot, we then see Bu-yeon taking on Naksu’s face as her petrification slowly disappears.

Ep. 2: To prevent the Unanimous Assembly from taking the control of Jinyowon’s sacred relics and artifacts away from the Jin family, Lady Jin Ho-gyeong is forced to present Bu-yeon before the assembly as Jinyowon’s heir. Notice the freestanding fire pits in the foreground as she and Bu-yeon walk into the assembly. She, Bu-yeon, and the fire pits are all out of focus; as they walk forward, however, they become in focus, with the fire pits still out of focus.

Ep. 3: As Jang Uk continues to argue with the Unanimous Assembly, Dang-gu and the Songrim mages arrive. As the freestanding fire pit in the foreground becomes out of focus, Dang-gu and the mages become in focus.

Ep. 3: So-i watches Bu-yeon and Yul walk away from Gaema Village; later in Cheonbugwan, as she reports that Bu-yeon can sense energy, Jin Mu exclaims that Bu-yeon is really Jinyowon’s heir. As the bluish-greenish fire and the fire pit (foreground) become out of focus, Jin Mu and So-i become in focus.

Ep. 3: Bu-yeon waits for several nights and days for Jang Uk to return home. The lighted candle and Bu-yeon are both out of focus while the tea pot is in focus. As the tea pot becomes out of focus, Bu-yeon becomes in focus. Notice that as the out of focus candle disappears from the screen, a smaller candle in the background becomes in focus (along with Bu-yeon).

Ep. 5: The lit candle that’s frame right is slightly out of focus while Jang Uk and Bu-yeon who are lying together in bed are totally out of focus. As the camera trucks (moves parallel) to the left, the lit candle disappears, and Jang Uk and Bu-yeon become in focus. That’s when “The Kiss” happens.

Ep. 5: Lady Jin Ho-gyeong pressures Bu-yeon to either bring Jang Uk with her to Jinyowon to apologize to her or to come back on her own. The lit candle that’s frame left is in focus while the pavilion in the background is out of focus. As the camera trucks (moves parallel) to the right, the lit candle disappears, and the pavilion becomes on focus. In the next shot, we see Bu-yeon and Jang Uk having tea with Lady Jin Ho-gyeong.

Ep. 7: The brightly lit candle (frame right, foreground) is in focus while Yul is out of focus. As the candle becomes out of focus (and almost disappears from view), Yul becomes in focus.

Ep. 7: In two separate shots, as Jang Uk pines for Bu-yeon, the Jinyowon lantern becomes out of focus as he becomes in focus.

Ep. 10: Yul tries to console Jang Uk about not having even one complete day to celebrate his and Cho-yeong/ Naksu’s marriage. As the flames in the foreground become out of focus, Yul and Jang Uk become in focus.

Ep. 10: Jang Uk assures Crown Prince Won, Yul, Dang-gu, and Cho-yeon that Park Jin, Maidservant Kim Do-joo, and Lady Jin Ho-gyeong are alive. At the start of the shot, they are partially hidden by a post (frame left). As the camera trucks (moves parallel) to the right, we begin to fully see Jang Uk and the others. As the candle in the foreground becomes out of focus, Jang Uk and the others become in focus.

Ep. 10: Bu-yeon rescues Lady Jin Ho-gyeong and Maidservant Kim Do-joo from Jinyowon’s wreckage. As the camera pedestals (moves parallel) up, the fire in the foreground (frame right) becomes out of focus as the unconscious Lady Jin Ho-gyeong and Maidservant Kim Do-joo in the background become in focus.

Ep. 10: Amidst the burning hallway, Master Lee searches for Park Jin. As the flames in the foreground become out of focus, he becomes in focus.

Ep. 10: After Jin Mu stabs Park Jin, he, the King, and the Unanimous Assembly leave in haste because of the spreading fire. The embers that fly against a black background cross dissolve into an out of focus image of Park Jin lying on the ground. As the embers in the foreground become out of focus, Park Jin in the background becomes in focus.

