Vincenzo (2021)

so satisfying!

from the beginning to the end, I enjoyed every minute. there is nothing more to say.
everything was right, everything was fair. I really loved it! I read some people had trouble diving in, I definitely didn't. if the first episode don't catch you, this is not for you.

the story is very hard and violent. but the characters just make jokes about this. this was an adaptation mechanism to survive the violence that happened to them. so the tone might feel odd. some people called this a comedy, because of that. but that's not a comedy. that's a difficult story.

Leia Mais

Not so much Dark Action Series

When you going to watch the drak action crime based series then you already prepared for longer series with good episode length and accepting the fact that story will reveal slowly as it goes. Vincenzo has great story with great cast but there is something which lacks and it is the way story reveals.

I love this drama it has great actors, music, has some comedy, great action and great music. But it has flaws which we can see not do many but have.

I can re-watch this drama it is good and best for binge watching. You cannot relax until you completed.

Also I love the ending

Leia Mais

Missed potential in beautiful package

I think that no drama this year gave me so mixed feelings than Vincenzo. I’ve changed my mind about it multiple times while watching it and I’m still not entirely sure what exactly to think about it. For me this drama was just so uneven that it’s hard to give it just one score. But I’ll go point by point with this and hopefully at the end I’ll have my mind set.

The goodies:

Production
A while ago I’ve said that It’s Okay to Not Be Okay was the most aesthetically pleasing drama that I’ve watched this year. But after a bit of thought, I think that it should be ex aequo with Vincenzo on the first spot. While in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay more care was put towards scenography and costumes, in Vincenzo production itself was top notch. Photography and the way some scenes were shot was just so good that I think it could easily compete with western hight budget series in this category. And let’s talk about scenes that took place in Italy. Because you know what? They weren’t actually shot in Italy or anywhere near Europe. All of them were actually shot on green screen and even some actors weren’t in the same place, but were put together in post production. Which makes those scenes even more impressive.
For those interested, here’s material published by Netflix on their YouTube channel, mind blown, am I right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eQz7orIi8Q


Acting
I mean, with a cast like that I wouldn’t expect anything less than perfect. And I have to say, all actors deliver. Song Joong Ki had a particular hard job with his character talking a lot of Italian but it worked out better than I thought. I mean, I don’t speak Italian, I’ve watched some analysis of his language skills made by actual Italians and they had rather good opinions of it. And for my ear it actually sounds better than his English from Descendants of the Sun where it sounded like he just got the text written phonetically to memorise. This time it sounds more natural at least on the first glance.
Amongst others I’d have to highlight performances by Ok Taec Yeon (obviously, but I have to say that he’ve done a hell of a job with a character that could otherwise be absolutely ridiculous and exaggerated) and Kim Yeo Jin (the same as with character played by Ok Tae Yeon. I’d say that this drama served a bit too close to comical relief with it’s characters, but was saved by top acting).


Comic relief
About comic relief, but this time the intended one. At some point I was really confused of what this drama is trying to be. Because amongst all those pretty intense mafia scenes we have those little hidden gems of comic relief scenes and characters that actually, after some time, fit perfectly as a bit of pressure valve after some emotional or just simply intensive scenes. I’d say that my favourite comic relief were the tenants of Geumga Plaza, they’re such an amazing blend of personalities that comedic scenes with them were a pure gold for me.

Characters (esp. villain)
There’s a lot of them, which not always is a good thing (about it later) but I have to admit that all characters in this series are very well developed and thought through. There’s basically no weak link here.
And let’s talk about the villain, because that was hands down the best played character here. Ok Taec Yeon done such an amazing job portraying Jang Jun Woo that he basically saved this character that otherwise could be unintended comic relief here. But the way this character progressed being more and more psychopathic was a masterpiece. That ladies and gentlemen is how villains should be written. The way that we know what they could do without them showing it it’s just enough to make us shudder.
About Vincenzo himself. At first I’ve seen him as a bit exaggerated with the notion of him being basically more Italian than pizza itself. But it kind grew on me and the way the character was developed made him more believable with each episode. Finally we have what was promised, a cold blooded mafia guy who’s not afraid to use cruel methods on people who crossed the line, at the same time being composed lawyer choosing peaceful (or semi peaceful) methods first.

