Vincenzo (2021)

Mi è piaciuto, ma...

Premetto, questo drama l'ho visto perché ero curiosa di capire come in Corea vengono percepite l'Italia e la mafia. Ammetto inoltre che ho ponderato parecchio prima di scrivere una mia recensione.

Storia:
in complessione la storia mi è piaciuta, delle due storyline proposte quella che mi ha intrigato di più è stata quella sul Babel group ed è stato il motivo che mi ha fatto continuare la visione del drama, episodi più corti avrebbero anche facilitato la visione.
L'altra storyline, quella sul perché il personaggio di Vincenzo sia lì in Corea e sia interessato così tanto a quel determinato palazzo, l'ho trovata a tratti abbastanza debole ed utilizzata nettamente come espediente narrativo, a momenti persino fastidiosa. Troppo ridondante la questione sugli inquilini, meno scene avrebbero reso di più, soprattutto nella prima parte dove si sono dilungati sulla presentazione di ogni personaggio secondario.
Come ipotizzavo la percezione che hanno gli altri paesi dell'Italia e della mafia è ancora incatenata al film del Padrino diretto da Coppola. Ho però apprezzato lo sforzo su alcune cose, ma una ricerca più approfondita degli usi e dei costumi italiani avrebbe dato una marcia in più al tutto, soprattutto su alcune scene.

Cast
Il main cast mi è piaciuto, inizialmente ero un po' diffidente perché Song Joong Ki non mi convince mai totalmente e questa cosa me la porto dietro da “Descendants of The Sun”, invece qui l'ho trovato credibile la maggior parte delle volte, Vincenzo non è sicuramente un personaggio positivo, ma ha una sua etica e si confronta anche con quella che chiamerei “mafia” coreana.
Credibile fino a quando non parlava italiano, apprezzo la costanza e lo sforzo dell’attore nell’imparare le battute nella lingua italiana, ma un personaggio che ha vissuto in Italia una vita, dato che è stato adottato all'età di 8 anni, dovrebbe parlarlo correttamente ed essere bilingue. C’erano dei personaggi che parlavano italiano, si poteva tranquillamente doppiare.

Ho trovato interessante l’interpretazione di Jeon Yeo Bin nel ruolo di Hong Cha Young, anche se talvolta ho trovato il personaggio fin troppo sopra le righe in alcune situazioni ed alcune volte poteva essere limitante per l'attrice. Molto buona la chimica tra lei e Son Joong Ki ed ho apprezzato come gli autori abbiamo sviluppato la loro connection amorosa.

Jang Ju Woo rimane il mio personaggio preferito per come l’hanno caratterizzato, su cui non approfondisco più di tanto per non fare spoiler, complice la storyline a lui dedicata e l’ottima interpretazione di Ok Taec Yeon(non sapevo chi fosse, ma andrò a recuperare qualcosa dalla sua filmografia perché ho realmente apprezzato la sua recitazione).
Invece avrei sviluppato di più il personaggio di Jang Han Seo, che comunque ha avuto un bel percorso e una buona evoluzione, ma poteva essere scritto meglio.

Solitamente non faccio rewatch di drama o serie e quando li faccio rivedo solo i miei episodi preferiti, ecco perchè il mio voto è basso.

Conclusione

Per essere una produzione Netflix rimane ad un buon livello. Le idee su carta erano molto buone, ma si sono persi su alcune lungaggini di trama che potevano essere evitate, ho messo 7.5 totali per il buon livello di cast e per la produzione.

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Nella serie coreana VINCENZO, un consigliere della mafia (nato in Corea e poi adottato da un boss italiano) torna a Seul per recuperare un tesoro nascosto nel sotterraneo di un palazzo. A sbarrargli la strada c’è un’azienda coreana che definire criminale è poco… e un gruppo di condomini molto originali.  Volevo capire perché i coreani avessero scelto come protagonista proprio un mafioso italiano, se avessero qualcosa di intelligente da dire in materia.
Il risultato è che mi sono divertita a guardare questo kdrama fino alla fine.
Ma ho dovuto prendere atto del fatto che gli autori abbiano chiamato in causa la mafia senza avere la minima idea di che cosa stessero parlando.
L’immaginario di riferimento è più che altro il film Il padrino. La mafia è evocata come un’entità tra il mitologico e il fiabesco. Il consigliere mafioso protagonista è un uomo intelligente, affascinante, divertente, che da un lato persegue i suoi interessi, anche spargendo sangue a volontà; ma dall’altro, chissà come, riesce a conservare intatto il suo buon cuore e il suo senso di giustizia. Il risultato è surreale.

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Bel drama ma mi aspettavo di più!