Ep. 10: Out of focus embers begin to fall in the foreground as we see the ring on Park Jin’s pinky. In the next shot, Park Jin in the background becomes out of focus as the embers in the foreground become in focus.

Visual motif of fire in the foreground or background, without rack focus:

Ep. 3: Bu-yeon follows So-i into a room in the gambling den. As she sees and picks up her blue jade on the table, there’s a lit candle that’s frame right. Moments later, So-i sets off the trap (soporifics) from the ceiling.

Ep. 6: After inspecting the replicas of the fire bird that were confiscated by Songrim through Bu-yeon’s help, Master Lee leaves Jeongjingak. He tells himself (what he didn’t tell Park Jin) that as Bu-yeon regains her memories, Naksu will regain her powers; when that happens, Bu-yeon’s body will reject Naksu’s spirit. Notice the fire pit that’s in Master Lee’s background.

Ep. 6: Park Jin finally reveals to Jang Uk that his real father is the late King; he shows Jang Uk the King’s letter and Gold Plaque. Notice the lit candle in the foreground (frame right).

Ep. 7: Jang Uk barges into Cheonbugwan, overcoming all the mages on his way. But Crown Prince Won blocks his path and appeals to him to stop. Notice that the flames and the fire pit dominate the foreground.

Ep. 7: Bu-yeon stands over Yul, who’s in extreme trauma after the blood parasite’s energy surged within him. At the start of the shot, there’s an out of focus lantern in the foreground (frame right); the lantern doesn’t seem to be lit. As the camera trucks (moves parallel) to the left, the lantern begins to exit the screen, revealing a lit candle near Yul.

A poetic or symbolic way of interpreting this scene: Remember that the Seo family members have their “Lantern of Life” that hang in Seoho Fortress; when the flame of a lantern is extinguished, that signifies that a Seo family member has died. In this scene, I think that the director wanted to depict and reinforce (with the candle lit instead of the lantern) how Yul is near the point of death, if no cure to the blood parasite is found.

Visual cues:

Ep. 2: At the river bank, Bu-yeon giddily wants Jang Uk to carry her and cast a spell so that they can escape faster. But Jang Uk deflates her giddiness by walking away from her. Notice that their conflict is depicted and reinforced by the dividing line created by the pole that holds the lantern in the background.

Ep. 3: Jang Uk becomes depressed after Park Jin confronts him about his vain hope that Mu-deok would somehow come back to him alive. Park Jin exhorts him to accept the reality of Mu-deok’s death, mourn for her, and then move on. He then spends the next several days and nights alone in the dark in Jeongjingak, remembering Mu-deok. Notice the various frames that box him in; at the last part of the scene, the camera pulls out as he’s boxed in by the pillars.

Ep. 3: Bu-yeon stands near the stone tower, unsure if she should energize the blue jade and thus call Jang Uk to her. Notice that she's boxed in by the tree trunks in the foreground to depict and reinforce her emotional and psychological tension.

Ep. 4: Jang Uk becomes angry when he finds out that it’s Bu-yeon who energized the blue jade; against all reality, he was hoping that it’s Mudeok who energized the blue jade. Notice that they’re separated by a tree trunk, thus depicting and reinforcing their conflict.

Same scene as above but from the reverse angle. Notice that Jang Uk and Naksu are boxed in by the tree trunks; when two or more characters are within the same frame, it could signify either unity or conflict depending on the context.

In two scenes, this drama also uses 90-degree Dutch angle shots:

Ep. 2: Jang Uk sends Bu-yeon home after she fails to prove her powers in turning the light off in the Jinyowon lantern.

Ep. 8: Bu-yeon is moping on her bed when Cho-yeon arrives and tells her about the conflict between their mother Lady Jin Ho-gyeong and Jin Mu over the Jinyowon Plaque.

