This drama's stars are without doubt the Writer and Director, without whom this sterling cast could not have so well displayed their mettle.
And to say that the behind the scenes 'actors' nearly outshine those on the screen is no small accolade. The performances are without exception outstanding, from the main stars, to each minor character. However, the quality of plotting and slick production allow them to shine.
Vincenzo himself is a dark and disgusting character, but the writers along with Song Joon Ki manage to present him only as a reasonable and skilled man using extreme measures to achieve natural justice, or to simply do business with brutal men. Somehow they manage to conceal his brutality behind that beautiful face, elegant frame, great clothes and impeccable manners. And while doing this build in many moments of pure comedy.
A man embittered by his youth, and out only for his own gain, he comes to Korea to collect a massive cache of gold, intending to make a surgical strike and leave pronto to return to Italy. But, as soon as he lands in Korea, the whole eccentric timbre of the film sets in, and he finds himself in a ridiculous situation of immense comedic punch. He was lucky he was left with his designer suit on - I'd have left him in his underwear ... or swapped it for my own clothes, and sold it! But, then, given the visual potential I might have opted for just the underwear...
He's faced with a deeper dilemma than simply sorting out his wardrobe though - nothing goes as he planned. He has to deal with threats from developers, a collection of hapless and helpless tenants who consistently frustrate his plans, and of course, the benevolent lawyer devoted to helping the underdog (who we all know pays peanuts) against their chaebol aggressors, while facing determined criticism from his lawyer daughter who acts for those very oppressors. And then there's that damn pigeon stopping him from getting a night's sleep!
The Mafioso and the Lawyer strike up a friendship, a death leads to an alliance between Consigliere and the daughter, and the plot hits its stride. And the pigeon comes in surprisingly handy at a crucial moment, too.
The brutality is brutal, and made more so by the elements of psychopathy in the main villains - each of whom has their own well developed personalities - which also at time make them the butt of humour. But most of the violence is suggested rather than painted bloody in your face. Most of the victims are the bad guys - though the good guys do get hurt. The threat and violence are extremely finely judged. Somehow the writers and actors manage to provide a "hero" who is a murderer but remains a sympathetic character.
Our female lead is elegant and beautiful, able to look after herself and brave in the face of real risk to her life. She is also mildly insane - a complete clown, throwing herself into extravagant gestures and bodily contortions to cast contempt or humour at her opposition. She uses her body like a wild child dancing in the rain - but at some quite inappropriate moments, which is hilarious to watch. But fiercely intelligent, supposedly making the courtroom her playroom as she defeats villainous lawyers with virtually no material to work with. I'd say that every courtoom scene is simply played for laughs. I can;t think of any actres who could have carried this off so well as Jeon Yeo Bin.
Other characters in the new Korean "Cassano family" slowly reveal their true natures as gifted fighters, organisers, and including a computer hacker who could not be more serendipitously placed, nor more essential. They blossom and realise that they had not formerly known their own strength. They appear to become a warm and supportive family. This was rather lovely, not because of the family metaphor, but because drooping, trembling, weak people grew into themselves - and that permitted their relationships to deepen.
Thank goodness the predictable romance developing between Vincenzo and Cha Young was muted, and remained so to the end. They are a beautiful pair, but their roles in the plot remained unencumbered by neediness between them. He respected her autonomy and she somehow accepted him as he was, a mafia thug, using his skills for his own ends, but in the process working for a good cause in Korea. That tolerance of each other's autonomy is pretty rare in Korean Dramas - the trope being that a man shows his developing feelings by being possessive, demanding and bossy and the woman starts being huffy and jealous. A nice relief!
Yes, there were some clichés, but they were minimal. There are many plot twists and setbacks, and many dark moments amid the bonhomie of the tenants association and the wacky humour. You might think the humour in such a drama would be dark Well, I didn't find it so. Sometimes it was defiant, sometimes ridiculous, but I never thought it was just plastered onto a situation either. The greatest originality in this drama is its use of humour which always comes as a surprise and a joy.
At a time in which Korea is releasing a particularly rich crop of dramas, this one seems to be, rightly, dominating the screens. I don't think I have ever awarded marks as high as this for any other drama. It deserves every accolade.