Vincenzo (2021)

Speaking Italian

Most memorable for me: Song Joong Ki’s wonderfully deep voice speaking Italian (yum!); Ok Teac Yeon’s interspersing perfectly spoken American slang into his Korean dialogue ( wonder how much was his adlib); Jeon Yeo Been’s imitation of her boss’s dance moves (LOL); and Jeon’s high heeled skip and strut (gotta try that!). This series was very violent and needed the ridiculous humor to offset the darkness. There are plenty of off the scale premises and characters that I had to accept but no more than most of ‘Wuxian’ dramas I’ve seen. I enjoyed this series very much in that it was different. I can’t watch CEO/Cinderella or High School romances 100% of the time.

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Clever Dark and Funny Show that is Occasionally Uneven

This show is difficult to cleanly categorize into a fixed genre which makes it very unique. It is a blend of a serious, revenge story and a comedy that isn't shy to draw on different strategies, including meta references to other Korean dramas. I feel the series' main strength is how clever the writing is: there are some very, very funny little moments and there are some very, very, tightly written storylines that have clear setups and payoffs -- I never felt that anything didn't make sense within the constraints of the Vincenzo world nor did I feel like a particular plot ending was overly contrived and random, as is unfortunately the case with some other Kdrama shows.

The symbolism and meta commentary of this show is next level. It's impossible to get into specifics without talking about spoilers, so I won't, but the way that certain things play out show a mastery of fiction writing that I think belongs in a novel.

However, because the drama doesn't consider itself 100% serious nor 100% funny, it does create some unintentional ridiculousness and pacing issues. For example, episode 1 establishes Vincenzo as a serious Italian mafioso to be reckoned with, but does so in kind of a semi-ridiculous Godfather kind of way that makes you wonder whether it is supposed to be funny or serious -- having finished the series, I still don't quite know, so my conclusion is "kind of both" which weakens the seriousness of the Vincenzo character, which is important because his expertise as a criminal is leaned on heavily as a plot device throughout the show. Furthermore, the most jarring sin related to this pacing issue is when you are watching a very serious plot line and show decides to throw in a scene that is only humorous -- in that moment, it's sort of like "I don't really care" because I REALLY need to know what happens with X or character Y.

Speaking of pacing, I think the first three episodes are the weakest point. You don't really know what the show is about until the first major event happens which takes place at the end of episode 3/beginning of episode 4. This is a short time but I think it's an important for a show to show you "what it's all about" right off the bat. However, this series opts for more world building and backstory instead. I also felt the conclusion of the story to be slightly hollow after it resolved everything -- it gave me the feeling of "everything as expected" without anything particularly pithy or unique if that makes sense.

Regarding actors, we have to give Song Joong Ki a lot of accolades. He clearly spent a LOT of effort to prepare for his role -- his Italian has been commented by native speakers to have flaws and word choice occasionally unnatural, but understandable without subtitles. This is an amazing feat considering how little time he has had to learn Italian. The other actors are very good too and I especially wonder why Jeon Yeo Bin has been such a well kept secret in the drama world (maybe because she has been working with movies all this time?). Her scenes playing "ridiculous mode" Hong Cha Young were easily the highlight of this show for me.

Overall, I think this series was a positive and enjoyable watch. You may think that review is overly critical for such a positive score, but I think there is a LOT of hype surrounding this show and I don't believe it is without flaws, so it is intentional to show a contrast to all the praise showing that I'm sure is everywhere. At the end of the day, give it a watch and decide for yourself.