Mi incuriosiva tanto questo drama con sfondo mafioso al italiana e non sapevo che aspettarmi dopo averne tanto sentito parlare.
Si è rivelato più divertente che mafioso anche se di sicuro e un drama diverso,non mancano ammazzamenti di ogni genere e crimini molto cruenti con spargimento di sangue.Il mafioso è un mafioso diciamo quasi buono e questa volta vuole far giustizia con i suoi modi ma comunque farà giustizia.
Una banda di personaggi improbabili e molto curiosi fanno divertire e commuovere.
La coppia protagonista carina ma non mi hanno convinta e soprattutto avrei voluto vedere un po' più di sentimento quasi fino alla fine è una storia piatta.
In compenso i cattivi questa volta sono davvero spietati.
Mi ha divertito sentire Vincenzo Cassano parlare in quel italiano storpiato e poi la storia con il piccione è troppo divertente.
In conclusione bel drama niente di speciale ma divertente e interessante da vedere.

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Spettacolare, ma con molti problemi anche etici

E’ terribilmente difficile recensire Vincenzo, e ancor più assegnargli un voto.
Dal punto di vista dello spettacolo è quanto di meglio si possa immaginare: cinematografia attenta e curata, recitazione eccellente da parte di tutti, ottima gestione della suspense. La colonna sonora è magnifica, specie per un europeo, essendo composta in parte da pezzi di musica classica e operistica, in omaggio al fatto che Vincenzo sarebbe un mafioso proveniente dall’Italia. Ma soprattutto le tracce di musica moderna sono ottime, mi sono avvicinata a questo titolo proprio dopo aver ascoltato casualmente un pezzo su Youtube, ma quasi tutti i pezzi sono coinvolgenti, e usati molto a proposito. Né si può tacere l’effetto sorpresa nel sentire Song Joong Ki parlare in un italiano pesantemente accentato, sì, ma perfettamente comprensibile. Per uno spettatore italiano è decisamente spiazzante.

Il viso cesellato di Song Joong Ki, su un corpo minuto da ballerino, è perfetto per interpretare la parte di uno spietato assassino, sornione e letale come il gatto sazio che era il suo soprannome in Italia: calcolatore, gelido nella furia e dirompente nella lotta, ma tenero negli affetti. Non si può però trascurare la magnifica prova di Ok Taec Yeon, che ha saputo interpretare le mille sfumature di uno psicopatico con una efficacia da brividi, spesso rubando la scena al pur bravissimo protagonista nominale dello show. Anche Jeon Yeo Been, l’avvvocato protagonista femminile, ha recitato molto bene, così come tutta la nutrita serie di attori nelle parti di spalla e di supporto. Menzione d’onore per Kim Yeo Jin: la sua Choi Myung Hee è veramente rivoltante. Applausi.

La storia è appassionante e si gioca su diversi livelli: Vincenzo Cassano, ora “consigliere” di un clan mafioso, ma nato in Corea e adottato da una famiglia italiana a 8 anni, torna nella madrepatria per recuperare un’ingente fortuna nascosta. Nel contempo, combatte contro un gruppo societario, affiancato da uno studio legale particolarmente aggressivo, che vuole produrre una nuova droga e abbattere il palazzo che cela il suo tesoro per costruirci un grattacielo. Gli inquilini dell’edificio, ora avversari, ora alleati, formano una squadra di caratteristi simpatica e affiatata.

Di carne al fuoco ce n’è abbastanza e, come succede in altri drama, si pesta molto sul tema della corruzione imperante ad ogni livello. Anzi, più che la lotta dei protagonisti contro il chaebol cattivo, il vero leit motiv della serie parrebbe essere la rappresentazione di tutti i possibili modi e motivi per cui la corruzione viene impiegata. I colpi di scena si susseguono e, nonostante la rivelazione dell’identità del boss finale avvenga già nei primi episodi, per quanto mi riguarda assolutamente non prevista, la tensione non si abbassa.

Ora, si tratta di uno spettacolo, e si sa che uno spettacolo non può essere realistico, però qui siamo andati proprio al di là di ogni tentativo di plausibilità. Pare che Vincenzo, il mafioso italiano, sia l’unico in grado di battere il corrotto cattivo, chiunque egli sia. E in questa sua lotta, a mano a mano, le vittime crescono sempre di più, e non tutte ad opera dei malvagi. Definire Vincenzo un antieroe è forse perfino troppo gentile. Del resto, egli stesso ci dice che non ha intenzione di cambiare, per quanto i suoi antichi delitti lo perseguitino nei sogni. E’ fatto così: un gatto sazio cui piace giocare con la preda fino all’arrivo della fame. Lo dimostrerà soprattutto nel finale, in un crescendo di crudeltà forse un pelino sopra le righe.