Baddies

Pacing
And here we have first problem and the thing that I was most angry about it because it spoiled my fun from watching this series. Pacing. It’s really bad in some episodes. Somewhere in the middle we have situation when in episode we have 90% of nothing happening and one really amazing scene that made me not drop this drama. I’m used to filler episodes, but here they were really bad, especially that there was no point in having them, since we were basically always in the middle of the action. Maybe it was because Vincenzo has 20 episodes, maybe with 16 it would be much better. Luckily, this 10%, this one really amazing scene kind of rewarded us for waiting remaining hour filled with monotonous dialogues.

Plot
Plot was the thing that I’m the most unsure about whether I liked it or not. I think it’s still linked to pacing of the show but at one point I felt that too many things are happening. We had so many side plots that it was hard to tell what’s happening with the main problem. It made the drama look pretty chaotic and watered down. Especially with this amount of characters. Even tough well written the abundance of them made it pretty hard to follow who’s who and what is he/she doing.


So to somehow bring it all together. For me Vincenzo was a bit of wasted potential of being really amazing series. A bit of it was lost because of really slow paced plot but the good things remain underneath it. So maybe it’s not for everyone, maybe you just need patience for it.

Leia Mais

brilliantly captivating

vincenzo is one of my top dramas and if you check my watchlist, youll see ive combed through many of kdramaland's best and worst dramas.

to start, people that give vincenzo low ratings mustve dropped it early on. even from an objective point of view, this drama is nearly perfect by any standard. i admit the FL took some time to get used to and the story needed to catch its footing, but when it did, it hit the ground running. firstly, the writing is spectacular. each episode has the perfect balance of action and recovery, in which we see our characters throw a punch, compose themselves, and get ready for their next course of action. even if an episode has a slower pace than the previous episode, nothing is ever dull or boring. the conversations are organic and each character is well written. everyone in this drama has their place and meaning, no character or action is a filler.

what makes this drama spectacular is how well thought out everything is. youd have to watch each episode multiple times to catch each fleeting glance, each allegory or parallel. each episode has a focus and goal, and we watch the characters grow with each conversation. thats what makes this drama feel so real despite its fantastical and unreachable plot: the world building, the well written dialogue where we witness the weaknesses and strengths of our characters, the highs and lows of our leads, how they deal with their traumas. the writer has developed the characters to the point where we can confidently say what our leads are thinking or how they may be spending their time when theyre not gracefully fighting crime. and the pacing of the plot has been more consistent than a majority of dramas ive seen, there are no massive time jumps, no miscommunications, no unnecessary subplots. in fact any trope that vincenzo uses, it makes fun of itself before we get a chance to do so. thats how well thought out the writing is.

the balance of crime, mystery, action, comedy, and romance is unraveled. you get your fill but the end always leaves you wanting more. the slow burn especially has to be the best ive seen. relationship wise, we watch our characters go from enemies to friends, learning to appreciate and lean on each other. crime wise, we get an interesting and maniacal set of villains that successfully make you shiver in your seat. vincenzo's comedy also lands really well most of the time, making the most of their comical side cast and cameos and references.

as for our ML, song joongki is doing a spectacular job. he eloquently delivers what-on paper- looks like a brutal mafia member as a loyal, enigmatic man with unresolved trauma. he has an air of elegance and intelligence, and unlike his cold appearance he genuinely cares for and wants to do right by those around him. song joongki is also incredible at controlling his facial expressions and micromovements, allowing us to see his internal struggle with his developing feelings.

our FL, played by jeon yeobeen is a little offputting at first. perhaps JYB needed time to really get into her character or this type of character isnt her strong suit. regardless, after 5 or so episodes she really grows into the role of spunky and flamboyant chayoung who has trauma of her own. this drama would not be as splendid as it is if we didnt have such an atypical FL that i am so happy to see on my screen. she is strong willed, intelligent, outspoken, stubborn, and always true to herself. there is so much to her personality and she is a magnificent foil to our ML vincenzo who often has a stern face and cold aura. the chemistry between the two leads is electric, and watching them heal through their friendship is really heartwarming.

overall, this drama is spectacular in every aspect. if you pay close attention you can see the meaning between the lines or catch an allegory hidden in a seemingly casual interaction. the build up of the plot is intense and well worth the wait, and the character development is nearly swoon worthy. what im saying is, watch this drama. prepare to be mindblown. this is the kind of drama youd pay to be able to watch again for the first time.

