*Disclaimer: Review contains spoilers. Please read only after you have completed the drama.
General thoughts about the drama will be discussed first before we zoom into character analysis.
Main Cast
Song Joong Ki/송중기/宋仲基 – Vincenzo Cassano/ Park Joo Hyun/文森佐·卡萨诺
Jeon Yeo been/전여빈/全汝彬 – Hong Cha Young/洪车瑛
Ok Taec Yeon/ 옥택연/玉泽演 – Jang Jun-woo / Jang Han-seok 张俊宇／张汉硕
Kwak Dong Yeon/곽동연/郭东延 – Jang Han Seo/张汉书
Kim Yeo Jin/金丽珍 – Choi Myung-hee/ 崔明熙
Jo Han-chul/赵汉哲 – Han Seung-hyuk/韩胜赫
Ratings for the Show:
Acting: 8
Storyline: 8.5
Overall: 8.5
Grade: A
“Evil is prevalent and vehement”.
It was never about redemption or repentance for our favourite anti hero.
‘Un diavolo scaccia l’ altro’.
Violence begets violence, evil begets evil, “以暴制暴，以恶制恶“。We get to witness how a devil punishes more devils.
“Vincenzo”, lauded as the 2021 Netflix hit that takes the world by storm, brings a refreshing twist to the you-would-think-its-cliched & super-packed combo of thriller, action, mafia/gangster violence, dark comedy, slapstick comedy, revenge & legal drama.
Our latest anti-hero, is best summed up as a villain feared by the evil, but an antihero for the underdogs. The drama unravels not just the life of a mysterious dark hero, but also awakens the innate evil in us.
He’s a villain who doesn’t believe in justice, but his principle of “merciless justice” is to clear out “garbage”, i.e. to punish those who do worse evil, in approaches he deems “befitting”, often resorting to more low-hand, dirty, brutal and vicious means than his enemies.
One’s life can never be the same again after meeting Vincenzo. The drastic changes he brought to the lives of those around him and how they have influenced this villain to grow in various aspects, were part of the valuable life lessons we can derive from this dark comedy.
Amidst the darkness in humanity, another theme that this drama stresses and reinforces on, is the importance of “family”.
“Family” isn’t just refined to your blood family. It includes friends and comrades who go through thick and thin together and you feel affection for. “Family” is who we choose to have in our lives.
The twists and turns throughout this journey amassed Vincenzo’s followers by the thousands.
How did “Vincenzo” become a formidable and irresistible force that enjoyed escalating popularity till the end?
The thriller-dark-comedy aced it all with a magical potion concocted of a stellar cast, main and supporting roles with unique characteristics that shine on their own, star-studded cameos, thrilling and intriguing plot, unexpected twists and turns, breathtaking cinematic action scenes and audio production, meaningful quotes that set you thinking, beautiful sets and costumes and most importantly, a mind-boggling script that’s filled with a dark & comedic way of depicting how evil should punish evil.
The initial episodes grappled with attempting to balance the above mix, as confused viewers wondered which aspects to focus on – the search for gold, personal revenge, fight for the underdogs against Babel, etc. Nevertheless, this ensemble began to sink in well with viewers as it swung into swifter pace and more riveting plot towards the middle half.
The drama gradually lost its traction from dark comedy to grisly noir of rampage revenge sprees, but the escalating tension never loosened its grip till the end.
The genuine friendships forged and the cast’s camaraderie could be felt through their showcase of fun-filled energy. This channeled courage and assurance in making this drama a huge success, though the brutality and manic killings may irk some viewers off.
I have never been a fan of dramas that promote violence and bloodshed, but this is an exception.
Kudos to Star Director Kim Hee Won (Crash Landing on You, The Crowned Clown) and Scriptwriter Park Jae Bum (Good Doctor, Chief Kim, The Fiery Priest) for this brilliant and invigorating concept.
The exciting scenes kept viewers on the edge and cliffhangers at the end of every episode make you crave for more. It just gets more exciting and exceeds your expectations.
The delivery and execution was strong from the beginning till the very end, so much so that it keeps lingering in your mind after its run.
This drama is dark in many aspects but given how good looking Song Joong Ki is, Vincenzo’s cold-bloodness is automatically pardoned in most viewers’ hearts.
His pretty face, sleek suits, poise and calmness instill an air of class and elegance, that makes the violence/killings seemed more “artistic”, less gruesome and more “forgivable”.
We have fallen to the dark side unknowingly, as we began to root for a villainous character, instead of Super Heroes like “Superman”.
Isn’t that ironically poignant?
Like Song Joong Ki mentioned, it’s a tragedy in the name of a comedy, that we end up rooting for the evil to punish evildoers who escape the law.
It’s a poignant story, packaged in the name of dark comedy. Perhaps, it is the gratification and satisfaction that we derive, when we can serve these villains justice through a fictional character like Vincenzo.
Never once in our lives have we come to terms with the dark side in us so ever willingly and readily, till we met Vincenzo.
Like how the scriptwriter tells people off subtly to stop acting like goody-two-shoes but admit that we are all evil in certain ways.
Everyone has a vested interest, be it for survival, livelihood, loved ones, greed, money, power or status. There’s always a driving force that pushes us to do what we do.