Quello che disturba, però, è proprio la ghenga degli inquilini del palazzo: brava gente timorosa, se pur con un sacco di talenti e passati nascosti che, col tempo e la vicinanza con Vincenzo, passa dall’essere un gregge di pecore spaventate a un branco di lupi, accettando qualsiasi violenza. Quando i cadaveri intorno a Vincenzo si accumulano tutti, perfino un poliziotto, accettano la cosa senza batter ciglio, collaborando alla riuscita dei piani per sconfiggere i (più) cattivi. Ci si chiede che fine facciano tutti questi cadaveri, perché nessuno intervenga, come se l’intero corpo di polizia fosse reso impotente, assieme a quello giudiziario. Poco verosimile. Nessuno dei semi-buoni paga mai il fio delle sue colpe, e la legge sembra sempre esistere per essere violata e/o sfruttata da tutti. Gli affittuari si trasformano in una banda di vigilantes e viene dato per scontato, e sotto sotto sempre giustificato, l’uso della violenza specialmente da parte di Vincenzo, che viene osannato come una specie di semidio. Non si comprende bene quale sia il messaggio etico che il drama vuole trasmettere: la corruzione e lo sfruttamento sono così orribili che contro di essi si può usare qualsiasi mezzo? O va tutto bene perché la figura del mafioso italiano funge da deus ex machina che risolve la situazione a modo suo lasciando pulita la coscienza della brava gente coreana? Il fatto che si tratti di una produzione Netflix consola poco.

Un’altra pecca dolorosamente visibile all’interno della serie è la risoluzione di alcune situazioni per mezzo di casualità: se dico che ad un certo punto un frangente potenzialmente letale viene risolto dall’intervento di uno stormo di uccelli, intenzionalmente guidati da un piccione semi domestico che Vincenzo ha chiamato Inzaghi, mi credereste?
A prescindere dal cliché dell’italiano mafia, pizza, e per fortuna poco mandolino, alla fine delude che il background mafioso appaia in realtà molto poco, e Vincenzo lo sia praticamente solo di nome, come pretesto per il suo essere brutale. Sì, usa metodi violenti, sì, ha contatti telefonici con il suo clan, ma non aspettiamoci una saga alla Corleone perché saremmo delusi. Che poi, mi domando quanto sia violenta, la posizione di consigliere all’interno di una famiglia mafiosa, visto che i flashback di Vincenzo sono parecchio sanguinosi. Il suo passato viene però lasciato fuori dalla narrazione, la sua infanzia bypassata, le motivazioni che lo spinsero ad unirsi alla mafia spiegate in una sola, breve, frase. Il suo personaggio non pare effettuare rilevanti percorsi di crescita o cambiamento.

Ma non bisogna pensare che la serie sia solo violenza e cadaveri. C’è in effetti una cospicua parte umoristica, portata avanti principalmente dagli affittuari del palazzo , che sdrammatizza spesso molte situazioni. Purtroppo non sempre l’effetto casca completamente a proposito e le due anime del drama, quella sorridente e quella tragica, a volte non risultano ben amalgamate. Inzaghi insegna.

E arriviamo alla parte romantica della storia. Buona ultima, perché in effetti è tale la sua importanza ai fini del drama. La chimica fra Vincenzo e l’avvocata Hong Cha Young funziona sicuramente molto di più nell’ambito dell’associazione a delinquere che in quello amoroso. Due occasioni di bacio, di cui una per recita: un po’ pochino per definire il loro rapporto una storia d’amore. Chiamiamolo contentino per lo zoccolo duro degli amanti delle romanticherie ad ogni costo. Non che se ne senta il bisogno: la storia va avanti benissimo anche senza coinvolgimenti emotivi di tipo amoroso.

Quindi, in sunto, un drama che ho guardato tutto d’un fiato, per cui mi sento già in crisi d’astinenza. Un drama che ho visto con grande piacere perché sono riuscita, come già per altri titoli, a scollegare la parte critica del cervello durante la visione. Ho potuto così godere della performance degli attori, delle splendide musiche, delle scene di lotta ben coreografate, della suspense crescente che mi ha spinto a proseguire la visione fino alle ore piccole per diversi giorni. Ma un drama che ha diverse pecche di trama, di sviluppo dei personaggi e, soprattutto problemi morali non indifferenti.

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Titolo che dovrebbe essere nella lista base di tutti

serie avvincente con diversi colpi di scena, si rimane con il fiato sospeso fino all'ultimo. Nonostante la trama seria si hanno anche diverse scene e componenti divertenti. Alcune scene possono apparire un po' crude ma merita assolutamente di essere vista. Mi è piaciuto particolarmente il fatto che ogni personaggio (anche quelli del plaza) siano stati sviluppati in modo approfondito, con il passaredelle puntate li si impara a conoscere e provare una sorta di affetto nei loro confronti (anche alcuni che all'inizio non ci si aspettava). In conclusione si tratta a mio parere di una serie completa in tutti i suoi aspetti, non mi sarei aspettata qualcosa di piú

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Che drama bellissimo!

