‘Alchemy of Souls’ Theory: Who Is Bu-yeon’s Father? – the K-Drama Raises a Mystery
Netflix’s K-drama Alchemy of Souls is getting close to its finale. The 17th and 18th episode of the drama has raised more inquiry into Bu-yeon, especially regarding who her father is. So far, fans know she is the long-lost daughter of the Jin family and her connection to the Ice Stone. But certain lines in Alchemy of Souls said by Woo-tak about Bu-yeon have fans wondering if her father is the unexpected.
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Alchemy of Souls.]
Bu-yeon’s father remains a mystery in ‘Alchemy of Souls’
So far into the K-drama, fans do not know who the character’s father is. Throughout the drama, fans realize Woo-tak has no emotional connection to his supposed daughter. It is quite the opposite as he helps Jin Mu find an imposter to take Bu-yeon’s place for Shaman Choi’s grand plan.
In Alchemy of Souls Episode 15, when Sol-i is officially ready to pose as Bu-yeon, she questions why Woo-tak is willing to take in a fake daughter. He says, “I am not the father of Jin Bu-yeon. Jin Bu-yeon’s biological father is someone else.”
The small line did not go unnoticed by fans. In the drama, it is also revealed that Bu-yeon was technically dead inside her mother’s womb. She was brought back to life with the Ice Stone. The drama has kept the truth well hidden.
But the new teaser for Alchemy of Souls Episode 19 adds to the mystery of who Bu-yeon’s father is. Someone, likely Jin Mu, explains Jin Bu-yeon’s immense divine powers not only came from her mother, a member of the Jin family. There are a few fan theories about who it could be or he could be implying the Ice Stone.
A fan theory suggests Woo-tak knows Bu-yeon might be the reincarnation of Seol-ran
A fan has a very plausible theory about why Woo-tak says he is not the biological father of Bu-yeon in Alchemy of Souls. On Reddit, a fan suggests that Woo-tak does not consider her his daughter because she technically died in the womb.
“Lady Jin’s husband, who knows about soul shifting, won’t recognise Bu Yeon as his daughter because he knows his real daughter’s soul has died and this is another inhabitant. Although he recognises Cho Yeon as his daughter (Edit: This episode, he also says the real Bu Yeon is dead with some emotion, so he might mean that she was long dead from her mother’s womb),” explained the fan.
It is a more logical explanation because Woo-tak does not feel a connection with the current Bu-yeon. The theory also means that he is aware that the soul inhabiting his daughter’s body is a reincarnation of Seol-ran, the great Jin family priestess. As far as Woo-tak is concerned, his firstborn died long ago, and he does not consider himself a father.
In the end, Jin Mu’s words of Bu-yeon’s power not only being from her mother might imply that Seol-ran’s soul is alive. Bu-yeon does have inherent powers as a member of the Jin family, but they are amplified because of the priestess.
Is Bu-yeon’s father also connected to Nak-su in ‘Alchemy of Souls’?
Another fan theory that could lead to Bu-yeon’s father is a mind bender. For this theory, fans must remember that Nak-su has a birth name, Cho-yeong. In the K-drama, fans learn Nak-su’s father was a mage and star recorder named Cho Chung. While she greatly loved her father, fans never see or hear a mention of a mother. Could Nak-su have never met her mother?
This small storyline detail ties into the mystery of Bu-yeon and her father in Alchemy of Souls. It also raises once jaw-dropping theory by fans. A fan on Reddit suggests that Nak-su and Bu-yeon are long-lost twins.
“I have a feeling that Cho yeong and Bu yeon are twins. What if their father was mage Cho, and he refused to marry lady Jin cos he didn’t want to abandon his lineage to join the Jins? And what if he didnt want to hand over both daughters to Lady Jin? As mage Cho and Jang Gang are close, he may have offered to get Jang Uk’s constellation plate in exchange for one daughter,” explained the fan.
The theory does not end there and suggests Cho-yeong’s death was staged and led Lady Jin to name her second daughter Cho-yeon. “Maybe that’s why Jang Gang went in search of Naksu; so that he could return her to her mother after her father died, since he’s the only one aware of this truth,” said the fan. But Lady Jin never mentions a second child in her womb, adding a plothole to the theory.
Watch Alchemy of Souls on Netflix.