No one’s that noble to purely do things for the greater good. Self will always come before others, for that’s human nature.
An interesting fact to note is that, we hold double standards when we excuse underdogs who sidestep the law readily, but adamant about punishing those with power and influence.
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Is that because most of us belong to the less privileged group? Would our stand change if we belong to the upper class?
Scriptwriter Park doesn’t only convey the idea of doing good and enhancing the good in humanity, but also acknowledging that perhaps only the evilest of all devils can conquer evil.
The bold theme challenges the moral code which has been inculcated in us since young that “evil cannot triumph over good”. However, reality proves otherwise. It’s a hard-to-swallow truth that sometimes only greater evil can conquer evil.
The 碟对碟 plots and 反转再反转，were so well executed.
Scriptwriter Park deserves an award for cleverly weaving in many references to relatable real life scenarios, the bible, Buddhism, Korean dramas, etc so naturally. Body language, aesthetics like shades and props are being used extensively to illustrate subtle hints as well.
He openly mocks and condemns the current legal system in South Korea where the rich and powerful get away scot free with crimes and driving underdogs up the wall.
There’s a devil inside all of us. There are so many unjust things in this world that we have no control over. The sense of fury and helplessness was alleviated when the biggest villain comes to our aid to punish these evildoers in extremely brutal ways. It was such a cathartic experience.
In no ways are the politicians and government officials who join hands with immoral large conglomerates (like Babel) in the drama better than Mafias. They operate like a large scale crime syndicate that disregard civilians’ lives. That’s when Vincenzo starts to punish these evildoers in HIS mafian ways.
It’s more than a mafia genre which inculcates that evil is more powerful or promotes gangster violence.
Unpredictability is the only constant in this drama.
We thought we could predict what’s gonna happen, but the surprising and largely unexpected twists and turns piqued our appetite for more, to satisfy the inert sadists and manics in us.
The visuals, action, pace, plot and acting were an awesome package! The best acting award goes to veteran actress Kim Yeo Jin for being such an outstanding villain that viewers hate to the core. Kwak Dong Yeon and Jeon Yeo Been have shown their potential as well.
As for Song Joong Ki and Taecyeon, it’s still a good job overall given the complex nature of their roles, but I was expecting more. Something was lacking in making me feel 100% immersed in their characters.
They didn’t seem to be a full entirety in being 1 with their characters. That said, it’s tough not to portray their characters as seemingly one-dimensional, yet not overdoing it at the same time.
Perhaps their pretty boy looks are double-edged swords. Their expressions and emotions could be more forcefully executed.
Even though Song Jong Ki’s the lead actor, he took a backseat sometimes so that his co-stars could shine even brighter.
For the benefit of doubt for those who just started the drama, it took about 3 episodes before I got more engaged and understood what the rave was about. Once you understand the style and concept, you’ll get into momentum.
This drama is not without its flaws, but you’ll still enjoy the ride.
Director Kim is a great listener who exchanges ideas with her cast, which in turn allowed us to have fun laughing at some of the hilarious ad-lib scenes. There’s a lot of continuation, linkage and 前呼后应 in the scenes as well.
We love the action scenes in how Vincenzo thrashed the baddies, be it giving them a quick death or tormenting them in ways beyond our imagination.
The twists and turns not just ascertained how intelligent Vincenzo is, but also how none of us could ever be his match.
Everything that they did, can be rationalised and weaved in so well.
Morale/Lessons
There are many school of thoughts that can be derived from this drama.
The important lesson for me is, even though there’s no way we can eradicate evil totally and so many things beyond our control, we should try not to do things that we would regret, else we will live in “hell” for as long as we live.
The quote that struck me most was “Regret is the most painful thing you can experience in life. It’s a living hell.”
Treat your loved ones good while you can, for you’ll never know when will be the last. Forgiving others is akin to a chance to forgive ourselves and let ourselves live.
– Even as underdogs, we need to persevere and not yield to pressure or give up what we believe in. We are stronger than we think and only weak when we allow ourselves to be bullied.
– We need to trust the good in human beings but also acknowledge that evil co-exists.
人性的贪婪，丑陋，邪恶 is inherent in all of us, but we needn’t do things against our conscience.
– Unorthodox methods need to be deployed at times, in order to achieve “justice”.
You need to stoop to a different level in order to get the “impossible” done occasionally. Vincenzo and Cha Young are the best “ambassadors” for this matter.
– Instead of believing in sheer justice and righteousness, it is true that Karma will come someday. It will go one round to give you what you deserve, be it a reward or a slap in the face.
– To each his own. One man’s food is another’s poison.
Not all lawyers fight for law and order, some do it to achieve power, status and wealth.
– Everyone has a weakness, no matter how formidable one may seem.
Villains like Vincenzo, Han Seok, Choi Myung Hee, etc may have their soft spots too, since they are only human.
For Vincenzo, it’s family, while it’s greed for the rest.
Repentance and Moral Issues
We often see the antagonists showing regret or repentance only at the brink of death, but that’s because they fear death, not because of remorse for their bad deeds.
It’s probably true that repentance doesn’t exist in real villains’ dictionaries.
They were only sorry they got caught and waiting for the ultimatum to be served to them.
It brings us back to Vincenzo’s quote about “Regret is the most painful thing in life. It’s a living hell”.
