Vincenzo (2021)

The best dumb fun I have ever had

The second I saw the trailer I knew, that I would love this series. And I do, I honestly and truly love Vincenzo. It's been a while since I have had this much fun with a drama. But I am not going to sit here and pretend like this isn't an incredibly dumb show.

Vincenzo is an experience that is kind of hard to put into words. At first, I had problems connecting with this drama. I wasn't sure what to make of it. The first few scenes promised a high-stake thriller with a sinister feel. Then it suddenly turned into an off-beat comedy just like two scenes later. But Vincenzo is both of these things and neither. It's too gory to be a comedy and way too silly to be a genuine action thriller. The tone of this show is all over the place. But weirdly enough it sort of works.
As I fell in love with the quirky cast of this drama, I caught myself forgiving all of Vinceno's shortcomings. Those shortcomings include: A completely nonsensical plot with countless plotholes, cheesy dialogue, an overpowered lead, rushed plotlines, and confusing character arcs. This might all sound harsh but all my critique doesn't change the fact that I was incredibly entertained throughout the entire series. At times I laughed at the show, at times I laughed with it, but in the end, I always laughed, so who am I to complain.

Yes, this show has some fundamental problems. I have said before that it is riddled with plot holes but a big one is Vincenzo himself. The show is so scared of letting Vincezos fail at anything, that the incredibly high-stake premise starts to feel a bit pointless at some points because you always know that Vincenzo has the upper hand anyway. All attempts by our villains to bring him down get destroyed, oftentimes in the very same episode or even just ten minutes later. That makes Vincenzo feel less and less like an actual character and more like a Mafia version of Superman, a hyper-competent, invincible, supernatural being, everyone, and I mean absolutely everyone in the show, is in love with (the homo-eroticism in this drama is undeniable). I also wish we could have seen more bad-ass Hong Cha-young moments. She's supposed to be this super successful smart lawyer but 80% of the time, Vincenzo does all the work . I know that it's just one of the tropes that come with a Korean romance drama but watching her having to get saved by him time and time again did get a bit old.
While I love this huge and entertaining cast, it did feel like this show bit off a bit more than it could chew, which honestly is kind of amazing because it is so long and it still didn't really get the chance to develop each character. Some plot-lines here did feel a bit rushed as a result of that. This sadly also was the case with the romance between the two leads, which is a shame because I think they definitely had chemistry. I felt like their dynamic could have been explored more but unfortunately, the drama had more than enough on its plate already.

Still, while this show does get pretty dumb, there is a lot I sincerely like about it. I think the villain in this, while he is comically evil, is super fun and you can't say that the actor didn't give it his all. His over-acting is part of the charm here, to be honest. I thought Choi Myung-he was also a really fascinating, three-dimensional character and I enjoyed every scene with her. I also love a good redemption arc and a lovable himbo and this show offered both in one. The cast in general was really fun and different and there were many lovable characters to root for. The last few episodes were especially satisfying to watch and the finale didn't let me down either. While I have argued that Vincenzo's character was ridiculously overpowered, it would be a lie if I claimed I didn't love just watching him toy with the bad guys. And last but not least, I have never really gotten Korean humor, but in this show most of the time it worked for me. Others referring to Vincenzo as "corn salad" instead of consigliere will always crack me up.
While remarkable cinematography or editing isn't the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this show, it still looks pretty cool and most shots get the point across while looking stylish, without feeling too showoff-y. The editing often adds to the humor and quirkiness of the show and the action scenes are also very well-cut.
The actors were great, of course. Vincenzo's actor really did try his best with his Italian lines so I gotta give credit where credit's due. I have already mentioned the villain's performance but his acting especially stood out to me and I just loved watching everything he did, no matter how insane it was.
I should probably say something about the OST as well but I honestly can't remember a single song from this show so I assume it was neither particularly great nor bad.

After I finished this drama I just sat down and asked myself: "Would I recommend this show?". And the answer is kind of. But you need to know what you're getting into. Don't come to Vincenzo and expect any realism. Don't expect anything believable or particularly meaningful from this show, otherwise, you will be disappointed. Just embrace it for its wackiness. Vincenzo promises an absolutely insane premise. And it delivers. The setup is insane. The characters are insane. The villain especially is insane. Everything about it is so over-the-top and off-beat, I don't think it's possible to not have at least a tiny bit of fun with this. But you gotta meet the show where it's at. Don't question anything. I am serious. Turn your brain off for those 20 episodes or your head will hurt.

