Vincenzo: The angelic devil

Last few days have been dreary. Yet I was waiting for all episodes of Vincenzo to release so I can watch it uninterrupted. Little did I know what a scary exciting ride it is going to be. The wierd feelings dissipated 5 minutes into Vincenzo's first episode. Can't help but write how the drama is a great one and treasurable!! Not exactly a review, but my take aways from the drama.

“A devil tantalizes another devil.”

The tenet of a Mafia’s life. Terrorize. Thrill. Kill. Do anything to make the opponent lose. And when law is used as a backing, running mafia organizations might go on without a hitch. Does that mean the Law advisors to the Mafia are the real bosses?

Vincenzo Cassano is a Corn Salad. Oops! Consigliere, to an Italian mafia family Cassano. The head of the Cassano family. Consiglieres are the don’s third hand and usually hold power and command in the boss’ stead. Even though not always a family member, but the bosses trust them enough that they can even commit arson on their brother’s vineyard worth billions of Euros.

Luckily, this Consigliere system is followed only in the mafia organizations of Italy, Caribbean, and America. But who knows J how and when we might cross a path with a mafia Consigliere unknowingly? Just like some people in Vincenzo did.

Vincenzo Cassano is a sophisticated man with fine taste in things. People around him feel enthralled – men and women alike. Mesmerized by his charisma, people strive to get a handshake, a hug, or be called ‘Hyung’ (brother) by him. Normal people do so because they are stricken by how trustworthy Vincenzo is.

Villains in the story are stricken with something else – fear of Vincenzo.

This explains how Vincenzo is the “There’s kindness in Evil” component of the Yin and Yan theory.

Vincenzo is a larger than life personality. No one can outshine or outsmart him. However smart the opponent is, Vincenzo will always have the last laugh. He can deal with them alone, and when he can’t, those benefited by his kindness rush to his aid, really putting him as a priority over their lives. Vincenzo always returns the favour though.

One of his close aides-cum-partner-cum to be lover, Lawyer Hong Cha Young, is an equally smart and talented character. Their relationship grows from total strangers to partners in teaching Babel Company a lesson, taking revenge of her father’s death, to fighting for the victims of Babel’s wrong deeds – the Geumga plaza residents among them. Their friendship blooms through the journey while they both help each other in achieving their goals.

This journey is jammed with brainstorming ideas to playing exorcists and a to-be-married couple. The range this relationship covers!!

Vincenzo and Cha Young both believe in ‘making someone pay’ for their wrongdoings.

They accomplish this with hook or crook. What makes Vincenzo stay and help the residents of Geumga plaza is lawyer Hong Yoo Chan, Hong Cha Young’s father, is a determined wise man, pushing for the victims justice. He is brutally killed by a vicious Lawyer Choi Myunghee, and later framed for false acquisitions. Vincenzo knew the reality and couldn’t stand the false claims and that is when he decides to take revenge.

No, they don’t just punish everyone for trivial matters – the villains in the story are far from your average villains. They are lawyers brazen and greedy for money and power, and have stooped inhumanely low for it. And the boss of Babel Group of companies – a sociopath who killed numerous people after using them like ear buds – including his father.

Babel Group is a corrupt company; it manufactures and distributes narcotic drugs without proper clinical trials, builds illegal constructions, does money laundering and what not! Bribing government officials and hiring thugs to threaten or kill the victims... they mess with people’s lives and kill anyone who can act as a hurdle. Lawyer Hong Cha Young knows their modus operandi as she has worked with the country’s top notch law firm Wusang, the legal backup of Babel.

Things so connected are ultimately tied to a power capsule – a Guillotine file – a powerful file containing information over the years on all of the country’s rich people, their corruption, fraud, illegal activities with evidence. A file certainly prepared to threaten those it is related to and dictate power, enjoy authority over them. This information is hacked by a Chinese businessman who stores this file along with his most treasured stuff – 150 tons of Gold worth over a trillion KRW equal to the country’s entire economic worth.

All this Gold and the Guillotine file is secured safely in a room under the Geumga plaza, a building Babel wants to be demolished to build a scraping tower as a candy treat to its corrupt associates and executives. The Geumga plaza residents and shop owners are ordinary people trying to make ends meet. Vincenzo wins their confidence by saving them from the local goons who try to threaten and confiscate the plaza. These residents don’t shy away from helping Vincenzo and Hong Cha Young in their pranks and cases against Babel, showing the audience a sense of belongingness.

Through many twists in the plot, one very important one is when Vincenzo’s best friend, Mr. Cho, betrays him for the Guillotine file and turns out to be a secret Intel agent. However, Mr. Cho has no choice but to support Vincenzo as he cannot outmaneuver him.

Things take an ugly turn when Jang Han Seok, Babel’s real boss (BaBo = fool in Korean) decides to take the life of Vincenzo’s mother, a poor woman battling cancer at the last stages of her life. She lives under guilt of abandoning her son in childhood when she had lung cancer and thought that he should live a better life. When Vincenzo meets his mother after 20 years and is going to forgive her, accept her, the villains come heads up. This was to be the last chance Vincenzo could have given to Jang Han Seok and his allies, starting the countdown to their end.

Listen to Vincenzo speaking Italian and you will be blown away with his accent alone. Song Joong Ki's Italian sounds like a native speaker.. it can be quite scary when he curses in Italian though.

Most importantly unlike other dramas, there isn't a single scene which is extra or unnecessary. Not a single scene which is uncalled for. Every character has a role and every scene its significance.