Other ways the drama uses to depict or reinforce emotional or psychological tension

1. Wobbly or shaky camera; handheld shot; some examples from Part 1

Ep. 6: To prevent Jang Uk from taking vengeance against those responsible for Mu-deok’s death, Park Jin imprisons him in Jeongjingak’s secret room. He also finally reveals to Jang Uk that his real father is the late King. The tension in this scene is depicted or reinforced through the wobbly shots of Jang Uk or Park Jin; it’s further reinforced by the low lighting conditions and the flickering of the flames (and of their shadows).

In this scene, the director and cinematographer use what is called in cinematography as called “handheld cam” or “handheld shot.” Note that even if a camera is “handheld,” the shot can be stabilized through devices (rigs), through the cinematographer’s skill, or through software.

From “The Handheld Shot In Film: Our Definitive Guide”:

The handheld shot is one of the most commonly used techniques in film. It can be used to show a sense of urgency, such as when a character is running away from danger or chasing after someone they care about.

You can see two handheld cameras
used in filming the sword fight
between Jang Uk and Crown Prince
Won (Ep. 4, Part 1) from 5:17 to 5:22
of this BTS video.

A handheld shot might also be used to convey anxiety and tension. This could be done by using quick cuts that move around in an erratic pattern to simulate confusion and disorientation.

For example, if someone was hiding from an intruder in their home it would make sense for them to use this technique because they probably wouldn’t know what direction the intruder was coming from so they would feel anxious and tense while looking out for signs of danger all around them.

Other resources on handheld shot/handheld cam:

“The Art Of Handheld Filmmaking!”

“Handheld Camera Operating”

“The Truth About Filming Handheld - Do Camera Rigs Help?”

“Get better handheld videos with these five tips!”

Examples from Part 1:

Ep. 6: Mu-deok meets Crown Prince Won in his quarters (after his attendant mistakenly applies make-up on her and dresses her up in silk clothes with accessories). Later, as she walks out of the palace to go to Chwiseonru, you’ll notice that the camera is wobbly. When she turns a corner, we then see Gil-ju and another Cheonbugwan mage watching her from afar. (In Chwiseonru, Gil-ju finally confirms that Mu-deok is Naksu.)

Ep. 7: Mu-deok thinks that Gil-ju shifted his soul into Jang Uk’s body. Sensing a man coming towards her, she grabs a sword and threatens the man who turns out to be Jang Uk. The emotional and psychological tension in the scene is depicted and reinforced by the wobbly camera.

2. Change in the camera’s viewpoint; editing

Examples:

Ep. 7: Jang Uk, Bu-yeon, and Crown Prince Won are inside Jinyowon’s storage room of relics and artifacts to make the fire bird expel the blood parasite from Yul’s core. Jang Uk becomes surprised and jealous because of the interaction between Bu-yeon and Crown Prince Won. Notice that in the first image, he’s shot frontally. In the succeeding shot, he’s shot from the right (our perspective).

Ep. 7: Bu-yeon reaches out and touches Yul as he lies on the table, fighting for his life as the energy from the blood parasite surged within him. Notice that in the first image, Bu-yeon is frame right and looking to the left (our perspective). In the succeeding shot, she is frame left and looking to the right (our perspective).

Ep. 7: Jang Uk doesn’t tell Bu-yeon that he has agreed to send her back to Jinyowon in exchange for Lady Jin Ho-gyeong telling how Yul can be saved from the blood parasite. Notice that Bu-yeon is frame left while Jang Uk is frame right; When she turns to go see Yul, he stops her by grabbing her wrist. When she turns around to look at him, they’re still frame left (Bu-yeon) and frame right (Jang Uk). The next shot is an OTS (over the shoulder) shot of Jang Uk. In the next shot, Bu-yeon is now frame right, looking at Jang Uk, who’s frame left and off camera. In the next shot, they’re again frame left (Bu-yeon) and frame right (Jang Uk).

