‘Alchemy of Souls’ Season 2: Lee Jae-wook Had Trouble Adjusting to Jang Uk Due to the Time Jump
The fantasy K-drama Alchemy of Souls ended on a cliffhanger as Jang Uk shocks everyone as he rises from the dead. Jang Uk is not the same man fans remember from the first season, as he has been reborn and deals with the grief of a broken heart. Alchemy of Souls Season 2 will drastically shift as the characters go through a three-year time jump, and actor Lee Jae-wook explains he had trouble adjusting.
Jang Uk has become a ruthless killer within three years in the new installment
Fans were gutted as they witnessed a controlled Mu-deok/Nak-su unknowingly kill her true love, Jang Uk, in the Alchemy of Souls finale. While the K-drama teased that Jang Uk would meet a tragic fate, his story was far from over. As his body burned, the powers of the Ice Stone and the King’s Star resurrected him.
The first teaser for the second season showed a changed Jang Uk, one that has become dark and broken-hearted. In hindsight, Jang Uk would have likely come back to life and learned about the supposed death of his true love. But he will also probably learn there was foul play, as he knew Mu-deok/Nak-su would never kill the way she did.
Alchemy of Souls Season 2 takes a more drastic turn as tvN confirms there is a three-year time jump in the storyline. The official teaser trailers have Jang Uk going through a dark and lonely period filled with guilt. Putting a wall between him and the world, he says, “I wasn’t even able to protect the one person I promised to protect. How would I be able to protect anything?”
The trailers depict Jang Uk has become merciless for blood and killing rogue soul shifters. Even Go Won tells him that his sword reflects his grief, hatred, and rage. The new complexity of the character will be an interesting watch. Actor Lee Jae-wook admits playing Jang Uk after the time jump in Alchemy of Souls Season 2 was difficult.
Lee Jae-wook found filming ‘Alchemy of Souls’ Season 2 slow
Not only will fans get a changed Jang Uk, but they will also see the character deal with the emotional toll of meeting Cho-yeong. The new season promises a lot of turmoil for the powerful mage, but Lee explains that getting into the right mindset was not easy.
“After the end of ‘Alchemy of Souls’ [Part 1], I had exactly one week to reorganize. After finishing all my overdue activities, the week went by in an instant,” said Lee, according to Soompi in his interview with 1st Look magazine. “Given that, I lacked the strength to accept Jang Wook three years later. Because of that, filming was slow at first. The process of accurately understanding and capturing my character was a bit difficult.”
The actor has become a hot commodity in recent years and has built up an impressive career. There is no denying that fans have seen a lot of Lee doing promotions and attending high-end events. When it comes to his character of Jang Uk, Lee reveals he does see some similarities in how he looks at life.
“In the drama, there’s a scene where Jang Wook drinks by himself, and I also occasionally need a drink. When I need to organize something. I am also growing everyday and I take time to look back on what kind of person I am. Looking at these things, I think, ‘Jang Wook and I have quite a lot in common,” explains Lee.
‘Alchemy of Souls’ Season 2 will have 10 episodes
Fans are eager to see Lee’s drastic change as Jang Uk in Alchemy of Souls Season 2. The storyline teases a lot of possible theories, drama, and a few questions will be answered. After three years, the episode stills reveal Jang Uk will come face-to-face with Cho-yeong. No longer the killer assassin fans met in the first season, Cho-yeong has memory loss.
Hoping to rediscover who she is, she seeks help understanding her past and her love story with Jang Uk. But with Jang Uk still feeling guilt over not being able to protect her, he will stop at nothing to keep her from harm’s way. At the same time, fans are curious to know how Jang Uk will recognize Cho-yeong as his true love. After all, he never fully saw her original face.
Along the way, the main characters must still face the few enemies lurking in the shadows. Alchemy of Souls Season 2 raises concern as Seo Yul. He has dealt with the pain of the blood worm for three years.
Alchemy of Souls Season 2 will have 10 episodes and premiere on Netflix on Dec. 10.
