Glamorous to a fault
Extremely good looking lawyers, fancy cars, shady people, cheesy dialogue against a hue of dramatic music - no this isn't the American show Suits. This is however, a show that favours style over substance. That perhaps should have been clear to me when I saw it was rated 15, meaning the dialogue and action scenes would sometimes be a little more embellished than necessary. Quite often I was cringing whilst watching some scenes. There's a lack of suspense and tension because our lead protagonist, by being a member of the Italian mafia, is endowed with a level of skill and access to fortune that makes you believe he can overcome problems in any scene by the end of that scene. The show rarely builds up conflicts that aren't resolved within that immediate episode. Every bit of tension is quickly fixed with an unexplained resolution or a random character suddenly displaying a new set of skills that were never hinted at before. As the lead female character remarked during one episode, "is everyone here a hidden genius?" it's a funny line that poked at the show's main problems. For all its glamour and sparkle, there was a crippling shallowness to its writing.The story premise itself is interesting and there are some character dynamics that deserved far greater focus. Every character has some interest family backgrounds and motivations that, had they been fleshed out, would have made the show more enjoyable to watch. When the show did focus on these angles, the storylines were generally of high quality. In particular, episodes 14 to 16 were brilliant because the show knew what to focus on. Mostly this didn't happen for too much of the show. As it was, the show did keep you going through the leading acting duo's chemistry and skills on screen. I thought that Vincenzo Cassano was an excellent character even if it was difficult to believe he was ever in any real danger.
Overall, this show is good to watch but you won't get much out of it. The interesting, and potentially heart-tugging arcs that it had never received enough attention to make the show very memorable.
Was this review helpful to you?
not part of vincenzo nation i’m afraid.
i started this right after i finished watching arthdal chronicles (which make me a song joong ki fan) and also hearing all those good praises for this show i decided to watch it, and it started good to be honest, it made me laugh at the beginning and i have always like the “fighting evil with evil” type of stories which is not that typical in kdramas. however afterwards it become so disappointing and very dragging (almost hour and a half per episode!), big flaws really started to show, the whole concept of the story just kinda fell apart and by the time you reach episode 20 you are already tired of it all. it took me almost a year to finish this. it’s sad to think that what i initially enjoyed become so tiresome to watch. this show really had so many potential and it’s completely wasted.but well;
about song joong ki’s acting though i like it and i kinda accept him playing a mafia character i feel he does a much better job in arthdal chronicles in which he plays *2* different characters (i believe it’s his best work so far), i’m inclining to think the fault is on the script, which just reinforces the missing opportunity of what this show could have been.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Dissenting opinion here
Please bear in mind that this is ONLY my opinion!The cinematography in this drama was fabulous, as was the music. Episode 1 started so strongly; I had high hopes for this show. Song Joong Ki and Ok Taec Yeon were both excellent. Plus, there was the advantage of a bunch of actors that I have loved in other works.
For me, this drama had a couple of problems. 1) First, so much bloodshed for the sake of bloodshed. Vincenzo is completely missing a moral compass, which made it hard for me to root for him in any capacity. Then, you have the upright citizens whose moral compasses go on the fritz or something and are willing to do whatever it takes for revenge. 2) The character was just all-around irritating. I kept waiting for her to get better, but no such luck. 3) I didn't feel the chemistry between the ML and FL. They would have been better to stick with the bromance.
But worst of all was the comedy. Don't get me wrong, the comedy was, for the most part, funny, and if the serious parts were less dark and violent, it might have worked well. However, it felt too much like the writers were trying to lighten up the heavy storyline and it felt contrived. The serious parts provided a lot of tension, but I kept being pulled out of the story by the comedy. So often, to me, this felt like a mash up of two diametrically opposed genres.
My review is to remind me of what I watched and what I thought, not to change anyone's mind, so please don't come at me with hate.
