Released on tvN and Netflix in 2021, the dark comedy legal thriller Vincenzo follows an Italian-Korean mafia consigliere who returns to Seoul to recover hidden gold. Instead, he gets drawn into a fierce battle against a corrupt corporate conglomerate, using mafia tactics to achieve social justice.
Understanding the show requires looking closely at its ensemble. The success of this series rests on a sharp cast playing complex anti-heroes, ruthless villains, and eccentric building tenants.
The Core Duo and Main Anti-Heroes
The narrative engine of the series drives forward through a unique partnership between a hardened mafia lawyer and an ambitious corporate litigator.
Song Joong-ki as Vincenzo Cassano (Park Joo-hyung)
Song Joong-ki stars as Vincenzo Cassano, an Italian lawyer and mafia consigliere born in Korea and adopted at an age of eight. After a violent mafia conflict forces him to flee to Seoul, he deploys lethal combat skills, psychological warfare, and sharp tailoring to take down opponents. Song portrays him with a balance of cold detachment and dry humor, serving as a classic anti-hero who only targets those who deserve punishment.
Jeon Yeo-bin as Hong Cha-young
Jeon Yeo-bin plays Hong Cha-young, a brilliant, sharp-tongued attorney who initially works for the corrupt Wusang Law Firm. After her father is murdered by the firm's corporate masters, she undergoes a sharp ideological pivot. She resigns from Wusang, takes over her late father's Jipuragi Law Firm, and teams up with Vincenzo. Jeon brings manic energy, theatrical flair, and unwavering moral grit to the role.
The Primary Antagonists
The villains of the series elevate the stakes by matching Vincenzo's cold calculation with unbridled corporate malice.
Ok Taec-yeon as Jang Jun-woo / Jang Han-seok
Ok Taec-yeon plays Jang Jun-woo, initially introduced as a bumbling, overly enthusiastic legal intern working under Hong Cha-young. This persona is a calculated front. Jun-woo is actually Jang Han-seok, the psychotic, hidden chairman of the Babel Group. Ok transitions smoothly from a clumsy subordinate to a chilling, unhinged psychopath who views human life as disposable.
Kwak Dong-yeon as Jang Han-seo
Kwak Dong-yeon portrays Jang Han-seo, the public-facing puppet chairman of Babel Group and the half-brother of Jang Han-seok. Initially appearing as a loud, cocky, and cruel executive, Han-seo is actually terrorized and physically abused by his older brother. Over the course of the series, his character transforms into a tragic, deeply sympathetic figure who looks to Vincenzo as a surrogate older brother.
Kim Yeo-jin as Choi Myung-hee
Kim Yeo-jin takes on the role of Choi Myung-hee, a former senior prosecutor who becomes a senior partner at Wusang Law Firm. Behind her casual demeanor and love for Zumba dancing lies a sociopathic strategist. Myung-hee orchestrates assassinations, bribes judges, and coordinates legal cover-ups with ruthless efficiency, making her arguably the most insidious villain in the show.
The Eccentric Residents of Geumga Plaza
Much of the show's comedic timing and emotional core comes from the quirky tenants of Geumga Plaza, who eventually form an unlikely vigilante family.
- Yoon Byung-hee as Nam Joo-sung: A former special effects makeup artist who becomes a loyal paralegal at Jipuragi Law Firm, frequently assisting Vincenzo with elaborate disguises.
- Cho Han-cheul as Han Seung-hyuk: The cowardly, status-obsessed head of Wusang Law Firm who constantly tries to save his own skin while serving the Babel Group.
- Kim Hyung-mook as Chef Toto: The passionate owner of the Arno Italian restaurant in Geumga Plaza who is initially suspicious of Vincenzo before becoming a loyal ally.
- Kim Yoon-hye as Seo Mi-ri: A piano academy owner with a secret background as a master hacker who designed the security for the building's hidden gold vault.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vincenzo getting a season 2?
As of right now, studio tvN and the production team haven't announced plans for a second season. The story wraps up its primary plot neatly with a definitive conclusion in the final episode.
Is Vincenzo a romance or an action show?
The series leans heavily into dark comedy, legal thriller, and action genres. While a subtle romantic tension develops between Vincenzo and Hong Cha-young, the plot prioritizes corporate revenge, courtroom battles, and action sequences over traditional K-drama romance.
Why is the gold hidden under Geumga Plaza?
Vincenzo and an elite Chinese tycoon hid 1.5 tons of gold bars inside a secret vault beneath the building. When the tycoon dies unexpectedly, the gold can only be retrieved by tearing down the structure, setting off the entire conflict against the Babel Group.