Both Cha Young and him regretted about not “making up” with their parents before their demise. While we know their parents would forgive and love them still, it’s a void that they would have to live with all their lives, since we could never turn back time.
Through the course of it’s run, we have come to terms that there’s no best legal system to prosecute devils like Han Seok, thus they chose a bad but effective way.
This brings us down to debatable moral issues, in how “justice” should be served in a more “humane” way. Do we need to stoop to their level to get things done?
Hate to admit this, but sometimes in life, we need to return evil with evil.
In reality, we would choose to abide by the law, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t/cannot harbour such devilish thoughts.
Funny Scenes
Inzaghi
Many viewers felt that Vincenzo’s pet pigeon “Inzaghi/打字机” may be a little extra, but it gave us much laughter and how it acted as his friend/companion in his lonely days in Geumga Plaza.
Not to forget that Inzaghi was a “matchmaker” for Vincenzo and Cha Young by messing up his room, so that Cha Young and him had to sleep in the living room.
Seducing Bank Chief Kim Min Sung
More thought should be given when approaching the homosexual theme though we understand it’s more for entertainment purposes. It’s fun in the slapstick way, especially how Vincenzo cringed when Min Sung tried to have some skinship with him.
Did you notice?
Min Sung’s umbrella’s in rainbow colour while Vinenzo’s brolly is in black colour, which are subtle representations of who they really are. Min Sung’s a homosexual (rainbow colour represents LGBT) while Vincenzo is a villain who belongs to the dark side.
The Art Gallery Proposal
It was unexpected but that’s when we get pleasant surprises. I like how it was enacted that the proposal was “chanced upon”, yet “forced” under circumstances, but executed with real feelings.
The Shaman Scenes & Tribute to Park Hyo Shin
When you thought that the most difficult was for Vincenzo to “seduce” Min Sung, we got to see an effeminate-looking Vincenzo as the Shaman. 汝林少爷 reminded viewers of “Sungkyunkwan Scandal”.
Jeon Yeo Been and Cho Young Woon’s impromptu adlibs added so much fun to the scenes.
If you are familiar with Korean OST singers, Park Hyo Shin is definitely a singer that you would remember. “Wild Flower“ is one of his greatest hits and that’s why we see Vincenzo putting a little flower on his head.
Bromance
Vincenzo is so swoon-worthy, that even the guys adore him. The way they looked at him with utmost love, respect and admiration would earn some chuckles.
Han Seo looked up to him as a brother, Agent Ahn was a fan boy, while Min Sung was totally attracted to “Tae Ho” romantically.
Not forgetting, the Geumga Plaza residents who respected and loved him like family.
Scenes That Can Be Better
The following scenes got me wondering how could a witty Mafia Consigliere be so easily fooled?
– When Vincenzo was conned and robbed when he first reached Korea
– How he could “detect” people following him, but not the tenants who overheard his conversation?
– Taecyeon’s expressions could be better when portraying his “maniac” role, but he still instills fear when he is on his “violent” streak.
– The mother and son relationship
There were developments towards the end which earned viewers’ tears but if only the scriptwriter had been kinder to Vincenzo and gave him more “family love”.
– Loveline is never the focus of this drama, but we wouldn’t mind just a bit more “romance”.
Vincenzo – The Cold Blooded Mafia Consigliere
Vincenzo Cassano will be etched in my mind as one of Song Joon Ki’s most iconic roles. This is likely the role of his lifetime.
After a few rough years since his high-profile divorce, Song Joong Ki’s finally gotten back on track to another break through in his career.
“I realized that positive energy and enjoying the process makes you immensely happy with the result. I want to continue to have fun while acting in the future.” – Song Joong Ki
We could see he’s trying to expand his acting range by challenging himself to more diverse roles. He enjoyed the entire filming process so much that he wished the filming would not end. It could also be seen through his interaction with his co-stars and how he always took care of them.
There’re multiple sides to everyone – the good, bad and ugly.
Vincenzo is no exception.
The charisma of this antihero is that he allowed his evil nature to prevail and never showed repentance. He took “law” into his own hands and punished evil with greater evil. However, we witnessed Vincenzo’s more delicate sides being unraveled as time went by.
Vincenzo is a more “beautified” and “romanticized” version of a Mafia. Real mafias are far more vicious and definitely not as charming.
As a 3rd in command in the Mafia family hierarchy, he’s feared by many for his ruthlessness as a cold-blooded consigliere. Other than being good with fists and guns, it’s his brains that made him so “invincible” and could get away from tricky situations. He’s tough, witty, scheming, clear-headed, a great strategist, advisor, manipulator and an outstanding lawyer.
He’s always poised and composed, even when he kills. His resolute in attaining his goals is greater than any fear.
Vincenzo is so observant and good at reading people that he’s one of the best “manipulators” around. It’s tough to outsmart him.
He’s got a 有始有终的个性，ensuring he will follow through with all his plans, tying up any loose ends. He’ll always forestall his enemies by plotting his revenge in advance. Don’t try reading the mind of this deep guy. He’ll always be steps ahead of you.
His good looks is his biggest shield, acting as a layer of protection to conceal that he’s far from being harmless.
