May 05, 2021
Song Joong-ki in a still from Vincenzo. Towards the end, the show ceased to be a David-versus-Goliath story and turned into a slowburn tale of vengeance.
Netflix
3.5/5 stars
We all love a good David-versus-Goliath story. Few things are as satisfying as seeing a righteous underdog beat the odds as they stand up to, and take down, a once-mighty foe.
Vincenzo has given us a lot of underdogs to root for, starting with the stalwart Jipuragi Law Firm and stretching through to the other colourful residents of Geumga Plaza.
On the other side of the spectrum, the main villains have been the powerful Babel Corporation and the slimy Wusang Law Firm, paving the way for the former’s unchecked malfeasance.
April 06, 2021
Song Joong-ki in a scene from Vincenzo. Netflix’s overstuffed but fun K-drama is never less than entertaining.
Netflix
This article contains spoilers.
It’s not an easy thing to know exactly what a K-drama audience will respond to, particularly as that audience keeps growing around the world and becoming more sophisticated.
As they try to answer that elusive riddle, there are several ways that writers of Korean dramas can pen their shows: stick to tried and true narratives, craft an involving mystery, or push boundaries with something new and edgy, for example.
Then you have something like Vincenzo , which goes for the everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink approach.
Number of episodes (released so far): 8
Storyline: During a visit to his motherland, a Korean-Italian mafia lawyer gives a conglomerate a taste of its own medicine with a side of justice
As the K-drama inches towards its halfway mark this weekend, it could definitely do with some pacy, tighter writing. The penchant for campy, over-the-top drama that the writers seem to immensely enjoy works in parts, but they need to be cautious in the coming episodes to not let this eclipse the battle of wits between the hero and the evil conglomerate.
Jeon Yeo-Been, who plays hotshot attorney Hong Cha-Young has a flair for the dramatic, but her camaraderie with Vincenzo is one of the highpoints of the show. While Song Joong-Ki has terrific screen presence and is absolutely at home taking down bumbling thugs in his sharply-tailored suits, Ok Taec-Yeon who plays Jang Jun-Woo isn’t far behind. The solid casting of the three main leads greatly benefits the show.