Vincenzo è un drama spettacolare con una sceneggiatura e un cast fantastici.
È un mix perfetto di molto generi che si amalgamano alla perfezione. La trama è stravagante e divertente, ma anche molto seria quando si parla di crimine, corruzione, vendetta e giustizia. La parte romance è quasi inesistente ma credo che sia giusto per il tipo di storia che si racconta.
Song Joong Ki è perfetto nel ruolo di Vincenzo; il suo personaggio è coerente dall’inizio alla fine e forse è proprio per questo che piace tanto. Bravissima Jeon Yeo Bin che come coprotagonista mi è piaciuta tantissimo. Oh Taec Yeon è stato fenomenale nella sua interpretazione. Ma devo dire che mi sono piaciuti tutti gli attori, ognuno perfetto nella sua parte.
Vi consiglio assolutamente la visione di questo drama e sono sicura che non ne rimarrete delusi.

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This series is bonkers on so many levels, and I love it so damn much for it.

I don't write reviews but I wanted to at least for my favorite drama and Vincenzo has a special place in my heart <3
FYI: THIS IS LONG. Like reeeally long. I'm just dumping my love for the show here because amidst all the negative reviews & misjudgement, I wanna voice my appreciation since rarely do I love a show so much I wish for amnesia to experience it all over again.

Vincenzo is a fast-paced dark comedy and a rollercoaster ride of a drama that had me at the edge of my seat anticipating or dreading what's next to come, crying of either laughter or sadness, or simply wanting to applaud at the sheer audacity of its plot (happened a lot). While there's an abundance of corruption, broken bones and back and forth between protagonists and antagonists, there's also a large chunk of comedy and lightheartedness. Add in some romance & the right amount of emotional depth and you have a perfect mix. I myself didn't find the start slow at all. It's true that in EP4 things truly pick up (one of the best twists I've ever seen in a show), but the beginning is just as fun and crucial in setting up the story. Hong Yuchan is a central character in laying the foundation for Vincenzo's and Chayoung's motivation to take on the fight against Babel. Afterwards, it's pure entertainment. Overall the story constantly keeps you busy and there's barely a dull moment as lots of twists & turns keep it interesting. The ending is nothing short of the definition of cathartic and shows once again that this drama, no matter its funny exterior, isn't afraid to go skin-crawlingly dark with its approach on retribution and justice.
You just can't wait to find out what shenanigans the characters will be up to next, and when you find out, it's a joy to watch. Many of the schemes that VCY and the tenants pull against Babel range from absolute tomfoolery to well-thought-out, meticulous plans. The scenarios are yes, over the top, but at the same time ironically believable and more importantly, fun! You can tell how much fun the whole crew had with this project; tons of creative choices feel like they were handled with some sense of wild abandon, which might as well be the secret as to why it's such an entertaining show.

I feel like many people don't understand it for what it essentially is and thus kind of miss the whole point of it. They say it's bad due to its absurdist comedy which ofc isn't everyone's cup of tea but that doesn't make it a bad drama, but a matter of preference. Without the jarring contrast of silliness next to seriousness, Vincenzo wouldn't be what it's supposed to be. It's about relishing in the ridiculousness of it all and you have to be willing to do that in order for you to really enjoy it. So yes, this show is very contradictive and lots of people did not like or even hated that, but I loved it all the more. It's both a parody and a love letter to K-Drama, gangster movies and action comedies alike. It can be funny and satirical but also knows when to be badass or tense. And while it's true that the genre mix is blatant, it proves through an engaging script and characters that it's not really a parody after all.
In the end, it does have its own style and you do need to vibe with the writer's humor and/or his intentions, so it's natural that it might be too much for those with more traditional tastes or who don't see eye to eye with his execution etc. But this show isn't realistic on purpose! The protagonist comes out on top all the time on purpose! I've read some say they liked the show but drew the line at a certain scene in EP15 for being too unrealistic, which is funny considering it's a drama about a mafia lawyer who accidentally fights for justice while trying to get some gold bars out of a basement. It's bizarre, ridiculous and in-your-face on purpose! It's The Whole Point Of It All. When we get tired of the whole corrupt capitalist hellhole we live in, this show wants to offer some escapism and makes it fun while it's at it.

