Persistent in trying to get closer to Jang Wook, Jin Bu-yeon discovered in detail the sad love story of her husband in Alchemy of Souls Part 2 episode 3.
The good news is she’s regaining her power and memory back in the process. However, there’s no pep talk that seems to be piercing through Wook’s heart who still keeps Naksu inside.
abbyinhallyuland watched Alchemy of Souls Part 2 on Netflix
Episode Recaps: 01| 02| 03| 04| 05| 06| 07| 08| 09| Final Episode + Series Review |
Alchemy of Souls Part 2 Episode 3 Highlights
Previously, Jang Wook crashed the meeting of the Unanimous Assembly and declares Bu-yeon is his wife, thus she can’t assume the position of Jinyowon’s heiress.
Lady Jin vehemently refuses to give in to Wook’s wish of taking her daughter as his wife.
Running out of excuses, Bu-yeon pretends she can prove their marriage is not a farce and that they have a witness which is the child inside her tummy when Jin Mu demands to prove Wook’s claim.
As her pregnancy can’t be verified yet, Master Heo asserts that marriage should not be discussed in the meeting since it is a family affair.
The assembly also moves to still grant the safekeeping of Jinyowon to another family since Lady Jin’s son-in-law is the mighty Jang Wook.
Sensing her crazy idea gives them an escape route, Bu-yeon makes an adorable face to the father of her imaginary child while Wook can’t believe how strange the woman he hasn’t even kissed yet can get.
“It is brazen to desire something without being willing to endure the pain. A pain that does not kill me will eventually set me free.”
News of Wook’s marriage to Bu-yeon reaches their inner circle. But Yul is not convinced and thinks of a deeper reason for the sudden secret wedding. He thinks it’s impossible that Wook already forgot Mu-deok and fell in love with another woman already. Dang-gu echoes the same thought.
Arriving at Jang’s residence, Wook leaves Bu-yeon inside a room. Indulging herself in the sweet possibility that Wook could have turned off the lantern’s light, she tries to summon her power, but nothing happened.
When she sees Wook’s sword, she curiously holds it and got surprised when fragments of memories flash before her eyes. The nearby Jinyowon lantern also lit up when she accidentally touched it.
Witnessing Bu-yeon’s small feat in regaining her memory and maybe power, Wook is happy with her progress. He encourages her desire to regain her memories and power as well.
Happy that Wook is not mad at her because of her mother, they discuss the solution to her pregnancy lie. Asking if she wants them to make a baby before Master Heo’s scheduled check-up, Bu-yeon beams as she inches closer to him.
Expressing how she was hoping for a possibility that she’s more than what he wants her in his life, Wook responded not to raise her hopes high. He offers to bring a witness. Not backing down, Bu-yeon surprises him with a kiss and insists that he should play along and never resent her.
Just when she tried to walk away, a sudden excruciating pain on the thread sewn on her body surged. Bearing the pain, Bu-yeon is resolute to not return to her mother who is calling her through the enchantment despite the plea of Maidservant Kim for her to return to Jinyowon.
Determined to live a life that is not controlled by her mother, Bu-yeon insists to bear the pain since she’s trying to prove something.
“My wife can’t sleep. Please refrain from summoning her in the middle of the night. As you know, we are newlyweds.”
Enduring the pain, Bu-yeon sees the shadow of Wook going somewhere without checking on her. It turns out that he goes to Jinyowon to stop Lady Jin from bothering his wife’s sleep.
Drawing his plan to create trouble, Jin Mu orders his minion to see So-yi and gives her the ointment she needs. In return, she has to bring Bu-yeon to Cheonbugwan. Interestingly, the ointment goes to the hands of Yul through gisaeng Ju Wol who is bothered by his connection with So-yi.
Maidservant Kim demands an explanation for the events that happened recently. To stop her blabbing, he agrees to the wedding she wants to have. But he insists that she should do it since he’s already married.
Finally revealing her innermost wish for Wook, his second mother hopes for him to stop holding on to Naksu, as it is her greatest fear. Wook assures Maidservant Kim that the yin-yang stone he shared with Naksu won’t bring him harm. He tells her that he keeps it so he can be assured that she’s already gone. Unknown to them, Bu-yeon overhears part of their conversation.
The next day, Bu-yeon meets her husband’s closest circle and flaunts her ability to determine energies. Maidservant Kim also announces they will be holding a wedding ceremony soon.
Later, Dang-gu relays the events at Jinyowon last night which is really the reason why the pain stopped for her. Realizing how her husband went an extra mile for her, she goes to the place Dang-gu claims to be Wook’s haven. But he was not there.
Curiosity drives Bu-yeon to look for Naksu’s tomb. As if sensing the presence of its owner, the stone tower collapses revealing Naksu’s blue stone. Her eyes also momentarily turn blue. Keeping the blue stone, Bu-yeon contemplates how it appeared in her memory.
