Compelling plot and execution (litteraly) with lots of laughs
This drama's stars are without doubt the Writer and Director, without whom this sterling cast could not have so well displayed their mettle.And to say that the behind the scenes 'actors' nearly outshine those on the screen is no small accolade. The performances are without exception outstanding, from the main stars, to each minor character. However, the quality of plotting and slick production allow them to shine.
Vincenzo himself is a dark and disgusting character, but the writers along with Song Joon Ki manage to present him only as a reasonable and skilled man using extreme measures to achieve natural justice, or to simply do business with brutal men. Somehow they manage to conceal his brutality behind that beautiful face, elegant frame, great clothes and impeccable manners. And while doing this build in many moments of pure comedy.
A man embittered by his youth, and out only for his own gain, he comes to Korea to collect a massive cache of gold, intending to make a surgical strike and leave pronto to return to Italy. But, as soon as he lands in Korea, the whole eccentric timbre of the film sets in, and he finds himself in a ridiculous situation of immense comedic punch. He was lucky he was left with his designer suit on - I'd have left him in his underwear ... or swapped it for my own clothes, and sold it! But, then, given the visual potential I might have opted for just the underwear...
He's faced with a deeper dilemma than simply sorting out his wardrobe though - nothing goes as he planned. He has to deal with threats from developers, a collection of hapless and helpless tenants who consistently frustrate his plans, and of course, the benevolent lawyer devoted to helping the underdog (who we all know pays peanuts) against their chaebol aggressors, while facing determined criticism from his lawyer daughter who acts for those very oppressors. And then there's that damn pigeon stopping him from getting a night's sleep!
The Mafioso and the Lawyer strike up a friendship, a death leads to an alliance between Consigliere and the daughter, and the plot hits its stride. And the pigeon comes in surprisingly handy at a crucial moment, too.
The brutality is brutal, and made more so by the elements of psychopathy in the main villains - each of whom has their own well developed personalities - which also at time make them the butt of humour. But most of the violence is suggested rather than painted bloody in your face. Most of the victims are the bad guys - though the good guys do get hurt. The threat and violence are extremely finely judged. Somehow the writers and actors manage to provide a "hero" who is a murderer but remains a sympathetic character.
Our female lead is elegant and beautiful, able to look after herself and brave in the face of real risk to her life. She is also mildly insane - a complete clown, throwing herself into extravagant gestures and bodily contortions to cast contempt or humour at her opposition. She uses her body like a wild child dancing in the rain - but at some quite inappropriate moments, which is hilarious to watch. But fiercely intelligent, supposedly making the courtroom her playroom as she defeats villainous lawyers with virtually no material to work with. I'd say that every courtoom scene is simply played for laughs. I can;t think of any actres who could have carried this off so well as Jeon Yeo Bin.
Other characters in the new Korean "Cassano family" slowly reveal their true natures as gifted fighters, organisers, and including a computer hacker who could not be more serendipitously placed, nor more essential. They blossom and realise that they had not formerly known their own strength. They appear to become a warm and supportive family. This was rather lovely, not because of the family metaphor, but because drooping, trembling, weak people grew into themselves - and that permitted their relationships to deepen.
Thank goodness the predictable romance developing between Vincenzo and Cha Young was muted, and remained so to the end. They are a beautiful pair, but their roles in the plot remained unencumbered by neediness between them. He respected her autonomy and she somehow accepted him as he was, a mafia thug, using his skills for his own ends, but in the process working for a good cause in Korea. That tolerance of each other's autonomy is pretty rare in Korean Dramas - the trope being that a man shows his developing feelings by being possessive, demanding and bossy and the woman starts being huffy and jealous. A nice relief!
Yes, there were some clichés, but they were minimal. There are many plot twists and setbacks, and many dark moments amid the bonhomie of the tenants association and the wacky humour. You might think the humour in such a drama would be dark Well, I didn't find it so. Sometimes it was defiant, sometimes ridiculous, but I never thought it was just plastered onto a situation either. The greatest originality in this drama is its use of humour which always comes as a surprise and a joy.