Vincenzo's character himself practically represents what the writer wanted to convey to the audience. Very specific to SK but still widely applicable, it's an answer to the kind of feeling when watching the news and being angry at yet another corruption scandal, nasty politician or powerful figure/group that still reigns at the top and goes on about their unscrupulous business, and you sit there, not being able to do anything about it. In such moments we just want to see the worst of society be uncompromisingly punished for their actions, "whether it is legal or not", as Hong Yuchan said.
His character is proof that even the most righteous people can't do much more than just try their best, yet they too sometimes harbor a desire to go beyond their own means to win. Sometimes "fighting the good fight" isn't enough and the corrupt system seems infallible. And so we wish to see it collapse fully and without repercussions and we want to feel good about seeing that. Vincenzo wants to scratch exactly that itch, through an anti-hero without qualms or strict moral compass that hold him back in anything. He's the personification of what none of us can ever allow ourselves to be because in reality we've got laws and morals and couldn't ever justify what he does to be of actual reasoning. Thankfully this isn't reality! He allows us to live vicariously through his persona, who stops at nothing to deliver retribution, whether or not it's a viable solution to corruption & crime.
An interesting point that SJK once made is how he found the audience's unwavering support of Vincenzo to be quite sad. So while this show isn't supposed to offer any solution, I think it offers an interesting observation; how comfortable we feel resorting to outlandish, fictional escapism like this. How bad is our own reality, that we're able to cheer on even a character like Vincenzo with all his brazen, reckless vigilantism, and not even bat an eye - what does that say about us? The show makes us root for him all the way up til the end, then turns the mirror at us and literally and figuratively looks us in the eye. Yes, evil in its many forms is prevalent and vehement in our world and will always be, but what we choose to do with it is ultimately our choice. You might somewhat agree with the show's ideology – that when all else is lost, the only way to fight a monster is another monster – or strongly oppose it. Whatever it is, you'll likely have felt even if just a tiny bit satisfaction and relief in watching Vincenzo be his unapologetic self. If not then chances are the intent of the drama may have flown over your head.

Besides him, there's lots to be said about Hong Chayoung because people just don't seem to get her. It was intent for her to be "annoying" at the start & JYB knew she'd get judged for that, yet she took on the role and made it her own. She nailed all her traits, from her weirdness, ambition, kindheartedness up to her loneliness. Chayoung, like Vincenzo himself, hides her utmost vulnerabilities behind a razor-sharp gaze and only opens up to those she's truly comfortable with. Yet her soft side isn't a contradiction to her loud one at all; both are equally important. She too doesn't compromise and is always just unapologetically herself – a rarity in a world that deems types like her "too out there" or "too much", and she looks past such criticisms with but a glance and blows you a kiss while donning expensive sunglasses. If you paid attention, you'd know her character isn't one-dimensional. She's an amazing FL and one of the most unique out there, fight me at 3AM in a parking lot about this. Actually– you'll have to fight Vincenzo first.
Both are morally complex protagonists that don't fall into clichés and instead boast a healthy, respectful relationship. It's riveting to watch them go from strangers to partners in crime and eventually self-proclaimed soulmates. The moment they meet they complement each other, in their joint revenge (it helps they're both relentless opportunists) as in all other things. Their connection ran so deep, excessive skinship or dramatic confessions weren't needed. I'm biased, but they're the best example of "soulmates" I know. Despite what some dramas tell you, soulmates are born of choice, not fate and they made that choice for themselves. And above all, they're just fun to watch! They have some of the best chemistry between leads I've ever seen and I've yet to find a pair I love just as much as them.

Them and the rest of the cast know how to act believably in even the most preposterous situations, another reason why I love this show so much: While it's very farcical, it stays grounded in the way characters react emotionally/accordingly to their goals or motivations. And so you can't help other than just cheer along with – or against them as they go through all of these ridiculous, unbelievable things. I got so attached that I just sat in disbelief as the endcredits ran and didn't want to believe it was really over. With any good story ending, you don't wanna let go, wanna spend more time in the world, but are instead left with a giant, bloody hole in the heart. Then again that should be par for the course. Everyone has a drama that left a big impression and for me it was this crime-comedy about a Korean-Italian Mafia lawyer who has arson and murder on his daily schedule, yet is at his wit's end because of a pigeon on his windowsill. I sure didn't expect that, when watching EP1 with the hope of trying to stay awake during nightshift (needless to say it woke me the fuck up), but the best shows come to you when you least expect it.

TLDR; Vincenzo has much to offer for those who want to be fully engrossed by a show, without sacrificing one genre for the other. But in no way does it play it safe, it 100% goes all in. And if you know how to have fun with TV, then it's definitely something you shouldn't miss!

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Vinchenjo Quassano is *chef's kiss* - [update: the drama is a cathartic experience you won't forget]

If you are looking for a comedic, thrilling, creative, and oddly-satisfying drama to brighten your weekend, then Vincenzo is it!

