Potential Imbalance
An anti hero with a mafia background goes back to his homeland to retrieve the secret stash of gold buried there after the owner dies. There he encounters a series of unforeseen problems, gets dragged into a war against a conglomerate and learns that there are more secrets than he had been made aware of. It's a fantastic foundation to base a story on. We can see that it has deadly potential to give us one of the best dramas of the year. But sadly, that is what it remains- a foundation- which is why it feels more disappointing than the average series that failed to deliver.The plot is pretty straight forward for a touted thriller- but the back and forth screenplay keeps the viewers guessing. If you've watched enough movies/dramas, you wouldn't find the plot unpredictable. There are the usual betrayals, the chases, the comebacks, the one-upmanship, the cat and mouse game and the intermediate comic relief. But there are also a lot of unnecessary scenes and half baked elements that were mixed in as well. It could be because they all were originally a part of the script or because they had to fill the entire stretch of 20 episodes with something. In other words, this is not a racy or nail biting thriller. Truthfully, this is more an action drama.
The writer-director duo tries to overcome the hurdle of "too many episodes with too little story" with humour and fall flat face first onto the ground. That they respectively worked on Chief Kim and The Crowned Clown is another example of wasted potential- they could have turned the tables and made this better at any point of time during the show! The slapstick comedy feels forced, dispensable and boring. They could have totally done away with them and placed some actual courtroom scenes, seeing that the series' main characters are lawyers. The glaring lack of court scenes is rather conspicuous. The action sequences are nothing new either. I wouldn't call any of the plot twists shocking - I saw them coming from a mile away. Barring the first three episodes, the first half is long and uninteresting and the finale ends up being meaningless in its attempt to be a "desperate-last resort" action. Also, why all the last minute gore and torture?
The beauty of Vincenzo is that it is engaging in spite of everything. It is visually pleasing even if a majority of the incidents happen in an old building that actually requires the redevelopment that it vehemently opposes. For all the right reasons, yes, but it needs to be mentioned. The story picks up in the second half and the show delivers then what it had been storing all along. It feels like a fresh breath of air to see the plot take the reins and run the show, to drive its characters into their respective positions and make them do what they were brought in to do. The characters feel more grounded, as if they are a part of the story rather than in the beginning when they felt out of place with visibly forced acting. This overall improvement is backed by some solid performances from all the actors, with Ok Taec Yeon and Kwak Dong Yeon standing out. I think if Vincenzo did one thing good, it is that it brought out the versatility of these two.
It took me a while to accept the chocolate boy looks of Song Joong Ki as a feared and ruthless Consigliere and I was never fully convinced he could do it. But he does it, and although he didn't look threatening at any point, it's more on the plot. He provides a lot of gravitas to the character of Vincenzo that even the script fails to provide, ironically. He was a treat to watch. Did I say his Italian is sexy?
Jeon Yeo Been emotes well. She portrays the antics of her character without being over the top, right from the scene where she is introduced to us. In my opinion, we needed more of her extras and less of the unpalatable comedy that was thrust in our face. I was never sold on the chemistry between the leads and the romance is light, breezy, and blink-and-miss.
Kim Yeo Jin is brilliant as Choi Myung Hee in what is one of the few best written characters of the show. Kim Yoon Hye as Seo Mi Ri is another. Music and cinematography are the other plus points.
The major pitfall of the show is its imbalance in the construction and execution of the plot and the inconsistency in the characterisation. I got tired of how easily and quickly the residents of the plaza changed their stances. Hong Cha Young's fire and extras in the first three episodes vanish abruptly and she becomes yet another woman who needs rescuing towards the end. The character of Jang Han Seok was only saved from being a weakness that could drag the story down by Ok Taec Yeon's incredible work because he loses his spark midway as well. It's as if after his reveal as the Chairman of Babel he had no more cards left to play. All Han Seok did in the second half is just a response to Vincenzo's advances. Han Seung Hyuk was the most unstable of the lot and it was difficult to predict what he'd do next- in a way that's more irritating than it is exciting. This uncertain characterisation and a plot that doesn't tie up its lose ends (starting scene? Vincenzo's dreams? How did he get into Han Seok's house? Why did one of Myung Hee's lackeys return to her?) adding in comedy for fillers create a sense of imbalance. Several scenes and episodes feel disjointed. At times, the scene transition is not smooth and the music cuts off suddenly. It feels like a poorly patched up broken vase when the vase was never broken in the first place; just a little messy.
So would I watch it again? Probably not. Would I recommend it? Yes, the actors are amazing, go fall in love with them. Should you watch it? Yes, if a slightly wonky mafia story is your bowl of corn salad.
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Not amazing, just acceptable!
Initially I was avoiding this drama, as I thought will not be on my taste.I watched first episode and I want to discover more, so I watched each episode till the end.
I may say that this drama contains some weak scenes, but I was able to pass through them, as I liked a lot acting of the main leads.
I got a big disappointment on the last two episodes of this drama:
1. I did not like how the director create the scene when Vincenzo go to save the girl .
2.I didn't like the ending, if the screenwriters created a love connection in this drama, they should offer to the viewers a scene with "I love you", the one with "I miss you", was not good enough for me.
