Keep in mind that the billet or bar that is machined or forged was also once "soup".

Castings get a bad reputation because the alloying elements used to increase fluidity (generally silicon and carbon) make the material brittle and reduce its impact strength.

A very high degree of process development and process control means that steel castings can be made with standard alloys and without inclusions, voids or other casting flaws. It can be done, but you are not going to buy those castings for $2 a pound.

Even with high silicon and carbon, tiny amounts of alloying elements can be added that make the graphite inclusions spherical. Given proper annealing, these cast irons (called nodular irons) are suitable for automotive suspension applications, like steering knuckles, that are high shock applications.

I am a conservative with a lowercase "c".