Was this review helpful to you?
so hilarious and a ship of titanic proportions
As I listen to the English ver. of "Adrenaline" I am reminded of the two, no, three main threads of this show. I went in pretty much blind (which I usually do anyway), but, it is a K-drama, so a certain cherished element was proposed, strengthened, and finalized to a dual satisfaction and void. Now - it is done, and just like with My Mister (with its rewatch almost complete) and Twenty-Five Twenty-One, there is quite simply, no more episodes left (crying like Mr. Nam under the table), and my time with this iconic duo of a cold, brutal Mafia corn salad and a hotshot lawyer with an attitude is at an end... The other two threads are the fact that this show for the majority of its run is a comedy/heist/overture in performance theater shenanigans. I'm not sure if both Hamlet and Hector would be proud, or neither, as the two brothers would be - for this show is replete, schlock full of Hectors, a cast that with its communal and gag-driven tenacity reminds me most nearly of the town cast of Gintama. Most, if not all, of the cast besides Vincenzo has a primarily comedic role (in terms of how they were enjoyed on-screen). The third wave is action, and because Vincenzo not only knows how to completely manipulate his opponents, the corrupt bureaucracy of the Korean justice system, but also dominates the hand-to-hand combat scene. As such I'd pit Vincenzo's time in Korea with three genres, two main genres, for only the third really kept me going personally. But I still much enjoyed most of the gimmicks - the Vincenzo fanboy's jumping into the hallway and into Vincenzo's arms, "hwaitak", all of Vincenzo's own acts. The action would only have been better had Hockey Boy, Chief Hector, been good at fighting/doing anything himself. The Chairman Hector is probably my favorite character after Hong Cha-young, who I fell in love with in watching her with Vincenzo. I think what this series does most prominently, in bringing together two genres that really shouldn't go together - the kind of humor you see in Korean C-tier movies, but elevated to the television form, and Mafia political action thriller - is doing just that, bringing an Italian consigliere to the Korean lawyer scene where the first courtroom drama is theater and Italian music perpetuates the first episode and Italian comes out of the perfect mouth of Vincenzo Cassano. Going as far as they did against Babel to the very end was fantastic, and the constant emphasis by Vincenzo himself that he is not a good guy but someone with a Mafia background bringing his own evil against a big law firm and a big corporation. This sort of premise can only be done in Korea - with its own brand of humor, utilizing the influences from Italian Mafia tropes in the West, honor system, and their #1 skill, human relationships. It continues to appear to me that K-drama can't go wrong here, and I look forward to kicking my suit jacket back and heading on to the next one.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Overhyped? I suggest misunderstood.
Okay, a lot of people I have seen in the reviews are mostly like "Unpopular opinion, but I think this was trash" "The comedy was too corny" "Wasted potential" "The story made no sense" etc. Well Im here to smooth out and iron some misconceptions that these people have had watching the show and make them appreciate just how well executed the show was.DISCLAIMER: I usually have a rule where I won't ever re watch a show/series since personally I don't get to enjoy the journey of watching it like I did the first time, especially since I know how X scene and X cliffhanger will resolve, hence I have rewatch at a 1.
SPOILERS AHEAD! PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE SERIES YET, I HIGHLY RECCOMEND YOU GIVE THE SHOW A GO AT LEAST THE FIRST 2-3 EPS AND SEE IF YOU STILL WANNA CONTINUE.
Ok, so in episode 1 we see Vincenzo introduced as this mafia big shot who is trying to tie end a deal with a man in italy and since refusing and ultimately screwing with the cassano family he decides to burn down the whole vine yard. Already we learn early on that vincenzo not only has connections to make grand scale actions upon enemies and people who oppose him and the mafia family, but that vincenzo is a monster who isn't afraid to do the dirty work to get a desired result one way or another. This sets the tone of what to expect from vincenzo throughout the series as a very organized threat to anyone on his wrong side.
A big complaint people had was the story and its transitions and progression, people look at it from face value yet failed to realize how the simplistic approach makes this show brilliant, let me explain.
