Sweetie & Darling
Following the pig blood incident, episode 14 of Vincenzo begins with Joon-Woo taken off stage and forced back to the police station. With all our characters gathered, they go over the evidence obtained thus far regarding the Vision team. Along with documents, Vincenzo also has a statement from the truck driver who ran over the Union Leader. He was paid off by Joon-Woo and his men. Vincenzo chooses some careful words for the Babel group, eventually leaving with Cha-Young while the team sit together and contemplate their next move. Part of that move includes going after Joon-Woo’s paper company. Vincenzo is no fool though, and knows that someone is going to take the fall for these anti-union documents. That person, it seems, is Han-Seo. Despite him admitting to everything, Prosecutor Hwang shows and forces the investigation to be stopped, demanding it be started over again. It’s a tough pill to swallow for everyone, as Babel group get away again. Meanwhile, Vincenzo hunts for the mysterious paper company, leaning on Park Seok-Du’s expertise in money laundering for clues. Remembering the horrific ordeal they had to endure in the freezers, Vincenzo convinces them to join his cause. He also meets with In-Kuk too, who remains convinced that Vincenzo may be able to help. He thinks Vincenzo will find a way to put these corrupt politicians behind bars without needing the guillotine file. Well, that may come sooner rather than later when Han-Seo decides to book a meeting with Vincenzo himself. Seung-Hyeok sets it up too, encouraging Vincenzo to meet in private. Once there, he outright admits to Vincenzo that he’ll help team up with him to take out Joon-Woo if that’s what it takes. Vincenzo refuses though, claiming his code never includes turning family against themselves. After a swift drink, he leaves. Remember Na Deok-Jin? The man who was fired by Babel Group early in the season? Well, he’s back and it turns out he’s actually reinvented himself as Singing Mr Na., complete with a sparkly shirt and quaint bow tie. Vincenzo and Cha-Young meet him and ask about the paper company. According to him, it’s actually hidden within an art gallery. Meanwhile, Myung-Hee contacts one of Vincenzo’s old colleagues back in Italy. She asks him for details about something which, as we soon find out, is her way of turning enemies against enemies At Geumga Plaza, Seok-Do brings in Gwang-Jin, the gold enthusiast online. It turns out he’s actually given up hunting for gold and now looks after dogs. He also tells them that real gold is actually kept within your hearts. When he leaves, Vincenzo and Cha-Young happen to be watching. After speaking to the residents, Mi-Ri leaves with Vincenzo and figures out where the gold is stashed away. It turns out she’s actually the one who made the security system itself. Talking in private, she reveals all, asking to be part of this operation and share in the plunder. With the gold heist back on, Vincenzo and Cha-Young approach the residents with newfound enthusiasm. He intends to take out Babel now – properly – and that includes checking out the art gallery. Once there, he wants to find a way inside the Director’s office. This includes using the private rental service, with Cha-Young and Vincenzo pretending to be a couple to sneak in. Part of this includes changing the photos online, which Mi-Ri effortlessly does. While Vincenzo gets some new gear for Cha-Young to wear, the real couple are distracted by Nam Joo-Sung. He drives them to Geumga Plaza for dinner and a show. Vincenzo and Cha-Young show up at the art gallery where it turns out Anderson and his wife were actually due to propose! This catches them both completely off-guard as Vincenzo is forced to propose to his associate. After, he’s told to kiss her, which the pair do eventually do. The whirlwind of emotion encapsulated in this 10-20 second moment is nothing short of incredible acting. Both characters are clearly conflicted, with neither wanting to use the other as an accessory. Say what you will about the moment itself, but the acting and direction of this entire sequence is beautifully done. After kissing, the pair both admit this is not a night they’ll ever forget. Thankfully, Anderson and his wife do also get their unforgettable evening, complete with the marriage proposal. Backdropped by the noise of the monks chanting, they kiss and embrace. When the Director is called away by a commotion outside, Vincenzo and Cha-Young seize their opportunity and immediately hack into the Director’s computer. With Mi-Ri accessing it remotely, this corporate espionage is on! Mi-Ri hacks into the computer and manages to complete the transaction just in time. The Director bursts back into the office and asks just what they’re doing, realizing they’re not a real couple. Cha-Young and Vincenzo play them at their own game though, brandishes badges and guns. They claim to be agents from AISE; the foreign Intelligence Agency of Italy. The pair immediately go after Director Jung and demand she speak up about the fake paintings. She eventually admits the truth, prompting the group to leave the Art Gallery together as a single unit. After, Vincenzo and Cha-Young awkwardly dance around their kiss. Sitting in the car together, they laugh nervously and decide to have a drink on the rooftop. Only, Vincenzo realizes he’s being watched and leaves Cha-Young for the time being. Up on the rooftop, he awaits the arrival of two Italian gangsters. They show with silenced weapons but Vincenzo is smart, managing to hold one up at gunpoint. Unfortunately, he’s not smart enough as a third arrives behind him. Vincenzo is forced to his knees – after a swift strike to the face of course. Looking up, Vincenzo realizes Paolo is the one who sent him.
The Episode Review
Vincenzo returns with a much more tonally consistent episode compared to yesterday. It also delivers some of the best laughs and drama of the season so far. The art heist is simple enough to follow and the decision to throw Babel Group on the back-burner for the time being is a nice move. This allows Vincenzo and Cha-Young to lead the group – and give Mi-Ri some crucial screen-time too. The big reveal with her actually being part of this whole operation is a nice touch and allows her to grow beyond “spooky ghost girl” into a character with much more depth. Speaking of depth, the chemistry between Cha-Young and Vincenzo has been growing over the weeks and this episode finally gives fans what they’ve been waiting for – the big kiss. The two couples – both at the art gallery and Geumga Plaza – give the best moments of the entire episode. The two contrasting kisses, and the emotion that stems from both, produce a myriad of emotion, with equal passion and laugh out loud moments. I’ve said it before but Vincenzo is one of those shows that when it fires on all cylinders it really does deliver excellent drama. It’s just a pity that this has been a bit of an inconsistent show. Despite that, this episode in particular is arguably one of the strongest so far. Some may disagree of course, but for me I found this to be one of the stronger and more consistent chapters so far. The ending cliffhanger is pretty similar to Cho’s betrayal though, but that’s a minor point in what’s otherwise been a really enjoyable episode. Roll on next week!
