‘Alchemy of Souls’ Theory: Mu-deok Resides in the Same Body With Nak-su
The character Nak-su inhabiting the body of Mu-deok is one of the most significant theory creators in the K-drama Alchemy of Souls. In the K-drama, Nak-su is a skilled and powerful mage assassin who transports her soul into the body of the line Mu-deok. As Alchemy of Souls has progressed, fans now theorize that Mu-deok is no ordinary person and resides in the same body as Nak-su.
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Alchemy of Souls.]
Nak-su’s soul was meant to go into another body
One of the questionable details of the mystery behind Mu-deok is why Nak-su’s soul went into her body. In the first episode, Nak-su is wounded and dying. She goes to a pub and bumps into Mu-deok but finds another young female to inhabit. Nak-su performs the Alchemy of Souls, but when she wakes up, she finds herself in Mu-deok’s body.
It has led fans to theorize why, which might have to do with who Mu-deok is. The unassuming Mu-deok has a more significant role than anyone realized. It is revealed in Alchemy of Souls that the Jin family has a long-lost daughter, Bu-yeon, who inherited the family’s blindness gene.
If the theory is true that Bu-yeon is Mu-deok, it could explain why Nak-su was transported into her body. Another theory suggests that because of who Mu-deok is, Nak-su and her are inhabiting the same body simultaneously in Alchemy of Souls.
Mu-deok was born from the Ice Stone in ‘Alchemy of Souls’
Mu-deok or Bu-yeon has a significant role in the Ice Stone. Fans know that Jin Mu used a young blind girl to find the Ice Stone, who was lost in the lake. Theories suggest because Jin Mu is part of the Jin family, he knew a secret about Bu-yeon. The young girl who helped him was her.
But another theory on Reddit speculates why Bu-yeon was able to harness the Ice Stone, and it is due to a flashback in episode 11. In the episode, fans learn that Bu-yeon’s mother, Ho-Gyeong, visited Jang Gang while she was pregnant. But the baby was dead inside her, and begged Jang Gang to use the Ice Stone to bring her back to life.
The theory suggests that Bu-yeon/Mu-deok was born from the Ice Stone and harbors some of its powers. It is a plausible explanation as to why she was able to find the stone and likely why she is alive as Mu-deok. Harnessing such power is what has fans theorizing that Mu-deok/Bu-yeon is still alive within her body alongside Nak-su.
There are clues alluding to Mu-deok’s soul still alive
According to the June K-drama, Na-sok’s body was supposedly burned to a crisp. Many would assume that Mu-deok’s soul would have perished with the body if the Alchemy of Souls worked. But the theory suggests that Mu-deok/Bu-yeon’s soul still resides in her body with Nak-su.
In episode 5, Master Lee finds Mu-deok’s sleeping body in the cabin. He can see shifted souls, but before he kills her, he sees something extraordinary. He realizes the soul within the body is powerful and believes it to be Nak-su. But the theory suggests that the strength of power he saw was Mu-deok/Bu-yeon’s soul protecting Nak-su.
Fans also saw Nak-su and Mu-deok in the dreamlike world during the Alchemy of Souls. In another episode, Jang Uk falls victim to the Alchemy of Souls. But in the dreamlike world, the blind Mu-deok appears and saves him.
In episode 12, Jang Uk witnesses something bizarre when Mu-deok is in danger from a wild soul. He arrives to see Mu-deok glowing with blue light and taking the energy from the wild soul. The theory suggests that in the scenes where Mu-deok’s body illuminates with blue light, Mu-deok/Bu-yeong takes over and protects Nak-su. Mu-deok/Bu-yeon’s creation from the Ice Stone and still in the body is why Nak-su has not become a wild soul.