At a time in which Korea is releasing a particularly rich crop of dramas, this one seems to be, rightly, dominating the screens. I don't think I have ever awarded marks as high as this for any other drama. It deserves every accolade.
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I Loved this drama!
It had everything.....comedy, corruption, crime and revenge. Everything that I love in a drama. There's A LOT that happens in the 20, 80min episodes. So plan your binge.I didn't except to laugh as much as I did. It was great. Mr. Nam and Mr. Ahn absolutely killed me w/their facial expressions.. The action scenes were amazing....I thought everyone had great chemistry. I think they make the villains hot on purpose.
I just adored the Cassano Geumga Family and their Corn Salad :)
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I Don't Know What You're Doing If You STILL Haven't Watched THIS
STOP RIGHT THERE. YOU. YES, YOU. Are you reading this to see if you should watch this drama? Well let me just save you some time from reading this and tell you, You damn right should watch this, no seconds thoughts or anything, just dive in head deep. Man was it painful watching this and waiting for episodes every week, you're already lucky to have all the eps just waiting for you to look at. In all seriousness though, this drama was just a ball of happiness for me. It knew how to make me laugh really hard and also at the same time portray a story. The thing that really had my attention was every character. The personality and traits of each person down to the detail was phenomenal. I loved the concept and it was entertaining. I found myself being attached to every side character because they were all just as important. This drama wasn't very romancey, but it did leave us with some hints at times. I actually think that it was better this way. Also the bad guys were another thing, they acted very well and it was amazing that they made my blood boil so much. The only other thing I can say about this is that I wish there were more osts ahhhh, but regardless it was great. Anyways, I could say lots of things but please just give this a chance despite anything else you've heard. Everything deserves a chance right? Happy watching!!Was this review helpful to you?
Best Dark Comedy Drama Ever
Story: THRILLINGCast: INCREDIBLE (SJK 😌, JYB🔥 and everyone else is just bomb)
Visuals: EYE CATCHING & EYE SOOTHING
Twist: YOU WILL BE HOOKED.
OST: the songs are amazing
Every episode ends with a bang, first two episode may seem slow but after that you won't be able to stop. Every character is important and their acting skill is stunning. The director and writer did such a mind blowing job. Twist comes your way like nobody's business. Humor is full on, you will laugh like crazy then get angry and then sad. It's full on entertainment. They served looks , istg.
Song Joong Ki looks smoking hot btw.
Worth your time tbh.
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The best k-series I've ever watched.
If you like a witty, comedic, dark, gory, antihero story with a good splash of romance, you've come to the right place. I went into this series with no expectations. 2 episodes in, I felt enjoyment but no real spark. Then episode 3 passed and we went into the fourth episode; from there, the enjoyment of this series takes off exponentially. Each episode is action packed, meaningful, heart wrenching and fun. I've never enjoyed a show so much as I have this one. It's been an absolute pleasure to follow each weekly viewing live. The chemistry between the main leads is absolutely captivating.Vincenzo is going to leave an empty hole that no other drama can replace, and it's bittersweet knowing it's over. Definitely worth a watch, and I'll be rewatching this one for sure. A complete Korean drama masterpiece.
Overall 10/10.
(MINOR SPOILERS BELOW)
The most satisfying part of this story was the partnership between Vincenzo and Hong Chayoung. Firstly, their chemistry was to DIE for, I don't know if it was their acting, but for a show that isn't romance centric, the subtleties (e.g. the glances V gives CY, the light touches during the comedic scenes, etc) leave viewers asking for more. And thank god the writers delivered a satisfying end for Chayenzo. Secondly, their story, the way that they started as enemies but quickly became friends, then good partners, then drifting to the "it's complicated" realm, to finally coming full circle (I feel like I can say they are dating). The chemistry and the development of their story was so wholesome I can't believe that some viewers disapprove.