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Overrated BUT a good drama!

pros:
- the acting: wow. the whole cast did an AMAZING job. I can't fault their acting at all. They all had brilliant chemistry with one another and I felt every emotion they wanted to portray. Bravo to the whole cast!
- the comedy next to the gore: on the contrary to what most have said about the comedy being out of place with the violence, I actually really enjoyed the stark contrast. Big fan of dark comedy lol kept things light enough to make the series not to feel too draining and gave everyone some depth in their personalities.
- fun villains! and I fell in love with some of the side characters because they were so charming.
- wowee, the ROMANCE!!!: Vincenzo did best was the romance. SJK and JYB have sizzling insane chemistry. Their romance reminded me of my fave anime, City Hunter, where they fall in love while working together and then becoming the cutest dream team ever. It was a mature romance where they mutually supported each other in healthy ways. If it weren't for the romance, I would have dropped this episode 4.
- a snazzy FL!

cons:
- plot was weak: with the rating and raging reviews, I was expecting an explosive plot but instead, the backseat romance storyline saved the drama imo. The plot was typical, predictable and overall meh.
- draggy: should have been a 16 episode drama. skipped loadsssssss from episode 10-19. I finished it so quickly bc i skipped so much lol i i get that it was meant to be slow-paced, slow burn or whatever but with a drama about mafia, it would have been better if it was punchy and to the point.
- ik this was not meant to be a romance drama, but it should have been. i would have rated this a 10 if they let the romance develop a bit more. they had two strong characters and actors with such chemistry and plenty leeway to make something more happen than what did. I don't think it would have taken away from the plot which i already lost interest in episode 4, but would have gave it more stability and would have made the ML seem more... human lol instead, a lot of screentime was wasted on god knows what on random characters (loved the side characters but didn't need to see them THAT much). idm the ML being super OP and perfect, but felt it was too extreme bc they didnt flesh out the more 'human' side of him, like loving others. which would have been interesting since ppl in the mafia are meant to be heartless.
- the ending was disappointing. they could have wrapped up the story so much better, like seeing the FL actually on his island. it just felt wishy washy that they threw in a kiss to a romance they hadn't even bothered to develop.

overall, 7.5/10. it was a good drama, no doubt. but not as good as it was hyped up to be. haven't watched kdramas in a while so this was nice first one in a while. do i recommend? a tentative yes. just go in with lower expectations. looking forward to the casts' future projects!

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Han Seo's character development

The movie was great to watch especially Han Seo's character development. Even though he was evil at the beginning as the story progressed you get to understand how he was the way he is. Deep down he just wanted a family (which i think he never experienced because of his psychopath brother), friends, someone to deepened on and care about him. In conclusion I think he was just a child force to grow up and abused by his family to take up responsibility he did not like. I think some people might relate to his character. Even though it was almost certain he will die i hoped he would have lived the life he wanted. People saying Han Seo was evil, just no, NO one in the story was innocent. Each character had something to achieve leading them to use any means and ways to achieve them. The story i personally love was Han Seo and Vincenzo's bromance even though it was short. The story was good, actors great and everything else was good. I will definitely recommend you to watch it.

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After having this in my cw list for almost 6 months now, I finally managed to finish this. That doesn't necessarily mean that it was boring. Quite the opposite, even though I still have my issues with some things.

If there's one thing the drama has in common with Italy, it's the fact that it ripes like a good wine. The start was okay but never knocked me off my socks, and therefore paused it for awhile. After some time I continued, and suddenly I was carried away by it. It's one of the few dramas that actually get better with the second half.

It's an old trope, trying to fight against a big corrupt company, revealing all the evil deeds, discover more corruption and so on. It's pretty exhausting, I don't even know why I always watch that stuff. It's no different with this one, yet I felt pretty entertained at the end. And that's because of this unique cast and very well written characters - not just one or two but a huge bunch of those. And because of the balance between good and evil. It was mostly 70/30 for the good ones, but the villains' counterattacks had deeper impacts, if only for a short while. I also loved those posing entries whenever Vincenzo's group was about to attack. I never felt more satisfied then watching their stunts being successful.

Managing such a large group of supportive characters is probably not that easy, but the drama still pulled it off somehow. And that without a detailed background story for everyone. There was always enough information of each of them to draw enough of a 3D image while the respective actors and actresses did the rest in bringing them to life. The result is a fantastic and highly entertaining side cast that carries a big part of the story. And I'm just talking about the residents Vincenzo gets aquainted with.

The villains in this experience slow but impressive character changes throughout the story - they either become darker or have a change of heart. Except for one. I don't mind that though because he was who he was, there was never a hint that he would change, and that was more than enough for me.

