K-Drama Review: Vincenzo

Priyanka Sangolkar, Nagpur, Maharashtra

One of the most anticipated K-dramas for 2021 was Vincenzo, a South Korean television series starring Song Joong-ki as the protagonist alongside Jeon Yeo-been, Ok Taec-yeon (2PM), Kim Yeo-jin and Kwak Dong-yeon. When the world was hit with the second wave of the Covid pandemic, the slick and over the top K-drama on Netflix and tvN served as a perfect foil for some distraction.

Plot

The K-drama follows the story of the anti-hero Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-ki), a Korean-Italian mafia consigliere. He used to live in Italy from the age of 8 after being adopted but ends up in Korea after a gang betrayal. He meets lawyer Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been), working at Wusang Law Firm who would do anything to win a case. Eventually, the two decide to team up to fight evil with evil and aim to go against Korean cartels that can’t be punished under the law with the assistance of her intern, Jang Joon-woo (Ok Taec-yeon).

You can never predict what would happen in the series. With such a star-studded main and supporting cast, I think that should be enough to urge you to watch!  Still I will list some pointers for better appreciation.

Crime thriller with dark comedy

I initially thought that Vincenzo would be a grim kind of a story because of the trailer and promotional posters, but it’s the opposite. It will have you dying of laughter one minute and on the edge of your seat the next. This K-drama has the perfect balance of brutal action scenes and absurd wacky funny theme.

Song Joong-ki’s comeback

This drama plays as a comeback for Song Joong-ki. With his signature sweet boy-next-door looks, him being a mafia leader seems to be a paradox. A well-dressed Italian lawyer who switches between speaking Italian and Korean when he’s annoyed? That’s Vincenzo Cassano for you! While his tactics may be true to his character, Vincenzo can sometimes be innocent and clumsy. In case you didn’t know, Song Joong-ki also revealed in an interview that he learned Italian for this role and portraying the character was by far the hardest role he played.

Jeon Yeo-been shines as a quirky yet gritty lawyer

Jeon Yeo-been has only a few dramas under her belt prior to her role in ‘Vincenzo’. Cha-young has to be one of the best female characters written in recent times for a K-drama. She’s is quick-witted, strong-willed and always up for a challenge. For a show that places a lot of weight on the male lead, Yeo-been holds her place and gave an impactful performance.

Music appreciation

Thrilling, catchy, exciting. I love the vibrancy of the OSTs and the Italian/opera-inspired music that plays whenever something funny happens (especially when poor Vincenzo is suffering). All the over-the-top action and slow-motion shots onscreen are fueled by an amazing soundtrack with Adrenaline by Solar (Mamamoo) emerging as the standout track.

The supporting characters will bring out the laughs

The scenes involving the tenants of the apartment complex provide comic relief to an otherwise heavy plot. I always enjoyed how they make random people come together to fight crimes,  and when you thought they were just some gossiping neighbours, it turns out that they have so many hidden experts within. The tightly written script holds the storyline together bringing out the best of each of the supporting casts. Even Inzhagi (you’ll flip when you realize who this is) has a critical role; giving rise to a separate fan base.

Sub-plots and plot twists that will keep you interested till the end

In between bringing doom to the evil Babel Corporation, stopping an impending demolition, bonding with building tenants and taking revenge on many other inhuman acts, Vincenzo has to deal with his painful past. There are a lot of things going on in this drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I liked the fact that ‘Vincenzo’ is not just a typical love story – a badass guy who falls in love with a good lady. It is more of an action, humorous, and nerve wracking drama. The love interest doesn’t seem to drag the story itself. The drama seems to be very natural and it becomes more entertaining as it moves on to the next episode. And what I noticed was the fact that the suspense continues onto the next episode and doesn’t just finish at the end of that previous one. It was refreshing and definitely gave me something to look forward to.

With multiple twists, unpredicted comedy elements, several cliff-hangers, great writing and excellent leads that carried the show beautifully on their shoulders, ‘Vincenzo’ will definitely be highlighted in the ‘K-Drama Hall of Fame’. Have you seen this K-drama? If not, then we highly recommend! If you have, let us know your thoughts in the comments!