Song Joong Ki should be grateful to land such a great role alongside Yeobeen, a beauty as well as a great actor who can finally dispel the disapproval of Joongki after his divorce.
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A must watch, rewatch and beg for more.
I don't normally post reviews, and I'm not very good at them anyway, but I had to make an exception for "Vincenzo." This drama was a masterpiece. I loved everything, the story, the characters, the relationships, the soundtrack, the world. This show had a little bit of everything, action, comedy, romance, suspense, sad moments, happy moments, and it's so well done that I think everyone will enjoy it.One thing I want to mention, without spoiling the show, is the romance which is the best romance I've ever seen in kdramas. I like romance in stories, but I don't really like stories focused on just that, but "Vincenzo" incorporated romance in the right portions, each episode had a little bit of romance, it felt natural and the relationship between the two main characters grew realistically. In my point of view, strong relationships usually take time to build, especially romantic ones and most series or movies rush this, but "Vincenzo" took it slowly, without ever forgetting the romance, nor forgetting the main plot of the show and I loved it. Vincenzo and Cha Young are the best couple I've ever seen in kdramas.
In addition to the two incredible main characters, there are also secondary characters, and they were incredible too, they were all so charismatic and the series made me care for everyone, and that's no small feat, since there are so many characters, with the exception of the villains, who I just wanted to see suffer XD
Also, the show had 20 episodes, each episode was between 1h15m and 1h30m, and I just wish every show was like this. We really ate good with this show.
Anyway, it's a drama that I recommend to everyone, and I plan to rewatch the show one day. I can say with confidence that it is the best drama I have ever seen, one that I will always keep close to my heart and I would love to see these characters again in a 2nd season.
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No thoughts just Song Joong-ki covered in blood.
I'm a simple woman and *very* easily bought. This man pulled up in a black suit or a turtleneck and i FELL TO THE GROUND, CLUTCHING MY CHEST. My mother can confirm. The fashion was so excellent ugh. I actually fell in love y'all????? Like?????All jokes aside, this show is really well-written, a lot better than this review. The plot-twists are twist-y and the characters are sweet, (and/or horrifically evil.)
You either root for them, or very much do not root for them to the point of tears--and you end up liking characters you'd have never expected to like.
But.
But -- Cha-young sucks and I'm only mildly sorry to say it, someone has to.
SHE WAS LITERALLY WORKING FO-
Anyways :)
I think you can deduce that I wasn't overly fond of the romance in this series (if that's what we're calling that dumpster-fire of a subplot), but it was very minor and pretty easy to ignore...and forget. Did the people who enjoyed ChaCenzo *not* forget they were supposed to be love-interests, ever two minutes? Cause I sure did.
One thing I will say is that I don't think this is the kind of show you'd rewatch, at least not the whole thing over again. The high cannot be recreated, I swear.
All in all, very good show, very corrupt people, very pretty Mafias.
9. 5.
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This review may contain spoilers
A masterpiece that perfected the revenge concept
I’m in awe! I just finished the final episode and I’ve been starstruck by Song Joong Ki.This drama was fantastic and I’m kinda mad at myself for not watching it when it first came out because I genuinely thought I wouldn’t like it! Boy was I wrong! I absolutely LOVED it! I have NEVER seen a drama perfect revenge as well as the writers did for Vincenzo! Every single death was so satisfying (that sounds morbid but hear me out) Vincenzo knew how to hit people where it hurt the most and when the perfect time to kill someone was. He waited till they were the most vulnerable then he would strike. His timing was perfect. Final episode was the most satisfying even though I’ve cried a lot from some scenes.
Okay now onto Joong Ki.
I LOVE THAT MAN!!!