It’s the survival of the fittest in this dog-eat-dog world. Like a cat which will play with its prey before killing them, he prefers tormenting them than to give them a quick death.
“An eye for an eye” may not be applicable in Vincenzo’s dictionary, for he usually returns his foes with far more brutal and unexpected blows.
He’s soft to the weak and would even protect them, but doesn’t hesitate to return evil with greater evil.
He’s fondly known as “Corn salad” by the underdogs, especially the Geumga Plaza tenants. He showed affection and care for Cha Young and the Geumga Plaza underdogs and protected them from unethical rich conglomerates like Babel.
He even lectured and disciplined Ttoepokki ahjumma’s son not to become a delinquent. If Vincenzo had a chance, he’d probably not walked down his current path, so he tried to “save” the kid while it’s not too late.
He’s fiercely loyal to those he deems as “family”, including his Cassano Family in Italy and Geumga Plaza tenants.
He gradually opened his heart to Cha Young and the Geumga Plaza tenants, after he was moved by their heartwarming gestures and sincerity, in how they treated him as one of them.
Affection is something that’s been missing from his life and the longing to be loved and accepted for who he is, is far greater that he’d ever imagined or wish to admit.
Vincenzo started out as being quite “restrained” in terms of personality, but slowly opened up through many incidents involving the people around him. He struggled to hold back but he’s well aware of these changes.
We can see this as Vincenzo “letting his guard down” around his friends and “family”, since only they could see his blur and clumsy side.
He gets insomnia and restless nights with nightmares as he’s conscience and guilt stricken for his excessive killings. No matter how cold-blooded he may seem, it pricks on his conscience.
Side note: SJK looks damn sexy in these pyjamas, doesn’t he?
Vincenzo is Only Human
While Vincenzo seems so formidable and indestructible, the screen writer would give us occasional reminders that he’s only human.
The part that he got robbed by a taxi driver when he first arrived in South Korea, got me rolling my eyes.
How could a MAFIA be so silly to allow someone else to con him?
It could be just for us to laugh at how Vincenzo is still human after all. All human beings make mistakes. He could be rather clumsy and so not street smart, perhaps a 生活白痴 since he is used to having chauffeurs back in Italy.
The way he dropped his gold bars was as if he were an amateur too.
A vicious person like him is actually afraid of ghosts!
A cold-blooded person can become childish when he is consumed by jealousy too, for instance when having a “jjampong” competition with Han Seok.
Vincenzo displayed habits like cursing in Italian when he is frustrated, and holding Italian cuisine close to his heart. It feels rather natural in a pleasing way.
Much effort has been put into learning Italian and he sounded pretty fluent and sexy acting as a native Italian. He’s got such a nice voice that I’m sure many ladies would go “Awww” even when he started swearing in Italian.
Some other “habits” include flicking the lighter when he’s plotting something or on his way to kill someone, touching his hair when showing his smirk smile, showing the thumbs up sign, fist bump, Italian gestures, his love for Expresso, ramyeon and magekoli.
(Did anyone count how many lighters Vincenzo threw and how many times he flicked his lighter?)
He instilled fear even when he was carrying out threats in a soft voice. The intonation in his vocal tone expressed a lot on how he felt.
He attempted to hide his vulnerability whenever it comes to being guilt-stricken for all his killings and yearning for his mother’s love.
I was skeptical on how Song Joong Ki could pull off this role as the cold-blooded mafia consigliere. His physical attributes have somewhat posed limitations which made it more challenging to assimilate his role.
He’s got such a pretty boy and a-tad-too-clean look for a Mafia, that I wondered if adding a scar or two on his face would help, whilst he’s also not exactly that tall and hunky.
That’s the typical impression we have of a Mafia but as the saying goes “You can’t judge a book by its cover”. It could be the director’s way of depicting how people may not be what they seem on the surface.
Other than the usual pokerface, his gazes may not seem terrifying and cold-hearted enough at times, but you can debate that he’s numbed by the environment he lives in, thus he doesn’t flinch even in times of danger.
The lack of more intense emotions and expressions made it harder for me to believe that he’s one with his character initially. But as time goes by, viewers would get to see multiple facets of this mysterious man.
At the end of the day, we gotta remember that it’s the brains that matters most being a lawyer cum consigliere.
Changes in his attitude
Vincenzo remains a villain true and through, but it’s undeniable that he changed his attitude and plans along the way, especially after he found more causes to fight for.
It was all about his personal gains and interests in the beginning. He wasn’t genuinely interested in helping the Geumga Plaza tenants.
It was his admiration and pity for a righteous lawyer like Lawyer Hong that made him seek revenge against Babel. The 1st on his to-do list was to set fire to Babel Pharmaceutical warehouse as Lawyer Hong wished.
Even while he was helping Cha Young to seek revenge, he played low key and promised not to resort to any killing. However, the murders of Babel’s victims’ families made him break his promise, for there is no better way to defeat monsters with more monstrous ways.
As his bond with the Geumga Plaza tenants strengthened, he decided to fight for these underdogs who were driven up the wall.
His mother’s death unleashed the biggest devil in him and set him on a relentless killing spree.
It was also to protect Cha Young and clear all obstacles for her so that he needn’t worry about her after he leaves Korea.