“There is nothing wrong with being not smart as long as you are handsome.”
Proceeding to the abduction plan, So-yi met a variable not knowing that Bu-yeon can sense energy and did not follow the trap they laid. Instead, she dropped a poisonous substance that Bu-yeon also sensed to be dangerous.
Fortunately for her, Yul also visited the place to see So-yi and was able to rescue her in time. However, since he was flustered, Bu-yeon points out how they’ve been circling for quite a while now. Subtly teasing the smartest mage of Daeho for being an airhead, Yul ran down all his known merits to prove he is smart.
Responding to that, Bu-yeon throws an adorable analogy of how her beauty is unmatched, and yet she’s also not the brightest bulb.
Recalling Naksu’s memories that flashed in her mind recently, Yul explains it to be Naksu. Learning the ill-fated connection between Naksu and her husband, Bu-yeon decides to be careful about mentioning her to Wook.
Meanwhile, So-yi reports to Jin Mu about what happened and attests to Bu-yeon’s ability to see energy. Subsequently, Jin Mu visits the Queen to loop her in on the change of plan. He intends to use Naksu’s 3rd death anniversary to summon her soul and trouble Wook. That is to stop Bu-yeon’s marriage to him and to place the Queen’s cousin as the new groom.
“Do you have some money? If you do, buy this turtle. It has good energy. It will bring you luck.”
Learning about how the concubines of the King blame the Queen for the powder that shriveled their skin, Prince Won investigated with his eunuch and chances upon Bu-yeon who was hiding from Jin female guards.
Nostalgically, their conversation starts when Bu-yeon coaxes Prince Won to buy a turtle she senses to have some great energy. Previously, Naksu had a bet with Prince Won with gold frogs as the wager if Wook can defeat the mages as part of the training designed by Naksu.
Bewildered at the cheeky woman he just met, Prince Won can’t understand why Bu-yeon didn’t recognize he is of royalty when he practically gave her the clue.
Unfortunately, drought has been causing concern in Daeho. Master Lee visits another town where a well suddenly dried up. He retrieves the same stone which he already got from four wells and wonders about the mysterious event.
Wook confronts another reality-biting talk with Master Park who also encouraged him to let go of Naksu for good. He wants him to rely on the fact that there’s a witness who saw her get petrified and fell into the lake.
“I regained another memory. You and I have liked each other for a long time.”
Back at Jang’s residence, Bu-yeon waits for her husband so she can thank him for destroying the tracking thread. However, he contemplates alone and looks back on Mu-deok’s order to choose life over love.
The next day, Bu-yeon rushes to the study room after being summoned by Maidservant Kim. But what greeted her is Yun-ok and her maid who shared the news that Wook is staying at Jeongjingak.
Unhappy to hear the news, she makes a strong facade and tells Yun-ok to relay the message that she’s doing okay. Maidservant Kim tells Yun-ok that she no longer has to care for Wook since he is betrothed to Bu-yeon.
Analyzing why her husband is not going home, Bu-yeon rationalized that it could be because she keeps throwing herself at him. She decides to see him and reveals the new memory she regained since he’s happy with any news of her regaining her memory.
When Yun-ok sees the red jade stone, she explains it belongs to Naksu and advises her to put energy so she can get the answer to why everyone is not believing her marriage to Wook.
Bu-yeon goes to Naksu’s tomb to summon energy, and true enough, Wook appears. Asking her how he was summoned, Bu-yeon reveals gaining another memory of them liking each other for a long time.
Alchemy of Souls Part 2 Episode 3 Musings
Such cryptic words are in the last few minutes of this episode of Alchemy of Souls Part 2. We don’t know if Bu-yeon really had another memory retrieved or if she’s using the knowledge, she got from the conversations about Naksu.
Obviously, grumpy Wook would be more petulant if Bu-yeon won’t be able to justify her actions.
Aside from Bu-yeon’s journey to unlock her identity as Naksu, preparatory information about the looming conflicts to be tackled was also shown in this episode. Yul’s dangerous disease was brought up and so is the drought probably orchestrated by Jin Mu who has kept his dark organization alive together with the evil queen.
Reunions of one-sided romance stories whose characters are not aware they were reunited were also delightful to watch in this chapter. Probably preparing the staple reality from the first part of the series. Yul and Prince Won have sincere adoration for Naksu, and they will be still willing enough to protect her at all costs.
Jin Mu is brooding an evil plan, and it’s quite interesting because, in the process of awakening Naksu’s soul, he could trigger more of her memories and powers back or repeat another chaos.
Can the owners of the yin-yang jade recognize each other? Or will they miss this chance?
Be entranced by the wondrous world of Daeho in Alchemy of Souls Part 2. International fans can watch it on Netflix.
Photos: tvN Drama
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