I enjoyed Vincenzo the most when it leaned into its insanity. I couldn't really bring myself to care about all the times it tried to be depressing or deep. I had the most fun when it was just trying to entertain.
I feel like oftentimes films and TV shows are so dead-set on being edgy and clever, that they forget to be fun. Sometimes, after a long sad day, I don't want to see something witty and award-winning. I don't want to be out-smarted. I want to watch a Korean man try really hard to convince me that he knows Italian. I don't like that we measure art by how contrived it is. There's a time and space for dark, realistic, gritty stuff, obviously, but there should also be a time and place for a silly action show like this.

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Very good one time watch

Minor Spoilers Ahead.

Could it have been better? Yes
Is it over the top? Very much
Did i like it? Yes

Know what you're going in for before you start watching. It's just your regular hero saves the day kind of drama. But it's entertaining and that's what i wanted.

Story could have been so much better. Had a lot of scope to make the title character a cold blooded killer. They did show some shades of it at the end. But if they'd dived into that part a bit more i would have liked it. Kind of like Dexter.

Overall it's a good drama and deserves a watch. 8.5/10

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BEST. DRAMA. EVER

This drama is not getting enough hype. Cannot believe it didn’t get more noms for awards. (Only best actor nom). The MUSIC ! The DIRECTION! The special way some scenes are shot. 😚 Un freakin believable. What a roller coaster ride this show is 💋🇮🇹 AND what a great comedic actress Jeon Yeo-been is. Oh My God! She is brilliant. I will watch this drama over and over again. I am begging for a complete soundtrack❗️ ALL THE MUSIC. Not just the main songs but music even from scenes that the songs have no words and it’s just playing behind the scene

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Not my cup of tea !

I didn't like how story progressed ! Sometimes it was fun but absurd ! Inzaghi saving Vinshenzo ? WTF! I was skipping many scenes ,because each time it became quite draggy and boring .

Sincerely I had high expectations for Song's new drama after watching him in Arthdal ​​Chronicles,(I need season 2 T-T ) but I didn't feel that attraction for his character, like when you say wow he's great! It didn't happen to me!

Instead I was more shocked by how they portrayed the villain, the president of Babel, the actor did a good job and his step brother was charismatic ~ I expected a better ending for him because we did see his growth through the drama :c

I'm the only one who thinks that the romance was unnecessary ???? I mean their relationship as an "avengers team " was enough. I didn't feel chemistry between them as a couple !

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It's extremely overHATED.

its extremely overhated 💀💀
i really needa stop listening to these reviews cuz that made me go in ready to dislike the show and it ended being one of my favourites.
yall saying its trying to be too many things at once💀They stated that in the genre section, its so hard to please u ppl why dont u go write , produce and direct a movie then.👹
anyways the main villans did a good job cuz i hated them smmm and i was praying on their downfall ✋
im not good at giving detailed feedback but 10/10 i would definitely reccommend tho i suffered emotional trauma due to a specific death in the show 🙂.

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Good story and cast but wayyy to long

At first when I start watching this drama, I felt this was just pure hype. A mafia guy, fear by the all country (Italy) was being played like I child when arrives in Korea. I thought the rest of the cast annoying, basically I disliked everything but gave a second chance and end up loving all the cast.

Positives: The people fo plaza made this drama for me. They all so friendly and funny, I laught like a mad woman in all their scenes, I like that they start helping Vincenzo on his revenge plans.
The acting of Taecyong was amazing, he improved so much I was so suprised.


Negatives: This drama is wayyyy to long. 20 episodes, each 1h25 min is too much. I usually love drama with long episodes but the story line here dragged ALOT. Everythinng could have end in 16 episodes and I dare to day even 13 episodes would be enough. I see people saying this drama dosen't feel too long when watching when it airs and I totally agree. Is near impossible to bringe watch this in one go, i sjust the same plot all over again.
The romance.... why inclued romance in this? KDRAMAS writers never learn. Just because this is a drama, we don't need a romance between the leads. They would be perfect as friends but no they added romance for no reason and gave us only 2 kisses and an open ending.. JUST WHY?

Overall: 7
Watch this if you want to have a good time, the plot start moving around episode 17 everything else is just fillers.

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Perfect Score because it's Perfect for me.

"Vincenzo" is my ideal drama. It is suspenseful and ridiculous. It is a revenge thriller, a comedy, a romance, filled with action and touching moments, and some of the most literally mouth-open-shocking moments I've ever seen in a drama. It's actual LOLing and cheering moments. It's plot twists I could have never guessed. It's a cast full of characters I can never forget. I didn't even hesitate to give this all 10s. From beginning to the end Vincenzo did not disappoint and even exceeded all of my expectations. I was hooked from the start.