STORY: If you liked dramas like The Fiery Priest or Chief Kim, then you will love the plot, characters, action, dialogues, and style of story-telling here. It's absurd, wacky, funny, but also very serious in its themes of crime, corruption, revenge, and justice. There is a good-mix of lovable characters and crazy evil villains (the main bad-guy is perhaps the biggest surprise, definitely takes the crown for the most iconic villain reveal!). The plot twists, comedic timing, chemistry between characters, and anti-hero vibes are immaculate. Also, so many great one-liners!!

CAST: Song Joong Ki, Jeon Yeo Bin, Ok Taecyeon, need I say more? With such a star-studded main and supporting cast, I think that should be enough to urge you to watch! All the actors and actresses are perfect in their respective roles and bring the characters to life. Vincenzo and Hong Cha Young have chaotic energy as partners and I'm all for it (I also ship them so much!!). SJK's Italian rants leave you mesmerized and laughing, and JYB's unique take on the quirky, eccentric female lead will leave you dying for more! And Taecyeon's acting as a ditsy, lovable English-speaking intern is (almost*) the best thing ever!

MUSIC: Thrilling, catchy, exciting. I love the vibrancy of the OST and the Italian/opera-inspired music that plays whenever something funny happens (especially when poor Vincenzo is suffering LOL).

RE-WATCH: The drama isn't even over yet and I already rewatch episodes, so there you go!!

If you haven't started watching this yet, what are you doing?! This drama is the highlight of my weekend, and now that we're nearly half-way in, I've been itching to write a review. So far, I am loving every minute of the drama, so I had to share my thoughts!

EDIT 5/3/21: Just finished the drama and I stand by everything I said 6 weeks ago! Vincenzo is a masterpiece and I dig the message at the end. The cinematography and production quality are absolutely top-notch. The entire cast and crew were absolutely wonderful and let's just say... there are bad villains, and once in a while, there are good villains too. A special shoutout to my precious baby Jang Han Seo. Excuse me while I go cry and feel empty for days now that the drama is over. What a cathartic experience.

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Not for everyone

Okay, so this is a super unpopular opinion it seems — but I did not enjoy Vincenzo. Yes, Song Joong-Ki is pretty. Yes, the cinematography was beautiful. I even came to like Hong Cha Young's extra behaviour at some point. But the plot??? The side characters???

My biggest gripe was with the story. So many parts simply made no sense at all. I understand that the over-the-top ridiculousness was part of the "fun" to some people. Personally, I hated how the show could go from sublime coolness (like the vineyard, ending of ep 4, or even the demise of our Wusang trio... talk about WOW) to bonkers slapstick moments. I can see how this contrast may add levity to a drama that might otherwise be too heavy, but it felt like a lot of bloated filler. It honestly ruined a lot of the immersion for me. The episodes could be so much tighter without so much time spent on the Geumga Plaza crew (who never became endearing to me, unfortunately). How plausible is it that they're all from such crazy athletic backgrounds too, and can take down professional goons so seamlessly? I could've also done completely without all the NIS stuff, zumba, etc. I didn't even like Inzaghi all that much, although I did like the symbolism related to him + Jang Han Seok at the end. At a higher level, I will give points to the broad direction of the story though. I am glad Vincenzo's character did not fundamentally change throughout the story though, and that the ending remained dark but neatly tied up. Vincenzo is an anti-hero through-and-through, and it's good that the writers stuck to their guns there. The "corn salad" joke was fairly endearing. Also, you have to give them some props for the horseback riding fan-service and the callback to it at the end. Hah!

Still, I will commend this show for its social commentary on corrupt structures in Korea and beyond. It does show the interplay between government / corporate / legal realms well. The OST was fitting and gorgeous, and varied enough to not give me PTSD like "We All Lie" from SKY Castle. And you can tell it was a high-budget production with great CGI and cinematography. Oh, and did I mention Song Joong-Ki is pretty yet? Worth reiterating in case you're willing to watch just for that.

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Wasted Potential

Fair warning.. this is gonna be an unpopular take, but here’s my two cents.

The biggest flaw with the show is the story and how it progresses. The original concept for the show is good. A ruthless consigliere from Italy comes to Korea to reclaim a hidden vault of gold. The first episode is killer, and it’s what originally hooked me, but the entire plot quickly devolves into cheap thrills. The plot points are predictable and there is a complete lack of character motivation. The original character motivations that the show introduces fly out the window. There are so many character decisions that don’t make sense. The show depicts the characters to abide by a certain set of principles and suddenly those same characters renege on those same ideals. A small example if you will: Hong Cha-Yong was introduced to be greedy and with somewhat loose morals, yet she drew a hard line on violence. The moment she meets Vincenzo, violence is now suddenly justified in her eyes. In another instance, Vincenzo is shown to carefully and methodically think himself out of difficult traps. But when plot armor is needed, he suddenly becomes the dumb protagonist that barges in without a second thought.