Leia Mais

Slow paced drama with okayish acting , average light revenge drama

9 episodes down and I felt Vincenzo is nothing more than an average watch.The storyline is becoming more predictable lacking serious twists and they add all unnecessary details making it so slow paced. Its not easy to get a attachment to characters and doesn't offer a compelling watch.

a)Vincenzo uses a lot of forced comedy scenes which can be really enjoyed by some people but for some it hardly gave any laugh.Coming to episode 5 and 6,the comedy scenes itself became so predictable and then almost the humour tone turns into a substandard one.
b) Some ideas to tackle enemy were brilliant but the show don't show any specific revenge fire,no clever twists.
c) At the same time, some ideas looks really silly like tonsil scenes, a judge who doesn't wipes his after something sticky falls on his face( I think suit was enough to sting )- just for creating comedy.
Tat flower plot scenes was so predictable from the first look.
d) FL acting is average and has got a lot of room for improvement. She started strong but now she turned into an assistant role to hero, total mismatch to her topdog character of a famous law firm- kdrama cliche.

e) Some show off scenes of Song are really good but he is not that good in a dark hero role. Even now, viewers don't know what is in his mind. No emotional attachment.
f) Almost all father daughter scenes were poor and not emotionally or atleast comically involving.
g) FL walking style and dance - really funny
h)I think negative characters are performing good especially the villain and we can easily get that negative vibes from them.
i) Great potential for love angle.
j) leads chemistry also good.

Leia Mais

Overall I think this drama has been really good so far. I love the casting, and all of the actors and actresses have been doing really great. You can truly tell that they put a lot of emotion while acting which made the drama even better. And I think Ok Taec Yeon's acting was Incredible and it played a big part in his character. I do think that it's a bit slow in the beginning but once you get a couple episodes in, the plot story starts moving along. The drama is filled with thrilling episodes, comedy, action, suspense and a tiny bit of romance. I do suggest watching the k-drama Vincenzo if you haven't already. I guarantee you will love it. Enjoy!

Leia Mais

The only kdrama in 2021 where I did not skip or hit the pass forward button

May 6, 2021

Holy shit, it has come to an end for bingeing this series and I am fking dead. Hands down Vincenzo deserves the hype that it has! It is literally the only kdrama released this year where I never found boring. Each 20 episodes were fulfilling and I can tell that the writers put effort into producing such a brilliant series.

First and foremost the CGI, HOLY CRAP. The graphic is just majestic you can clearly tell that the producers and directors put everything they can to fking deliver. I don't care what anyone else says, but many kdramas from late 2020 to early 2021 are full of mediocre plots. A lot of them were very disappointing. I have drop a lot of them or skip until the finale just so I can it was good. I feel like Vincenzo and Penthouse were the well-written ones out here.

As for Vincenzo Cassano himself, I can say that he is majestic. Obviously, we know that he has a past and that he is not really a hero, but he isn't a villain either. He pretty much just trying to live his life. He is so funny and ironic. And his chemistry with Cha Young is off the charts. Well obviously the romance aspect was not really the main focus but it is still pretty well delivered.

Cha young on the other hand is strong female lead who is a badass bitch and intelligent asf. She may have her Damsel in distress moment but overall I love her acting and her character. She is very charismatic and not a nuisance.

HAN SEO, AH MY BELOVED HAN SEO. I am so happy that he was able to find true brotherhood with Vincenzo. I am so sad that things had to end that way with him. I literally fking bawled the fuck out of my eyeballs. Holy crap, how can the writers be so fking cruel. Like goddamn it! TVN U BITCH U ALWAYS WRITE OFF MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS!!!!!!!

Leia Mais

You can avoid flying knives, but you can’t avoid hidden ones

Review: South Korean series ‘Vincenzo’

This has to be one of the best series I have watched. The cinematography and everything were impressive. The storyline was smoothly played out without any disappointments. The unpredictable twists and turns were what kept me on the edge of my seat every episode. The plot is not only masterful but the comedic timing at every turn, keeps you wanting more content. I liked this show because it features a female character who represents everything patriarchal society disapproves of - she’s loud, outspoken, persistent, etc and doesn’t hesitate to make herself visible in a crowd. What I love most is that the plot didn’t go follow the evil to morally good cliche, instead, the protagonist aka Vincenzo justifies his existence as someone who uproots evil when the law is not sufficient to punish the monsters which makes the show even more unique. This doesn't also mean that Vincenzo is a hero, he's an anti-hero. As per him, he is trash who can't stand the trash that smells worse than him.
This drama shows us that there are instances where justice should and can be served mercilessly in a so evil world nowadays. The whole show truly lived up to its genre, which is ‘dark comedy’ and focused on their motto “only evil can punish evil” and I believe they’ve delivered it perfectly.

The cast indubitably performed so well that I could feel the emotions going on in every scene. Until the last scene, they unquestionably did a great job.