The cast is amazing, but Song Joong Ki as Vincezo is pretty iconic. He's so cool and nonchalant with his signature gold lighter that I totally bought into the Mafia consigliere plot from the very first scene... even with what is probably not the greatest Italian ever spoken (lol) I was sold. I love villains with depth and this drama is filled to the brim with them. Vincenzo, even with his mostly unbothered attitude, was such a nuanced character. Joong Ki with just a subtle facial expression would reveal so much. I loved this about him since "Sungkyunkwan Scandal". He is matched with Jeon Yeo Bin as Hong Cha Young, a lawyer of questionable morals, who I also instantly loved. She is strong and smart and completely goofy and can keep up with Vincenzo without crossing the moral line. Their chemistry is incredible, you can feel it through the way they just looked at each other, and although romance is never exactly the center of this drama the way their connection grows from beginning to the end makes it one of the things that made me love watching so much. They are a dream team - an ideal partnership. Think of any romance in this drama as growing love and respect more than cute moments, although there are a few replay-worthy classic romance scenes. Rounding out the leads is Ok Taec Yeon who is also brilliant and I was surprised I loved him so much in this. Is this a love triangle situation? In many ways yes, but definitely not in the way you probably expect. This is definitely a breakout role for him. Just the way he would call Ms. Hong "Sunbae" is an example of the subtle things that he did so well. All three of these characters have moments that are over the top ridiculous, super intense, as well as more intimate and emotional, and they each showed so much range. I was extremely impressed with all 3.

The rest of the cast is equally amazing. Again, many of these characters are super over the top but they still manage to add layers to make them feel care-worthy and relatable and not just characters to REALLY hate or comic filler. The villains are satisfyingly and even frighteningly evil. The heroes are unexpected and hilarious (think Kung Fu Hustle). I wish I could give every single character specific praise but that would lead to spoilers and the less you know when watching the better. This cast has absolutely no weak links. Not one.

That brings me to the writing and directing which I applaud for keeping me excited for every single episode. 20 episodes later, with each episode over an hour-long, I still wasn't ready for it to end. Normally I'm not that interested in business corruption plots but because it was so character-driven I couldn't help but care. There was a perfect balance of scenes that made me cry and laugh and gasp. The ending was also well done and so satisfying without making things too happy or too depressing. If you're looking for a realistic story just remember this is campy as much as it's suspenseful so some scenes are unbelievable in the most entertaining way. There are tropes but they are done so well it reminds me why those tropes work. The pace made every episode fly by. The cliffhangers at the end of each episode made the time until the next episode drag. I was anticipating how certain characters would get what they deserved and I loved how creative the revenge was. Those who get to just binge it all now are super lucky. Speaking of binging...

Would I watch this again? I already did. lol. Once I got super hooked I decided to rewatch older episodes during the week while waiting for the new ones. Yes, I was that obsessed. Yes, It was still good the second time, and some moments were even better when already knowing what was to come. I can see myself easily watching this multiple times.

I thought the soundtrack complemented this drama perfectly too. Whether pumping up the action sequences or the sweet and sentimental "Is this love" song or the music to end each cliffhanger or the monks' wedding song... I thought the music always worked so well with the story and was enjoyable but never too distracting.

My only complaint, and it's a minor one, are the ridiculous product placements. The show is so campy that it almost felt like a wink to the audience, but there really are so many obvious product spotlight moments. I say this even as I purposely made myself a cup of maxim coffee (yes the yellow packet) to watch the finale. Lol. I also had Makgeolli several times while watching. Con-grat-u-laaaaa-tions, they totally got me!

Overall, this is the most fun drama I've watched in a loooooong time. Please note that when I say fun I don't necessarily mean cute or light but rather exciting and thrilling. At its core, this is still very much a revenge thriller with lots of violence, action, and brutal deaths. If you're squeamish the violence is never too gratuitous but it isn't tame either. Also, If you like action and fight scenes there are lots. Even what looked like a nod to Bruce Lee that I appreciated.

Three strong themes that impacted me...
1. It takes a devil to take on a devil.
2. Things are rarely what they seem to be on the surface.
3. The importance of family.

The last part really got to me. I caught on pretty early that a show focused on a Mafia anti-hero would probably be about family but this theme, even in its silliest moments, really touched me. If you can handle rooting for a not-so-good guy, and the violence (which isn't too excessive but definitely the kind you should expect from a Mafia revenge story) this is a must-see drama. Without a doubt, "Vincenzo" is one of my new drama favorite dramas of all time. I think I even love corn salad after watching this! "Vicenzo" definitely lives up to the hype. I would be extra hyped if there were plans for a 2nd season, but even though I already miss it, and the ending certainly leaves room for one, that's probably overkill and I would also hate to ruin such a good thing. As it stands now this is a drama that ends on a high entertainment note and gets a standing ovation and multiple "Bravos" from me!