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A true masterpiece
Anyone that tries to argue that this isn't the best kdrama ever can go argue with themselves. Every aspect of this show was great and it was really unpredictable which I loved. Not only were the two main actors hot but they portrayed the characters so well. Not to mention the cinematography and editing job was insanely good. Would def watch again and recommend to everyone. Also, Vincenzo is the best villain. I love how he can go from looking like a soft innocent boy to this intense evil guy. The ending was so satisfying which was great because I hate it when kdramas are amazing until the ending that's a let down. :)))Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Interesting
Very fun and interesting drama. Great performances from the cast, especially Ok Taec Yeon. Strong female characters... Though since there is so much violence, the male lead still has to save the female lead again and again. The villain could have been written better; they implied that Jang Han Seok was intelligent, and combined with his craziness and psycopathic tendencies, he should have been able to take down Vincenzo from time to time. Disappointed with the ending: although Jang Han Seok was the type of crap to kidnap a woman as a hostage (like every action movie ever made), I really had higher hopes for this drama.Was this review helpful to you?
2021's SOURCE OF HAPPINESS, YET AN AVERAGE ONE!
I won't misguide to those who have not watched the drama yet and are planning to dive into it. This is your average drama with good action, acting and yes of course The BROMANTIC ROMANCE.Is this overhyped? Yes this is. Viewers and fans had lot of expectations from this one cause of the star studded cast and dot dot dot... This became one of the reason that this has got overflowing criticism and all....acting wise this was good, I won't say it is very good...
Ok taec Yeon nailed it? Nahhh...he was another dumb......a typical psycho which he ofc was not, is what I expected. They just made him nothing but A Weirdo!
That is it. I won't curse this any more... let's move on to the good ones....
SJK as VC, he nailed his character but he was way too much perfect yet dumbly showed...I mean he was like everyone would be afraid of which is not bad for the supporting roles but Ok taec Yeon? No he is not easily supposed to be afraid of him ... Cause he is antagonist plus psychopath
If not for SJK and the family this would have been another piece of shit.
JYB...oh my Bullshit! I love her and ofc her character but the director made her character act like BullShit! She is supposed to hold a vengeance against Ok teac Yeon and be smart ass too but wow! That's it.
I liked their BROMANTIC ROMANCE...their interactions and all it was sweet and deep. And The plaza family! wohhhh! They are just good...NO. more than just a good! From their acting to chatting making this drama more exciting! Is exactly what they did.........that is why this has become my 2021's SOURCE OF HAPPINESS....
Yes I am disappointed in some of the things...but just because I am doesn't mean this is bad. It is a very good enjoyable one, iff you are not bothered by the things I have mentioned above..... If you ask me if I wasted my time my answer would be NO. Yes it is overrated and overhyped but you should not judge it because of what others say? Don't be bothered by criticism and fascinated by ratings....GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE TO FEEL IT.
I am quite happy cause of the Vincenzo family...and I hope you enjoy too...
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A series that brought moments of horror and at the same time lots of laughs. But I was prepared for a real gangster series, unfortunately I got an ordinary law series with a little bit of thrill. But I hope to see Vincenzo as the head of the Italian mafia and the real gangsters.
I am very pleased with Ok Taecyeon's acting. His character is the best in this series. I love him in such strong roles. They suit him very well in my opinion.
Song Joong-ki as the main character, Italian mafia member Vincenzo Cassano is also eye-catching. Especially at the very end of the series, when we get stronger cinema than those legal adventures from the beginning. The only thing I miss in this character is "strength". Vincenzo Cassano is a handsome man, constantly wearing suits, as befits a mafioso, but I miss the authenticity and maybe even the feeling of being in this role. Somehow I don't buy what he shows us on screen.
And the last character that stuck in my memory was Jang Hanseo played by Kwak Dongyeon. I really liked his acting and the whole character, it's a pity that there's not much of him on the screen.
The series holds your attention, has a great cast and a really good atmosphere. It's worth taking your time and getting to know its storyline. I hope this is not the end of the adventures and we will meet the Cassano family again!
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Great casting
As much as I want to say I love this drama I’m not sure if it’s just because I love Song Joong Ki or just because of the drama. But it’s a great and overall drama, the characters roles fit the casts, and great team works but have to say I hate the ending was hoping for more at the end, not because of the romance but they have they have to send Kwak Dong Yeon off like that. But other than that this drama is great because of course it’s Song Joong Ki;) those who haven’t give it a try or have drop definitely give it a try.Was this review helpful to you?
A gem in all the korean dramas in 2021!
First of all, this drama deserves a round of applause for not following the typical mafia storyline (where the female lead tries to change the mafia male lead into becoming a better person). Nope, it's a far cry from that! This drama has 20 1 hour and 30 minutes episodes that make you laugh, cry, shout, and awed with!Plotline:
The story is really interesting, it started off grand, showing you the main lead - Vincenzo's background, what he does for a living, his interactions with the people around him. The first episode got me invested in the character that Song Joong Ki played, and the episodes went on to show how he dealt with the Italian Mafia before he went on to his home country, Korea. The story genre is never the same as soon as he lands in Korea. it changed from mystery/action to a dark comedy which I found amusing. It really highlighted how different Korea and Italy were and are in our day-to-day life for the main lead. For me, the story starts to pick up around the 10th episode where there are so many pieces that start to come together and the characters really are the ones that were moving the story.