The next shot is a closeup of Bu-yeon pulling her forearm away from Jang Uk’s grip; she’s now frame right while Jang is frame left. The next shot is a medium shot of Bu-yeon (frame right) glaring at Jang Uk and saying that she’s not doing it for him but for Yul who’s also her friend.

Note that directors create the “shot list” based on the screenplay; they then stage the scene and block the actors. Based on the shot list, cinematographers decide how best to light the scene, what lens to use, etc. Cinematographers do what is called “coverage,” that is, they shoot a scene from various viewpoints, various shot sizes, etc. The editor then takes the footages, decides what to include or exclude and in what in order to create a coherent narrative based on the director’s artistic vision.

From “What Is Film Coverage: Step-By-Step Guide” (Film Lifestyle):

For those new to film production, coverage is the process of filming multiple angles, shots, and performances of a scene.

It’s called coverage because it covers all the necessary elements required to edit the scene together in post-production.

In television, coverage is considered standard practice as scenes are often shot out of sequence on a tight shooting schedule.

Coverage ensures that there are enough options available in the edit for the editor to put together an interesting and engaging version of the scene.

For independent filmmakers, it’s not always possible to get extensive coverage due to scheduling constraints, budget, or even just not knowing how to do it.

But if you’re working on something with more time and resources available then getting good coverage will make your life much easier in post-production.

From “A Beginner’s Guide to Shooting Coverage for a Film Project” (Premium Beat):

“Coverage” is a deceptively simple term that encompasses a wide range of factors — how to stage, block, light, and capture a film.

“Coverage” refers to the order and method of shooting a scene. “V Coverage” — so-called due to the layout of the cameras from a top-down perspective — means shooting a wide or master shot of the scene, then getting close-ups on each character for their lines. This method is used in probably 80 percent of two-person dialogue scenes.

Even in this simple setup, there are several factors to consider — each one makes a difference in how you shoot the scene and how it’ll look in the final edit. Do you shoot your wide shot first? This gives the actors a couple of takes to get into the scene and warm up. But, if it’s an emotional scene, they may burn out before you get to their close-up. Do you just shoot the start and end of the scene in the wide? If so, will the final part of the scene suffer because the actors won’t be in the same emotional state as in the close-ups?

Some directors do not like coverage; for example, Yorgos Lanthimos who directed the award-winning 2018 movie “The Favourite.” In an interview, he says that he hates coverage. This means that even before filming of “The Favourite” started, he already had a firm vision of what his film would look like, shot by shot, scene by scene.

Acclaimed director Kogonada said that in working on his 2017 film “Columbus,” he, the cast, and production crew only had 18 filming days. And so, he and his cinematographer planned out how to shoot the film without too much coverage.

Most beautifully composed shots/scenes in this drama (Part 1 and Part 2):

(1) Ep. 12, Part 1: Mu-deok becomes jealous and insecure after meeting Lady Heo Yun-ok, who’s waiting for Jang Uk in his quarters in Jeongjingak; she thinks that Lady Heo Yun-ok is the egret that Maidservant Kim Do-joo refered to as being Jang Uk’s beloved. Notice that she’s boxed in by the multiple frames and by the lines on the floor to depict and reinforce her emotional and psychological tension.

Considering the context, I think that this image/scene is brilliantly composed by the director. And with all the converging lines, this image/scene reminds me of famed director Stanley Kubrick’s “one point perspective.”

(2) Ep. 10, Part 2: Park Jin lies severely wounded amidst the burning hallway after Jin Mu stabbed him. Notice that he’s shot with a dramatic Dutch angle; notice also the various leading lines that focus the viewer’s eyes towards him (or emphasize the subject plane).

Studio Binder in its article titled “Rules of Shot Composition in Film: A Definitive Guide” says: “Leading lines are actual lines (or sometimes imaginary ones) in a shot, that lead the eye to key elements in the scene. Artists use this technique to direct the viewer’s eye but they also use it to connect the character to essential objects, situations, or secondary subjects.”

