I cant believe it's been nearly 5 years since this drama came out ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ I have such a complicated relationship with it. I spent months before it aired waiting for it because i LOVE Park Jae Bum's other work, and the period of its airing was perhaps the most fun time ive ever had in a kdrama fandom online - we theorised, wrote fanfic, made memes, analysed everything, it was such a vibe. By no means was it a perfect drama but I had such a blast. Unfortunately I just couldnt stomach the ending. Episode 20 sits like a dark cloud over the whole experience. It was way too brutal. The approach to the whole vigilante justice thing never sat fully right with me in Vincenzo, and while it worked in Good Manager and The Fiery Priest (two of PJB's other dramas) because there was a satisfying redemption of both main characters and a chance even for the worst villains to grow, Vincenzo threw a lot of that out and took it too far, to the point that it just became uncomfortable.
I also found it disturbing how enthusiastic a lot of people were about the brutality of the deaths in the finale. Ik people will say the brutality (of the deaths and of Vincenzo as a character) was the whole point - what I'm saying is I dont like that point or the underlying moral message it sends, nor did I like the tonal shift of the last episode. I see a lot of complaints about the comedy mixed in with the seriousness but for me that was the whole appeal.
Either way, I do want to credit this for being a fun watch, and above all for the people I had fun watching it with. If it had stuck the landing and if it had had some slightly different themes/approaches to character it might have been one of my favourite dramas of all time. But as it stands, even now almost 5 years on, while I did have fun, the main thing that has stuck with me was how let down I felt by the ending.
If you enjoyed the comedy/serious balance of this, go watch Chief Kim/Good Manager and The Fiery Priest. Those were Park Jae Bum at his best imo.
The sponsor episode happens in the webtoon but Rembrary didn’t get injured, unlike the drama. They can opt out…
I'm not objecting to the sponsorship plotline, i just wish they'd led into it a bit better. The join between episode 5 and 6 wasnt very well done imo. For the drama as a whole the way they go from plot to plot often feels like it could have been better executed. But yea, im def still enjoying it! Also i had no idea it was based off a webtoon lol, interesting!
The pacing is kinda all over the place (especially for episode 6, the whole sponsorship plot was really abrupt lol I checked like 4 times to make sure i hadn't skipped an episode, tbh i rlly feel like they could do the segue between the episodes in general better), but I'm enjoying this! I wasn't a fan of the main romance to begin with, but if they play it right I think I can be convinced lol. Overall a fun time, though the second hand embarrassment is INSANE. Curious as to what Devil's connection to Redlin is
I never really thought about it, but I relate!! It's probably part of why I hate love triangles lol, I like it when the couple is clear and there's no competition. So I avoid SLS by rarely watching anything with a second lead haha. I think it's also because when there's a second lead it's usually pretty clear they aren't going to get with the FL or ML in the end, so I don't get invested in the ship even if I like them as a character because there's no point rooting for it.
For me the ultimate enemies to lovers is Hyena! They had some IMMENSE chemistry, and the main couple's arc was really well developed. And they were enemies for a good reason, it worked with the overall plot and made it so much more satisfying when they eventually started working together
I absolutely loved her work with Vincenzo and The Crowned Clown!! Both are incredibly visually stunning, and I will definiteky keep an eye out for what she directs next!!!
Characters in Vincenzo are definitely really getting a lot of visits from Truck kun lol. There's also the Car of Doom, Truck kun's smaller and less popular cousin, which is just as dangerous but tends to do less damage. Smh, menaces to society.
I love these articles sm tho! Pls never stop making them, it's peak funny. I always get so excited when i see them, they're such fun reads
Same balance of darker plotlines and wacky laugh out loud humor, ML also has a dark past that haunts him, FL is also very eccentric and ends up working with the ML, both have great ensemble casts that make you care for each of the characters, overall same plot of fighing large scale corruption that threatens the people the leads have come to care about. And great fight scenes in both The fiery priest's leads are more moral than in vincenzo tho (understandably), and there is no romance at all in TFP, but they're quite similar dramas overall
I was planning on watching the drama anyway for the laughs but this has completely sold me on it lol, I can't not watch it now. A hilarious read. Thank you for your service Kontent Gyeongchal!
There is a controversy about PPL in Vincenzo, on Ep 8, Vincenzo & Cha Young eating a Chinese Brand Bibimbap and…
They're so pressed over so little??? Nobody was looking at the brand ffs nobody outside korea would pay attention to what dish it was let alone pick up that the label was in chinese
Adrenaline is such a great OST lol, I thought they were going to use it for an angsty scene but instead we got SJK on a horse and I am 100% here for it. Which is better tho, the Italian version or the English version? Personally I like the Italian version most
Really interesting article! I really enjoy reading stats, and I love how you researched this. Personally I think a well thought out but sad ending is better than a happy but weak/illogical ending. The ending is a vital part of a drama, and if a 'happy' ending is rushed or not well thought through, it brings down the rest of the drama (coughcoughTOTNTcoughcough). An ending should leave you feeling satisfied, like the story was concluded fittingly, regardless of whether it's happy or sad. For me, part of the experience of watching a drama is wondering what the ending will be like, so I hate finding out anything about it beforehand. That said, I do prefer coming out of a drama with a smile on my face lol
I also found it disturbing how enthusiastic a lot of people were about the brutality of the deaths in the finale. Ik people will say the brutality (of the deaths and of Vincenzo as a character) was the whole point - what I'm saying is I dont like that point or the underlying moral message it sends, nor did I like the tonal shift of the last episode. I see a lot of complaints about the comedy mixed in with the seriousness but for me that was the whole appeal.
Either way, I do want to credit this for being a fun watch, and above all for the people I had fun watching it with. If it had stuck the landing and if it had had some slightly different themes/approaches to character it might have been one of my favourite dramas of all time. But as it stands, even now almost 5 years on, while I did have fun, the main thing that has stuck with me was how let down I felt by the ending.
If you enjoyed the comedy/serious balance of this, go watch Chief Kim/Good Manager and The Fiery Priest. Those were Park Jae Bum at his best imo.
I love these articles sm tho! Pls never stop making them, it's peak funny. I always get so excited when i see them, they're such fun reads
The fiery priest's leads are more moral than in vincenzo tho (understandably), and there is no romance at all in TFP, but they're quite similar dramas overall