Vincenzo’s Gazes
Being an expert in concealing his real feelings, he doesn’t flinch even when in danger. However, there were occasions you would notice the change in his gazes.
When his eyes lit up in greed knowing that there’s so much gold waiting for him at Geumga Plaza and how his gaze always softens whenever he looks at Cha Young.
Got to admit that his portrayal of emotions in Ep 16 when Vincenzo went “bersek” got me rather impressed. It was one of his most intense scenes.
The shock and despair upon losing his mother, deep sadness and regret for not having “officially” acknowledged her yet, then switching to a totally berserk and enraged look, going after her killers in a blood-thirsty beast mode.
Nothing could relieve the pain and anger in him. His gaze turned freezing cold thereafter as he began taking his revenge.
Mother and Son – Unconditional Love and Forgiveness
Wished that just a bit more screen time was given to the mother and son duo who were separated for 30 years.
It was only when Vincenzo was with his mum that he was truly Park Joo Hyun. He’s no longer devoid of emotions and he yearns for his mum’s love like any ordinary kid.
He was full of resentment but he also loved her.
She lives in remorse all these years and has never stopped searching for him, missing and loving him still every day. It was till much later when Vincenzo finally discovered the real reason for her abandonment that his hatred vanished.
They held each other dear to their hearts but weren’t ready to face up to reality as yet, thus they still didn’t address each other as they should.
The “mother-son” reconciliation scene at the lake was an emotional one. The sadness, longing, anger that he has whenever he looks at his mum and to the final breaking down in tears after “reconciling”, stirred the emotions in us.
It was tough but he learned what forgiveness was about after he returned to South Korea.
That he was loved and missed every second, he wasn’t abandoned nor forgotten.
Dissolving his long-pent hatred and frustrations, learning to forgive his mum was also a way to forgive himself.
The heartbreaking scene came when he lost her forever. Those were the most emotional and intense moments in his life, since his mum was the only person who ever mattered to him (before Cha Young came into his life).
Cinematography
Other than Song Joong Ki being the main “aesthetics”, you would discover Director Kim’s love to showcase her perspectives through the way she filmed certain scenes and focused a lot on body language.
It’s the body language that speaks the loudest when no words could better explain your actual feelings.
Love the Cinematographic way of showing us how Vincenzo lives in a diverse world by doing a 360-degree rotation at the beginning and ending. This was also emphasised when his world turned topsy turvy after he lost his mother.
Director’s penchant for hands as an expressive tool is evident. Many a times, she would zoom in on hands patting on back, giving hugs, holding on to handle of wheelchair, etc to portray the intensity of emotions.
The fist bumps, forehead flicks, hugs, shaking hands etc, were part of this “Action speaks louder than words” analogy.
Colour coordination of Vincenzo’s suits helped to match the different atmosphere and settings. When he’s in for some casual, fun or flirty moments, lighter and brighter shades would be donned , while he would put on darker colours when he was on “business meetings” or on his rampage revenge.
We get many matching couple outfits whenever Cha Young attend trials or fight alongside him.
The dressing and wardrobe department did an awesome job.
Differences from Other Villains
When Myung Hee asked what made Vincenzo think that he is different from other villains, his reference to “四大天王“‘s 多闻天王 was interesting.
He is being compared to Vaiśravaṇa (多闻天王) – guardian, protector, witty, fortune god, 武神。Vincenzo is an emobodiment of such traits – the guardian of Geumga Plaza.
Seemingly enlightened by the abbot, he knew he would always belong to the dark side, but he would do whatever it takes, including leading evil ghosts to get rid of other evil for the greater good of civilians.
He’s never into justice, but just wants to clear “rubbish”. He’s not trying to be God (like Han Seok), but wishes to send them to God for punishment.
That’s a seemingly witty answer. His “hack care” attitude is indeed very charismatic in a dark sense. It’s about justice making people pay a hefty price for what they deserve.
“The Babel Tower”
Both Vincenzo and Cha Young talked about destroying the Babel Tower and we could see how obsessed and adamant Han Seok was in building it up.
They wanted to tear down his god-like complex by thwarting his ambitious plans. This would be discussed further when we zoom in on Han Seok’s character analysis.
Hong Cha Young
Hong Cha Young is not your usual damsel-in-distress. She’s proven her relevance as one of the brains in this engaging cat-and-mouse game.
Occasionally, she would need Vincenzo to save her from violence, but more often than not, she’s that “partner in crime” you can’t do without.
Yeo Been’s just like her character, who’s very energetic, bubbly and straightforward.
Cha Young’s a spit-fire, sharp tongued, quick-witted. She has such a strong desire to win and succeed that she would stoop to anything in order to win a case.
Cha Young’s different form her dad in terms that she places her self priorities above all but her dad is simply selfless. The “hatred” that she harboured due to her dad neglecting his family has caused her to be on the opposite scale.
Slow-Burn Loveline
Loveline is never the main priority of this drama but it adds a lovely tinge to a dark genre.
It’s one of the more matured and slow-burn romance that we rarely get in K-Dramas. They say opposites attract but sometimes, 臭味相投 is key.
Vincenzo is a man with mysterious darkness, while Cha Young is more realistic and practical.
The emptiness and longing for their parents’ love helped to forge a bond between them.