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Something really special about this drama!!! Must watch!!

Ok, wow just finished it...I am in shock mostly. This was an incredible drama in so many ways! It was incredible from start to finish, and there were just so many moments where I was in genuine shock and literally had "jaw-drop" moments! The story, characters, and overall feel of the drama was out of this world! Every moment of the drama felt thrilling, and not once was there a slow moment or anything that felt unnecessary. Overall, I want more!! I definitely want more of Hong Cha Young and Vincenzo!!! Hong Cha Young is my queen, one of the strongest female leads I have ever seen and I want to be just like her when I grow up! I absolutely love her and adore Jeon Yeo Bin's portrayal of her! I want more of all the tenants --> all of whom I love dearly!! Omg, this kdrama was something else! I think the chemistry of the entire cast and production staff was really good and is what made the drama so freaking good! I absolutely love every single character, the good and the bad, and the actors that played them did an absolutely incredible job!! I feel like I'm still in shock, I haven't processed everything that's happened. Still, though I love this drama. A LOT. It's something special! (I need more VinCha romance and babies though!!) Also, the soundtrack of this show was *chef's kiss --> so so good!!! 'I'm Always By Your Side' by John Park is the embodiment of what a love song should be, it is an OST that deserves awards! Ahhh, I love Vincenzo so much!!

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An epic kdrama unlike any other! Mix of comedy, courtroom drama, suspense and excitement!

To start off, Vincenzo was definitely not what I'd expected it to be. When u google 'Vincenzo', the first thing that comes up is 'Dark Comedy' as its genre. Let me be very clear; Vincenzo is not dark comedy.
While dark comedy would mean subtle hints of comedy within a serious plot (more like Breaking bad or Suits), Vincenzo is more like Comedy + Dark / serious plot, which means sometimes you will find extremely serious plot, while other times it will be very comedic in nature. It is a clear mix of both genres, and sometimes you might also find other genres like tragedy, suspence, romance etc. Also, it is nothing like the Godfather (if you are expecting it after reading the word mafia), it is more of a courtroom drama in my opinion (barring a few episodes). However, that does not change the fact that it's ABSOLUTELY ENTERTAINING!!

I will agree to what most reviews state that this is unlike any other kdrama out there. From its cinematography, to the actors and the music (OMG THE MUSIC!) everything is phenomenal. Ofcourse it does have the usual tropes, but it doesn't drag on it too much, and most of it gets a satisfactory end. And it definitely has some jaw dropping moments that will take you by surprise and leave u gasping!

My only disappointment was the main villain's role.(DISCLAIMER: LIGHT SPOILERS)
When it started off, I was absolutely in love with how the villan was being plotted out; from the grand reveal, to his background story.. everything seemed perfect to the point that I was convinced he would be my favourite villan of all time! However, sadly it didn't live upto my expectations in the later episodes. I was expecting a very strong villan, who wasn't just a psychopath, but a mastermind too. However, he eventually lost that luster. There were no more mind games or exciting moves from his side, it was just Vincenzo stealing the spotlight.

Apart from that however, Vincenzo is an absolute treat. The acting is amazing, the drama is intense and the comedy although silly, will give you a good laugh. For anyone who is looking out for a good quality drama, and doesn't mind a mix of all genres, Vincenzo is highly recommended!

P.S. : First 3 episodes are very slow, but don't drop it there. Wait till the end of episode 4 and trust me, you will keep watching! ;)

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A must kdrama to watch

From the beginning i loved this drama and till the end.

A good storyline ,very well write, i liked each aspect . (especially mafia thing)

The main character was a interesting, different from the mostly characters. A character who was played by SONG JOON KI who was perfect for this character. It a must watch for his visual also.

JEON YEO BIN is also a excelent actress she played her character very well. I discover her in this drama and i am happy that i did it, i am very interesed in her future works.(i recommend to watch night in paradise)

All the cast is very good actors , especially the four(OK TAEC YEON, KIM YEO JIN , JO HAN CHUL , KWAK DONG YEON)
The last thing i want to say that i recommand you to watch that drama without hesitation.
I LOVE VINCHA!! ITS THE PERFECT COUPLE I HAVE SEEN IN A DRAMA IN MY LIFE.
ALL the episode was make you to want to came weekend early to see what will happen.

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