My favorite characters in Vincenzo?

Vincenzo is a sharp character. Straightforward, witty, and intelligent. He knows his powers and limits. He never acts on impulse, rather through a cleanly and meticulously planned scheme. And when things do not go his way, he makes them go his way. There is only one winner at the end and that’s Vincenzo.

Fire by BTS; Bultaourne (Buring it up) seems to be Vincenzo’s favorite song :P He can burn down his oponents’ meaningless pride and the opponents themselves with his gold lighter – the magical wand of the story. He still remains spotlessly clean on papers, no criminal record just praises! He will burn you down to ashes and will fly like an eagle himself – dominating the sky.

Vincenzo is a multi-talented person, yet what we like the most about him is his loyalty to his words. He never breaks promises, he just breaks bones. He does whatever possible to protect his people.

Talking about that – he does many things for his to-be-lover Hong Cha Young. In fact, Vincenzo initially plans on taking revenge just for her. Their silent romance through the series isn’t just enough to be explained with words. Hong Cha Young is the reason why Vincenzo planned on staying a bit longer than required in Korea and intended on returning back.

(Vincenzo is full of life saving quotes from the wise man Vincenzo himself. WIll probably take a thousand pages book to write and ponder over it!)

Actress Jeon Yeo Bin has portrayed the role flawlessly. I personaly find her just as talented as Jun Ji Hyun. We can feel the longing Hong Cha Young felt for Vincenzo through her acting, the unspoken love and respect she had towards her father, and the sense of responsibility she had towards the Geumga plaza residents and victims of Babel’s heinous crimes.

Hong Cha Young is equally strong-minded and bold as Vincenzo and this couple is the one to talk for and to idealize. Uh ohh they do not have those flaws to start with!!

Ok Taecyeon, an actor and rapper of the band 2PM, portrays the lead villain Jang Han Seok, the real boss of Babel. Those who have known him since other dramas and his group’s music would definitely know how versatile of an actor he is. I personally feel this handsome, psychopath, chaotic, hot, and smart villain could be played only by him!

He is in love with Hong Cha Young, but we never get to see the typical love triangle here. Thanks to Hong Cha Young who clearly draws a line between her and the new intern at Wusang, an alias named Jang Jun Woo. To be honest, she deserved no one less than Vincenzo.

Jang Han Seok gets a painful slow death by hands of Vincenzo -- probably his atonement. A hole drilled into his chest for 2 days till his very last breath. Shudders. It's good to only imagine how a crow scavenges on him when he is alive. Does it serve him right for what he did to others?

His younger brother Jang Han Seo, portrayed by actor Kwak Dong Yeon however, deserved a better attention when it came to his pitiful demise—it was sudden and sad. Seeing how he respected Vincenzo, it feels more heartbreaking. Awww please he deserved to live and flash that cute endearing smile again.

Quoting BTS, “Team work makes the dream work.” Similarly, a great story is never complete without all its characters contributing to it. In Vincenzo, numerous side characters have played their roles harmonizing with each other. Be it the Geumga plaza gang or the officials associated with Babel, they complement each others’ roles, adding more to the drama. And you get to know how effortlessly great a team work the Geumga plaza gang pulls off :P

All elements of the drama -- storyline, acting, cinematography, direction, setting, narrative, background soundtracks, everything is a well-brewed melange. All of the OSTs go so well with the story that at every climax, it feels like this is the end of me. Adrenaline really be rushing through the veins.

The drama ends with Vincenzo ruling the Cassano family in Malta, as he plans to invite Hong Cha Young there. The ending is neither an “All’s well that ends well” nor a completely heartbreaking end. Rather a gentle, adorable end that tells us Vincenzo will always be the mafia he is, who will get rid of the malevolent evil, while Hong Cha Young and everyone else will live their independent lives.

The cinematography is something to die for!!

The first very thrilling scene is Lawyer Hong Yoo Chan's death and then the portrayal of everyone's lives. Noteworthy scenes in the drama are the ones when Vincenzo commits arson on the italian Vineyards, Babel pharmaceuticals warehouse, or when he brutally kills Choi Myung Hee. Another one being the horse-riding scene when Vincenzo befriends the CEO of Shinkwang Bank, Hwang Min Seong who is gay but a pyschopath. Yet other scenes are the when Vincenzo arranges pig blood shower for Jang Han Seok for Hong Cha Young, the one when they lock up officials with a human bomb, and the one when Han Seung Hyuk, the former CEO of Wusang made chief prosecuter's death.

Concluding my 4 hours long chat, I would like to remind you of all the dramatic scenes in the drama – there isn’t one scene which does not deserve an Oscar. All along first minutes of episode 1 to the last minute of episode 20, the drama has notable scenes showing the irony of situations, audacity of the rich, excitement of what happens next, and the ecstasy when Vincenzo and Hong Cha Young achieve something – and these feelings are pure joy.

In the classic fangirl way, Thank You Vincenzo for saving my life, changing my perspective towards it, I will always keep in mind your way of thinking. I am especially attached to your exposed forehead Mr. Song Joong Ki. Thank you Hong Cha Young-nim, you will be my queen forever <3

Only a handful of series make an impressive, lasting impact on the audience, and I’m sure Vincenzo is one of them. It is exactly what I needed to push me through the rest of the year re-energized. We need a season 2!! I’m going to steal the Oscar for Vincenzo if they don’t give one to this drama already!!