I don't think that everyone needs some kind of development whatsoever. If the character is written well enough, I only care whether he or she acts in-character, because that alone can be fun as hell if done right. For example the female lead. She does have some huge development jump in the early episodes after a certain incident, but after that she gets her stand and never budges. I must praise the actress here, because damn, she got the most natural performance I've seen in a long time. It was pure enjoyment watching her very being, her charisma was electrifying.

SJK aka Vincenzo... Well, well. I liked his performance, no question. He did a decent job and I enjoyed his scenes alot, and there are even one or two scenes which he played out quite impressively. But in the end I never felt a real Mafioso vibe around him. No matter how many seemingly cold-blooded, yet passionate scenes they put him into. I don't even blame the accent. I know it wasn't the best. Espescially since he played someone who grew up in Italy, it wasn't convincing. I don't speak the language but I'm quite familiar with it, so I hear the difference. But I never blame foreign accents in kdramas. I'm already pleased when I see that they try. I just think that his ~Italian aura lacked alot. It was missing density and didn't feel as intimidating as it should have.

Nevertheless, one of the few dramas, I enjoyed alot because the WHOLE cast was outstanding (excluding the few foreigners who appear one of two times).

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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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VINCENZO or Un diavolo scaccia l'altro

"Un diavolo scaccia l'altro"

This is the best way to describe this amazing dark anti hero drama with writer Park Jae Bum emblematic dark humor that makes it so deliciously good and witty....
Start by saying that this became my favorite drama of Song Joong Ki and that he really gave life and soul to Vincenzo, that i can see no other than him play him...
Now into the story,it doesn't shy from the ugly and evil side of humans and shows us what greed does to one...Also doesn't shy from great villians in this case Prosecutor turned Lawyer Choi Myung Hee (Kim Yeo Jin) who we could very much say was the true evil of this story and Jang Jun Woo (Taec) who is a more typical villain that still has it's layers...Like mentioned,i truly consider Choi Myung Hee as the true villain of our story as every action were of her own free will and i like that the writer didn't try to excuse her behaviour with the usual tragic past ,she was evil because she choosed it.

This show gave us a anti hero who was smart,elegant,creative,who had his own principales and beliefs and abided by them while he also was a lonely soul who was tormented by his own demons and actions. You will still root for Vincenzo from start to end and even love him as you could laugh a minute and be scared the next.But be aware,Vincenzo already has a lot of fans and a fanclub "Oh My Consigliere" so do join in, the President aka Ahn Ki Seok more than sure will welcome you!

This is why I like Vincenzo. It is funny but dark, it is full of satire & sarcasm, it is full of reality and poetic justice. It is heavy at times, light on the other. The writing is very clever. The cast has been superb.
The BGM's and Italian/opera-inspired music mixed well in each scene meant to elevate it.

This is a story from the get go about morally grey people were some are worse than others yet still sprinkled with kindness even among it showing the effect of one fighting in what he believes and for those he cares.
Must say that the Director really knows how to keep one on the edge and wanting more with it's clifhangers

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Must watch

Love this drama so far. The cast we’re a perfect fit. Who doesn’t love a drama with action, suspense, comedy and I sense some romance on the horizon. I read a comment on a platform that said the series was a little dark but who doesn’t like a drama that pops from the start. From when he was in Italy to when he arrived in Korea. I was a little disappointed he didn’t get revenge with the guys, who robed him when he first landed but they did give him an idea to play in another episode. I hope there is a second season. Now i can say I am a fan of Soon Joon-Ki and John Yeo-been. I really like Ann Gi-Seok, he was hilarious but you still took him serious. I just wished he could fight that would be a added plus.

Another huge plus is all the tenants collaborated and brought their own talent to the table and shined. Lastly, everyone loves a mafia story. And in this case a very cunning, creative, handsome and cocky when needed mafia lawyer.

What i wasn’t a fan of how they killed her father, then how he lost is mom. Granted she was on her death bed but that was too much.