They are alike in many ways but Cha Young is more expressive about her feelings, while Vincenzo is more of an introvert. It’s a nice blend between hot and cold and we enjoyed their interactions.
Cha Young is animated and expressive while Vincenzo is more of an “introvert“. She’s the only one who can make him smile, be it smiling at her animated or cute actions, or glad that he found a soulmate. The way he looks at her, says it all.
We knew they would fall for each other. The romance is slow brewing as they learned more about and accepted each other for who they really are.
They are opportunists who can bend rules and moral codes just so that they could win, intellectual level on par and are both as queer. Personal interests matter more than justice. Moreover, they both employ unorthodox yet creative antics to win.
“Best partners-in-crime” who have a common goal but will not question each other as to WHY they did what they did.
It seemed subtle, but was in fact overpowering.
Action speaks louder than words. The way they looked at each other, the way they complemented each other and never crossed the line due to a common goal at stake.
Some words are better left unsaid. Not only the viewers the leads felt the emotions too. It was just 心照不宣 that they knew they liked each other.
He doesn’t show affection or make promises to anyone but he promised that he would be back for her.
While she tried to sound him out if he would stay on in Korea, she never tried to force him to do what his heart didn’t want.
Under the nonchalant surface, he was conscious about how Cha Young may think of him, that’s why he lied initially that he has never killed anyone.
He didn’t want to get her hands stained with blood when he was on his killing sprees. He wanted to keep the bottom line for her though they are considered “baddies”, he didn’t want her to become a “monster”.
Thanks to Cha Young, they got to spend some cosy moments together. There were many fleeting moments but it’s somewhat ironic that this mafia can give her a strong sense of stability and security, despite not being able to give her 平凡的幸福。
What gave Vincenzo away?
Body Language
Hugs/Forehead Flick/Fist Bumps
They didn’t express their feelings verbally, but their body language gave them away that they truly cared for each other.
From how Vincenzo always held on to her shoulder whenever she was down or bring her out of tricky situations, he showed he would catch her back.
Their fist bumps symbolised how they shared camaraderie as “partners in law and crime”, while how they didn’t bear to perform forceful forehead flicks on each other revealed how much they cherished each other.
The forehead flicks were kinda playful, flirty and affectionate. In fact, very heart-thumping.
Given Cha Young’s straightforward and bubbly character, she was usually the one who took initiative to give him hugs or pat on the back. In return, he had always subtly treated her like his lady.
He would always look at her in an endearing way, hold her by the shoulders to give her support, calm her down and lead her out, eg. getting out of the police station and getting through the paparazzi, held her bag & coffee for her, opened door for her, put on jacket for her.
He was incredibly jealous whenever she was with Jun Woo or for her class gathering.
He allowed her to stay over at his place when she was in danger, yet he didn’t realise he had given her a set of spare keys.
The fact that he loves hot expresso while Cha Young loves Iced Americano also shows their common love for coffee but with different tastes. Their personalities are polar opposites of the type of coffee they like.
Cha Young never tried to change Vincenzo but accepted him for who he is. She may not agree with all his doings, but she knew he had his reasons for doing that.
Both regretted about how they treated their parents while they were still alive. While we know their parents would forgive them and love them still, it’s a void that they could never fill. You wished you could have done but would never have the chance ever again.
This is what makes people feel that regret is the most painful thing, for it will be with you as long as you are alive.
Because she didn’t want Vincenzo to feel remorse the same way as she did when her dad passed, she tried to help Vincenzo and his mother patch things up.
She knew that he would blame himself for her injury, thus he consoled him by saying that she got injured when they fought together as one.
Kiss Scenes
There were only 2 Kiss scenes (much to the dismay of those who wanted more lovey-dovey scenes) but they were pretty unforgettable.
The 1st kiss was under “forced” circumstances but 假戏真做。
Both didn’t realise the other harbour genuine feelings for each other, and they affirmed it with that kiss. From Vincenzo being shocked, till he returned with a passionate kiss which startled Cha Young but both enjoying that kiss once they knew how each other truly felt.
She placed her hands around his neck and caressed his nape. Body language doesn’t lie. 这也是所谓的“无声胜有声”，一切尽在不言中。
Geumga Plaza Tenants/ Cassano Family
The sidekicks at Geumga Plaza are the icing on the cake.
It’s understandable why viewers question their relevance to Vincenzo’s plans in recovering his gold or fight against Babel because we weren’t able to take them seriously at the beginning.
Scriptwriter Park’s comedic style/sense of humour inherent in his previous dramas is evident in “Vincenzo” too. The supporting roles are a little quirky, and they often end up in the most hilarious and absurd scenarios.
They may seem unrelated but they forged a revolutionary bond and are like “family” to Vincenzo. He could even turn his “hostages” and foes to become his allies.
I find the supporting casts a little “lame” and extra initially, but you would grow fond of them over time just like how Vincenzo did. They showed that underdogs are a force to be reckoned with and they could be as powerful as they wanted to be, even to the extent of protecting Vincenzo from harm.
Was wondering if there are better ways to inject brightness to the dark atmosphere without making the tenants seem out of place, so that they can have more pertinence than just being “weird” or funny sidekicks.
We witnessed how all of them have hidden talents that were put into good use towards the ending episodes, but there could probably be ways to make viewers take them more “seriously”.
