Hi everyone, it’s me, your Feisty Indian Aunty who just watched a Korean TV show called Vincenzo. A K-drama with an Italian name? It sounded intriguing. And what’s more, it proved to be incredibly entertaining too. But before I go on, I have to say that the main issue I still have with Korean serials is the length of each episode. These things run between 90 and 120 minutes. Does anyone else have problems with this? Surely they could make each one shorter and just have more episodes a season?
That said, all of my encounters with K-dramas have proven to be incredibly binge-worthy. And Vincenzo was no different.
Who is Vincenzo? What Is the Series About?
This series is about a Korean boy who was adopted and renamed Vincenzo by his Italian father, Don Fabio, who just happens to be the chief of the Cassano mafia. Growing up in Italy, Vincenzo (Song Joong-ki) becomes a lawyer and acts as the “consigliere” for the family. He returns to Korea after his father’s death, on the run from his murderous step-brother Paolo.
The plot here is is mainly centered around Geumga Plaza where a stash of gold bars, 1.5 tons to be precise, is buried. Vincenzo is after the gold, but a complication arises when the building is taken over illegally by the Babel Group, who wants to demolish it in order to build the Babel consortium.
Each episode is filled to the brim with a myriad of quirky characters, all of whom rent a space in the Plaza, and refuse to move. They are ably helped by a lawyer, Hong Yoo-chan (Yoo Jae-myung) and later his daughter, Hong Cha-Yong (Jeon Yeo-been).
Why You Need To Watch This!
This series really is a “must see” as it deftly depicts how the rich get away with murder and acquire privileges that others never can and never will. It deals with power and corruption at the highest level. It makes us realize how true the saying is that “every man has a price.”
I often ask myself what price will ultimately make me break my own personal and moral values? Maybe if it concerns the safety and security of my family. Maybe if I could somehow ensure that they would never want for anything. Maybe that’s the magic number.
At the core of the story, however, is Vincenzo’s own ethics when dealing with power, corruption, and even murder. What lengths will he go in order to do the “right thing” for the underdog. It is a moral question that he struggles with throughout the series and is aptly discussed when he speaks to the monk, Jeokha (Ri Woo-jin), in the Nanyak Temple in the Plaza, who tells him how to deal with his conflicting insecurities.
But the idea that resonated most with me is how much a fearless leader can change a group of “losers,” help them gain courage and energy to stand up for their rights, and fight for what belongs to them.
The twists and turns in every episode will leave you wanting more, and the conclusion is incredibly satisfying. The series feels complete enough as it is, but I’m still holding out hope for a Season 2. If only so I can feast my eyes on more of this guy…
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