Unfortunately, the show’s problems don’t end here...

In my eyes the most controversial aspect of the show is the comedy. It’s completely and utterly absurd. The comedy doesn’t feel natural at all. It’s as if the characters know they’re in a drama and are making gags at that fact. It’s incredibly hit or miss. I won’t lie and say nothing lands. Some of the jokes are solid and had me chuckling out loud, but out of the 20 episodes this was far and few in between. The general outline of the plot is pretty gritty and intense, and out of nowhere the comic relief kicks in and it falls flat so often. It’s incredibly jarring and pulls you out of the show immediately.

The casting is excellent. Song Joong-Gi is excellent in his role. His kinda scrawny stature had me questioning how ruthless he can appear, but he completely convinced me. A+ performance. Jeon Yeo-Bin is charming and does justice to her character. The real limitation is the writing for her character. I think she did as well as she could have given her script. Without revealing any plot points, there are side characters that had interesting potential that, unfortunately, was not realized.

Final thoughts:
At the time of me writing this review, the show is rated at 9/10. This is grossly over valued in my opinion. No chance this is the same quality as shows like Flower of Evil or Stranger. This show is best described as wasted potential. The writers went hard into slapstick comedy mixed with extremely intense crime drama, and the two genres did not mix.. at all. There were seriously good merits in sticking with either or, but the mix killed it for me. I watched this weekly so it was bearable. Not entirely sure how bingeworthy it is, but I can say I won’t be rewatching this.

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Did I miss something?

Okay, yet another unpopular opinion coming to this drama's reviews.

The Pros: It was a fun ride between episode 3-15. The characters of Geumga Plaza were entertaining to watch as they interacted and grew as people. The humor honestly gave me some good chuckles and, although the humor is one of the more highly contested parts of this show, I honestly found it fine overall. The action was also engaging and the cinematography was simply stunning. But none of this could hold together a show that otherwise completely lacked reason and soul.

The Cons: The first red flag for me was the villain. The “twist” of who the true villain was in the early episodes made me go “why?” and I was never (literally never) able to take him seriously. The cat and mouse game between Babel and Vincenzo was exhaustingly repetitive. After the first couple of major deaths, everyone also seems surprisingly nonchalant about the absolute abnormal amount of dead people and near-death experiences they were constantly encountering. Vincenzo literally shoved someone out of the Geumga Plaza when that was an unthinkable act to do in the first few episodes and no one blinked an eye (Where do these dead bodies go?? Where is the government??? Where are the concerned citizens?????) Perhaps this is my own bias coming through, because I appreciate character driven dramas and I felt like there was an amazing cast of characters to grow. Alas, all the heart in the middle of the series had extinguished by the end to make way for "plot progression."

What really did me in was episode 17. I had rated this show as a 9 until episode 17. Following this episode I quickly dropped my rating to a 6. The episode broke everything for me. Characters were already starting to act out of character, but I was truly appalled when they killed the stuntman with the bomb. The worse part wasn't his death, it was the fact that all those lovable people I had come to adore in the Geumga Plaza had assisted in this crime and the LITERAL KCSI AGENT didn't give two shits that Vincenzo just killed a personal (in an entirely unnecessary and gruesome way nonetheless). What??? My thoughts of the show never recovered from this episode.

I swear, if Vincenzo's cast wasn't star-studded and the cinematography was slightly less beautiful this show would have gone down in Kdrama history as one of the worst. With all the hype, I left this show feeling disappointed and asking myself “did I miss something?”

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DEXTER/GAME OF THRONES MEETS KDRAMA WORLD !!??

This show left me extremely frustrated and ultimately disappointed. A part of me does not understand the massive appeal and praise it is getting let alone the insane ratings on this website. Another part of me knows exactly why it has attracted the audience's attention or why it will be remembered for a long time. When I started this show I could see the vast potential it held, but bit by bit my hopes went down the drain as the season progressed. My analysis stems from personal preferences and conscious/subconscious biases, so I hope you keep that in mind as you read ahead (though I've tried to be as objective as possible). Before I get into with my criticisms let me highlight what I enjoyed about the show.

What Worked???

1) Interesting Characters: The show boasts of a huge cast. Various types of characters from all walks of life have been utilized to push ahead the larger plot. I particularly enjoyed the antagonists of the show. The uniqueness to them, their thought process, weaknesses, character profile and interests made the story worth watching.