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this is my 1. drama this year

yes this contains spoilers so read with your own caution
and this is a long rant hahaha i love this sm

there's so much i can say about this drama but i don't have all that much time to tell EVERYTHING

this was so perfect
the only minus was the amount of slow motion used, they could've made the episodes
a bit shorter... the length is the only thing holding me back from rewatching and rewatching it

- i like how there was a bit of romance but it was not the main part of the series

- the action scenes are everything, they are so well made

- and the humor is spectacular hahaha

- it was so good that i even watched it with my dad (it was his first kdrama and he liked it)

- this drama has a good teaching: "only the evil can beat the evil" as vincenzo in the drama refers himself as a scumbag who cleans other scumbags.

- chayoung is portrayed as literally the perfect image i have of a strong woman.

the jang brothers are literally my fav characters in this:
1. jang hanseok, i love me a hot psychopath (IN DRAMAS NOT IRL PLEASE), yes please.

also i love taecyeon sm. he did SUCH A GOOD JOB acting as a psychopath. i will NEVER shut up about how well he portrayed jang hanseok. because that's how psychopaths are, well mannered and seem normal on the outside but on the inside they can be real monsters.

do i even need to explain, during the first eps i already fell in love with the
cute intern junwoo and his quirky personality and random uses of english, we stan
(tbh i saw a edit of him and it kinda spoiled me but i didn't see much of the scenes of him being crazy but enough to realise he was the bad guy and basically i kinda
started watching it just because of him... yes i'm shameless)

the hockey stick scene,,, the scene where he choked hanseo,,, i literally watched those(and the others,, all the crazy scenes)while my heart was beating fast and i was in shock
and also i automatically whispered "he's so hot"WHEN HE WAS BEATING A PERSON TO
DEATH WITH A HOCKEY STICK
i am broken please help me

2. jang hanseo had such good character developement and he deserved so much better,,,
i literally cried my eyes out when i first watched the last eps
only during the time i was rewatching i realised the small bits about his character that made
me so in love
i could see he really cared for vincenzo and saw him as his real brother
he had gone through a lot of abuse and suffered so much during his life, he was willing to

sacrifice himself to save vincenzo and chayoung
and thus he finally died, in the arms of his abuser
i'm left wondering if his dad had just gotten help for him and reported hanseok for his crimes (uh yeah killing his freaking classmates) could've he lived a happy life?

still he died as a hero and he made it as my favorite character in the whole series. and he stole my heart<3 hanseo best boi

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Sooooo freakin good

Let me start off by saying the writers and actors for Vincenzo worked their a$$# off!! Such a good story! To sum it up in a few words: If The Godfather had a baby with a k-drama, it would be christened Vincenzo. With this show, you get all the action, crime, and violence of a typical mobster film mixed with the outrageous humor of a romance drama.

Each episode had me on my seat..Keep in mind, the first 1-4 episodes are a bit slow while they set up the story, background, characters etc. Be patient. It gets better! This show is definitely worth the watch with unexpected plot twists waiting on every corner.

Side note: I was very impressed by the quality and range of acting by Song Joong-ki and Ok Taecyeon. All of the actors did a fine job, but I was struck by their performances the most. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I would highly suggest you give it a watch!!

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LITERALLY THE BEST!

this is the first review i ever wrote in my whole life bc this drama deserves it.
if you are reading this, this is your official confirmation to watch this. you will NOT regret it. for me the 1st half of the 1st episode had me intrigued and then it go hard to watch for the 2nd and most of ep 3, but near the end of ep 3 it got literally amazing and started picking up.

it has absolutely everything, a bad ass male lead(my fave type) , a great fl, and interesting villain, plotwists with a bit of romance, comedy and AMAZING hyped up fight scenes. you will not regret i promise, and i am extremely picky with dramas an tv shows i watch. you will smile so hard at some scenes and have tears in the others. the visuals to OMG are fabulous. i usually do not care about OSTs but oh my god i absolutely love the music, especially the Italian mafia instrumental music during serious scenes.

there is a hole in my heart now that this show is finished :((
the only thing i is is that the ending was more solid, but the ending is still very good.

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