Leading lines may be straight or curved; they may lead directly to the subject or to the subject plane; they may come from either left or right. Considering that we read from left to right, my personal preference is that they come from the left going to the right.

From “How to Use Leading Lines in Photography” (MasterClass): “Leading lines are lines that appear in a photograph that have been framed and positioned by the photographer to draw the viewer’s eye towards a specific point of interest. These lines often draw the viewer’s eye in a specific direction or towards a designated portion of the photograph.”

The Masterclass article explains the four kinds of leading lines and their uses: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and converging.

The best hero shots from "Alchemy of Souls" Part 1 and Part 2

1. Part 2, Ep. 10: after Park Jin’s “evil and virtue” dialogue.

Jin Mu tries to get Park Jin over to his and the Unanimous Assembly’s side by offering a way of saving Maidservant Kim Do-joo from the wreckage of Jinyowon’s storage room. In probably Part 2’s most memorable line, Park Jin rejects Jin Mu, the King, and the Unanimous Assembly with his rhetorical question, “Evil always does what it wants without stopping. But why is it that virtue always needs to prove itself over and over again?”

When Jin Mu threatens to break the fire bird’s seal, Park Jin twirls his sword, thrusts it into the ground, and walks towards the fire bird. As he disappears from the frame, there a rack focus: the flames and the wall in the background become out of focus as the sword becomes in focus.

2. Ep. 1 of Part 1: Naksu’s reveal and Mu-deok’s dilemma.

2-A: Naksu, the Shadow Assassin, faces off at a frozen river against Park Jin and over a dozen mage-warriors. The shot pushes in and then arcs around a mysterious figure, who’s revealed to be the beautiful but deadly killer whose enemies’ heads roll when they meet her. She mocks Park Jin and his mage-warriors by asking rhetorically, "Naksu, it’s a beautiful name, is it not?"

While hero shots are usually wide shots from a low angle point of view, my favorite hero shot in this scene of Naksu’s reveal is her high angle profile shot.

2-B: Naksu has accidentally soul shifted into Mu-deok’s body (she had targeted someone else). As she’s being escorted by someone who has sold her off, she becomes confused because she thought Mu-deok is blind. Intending to escape, she stands up on the boat and says goodbye to the men on the boat. (Her low angle shot cross dissolves into a medium shot). She jumps up to the bridge and tries to pull herself up, only to find out that she has no strenght in her arms. (Seconds later, unable to hold on to the bridge, she falls, butt first, into the canal.)

Up until this boat scene, the drama has a dead serious tone. But this scene of Mu-deok falling into the canal introduces the comedy aspect of the drama.

From “The Story Behind The Shot: Exploring the movie framing of a ’Hero’”:

Heroes demand swathes of space to show that their benevolence is all-conquering, yet the villains of this world fill up a close up with the stinking miasma of degeneracy. It is one of the most straightforward filmmaking techniques, but when it is done right, it holds the simple fist-pumped adulation of reverb riddled power-chord.

In short, it is a shot that speaks of the beauty of cinema and storytelling. It is devoid of all reality in the most euphorically satisfying way. Never in real life could a sports star’s triumph be prognosticated or celebrated with such distilled perfection. There is something uniquely thrilling about cinema’s ability to call the shots of life and punt the fickle workings of fate into the wayside by depicting a hero in a portrait of untold brilliance.

From “Lights, Camera, Action: How Filmmakers Frame Heroes and Villains”:

In visual storytelling, how can one best define the differences between a hero and a villain? It might seem like there are a few correct answers, and, well, fair enough.

For sure, things like dialogue, musical themes, lighting, and even costuming can shape how an audience perceives a character’s outlook and objective. Nonetheless, the case can be made that thoughtful, deliberate framing is the most effective way to communicate (or disguise) a character’s intentions and inner life.

Resources on hero shots:

“How to Shoot a Michael Bay 360 Hero Shot [Michael Bay’s Directing Style Explained]” (Studio Binder)

“Evil Dead II Features Cinema’s Best Hero Shot”