2) Stylish Aesthetics: The makers definitely kept in mind all the style requirements of the script. Just like the Bond movies, this series required showcasing luxurious and sharp cinematic geography. Not only did they pay attention to the wardrobe requirements (especially of Song Joong Ki) but also celebrating the narrative spectacle. The makers did a good job of consistently visually enticing while making every facet of the story larger than life, which eventually made the show enjoyable (to some extent).

3) Fascinating Idea: The core concept of Vincezo rests on the idea that “only one shade of evil can sabotage the other shade of evil in the quest for justice”. This notion has been used in many movies or dramas across the world, especially in the context of vigilante justice. But what was interesting was a Kdrama flirting with the world of Italian mafia to execute this idea. Even though the story is primarily based on Seoul and on the nexus between corporate sector, politics, judiciary, criminals and law enforcing officers, it did borrow elements of mafia practices to enrich the story.

4) Quality Acting: As usual, kdramas seldom disappoint in this section. Everyone did an adequate job in portraying their characters. Song Joong Ki was able to skillfully steer the show based on his performance (considering the whole plot revolved around him). Jeon Yeo Bin was refreshing in her portrayal of a quirky yet intelligent lawyer. However as I said, the antagonists of the show were the ones that left a formidable impact on the viewers. Ok Taec Yeon was absolutely stellar as a sassy yet scarily eccentric psychopath (who would’ve thought he is capable to demonstrating such evilness with so much conviction). Kwak Dong Yeon has only been improving with every project he has undertaken, so I have huge hopes for his future. And finally, Kim Yeo Jin was brilliant at making me hate her character’s sheer guts to execute whatever she did in the show.

What did not work???

1) Genre Mix-Match Gone Wrong: Now we all know that kdramas are excellent at mixing various genres and presenting a hard hitting story without losing its essence. However, this was not the case in this show. The dark element of this show was higher than any average mainstream kdrama. Bloodshed and gruesome deaths were a key element of the story. But the constant jump between intense scenes and comic elements diluted this seriousness. Now of course this was a conscious decision to lighten the mood of the show for the audience, but honestly it did more damage to the narration and atmospherics. This cracked the illusion of the world the show was trying so hard to build. And the makers did this throughout the series. This deteriorated my interest in the story and I felt least invested in the fate of the characters. The romantic element was still bearable because it was between two mature adults and was not over done. Their chemistry was natural, believable and sat in tandem with their character growth.

2) Glorification of Vigilante Justice: Picking up arms, practicing violent means, breaking laws and challenging the system is the core element of vigilante justice themed movies/dramas. I am not a hard line critic of this genre however this depends on the shade of darkness the protagonist brings on the screen. If I have to simply put it, Vincezo Cassano is a man no normal person would want to be associated with, no matter what. His character reminded me of Dexter and to some extent the brutality seen in game of thrones (of course not as prevalent as GOT). As a protagonist he shocked me on various levels. Throughout the show I felt troubled to understand what I feel for him. His moral compass was highly questionable to say the least. But in the show the kind of respect and admiration he enjoyed made me uncomfortable. His principles that guided him into taking someone’s life were nothing more than self justification, which were unfortunately validated by people around him. But what was worse was that there was no sense of accountability or repentance seen in his actions once the whole chase ended. Vincezo was never held accountable for his actions whatsoever, which begs the question how is he lesser evil than the antagonists? If the villains portrayed a black spectrum then Vincezo was maybe charcoal coal grey at the risk of turning black. The line that differentiated him from these people was painfully very thin (or nonexistent by ep 20). These factors made me question him as the protagonist of this show and hence I was never able to cheer for him wholeheartedly.


3) Mockery of Logic: The world building in this show was almost juvenile. An entire intelligence organization overlooked a mafia member’s activity in the country especially when he has been very nosy in the business of the so called prominent people of the city. The one guy who was given the responsibility to look into this matter eventually ends up being his biggest fan boy. Furthermore, the chief of such a powerful agency becomes a pawn in his larger plan to bring the bad guys down. The Interpol was easily convinced by him to let him do what he wants because he has a knack of making offers that no one can refuse (pun intended). The justice system is a joke, as they can be easily toyed by Vincezo to get what he wants. There is no outsmarting him and every government organization with the best infrastructure, resources and communication network can be used by him for his goal or undermined by him to get what he wants. This was tad bit too much for me to swallow. I have seen many action movies/dramas where the protagonist has to be presented as a heroic crusader for justice. But the makers have to sell these facts convincingly. After a point everything seemed silly.

All in all Vincezo is memorable for frivolous factors like some punchy dialogues, glamorous wardrobe, visual appeal and beautiful aesthetics. But beyond that the show lost its core essence after first few episodes. It lacked depth and genuine insight into the purpose of their characters and their actions. According to me this is an overrated show which will continue to be popular and recommended to kdrama newbies for years. However it failed to woo me.

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