The motivation for vincenzo is simple, come to korea and live in the plaza to secure the gold and the file to screw all the evil monsters that roam free. Episode 1 to episode 20 this goal remains consistent, however his approach to reach this goal changes overtime as he is forced to meet and be involved more in the lives of the people in the plaza as well as cha young who slowly overtime develops feelings for, showing true character progression as the story evolves. He went from a stone cold mafia consigliere who wanted to go in and get out to get a job done, to developing deep intense feelings for young who he goes through many ups and downs throughout the series as they work together to bring down the ultimate corruptness that is Jang and his company. However its the little things that make the story very intriguing when paying attention and following along with it. For example, seeing character development between vincenzo and the pigeon, in face value seems a little silly, in concept is very powerful. We see vincenzo learn to rather embrace what he has rather than what he deals with, he learns to accept the bird as apart of his life and embraces them as apart of his development becoming closer to those around him. At the same time we see vincenzo truely start feeling connected to the bird is around the same time when we see vincenzo also develop a close connection to those in the plaza and feel like he belongs with the rest of the residence. Yes the whole revenge sequence is a little repetitive and cheesy (good guy screws bad guy, bad guy gets revenge and screws good guy, good guy gets revenge and screws bad guy etc) but in the way it develops from being very simple acts of revenge like little scandals in court vincenzo and cha young execute to buy time in court to intense abductions and murders upon those close to cha young and vincenzo shows a dynamic shift in the desparation in our villian role of Jang to topple over them foiling their plans of ultimate wealth and influence of power. We go from Jang wanting to keep Vincenzo alive for longer since "killing him will feel the most satisfying once hes the last one left" to "omg just kill the bastard at all cost idc how you do it" shows how much more desperate the situation gets for our villian act which ultimately makes us as the audience feel ever so much more satisfied when the climax finally hits an all time high and vincenzo is able to get the job done on Myung Hee and Jang giving them intense ways to die off. Even the subtle yet brilliant touch of vincenzo taking the watch of Jang, to "mock" and "symbolize" Jang's habit to take the watch of those he has killed off, as if to say the predator is finally being prayed on.
There was also a comment made by one person mentioning how it didn't make sense that (quote), "The show depicts the characters to abide by a certain set of principles and suddenly those same characters renege on those same ideals. A small example if you will: Hong Cha-Yong was introduced to be greedy and with somewhat loose morals, yet she drew a hard line on violence. The moment she meets Vincenzo, violence is now suddenly justified in her eyes." [review quote by Goldsofa].
So let me clear this up because it makes it very clear in the show if you pay attention as to why she has this transition on perspective. The moment she meets vincenzo her morals and understandings remain the same. At the time her goal was to prove to her own father in court that the company was not involved in any illegal and "shady activity" and the turning point for her was when her own company went out and killed off her own father as an attempt to cover their own skin. As she ends up taking over the case of her passing father and "change sides" it is then she decides to work with vincenzo as a "legal advice" since vincenzo was closing working with her father prior to his death and hence has information to share with cha young. When she realises just how much of a powerful influence the company has over certain sectors of the law in mix with her slowly learning the true corruptness of the minds behind it all she then decides over time with the skill set of vincenzo who seemed liked someone who is more then a meer italian lawyer, she realizes as she mentions this later on in the series, when dealing with a monster whos above the law, the only way to beat that monster, is with a bigger monster, a "greater evil" if you will, despite this going against her morals and values from the start. If she can reach her goal by punishing those corrupting the law and abusing it to their benefit and breaking it when no ones looking then the method to reach it no longer concerns her. REMEMBER THOUGH: She strictly didn't want vincenzo to kill, that was her big thing. However again its with further development learning about how truly powerful the enemy is and this being more than just meering punishing wrong doings, she then decides to let vincenzo do what he does best, as its not a matter or just locking some people up for x amount of time, but to rather stop the root of evil to its core completely by literally killing the influences of the whole scheme. So to answer the above quote, no, violence wasn't just suddenly justified in her eyes, she had to learn through the hard way of seeing the evilness itself through all their wrong doing and actions that it was the only realistic way to stop what had been in motion for quite some time.
"the whole essence of vincenzo being a mafia is USELESS" Quote review comment by Zhystel
To say "vincenzo is a regular guy from italy with a gun" is just about the most stupid thing you could have ever say, you really wasted 2-3 mins of you life typing about how he isn't a mafia or smart and that the other characters are just stupid is nonsence. We legitimately see from the first few episodes how he comes across and you have to remember in the first half of the show no one knows or is meant to know he is apart of an italian mafia, so he has to act the part of being "one of them" despite his 5 figure suit he wears proudly which would of been more money then the plaza residence might have seen ever in their lifetime. Even then, we see how he differs from the regular person with his persona and attitude toward certain social interaction, whilst trying to give off the impression hes just some random korean from italy who has some deeper pockets. Despite vincenzo being trained as a killer we get reminded throughout the show he too is just human, he feels pain and gets upset/flustered when things don't go his way. But when he is organized and prepped on what to do in certain scenarios he is very clever and witty. We learn throughout the show that vincenzo does not like it when he has to be spontaneous and put on the spot, hence he can sometimes come off as clueless in certain scenes when hes taken off guard, just like any other normal being. Vincenzo as the whole essence of him being a mafia is useless is just such a silly statement, as its the whole driving force of the show from start to finish, otherwise it would of been just a comedy romance drama about some Italian trying to fit into the korean lifestyle.
