5 K-dramas to watch if you loved Vincenzo

Vincenzo is a Korean drama series that has just the amount of action, thrills, comedy, and suspense to keep viewers entertained. The series is an interesting blend of Korean and Italian cultures and romanticizes the Mafia. It follows an anti-hero who redeems his past wrongdoings by seeking justice against an evil conglomerate.

The show, which aired from February to March 2021, stars Song Joong-ki alongside Jeo Yeo-been, Ok Taec-yeon, and Kim Yeo-jin, amongst others.

The plot focuses on Vincenzo Cassano, a Consigliere of a Mafia family who returns to Korea to recover his fortune stashed within the Geumga plaza. He encounters a headstrong lawyer Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been) and other quirky tenants of the building. Later, he teams up with them to fight against the corrupt Babel Group who have illegally taken possession of the plaza.

The series is well-received critically and has maintained its position among the top 10 Netflix TV shows since its release. The series is the sixth highest-rated in TVN’s history and has been praised for impressive acting and a great storyline.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion only and is ranked in no particular order.

Lawless Lawyer, The Fiery Priest and other K-dramas like Vincenzo to add to your watchlist

Viewers who enjoyed watching Vincenzo can check out the following titles for similar plot lines:

Lawless Lawyer
The Fiery Priest
Itaewon Class
Reborn Rich
Devil Judge

1) Lawless Lawyer (Watch on Viki)

Still from Lawless Lawyer (Image via Viki)

Combining elements of action, legal drama, and crime thriller, Lawless Lawyer is 2018 drama that fans of Vincenzo can relate to. Starring Lee Joon-gi, Seo Yea-ji, Lee Hye-young, and Choi Min-so, the show is set in a fictional city of Kisung, which is infamous for its corruption and lack of law management.

The drama follows the story of Bong Sang-pil (Lee Joon-gi) who forms a law firm with the hotheaded Ha Jae-yi (Seo Ye-ji) after she is disbarred for berating a judge in the court. Together, they fight against Chan Moon-sook and her notorious associates.

Fans can draw similarities between Vincenzo and Lawless Lawyer as the male protagonists in both series are former gangsters who show viewers that redemption is possible by seeking justice.

The female leads in both the K-dramas are also lawyers who will do anything to fight injustice. Lawless Lawyer’s themes of courage and equity are encapsulated in a popular quote from Ha Jae-yi:

"Do you think a lawyer is someone who fights against a prosecutor? Is that all? I think a lawyer is someone who fights against prejudice."

2) The Fiery Priest (Watch on Prime Video)

Viewers who enjoyed Song Joong-ki's drama can add The Fiery Priest to their binge lists because the two shows share similar tropes. In Vincenzo, the occupants of the Geumga plaza share a close bond and this type of relationship can also be seen in The Fiery Priest’s characters. Also, both shows combine action and humor to keep viewers hooked till the end.

The 2019 drama features Kim Nam-gil, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Hanee, Go Jun, and Keum Sae-rok in the leading roles. This drama unfolds the story of Kim Hae-il (Kim Nam-gil), a priest with anger issues and a troubled past as an ex-special force agent.

After the murder of his close friend, he teams up with detective Gu Dae-young (Kim Sung-kyun) and prosecutor Park Kyung-sun (Lee Hanee) to uncover the truth and bring justice. They fight against villain Hwang Cheol-beom (Go Jun), a businessman slash gangster.

This show is also similar to Vincenzo because both dramas have protagonists with unique backgrounds who use their skills in unconventional ways to fight crime. It is also interesting to note that both drama series are written by the legendary screenwriter, Park Jae-bum.

3) Itaewon Class (Watch on Netflix)

Itaewon Class, released on January 31, 2020, stars Park Seo-joon, Kim Da-mi, Yoo Jae-myung, and Kwon Nara. It is immensely popular due to its relatable characters and compelling storyline. It shares a similar narrative with Vincenzo as the heroes of both dramas form a community of some sort to fight the antagonists.

Itaewon Class is based on a webtoon of the same name and unravels the story of Park Sae-Ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) who vows to avenge his father’s death after his release from prison. He opens DanBam restaurant in Itaewon and seeks revenge on the people who put him in prison.

Similar to Vincenzo, this Korean drama series showcases the victory of the marginalized members of society who rise from adversity to challenge a powerful enemy. It also focuses on the themes of friendship, loyalty, and pursuit of dreams.

4) Reborn Rich (Watch on Viki)

Apart from sharing the same lead actor Song Joong-ki, Reborn Rich and Vincenzo are alike because they explore themes of revenge and justice. Premiered on November 8, 2022, this K-drama also features Lee Sung-min, and Shin Hyun-bin.

It focuses on protagonist Yoon Hyun-woo (Song Joong-ki), a loyal employee who is unfortunate to work for Soonyang Group, run by a scheming family. He is betrayed and murdered by a member of the chaebol (rich business) family and wakes up to discover that he is back in the past and has been reincarnated into the body of Jin Do-jun, the youngest grandson of the Soonyang family.

Using this to his advantage, he proceeds to exact his revenge against the culprits. Reborn Rich bears a lot of similarities to Vincenzo as they both depict what the oppressed ones are capable of doing once they are pushed to the wall.

Read more: 5 most high-rated K-dramas of all time

5) Devil Judge (Watch on Netflix)

Devil Judge, released on July 3, 2021, features Ji Sung, Kim Min-jung, Park Jin-young, and Park Gyu-young in the leading roles. This show is set in a dystopian version of Korea where trials are broadcast live as a form of entertainment. It follows Kang Yo-han (Ji Sung), a newly appointed Chief Judge with a mysterious past who rigs the courtroom dynamics in a quest for revenge.

This Netflix K-drama is similar to Vincenzo, as their storylines highlight anti-heroes employing bags of tricks to ensure justice is served. Kang Yo-han and Vincenzo are both morally ambiguous protagonists who showcase their humanity to viewers throughout the series.

Both the shows incorporate elements of drama, thriller, and dark comedy to create unforgettable TV moments.

Fans of the Vincenzo series can explore other shows like Good Manager, Vagabond, Law School, and Beyond Evil. These shows also feature interesting action sequences and elaborate on the themes of revenge, justice and friendship.