[Pick] Top 5 K-Dramas to Watch if You Like ‘Vincenzo’

Edited by Hong Hyun Jung
Translated by Kim Yeo Un

For the past two months, Vincenzo’s way of wiping away villains in a vicious way entertained viewers much. Mafia lawyer Vincenzo came to Korea to find gold bars hidden underground in Golden Plaza when his organization betrayed him. However, the situation changed after Hong Yoo Chan, a lawyer at the law firm’ Straw,’ was killed by the “axis of evil” Babel Group. As “an eye for an eye” person, he confronts the evil in his own vicious way. And viper lawyer Hong Cha Young and the Golden Plaza family, each of whom has a different background, join forces to complete revenge.

If you like the story of Vincenzo, who punishes villains without abiding by the law, the list below is for you.

Bad guys (2014)

OCN Bad guys attracted viewer’s attention with the setting of violent offenders in prison joining forces with ruthless homicide detectives to wipe out diabolical criminals under one condition: reduction of sentence. The gang leader Ma Dong Seok, who took over Seoul in 25 days, Park Hae Jin, a psychopath serial killer, Cho Dong Hyuk, a professional killer who makes no mistakes, plays a team with tight tension. Kim Sang Joong and Kang Ye Won play a cold-blooded detective and a police officer who keeps an eye on them. Thanks to the successful result, the sequel Bad Guys: Vile City aired in 2018 and 2019. Plus, Bad guys: The Movie, starring original cast Ma Dong Seok and Kim Sang Joong, was released and attracted 4.5 million viewers.

The Fiery Priest (2019)

SBS The Fiery Priest is a story about a hot-tempered priest eradicating corruption in a fictional city Gu Dam, after the priest’s shady death. Written by the same writer, Park Jae Beom, of Vincenzo, the series has intriguing plot development with solid characters and satire. Kim Nam Gil plays the main character who had quit the NIS agent and became a priest due to an incident. So whenever he sees injustice, he gives a thrilling catharsis by using stinging words and expressing his anger at the right moment. The passionate performances of the leading and supporting characters make the show more amusing, including Kim Sung Kyun, who plays an incompetent homicide detective, and Lee Hanee, who plays the prosecutor in desire. While properly reflecting the absurdity of reality through Gu Dam Cartel, it keeps its fun until the end with a cartoon-like storyline. In April, there was news that Season 2 would be returning in 2022.

Mad Dog (2017)

Mad Dog is Kim Soo Jin’s previous work, who won the Screenplay Award at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards for Beyond Evil. It depicts the practices of ‘Mad Dog,’ a private insurance crime investigation team that catches evil insurance fraud outside the law. It attracts the viewer’s attention by tracking the scams on the side of the vulnerable, which usually ends up not being caught or not getting properly punished. The bromance between Yoo Ji Tae and Woo Do Hwan, who continue their cooperative relationship without loosening their wariness toward each other, is fun to watch too. Yoo Ji Tae is an experienced insurance investigator who leads the team with charismatic leadership. And Woo Do Hwan is a secretive yet provocative scammer who brings excitement to the series.

Player (2018)

Player is a story of four outstanding characters in one team: a fraudster, a driver, a hacker, and a fighter. Together, they steal the slush funds and punish the guilty wealthy people. Led by a genius conman, they gathered to abscond with black money and join forces with righteous prosecutors. Soon, they start to track down “The Man,” the political consultant who has a strong influence working behind the scene. The identity of the secret villain is not as intriguing enough, and the story seems quite stale. However, it serves its purpose of being a fun-to-watch crime series. Above all, the story of punishing evil and rewarding virtue gives excellent satisfaction in frustrating reality.

Taxi Driver (2021)

SBS Taxi Driver is a story about a taxi company ‘Rainbow Transport’ taking private revenge outside the system on behalf of victims who are not protected by law. It satisfies viewers by punishing violators who commit evil acts all around the country through receiving a call from the victim or selecting cases directly. There are some opinions about overly provocative scenes and poor development at the beginning. Still, it is interesting to watch the performance of Kim Do Ki, a taxi driver from a special unit. He disguises himself from his usual taciturn character to a virtual character suitable for each operation, deceives the villains, and leads his revenge to success. Lee Je Hoon’s brilliant acting skill that supports the character’s performance is also excellent.

Editor Hong Hyun Jung: K-content guide who publishes various articles for people to enjoy Korean movies and dramas deeper and richer. I’ll introduce you to the works that you can laugh, cry and sympathize with.

Translator Kim Y.U: Welcome K-pop, K-drama, K-movie, K-culture fans. I hope you enjoy our news about K-entertainment.