There's a lot more to discuss here but I'll leave it at that for those were the main ongoing themes of peoples complaints for the most part. I personally thought the show was fantastic, not 10/10 as there were a few downsides in the show admittivity, comedy at times felt a little too try hard to be funny rather than natural or realistic and acting at times from mpst characters came across as a little dry or over emphasized without the intended effect of the scene as a whole.
Great show!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
NOT FOR EVERYONE -- BUT, MY TYPE OF MAFIA DRAMA WHERE THE "RIGHT" VILLAIN WINS
Why did I not watch Vincenzo earlier?! I usually do not write reviews, but I HAD to for one of the best Korean dramas I have EVER seen! I will say if you do not like mafia-related movies or shows, THEN THIS IS NOT FOR YOU! Because Vincenzo Cassano gets down to business... he is with ALL THE SMOKE!STORY: Vincenzo Cassano is an Italian consigliere who comes to South Korea only to retrieve bars of gold hidden beneath a temple. As he is trying to figure out a way to take the gold without anyone knowing, he finds himself in unfamiliar territory when he assists good-natured lawyers Yoo Chan and his daughter Cha Young in obtaining justice against a corrupt company.
ACTING: It needs to be known that Soong Jong ki is my favorite Korean actor. So, I expected nothing but the best from him and I got above and beyond that in his role as Vincenzo Cassano. It is probably his best and my favorite role by him! Yes... even over Reborn Rich. I love a good mafia man in a show/movie so I am not sure he can top this one, but we shall see! I have never seen Jeon Yeo Been in anything before, but I loved everything she brought to the table. What a hilarious queen! His partnership with Cha Young was so hilarious yet deadly and they have so much chemistry even though this is not really a romance. Also, I love the ragtag family team who always helps + supports him no matter what.
As for my 2PM bias TaecYeon, I had to keep reminding myself I absolutely love him because this charismatic yet psychotic role he played was played TOO brilliantly. He is really a great actor! I will definitely be watching all his dramas. I love when a K-Idol can act. Also, a shoutout to Kwak Dong Yeon's role as Han Seo. I need him to finally play a role where his character is finally happy though!
MUSIC: Is this one of the best OSTs out there? No, but the soundtrack highlighted all the romantic, dramatic and intense parts of this story!
REWATCH: I could honestly re-watch it now. It is that amazing!
OVERALL: I love how this show keeps me on my toes. It can be a thriller or comedy with some romantic aspects. While this does have that comedy tag and believe me it is hilarious, especially with the ragtag team BEWARE of the CRIME tag because when Vincenzo starts his mafia works, it is no joke. So, this show is not for the faint of heart because there are some very INTENSE + DARK moments in this drama. I thought I was watching an American version of blood & gore for a moment. I am not complaining though because of the way justice was served... It was Perfezione! I mean this is a story about how the "right" villain wins!
Is there such a thing as the "right" villain? Who knows? But, I am in my villain era so I ate every single bit of this drama up!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
a cliché like mafia show
(no spoilers)i have seen a lot of people saying that the show wasn't for them and that they couldn't enjoy it.
i am not gonna do a long review of the show, but i am just going to say that you shouldn't judge it by the reviews and it is definitely wort giving a watch.
to be honest the story wasn't special or anything since it's a typical story about a mafia consigliere and the murders he commits and why he is commiting them. so in general nothing extraordinary.
but the main characters plus the side characters were such a comfort for me, since vincenzo has one of the best casts i have seen recently.
the music was very impressive plus memorable and always fitting each scene.
i found myself being suprised many times even though it was predictable what was going to happen next.
so give it a watch and decide for yourself if it is worth your time!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
When Serious Meets Hilarious
I really enjoyed watching this drama.Vincenzo, a Korean lawyer who worked for Fabio, one of largest mafia in Italy. Fabio treated him as his own son and his most trusting right hand.
When Fabio passed away, his biological son took over and tried to get rid of Vincenzo.
Then Vincenzo flew back to his hometown Korea, for a mission of his own.