Characters:
Vincenzo chose the right casts for the characters, I cannot think of anyone else except for Song Joong Ki to play Vincenzo. The villains in this drama were incredible actors, they made me want to punch my screen because of how bad they are HAHA. The back-to-back interactions between the female lead - Hong Cha Young and Vincenzo are just refreshing to watch. We don't normally see this kind of female leads in a lot of dramas, so it's a really nice change of pace to see. The side characters have my heart in this show, they made the whole drama filled with laughter and I seriously can't get enough of them!
Rewatch Value:
8/10 for me. I think this drama is one that I will only watch once but it will stay in my heart as one of the gems I found in Korean dramas. There are many elements in the drama that only works when you watch it for the first time!
Thank you for reading this long review HAHA, if you do decide to watch it, I wish you enjoy it as much as I did!
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This review may contain spoilers
I knew this drama was super hyped but, for whatever reason, couldn't bring myself to watch it. However, after struggling to find something to watch (and also hearing from friends personally about how amazing it was), I decided to give it a go. Honestly, cannot complain when you have such beautiful leads on your screen. As this is no rom-com, each episode left me on edge as to what was going to happen next or how things would work out. Also, I could have sworn I read somewhere that people didn't think Taecyeon was a good actor, but watch this drama and you will 100% change your mind! The one thing I didn't like about the drama was that things always seemed to work out for the protagonists even when they didn't make sense.
-- SPOILER --
The scene I hated the most was when Vincenzo was cornered by a group of men trying to kill him but somehow, he was miraculously saved because the pigeon that normally sits outside his window sent a swarm of other pigeons to attack those who were going against him. That literally ... makes no sense. If it was going to take such an impossible scenario to get our ML out of a bad situation, then perhaps it should have just been left out entirely.
-- END SPOILER --
There is also an element of comedy that may not be everyone's cup of tea, particularly around the residents of Geumga Plaza who give off the typical 'odd neighbors' kind of vibe. Personally, I did not mind it as it eased the tension of each episode, but my dad found it to be odd and he didn't really understand the necessity of it being included.
All in all, I found this to be an intriguing watch with a beautiful and talented cast as well as just overall gorgeous graphics. There's no mushy gushy romance but a plot that keeps you wondering what's next. For me personally, I rated the rewatch value lower since the drama is quite lengthy and knowing how things end, I'm not as inclined to watch it through once again.
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good BUT
Good show, but you can't mix so dramatic moments with pretty fun and exciting, but repetitive and predictable action comedy. Despite flaws there are many cool moments and characters.Was this review helpful to you?
Glad I Watched It
I'm glad I watched it. I probably won't watch it again. I thought the light hearted humor mixed in with the heavy hitting story line was well done. I know others felt like it cheapened the plot but I appreciated the laughs. The acting was excellent because I really disliked the bad guys and rooted for the good guys and only good acting can suck you into the story like that.I don't like endings that aren't clean so the ending left a LOT to be desired. What happened with the gold? Do the leads end up together? What about the rest of the building residents?
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This review may contain spoilers
Unexpected
Before I started watching I had no idea the plot. From the trailers I was looking to watch an all-out mafia war series. However, this was not that and after the first couple of episodes and I wrapped my head around the fact that it was a comedy of errors and absurdity with the brutality of mob justice I just went with it.Things I loved:
Song Joon Ki - Didn't who he was and this was the first thing I've seen him in. Excellent as Vincenzo. By now anyone whose read my reviews know I love a pretty man and he is gorgeous but it wasn't just his looks he really did pull off the oh so cool mafia consigliere type.
Ok Taec Yoen - Didn't know who he was either and this is the first thing I saw him in. Really good as the psycho villain and his cruelty knew no bounds. I was impressed.
Kwak Dong Yeon - Very good young actor. You really did start to feel for him.
There was some really great lines uttered by Vincenzo and there were some really great scenes.
The OST was excellent. One of the best I've heard and listened too in a long time.
Things I hated:
Jeon Yeo Bin - The character just really got on my nerves. Super annoying FL and all the bouncing around and jerky actions too much!! I never wanted her with Vincenzo even though that's were the series was going.
Kim Yeo Jin - I don't know if this woman was suited for the role but I hated her face, her eating scenes and never hated a character so much. Never wished for someone's death as much as I wished for her characters death. It was very satisfying in the end.
I don't really hate the tenants of Guegma Plaza but they really were extremely annoying. Way too many side characters and I did not find them endearing. I also hated the fact that knew too much and were in on a lot the plans. I did however enjoy episode 19 when they explained each tenants past life. It was just a great scene for what its worth.
Overall: I gave the show an 8. It was almost a 10 b/c I was really enjoying the emotional roller coaster and the out right ridiculousness of it all but the last 2 episodes left much to be desired.
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