It’s a must-watch series - 10/10, will recommend it to everyone.

Leia Mais

Exceeded The Standards of a Korean Drama

The way I’m SHOOK by this is unbelievable.
Everything about this was a chef’s kiss.
The Cast was SO PERFECT! Most importantly everything in this drama was balanced. Comedy, Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Action, Bromance (what we crave)- everything was extremely well balanced.
This drama has exceeded the standards of a Korean drama. This is international level y’all.

Cast: The cast was so perfect. Each and every character ROCKED their role and nobody could’ve done it better than them. I was a little concerned about Tacyeon cause he is a cutie and the role of the villain seems new but like damn that man was perfect. I’ve seen many joon ki dramas and I know his capability, but the way he impressed me here is INSANE!

Overall: I really recommend this to EVERYONE. No matter what genre your into you will come to love this. It’s a high quality drama made with utmost care. I really respect this dram. Majorly impressed!

*Major Spoilers Ahead*

I was mad they killed Han Seo, but it was realistic. I can understand why they killed my sweetheart cause it seemed really realistic.
The End: I was honestly very surprised by the end (in a good way) I am highly impressed by the way it ended cause it seemed the best. No matter what people wanted they did not kill the image of Mafia Vincenzo Cassano. No matter how much he loves our little miss Hong, he did not forget his principle and his identity of a mafia and I’m impressed. This IS how a mafia would realistically choose. This HIGH KEY seemed like I was watching a high end Italian drama. I am so impressed and I honestly recommend this to everyone!

Leia Mais

Amazing story and character developments

These months when Vincenzo aired, were some of the best months of my life, as I was looking for some dramas that have some more comedy than your usual rom-com dramas. Well, this drama came with a pack made by both action and comedy. So let's start with the story.

~The story was pure gold. Everything from start to end was *chef kiss*. In my opinion, it wasn't draggy and it certainly was not boring. Even though there were some unhappy events, the plot was still going strong until the end.

~The acting was on point. Jun Woo is one of the villains that made me feel really mad and in some moments, I was even terrified of him. That's how good he portrayed his role. I'm glad that villains got what they deserved, in the end. The tennants were so funny, and, along with the other actors, they never failed to make me smile.

~ The OST : Brilliant. Amazing. Show stopping. Spectacular. Never the same. Solar and Aalia (and everyone who took part in creating the OSTs) are very talented and have wonderful voices. 10+ for the OST.

Also, I plan to rewatch it pretty soon because I already started to miss each character, from tennants to everyone at Jipuragi Law Firm.

Leia Mais

A diamond I found in a box of coal

The rating though mayn't be accurate according to some peoples' preferences and taste but it has made its way to be my current most enjoyed and favorite drama of 2021. This review I have been waiting to write for over a week or two and I finally get a chance. I'm gonna keep it quite short and less on the spoilers.
The story is the kinda of vibe I am actually into, by vibe I mean the comedic scenes in every episode, the thrill being present, though there is romance it is not to heavy or only focuses on that and of course our charming male lead. Each supporting role and actor had made the whole show a show of amazing performances and laughter filled. I can't say I didn't have a smile before every episode and after one XD. I was excited to know what will happen next and at times even wished the episodes were released everyday instead twice a week that was the only major problem I had while viewing this (while airing).
Song Joong Ki is one of my most favorite actors and if you are a fan I know for a fact you will enjoy this but even if you are not you will start to like him. I started to like his acting or his dramas after his acting in Descendants of the sun and I don't have to say more about Jeon Yeo Bin's acting. It was my first time watching one of her dramas and I was impressed. Loved her character from the beginning to the end, all her funny sides, happy sides and of course her evil revengeful sides. They each had their own charm. Including the pigeons and also the villains, none of the actors made my experience feel boring or not interesting. I think this is what's important when you watch such dramas which are not based on complete reality.
This drama focuses on the corruption of society and how people from various parts (common people) of it join hands to bring it down and bring over justice, mafia and killing is not something done in all parts and the corruption is not basically severe to the extent as it was shown but I liked how there was drama which portrays this message through an entertaining way and wasn't like the others I found which just show the corruptions and the justice winning and nothing else(like literally no form of content or laughter). Further on the music was simply amazing. No other words, you have just gotta listen it yourself to judge it.
So overall this is the kinda of drama I enjoy on days I am completely utterly bored and there is no action. Recommend to people like me and all the others and definitely has a high rewatch value from my side.^_^

Leia Mais