He acted out the role of Vincenzo PERFECTLY! I wouldn’t want anyone else to play this role other than him! The way he stayed serious most of the time, but didn’t hesitate to be goofy and to put himself out there for his job even if he got embarrassed by it was so interesting to watch! He was hilarious and very sweet which is seriously impressive since he is such a brutal killer! The casting directors need a major round of applause and a raise for that! Same with Hong Cha Young. Her acting was amazing too! No lie I didn’t like her not one but at first and she’s still not my favorite FL at all, but she’s very funny, goofy, driven, and kind and I love that about her. Don’t get me started on how much I loved the Geum ga plaza residents! They truly made this drama what it was and I’m so glad they had such a big role in the drama!!
Overall I’m very sad this shows over, but I’m happy the monsters all got a satisfying end.
Also the only reason I put the rewatch value so low is because I genuinely could never watch this drama again. This drama is very difficult to understand with all the business/lawyer talk. You have to be a real seasoned Kdrama fan to understand fully what’s happening in this drama because of how fast everything moves and because of what they’re talking about! I’ve been watching Kdramas for about 8 years now and I could barely under what was happening at times! Also there are a LOT of deaths in this drama and too many people overall so you might get confused as to who’s who like I did cause of all the names you have to remember!! STILL WORTH THE WATCH THO!!! I’m gonna miss it big time!
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Incorporates a perfect blend of different genres
One of the best shows of 2021 if not the best. The story is phenomenal and the acting done by all the cast is amazing. Ok Taecyeon's acting as a sweet intern to the cold-blooded villian was terrific to watch. So was the acting delivered by Kwak Dong-Yeon who played his traumatized brother just wanting someone to love. And can't forget Jeon Yeo-been's amazing acting as the one of her first main lead! Last but not least is the man himself Song Joong-ki who portrayed Vincenzo perfectly. Overall Id say this drama is in my top 5!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Just finished Vincenzo last night and I personally enjoy the whole 20 episodes eventhough there wasn't that many ear catching soundtracks. I think it was a great and smart ending. I love how they wrapped it up and stay consistent with "Only evil can punish evil". Cause that's the main point of this drama. It's so satisfying to see all those evils punished in the end. Sad but in the end, our best boy did not die in vain. I personally think with or without romance, it would still turn out good but you know you gotta spice it up to make it delicious. Great one. Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Finished watching in 5 days instead of my regular 2 days
Likable1. Ok Taec-yeon as Villain
2. Death Scenes of Hong Yoo-chan, Jang Han-seok & Choi Myung-hee
3. Park Joo-hyung as Vincenzo
4. Modern day relationship dynamics influenced by past instances & regret after losing loved one's (Hong Cha-Young relationship with her father & Vincenzo's resentment towards his mother)
5. Jang Han-seo character development. The only character that actually developed or improved with time according to me.
Dislikable
1. Entire Save Geumga Plaza Fiasco-Didn't like "over-the-top" sacrifices for Vincenzo. All tenants except monks & hacker were useless.
2. Over-Exaggeration of Consigliere & his Powers on other side Babel & power it holds.
3. Too many side-characters, divergence from main-plot, cassano family & filler comedy scenes.
4. Vincenzo's veiled past, Cha-Young's role from manipulative-smart lawyer being reduced to Vincezo's devotee. Reason behind Cha-Young's mother committing suicide & more shades of her character could be explored.
5. Jang Han-seok despite of being the mastermind relying too much on Choi Myung-hee for executing his plans & protecting himself.
Above Average-Neither too Good nor too Bad-Watchable after skipping filler scenes.
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Every bite. Same taste.
Food analogy: Well garnished Jajjangmyeon, where every slurp is equal. From start to end, (might not like the first bite due to improper mixing, thats upto ur taste)I have a problem within myself, i tend to be
disappointed with endings. If we notice the flow of energy, they didn't leave us on high...showing Vincenzo n Hong cha young's kids or leave us on low, showing the yearning to meet Vincenzo.. It left us on a neutral note, Showing his life will go on and we can't guess how it will be. So, I couldn't ask for more.
Despite having first 3 slow episode, this drama will keep you hooked and at the edge of your seat. Bored in lockdown? Watch Vincenzo. Now that it is complete you can binge and forget about ur problems for a day or two.
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