天生我才必有用。All of us have our strengths and would be able to excel in different fields.
Even though both parties have vested interests; the tenants joined hands with Vincenzo so that they could keep their livelihoods and Geumga Plaza, while Vincenzo could recover his gold, but they unexpectedly found friendship in the process.
Toepokki Ajumma’s words struck a chord in me.
The Geumga Plaza residents were only interested in their own survival and not bothered about what happens in the world around them, till Vincenzo appeared.
“我们会成为自己所想的那种人。如果把自己想的强大，那么自己就成为强者.”
They thought they were weak, but it was just that they refused to believe that they are actually strong. We become what we think.
Similarly, Vincenzo who had never shown affection for others, gradually opened his heart to them because they have showered him with tender loving care, sincerity and unconditional friendship.
因为文森佐，他们开始关心世间的事情了，原本只是关心自己的生存。而文森佐也因为他们慢慢敞开心房，感受从未感受的人间温情和友情。
He found a family in them and a cause to fight for.
They are his “Cassano Family” members in Korea. 有这么强大的绿叶来衬托主角，Vincenzo 就像是如虎添翼。
Protagonist – Lawyer Hong
It’s a pity Yoo Jae Myung only acted for 3 episodes. His antagonist role in “Itaewon Class” was so impressive that he would make a good villain in this drama. Even as a protagonist, he made his short stint an impactful one.
I teared a little during Ep 3 when Lawyer Hong Yoo Chan met with an unfortunate end.
Cha Young could never make up with him and he would never have a chance to say all he wanted to his daughter. Moreover, there were many unresolved cases on hand, including persuading Vincenzo’s mum to try for a retrial.
The scene that moved me to tears was when all his previous “clients” came to Jipuragi Law Firm to paste post-it notes to thank him for upholding justice and treating them like family, believing in them, when no one did.
All these underdogs were wronged and he was their last “straw” who fought for their rights.
Despite it being a short-term friendship, he had made a difference in Vincenzo’s life and even taught him some “table manners” while drinking Makgeoli.
It’s like an elder and paternal figure that Vincenzo never had and 识英雄重英雄. If he had been alive for more episodes, you can’t help wonder what further influence he would have on Vincenzo. He could have helped Vincenzo and his mum “reconcile” much earlier too.
No one’s perfect. No matter how good and kind hearted Hong Yoo Chan was, he failed as a father in Cha Young’s eyes. He was too busy with helping others but neglected his family.
This has somewhat shaped Cha Young to become a lawyer who will stoop to bribing, just so that she can win her cases.
Antagonists
Jang Han Seok
Hiding behind an innocent fiasco of a diligent intern Jang Jung Woo, lies the sheer wicked and evil pyschopath Jang Han Seok.
Was elated to see Taecyeon cast in “Vincenzo”. I’ve only watched him act in “Dream High” before and was excited to see how he may have grown over the years. Just when you thought Jung Woo is such a “Himbo”, viewers eventually discovered that he’s a two-faced psychopath.
There is no one strict rule to portraying a villain. Since it’s Taecyeon’s 1st villain role, it was indeed challenging for him to portray his multi-facets. He tried to draw upon certain aspects of his inert self and emphasized expressions of evil from deep within.
It’s a good 1st try for Taecyeon, but Han Seok may be a little complicated and high-level for him to handle for now. He instilled chills when he turned sadistically violent and we could feel his shock and wrath when the pig’s blood was splashed on him, yet he had to keep his eyes open to express his rage at Vincenzo.
However, his playful looks and anguish expressions didn’t portray up to the ultimate level of sadism in Han Seok, and thus not super convincing for me.
Han Seok obviously enjoyed his “cosplay” as an intern at Wusang, to spy on and see what Jipuragi Law Firm had up their sleeves.
His sense of entitlement is way beyond our comprehension.
He treats himself as a god-like figure, expecting everyone to bow down and fear him. He felt that he has the right and power to determine anyone’s life and death. His destructive nature ensues that if anyone gets in his way, annoys him or have served their purpose, death is your only way out.
This psychopath’s mentality seemed to have plateaued at his teenage years. He’s grown brawns, but not maturity.He’s like a tyrannical kid who loves gummy bears and would throw tantrums if he doesn’t get his way.
Building an empire with the iconic Babel Tower is his greatest ambition. It signifies gaining full control and dictatorship over the highest ranked officials, politicians, influential conglomerates in South Korea.
The Babel Tower is a significant reference. He was doomed to fail ultimately, just like how the Babel Tower crumbled due to disputes and differences from the government officials and politicians.
As the saying goes, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”.
Had his father allowed him to be prosecuted back then, all the tragic events that followed would not have happened. Han Seo wouldn’t have to be tormented mentally and physically as well.
While Han Seok is totally inhumane, he had unrequited feelings for Cha Young, which is probably one of the rare times he could not get what he wanted.
He felt that since he knows the feeling of love, he’s still human, but his principles are of the utmost priority. Well, he doesn’t know how to love the people around him, always causing them harm and disregard their safety.
Han Seok is another sad character that’s going to meet his doom, but it was far more brutal than I’d imagined. It could be much worse but there’s really no best way to finish off such a villain.