In Korea, he met with a descent lawyer/public defendant Yu-Chan, and found out that YuChan been taking care of Vincenzo's mom over the years. They "friendship" grew as YuChan treated him as family. They fight together againts Wusang Lawfirm and Babel Corp along the way.
YuChan was murdered because of he knew Babel Corp's secret, which made his daughter, ChaYoung who were working at Wusang, changed her side and join Vincenzo to take down Babel Corp n Wusang Lawfirm.
Some people might think this drama is cheesy or whatever, but actually it has deep moral story in it. It's a combination between comedy, action, romance, humanity and family value.
It is really ENTERTAINING.
Plus, salute to Soong Joong-ki and TaecYeon who play reaaallly well in this drama. Love them!!
Again, i enjoyed watching this drama.
The actors and actresses did a good job and deserve appreciation.
I recommend you to watch this for fun. It's really refreshing.
Was this review helpful to you?
My FAVORITE Kdrama!
I watched this drama a year ago out of pure boredom and because I had nothing else to watch. I was scared it would be another overhyped drama, so I didn't have high expectations. I almost dropped it after episode 2 because it was dragging a bit. I am glad I continued watching because, after Episode 4, every episode was AMAZING.I never rewatch dramas because I already know what happens, so it will never feel like the first time watching. However, I just finished rewatching this drama, and it feels just as exhilarating as the first.
Song Joong Ki did Vincenzo justice, and I fell for him after watching this. I love this plot and its twists, the acting, the cast, the romance, the humor, the OST, the action, and the suspense so much. I love anti-hero concepts the most of all, which is why I enjoyed both of SKJ's works (Vincenzo and Reborn Rich) so much.
I have a feeling I will be rewatching again next year because all of the genres I enjoy are poured into this drama. I am currently facing drama withdrawal symptoms, and I simply cannot move onto another series.
PLEASE give this drama a watch, I swear it is so so good!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
It's ok if you can't understand a masterpiece
The Outstanding production quality of Vincenzo?This K-Drama contains episodes which usually last as long as an Indie movie, and I suppose that is the case with most of the K-Dramas that come out. But Vincenzo knows how to utilize the entirety of its long runtime for its advantage. Even when it lowers its pace, it compensates for it with its breathtaking cinematography and character moments which are worthy of the attention that is being given to them. It has a fantastic score and soundtrack which it doesn’t shy away from using. And while repeated usage of the same score tends to become a bit monotonous, it hardly takes away from the epic twist or reveal of the sequence. The characters and their performances bring together a cohesive amalgam of heartwarming and humorous scenes.
The members of the Geumga Plaza are each different in their own funny little ways and as we go on, we learn more about their hidden talents and their quirks keep enhancing. The chemistry between Vincenzo and Hong Cha-Young, which transcends from being partners to being each other’s love interests, is extremely cheesy at times and definitely what the show is trying to go for. It yearns for those awe-inspiring moments, but the action, thrill and violence of the show elevate the mature themes up a notch. When we see Vincenzo, he is not a protagonist. He is a feared Mafia outlaw who has killed his share of men, so that makes him an Anti-Hero. But his moral code is specific and he only punishes those who have done wrong to him or to others. Babel, whereas, is a different story all together. It is the classic evil conglomerate which can buy anything and anyone it sets its eyes to, and its true owner is hidden amidst a fog of deception and silent ruthlessness.
Was this review helpful to you?
Vincenzo was 20 hours of pure, unadulterated entertainment with characters we enjoyed watching and the titillation of bloody revenge and the hint of romance. VINCENZO himself was a Mafioso from beginning to end: someone who cared only about his family and who, once that was taken away, built a new one to protect. This was a Korean mafia tale, a Chaebol Godfather, where there is no good or evil. There's just your side and my side and no limits to protecting what's yours.
However, the show isn't perfect and had two major flaws that need mentions. The first is that it has one episode that is unbelievably homophobic to the point that I nearly dropped it over it. This has to be mentioned - episode 8 is a gross mess of offensive stereotypes and gay shock jokes. In fact, you could just skip it completely. Secondly, there's a whole conversation to have here as to whether the show degenerated into glorifying violence for the sake of violence - and in my opinion it did . But the writers never stood back from telling us who VINCENZO was. A Mafioso fighting a Mafia war that happened to be set in Korea.
And in terms of sweeping grandeur and consistent eye for detail down to the most minor of characters, it was a fantastic and enjoyable ride that I personally loved.
Was this review helpful to you?
