drama review p-1: 빈센조 (Vincenzo)
Full Title: 빈센조 (Vincenzo)
Number & duration of episodes: 20 episodes | ±80–90 minutes per episode
Genre: Crime, Comedy, Law, Thriller, Romance
Short description: An Italian-Korean mafia consigliere returns to Korea to recover hidden gold. He teams up with a sharp lawyer to fight a corrupt conglomerate. Justice is delivered through intelligence, brutality, and dark humor.
Main cast: Song Joong-ki as Vincenzo Cassano & Jeon Yeo-been as Hong Cha-young
Lead cast: Cassano Family, Jang Jun-woo , Jang Han-seo, Choi Myung-hee, Babel Group
🌸 DOWN FROM HERE SPOILER ALERT 🌸
Personal star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 = masterpiece)
Own thoughts: Vincenzo was my very first real K-drama. I discovered it through an old friend I no longer talk to, but the drama itself stayed with me. I’ve rewatched it many times: alone, with family, and with friends and it never gets boring. Maybe it’s because I’m emotionally attached, but it still feels just as good as the first time. I loved the chemistry between the two leads. They worked perfectly as partners in crime and as a romantic couple, with personalities that complemented each other naturally. The slow-burn romance felt real, not forced. One of my absolute favorite scenes is the museum scene with Vincenzo and Cha-young, and many other favorites involve the funny, loyal Cassano family. The actors were talented and very good-looking, and the plot was expertly executed. It balanced anxiety, fear, thriller elements, romance, humor, and emotional warmth perfectly. I especially loved the revenge aspects; Vincenzo was such a cool, efficient, and well-written character, with his “you’re bad, but I’m worse” mentality and dedication to his plans. Some scenes, like the courtroom and car scenes, were absolutely insane. Btw, since watching Vincenzo, I don’t trust cute K-drama actors anymore. Not even in non-thriller dramas. If someone looks like the villain here, I automatically doubt them. Another detail I loved was the Italian language; understanding the scenes without subtitles made everything even more immersive and fun. This drama became one of my comfort K-dramas. I couldn’t take my eyes off it, thought about it constantly while watching, and even after finishing it. I’d rewatch it a thousand times, loved every scene, and even enjoyed the plot twist. I’m still hoping for a second season, though I’m not sure it will happen (maybe I'm delusional but if season 2 is gonna come i think the main villain is still alive). Since it was my first K-drama, it completely “ruined” K-dramas for me in the best way: my standards are now incredibly high, and it’s hard for me to give any other drama a full 5 out of 5 stars.
Fav character: Jang Han-seo: His growth, loyalty, and sacrifice made his death one of the most painful moments. IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS AND IM STILL NOT OVER IT. (If we don’t count him, my favorite character was Inzaghi, the helpful pigeon—so iconic.)