He was never Vincenzo’s match right from the start, except that Myung Hee acts as his advisor. She’s the ultimate villain while I see Han Seok more of a rich psychopath.
Pig Blood Scene
While Vincenzo is so intelligent & creative when plotting his revenge, sometimes the old school 60s-70s mafia ways work best, like pouring pig’s blood. This was an impactful scene, not just for the audience but also a wake-up call for Han Seok that he’s not dealing with ordinary people.
Ice Hockey
As an ice-skating enthusiast since young, can you imagine the horror and how “off” it felt when I saw how the drama turned ice hockey into such a brutal activity?
While I know ice hockey is a rough game, it didn’t occur to me it could get so brutal. That’s how “unexpected” it was when you see Han Seok and Han Seo whacking people with pugs or even right on their bodies.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison indeed.
But I must agree that Song Joong Ki and Kwak Dong Yeon are pretty swift and good with their skates. Song Joong Ki was a short-track speed skater athlete for 11 years. You can understand a thing or two just by watching how they do their cornering and brakes.
Director made effort to keep their faces and hair in tact, because you need to wear helmets during real ice hockey matches. Guess she didn’t want to cover Song Joong Ki’s good looks. =P
Jang Han Seo
Kwang Dong Yeon is undoubtedly one of the scene stealers with the portrayal of a “subdued” cranky role, waiting a chance to prove his worth.
He’s an aloof, cranky, gullible, not-so-smart puppet chairman, who’s been living in his brother’s shadows and following his instructions to do bad deeds, but no one ever takes him seriously.
He’s like a little brother seeking validation not just from his blood brother, but also from Vincenzo and everyone around him.
From one who didn’t have his own mind till deciding that he needed to take charge of his life and make the right decisions, viewers will grow to like Han Seo and even empathise with the kind of life he’s been living.
所谓的“奢华但空虚“。
The only thing he doesn’t lack in this world is money.
Kwak Dong Yeon emotes well as Han Seo and created an impact with his character arc. Viewers could feel exactly how he felt. His fears, angst, worries, concerns, dark side, longing and admiration were depicted naturally as the plot thickens.
He has been physically, mentally and emotionally tormented by Han Seok for a long time, but he just couldn’t break free from his half-brother’s clutches.
Almost fully resigned to his fate that he had to go to jail on his brother’s behalf someday, he started to retaliate and have his own thoughts after meeting Vincenzo. 
He found the brother he never had in Vincenzo, the way he’s so comfortable around him even when he was being chided.
We loved the “Bromance” between Han Seo and Vincenzo, but it’s such a shame that it’s so short-lived.
He was so comfortable, happy like a little kid around Vincenzo, full of admiration for his wits. Vincenzo tried to “guide” him to become a better person and chairman.
Whilst it’s suffocating for every moment he’s around Han Seok. It was just fear for his dangerous and psychotic brother.
This proves that Friends/Brotherhood are families unrelated by blood.
Choi Myung Hee
Kim Yeo Jin is one veteran actress who adds so much spice to “Vincenzo”. She tops the chart as the most irksome and detestable villain in the drama, yet you can’t help but applaud her amazing acting.
She’s the brains, just like how Vincenzo is.
If he’s a villain, she’s a serpent among the lot.
Without her, “Vincenzo” would not be as interesting.
Myung Hee seems like your typical ahjumma who loves dancing at the laundromat (reminds us of Jun Ji Hyun’s ad) and doesn’t pay much regards to her image, but she’s more than that.
She spies, plots, deploys unscrupulous and vicious methods to get rid of those who stand in her way, often killing without battling an eyelid.
As long as it achieves her purpose to “scare” someone or to tie up any “loose ends”, all she needs is to make a call. She believes that there’s nothing that money cannot buy. There will always be someone doing the job for her.
Han Seung Hyuk
所谓“墙头草，风吹两边倒“。
Han Seung Hyuk is someone who will sway and switch stands depending which party has the upper hand.
While he seemed relatively harmless, it’s debatable whether such people are the most venomous among the lot.
Those who sit and do nothing and watch others do evil, or instigate by adding oil to fire, are one of the most venomous.
Quotes
As there are too many interesting and thought-provoking quotes from this drama, we have compiled them in another article for your perusal:
40 Memorable Quotes From “Vincenzo” That Bestowed Us Invaluable Life Lessons
“Vincenzo” ended on a darker note that I’d imagined when I first started the drama. “Vincenzo” was no longer just a dark comedy, but it went all the way deep down to the darkest level of a feared villain.
He’s still one of the most heinous and dangerous men around, yet earned the love of so many.
Vincenzo found new “meaning” and motivation in life to clear out “thrash” to protect people. It doesn’t change the fact that he’s amoral and vicious.
At the end of the day, the real “gold” that he found lies in his heart. He has become a changed person who knows how to give in return. He has warmth in his heart, for he understood the meaning and warmth of friendship, family and love, that transpired his changes.
He wasn’t the same person as he was when he first reached Korea.
Neither are the lives of those that he have touched, including the drama cast and viewers, ever the same again.
This is a good effort by the crew, despite some lack in bringing their acting to their fullest potential.
Vincenzo, will be a name that I will remember for many years to come.
That said, I’m craving for Makgeolli so bad since the drama premiere!
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