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The 2021 year end best and worst of lists have already started to come out but this is a cool and different criteria. A famed South Korean magazine television critic picked the Top 5 Drama Characters of 2021 and also curated a list of Most Binge-able K-dramas of 2021 (to watch in one go). The drama characters are Song Koong Ki as Vincenzo, Shin Mina as Yoon Hye Jin in Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Shin Se Kyung as Oh Mi Joo in Run On, breakout of the year Koo Kyu Hwan as Han Ho Yeol in D.P. (Deserter Pursuit), and the grandpa of the year (not) Oh Yeong Soo as Oh Il Nam in Squid Game. I have no problems, these five characters are definitely memorable to varying degrees coupled with the right casting so the acting was on point all the way to on fire. The other part of the list was the picks for most Binge-able K-dramas of 2021, the ones that are perfect for watching in one go and the selection was Beyond Evil, Racket Boys, and MBC drama On the Verge of Insanity. I feel like all the drama gods since this summer have been nudging me to watch Racket Boys so this may be the push I needed.
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Pingback: K-ent Television Critics Picks Song Joong Ki’s Vincenzo and Shin Mina in Hometown Cha Cha Cha to Lead Off Top 5 Drama Characters of 2021 and Beyond Evil to Start List of Most Binge-able Drama of the Year - Kpopnchill - All About K-pop News
I didn’t like Beyond Evil but I agree with Racket Boys and On the Verge of Insanity, the both were really great dramas with simple characters.
For the character, I completely forgot about Run On, it was a weird drama for me, with random characters.
Vincenzo and Hye-Jin were fun for the grandpa in Squid Game, he was a pretty interesting character.
I’ve watched two shows based off of yours comments here and enjoyed th both. Racket Boys and My Unfamiliar Family. So thank you! Wouldn’t have discovered those shows on my own.
Thank you for the trust!
I really like shin min ah character in earlier drama too, but I don’t get Vincenzo ‘s character appeal. the char frustatingly has no character depth.
I occasionally read your comment here and there. You always talk like a sophisticated critics who quest for character depth.
Sometimes I wonder what is your real job? With production, writing or literature?!
Sometimes I feel great and blessed that Shakespeare or ppl like him is from an era without social media. Some of his great work can easily be called “without depth character”,LOL.
Anyway, I hope you find character depth that you always look forward
well, the drama tittle is Vincenzo, so Even they focus on the case, I was expecting the drama revolved around his inner struggle, or even focus on his character. instead, they paint like he is this perfect schemer who can’t do anything wrong and always has a way to get away with anything. He never suffered the consequences of his action, it makes his character less interesting. the earlier episode gives us a hint of something interesting to his char, like his struggle doing this mafia Job, or his mother, but they never get deeper. we never get enough on his arc. the most we know is him and his mother that make him a little more human and his relationship with the female lead. his relationship with the neighbour is also resolved when they know he is a mafia, and suddenly they worship him. and suggesting it’s okay to kill and and become yourself, when they know little about him. even the female lead written more dynamic than him despite less screen time. does PJB never trust Joong Ki to add depth to his character? I’ve never know. SJK himself is abit dissapointing about Vincenzo never showing real emotion. the most he showed his real emotion is when her mother dies.
this is a weird comment. people can comment on character depth and what they like and dislike in a kdrama especially on an article on a kdrama blog ABOUT kdrama characters lol. park jaebum isn’t some perfect writer above criticism, vincenzo was fun to watch but the character himself wasn’t amazingly deep or anything. he was interesting but I don’t think the writer even meant for him to be a deep character in the first place. he’s meant as a “cider” type character that is a wish fulfilment against social injustice that always goes unpunished by those above the law
True agree dont like jongki on vincenzo!
The character Its too much n wasted,why did he pull too much scene for showing great n handsome?its just bcause he went to the italia?what the hells going on there!why are u been so proud with it?
ukh its sooo so much different when he was in the spaceship movie,more realistic n fun
Please be carefull to pick the other upcoming
I like Tae Hoo than Vincenzo too. Vincenzo’s persona is just too bipolar from serious to wacky, good or bad. we audince never get who is the real him? I actually more understand with Kwak Dong Yeon’s char more.
That’s called a complex multi-dimensional character. I find him to be way more interesting than the main characters in most of the romantic dramas. Also, it’s a dark comedy, it isn’t supposed to be realistic. Like SJK said, the character is like a fantasy character created by PJB to show the evil of the society. The show is also very well-aware and that’s one of its greatest charm. You may not like it but there is a reason why it’s so successful.
Uhhhm, no… Still don’t understand the char… whenever get tobknow who is him? , the writers doing a poor job depicting him and we auduence never trully understand him even till the end it left me cold.
an example character which is doing a decent job doing this kind of complexity duaility is Kang Ma Ru. we understand where he is coming from and we eventually feel for him and SJK depiction of him is great. SJK basically make his bad and good side make sense. Vincenzo is never make sense to me.
I love song joong ki in Vincenzo
I see no problem in the character
Shin Minah’s character was fine until she started with all the embarrassing aegyo halfway through the show. The rest I agree with!
Yawn
What about Kim Seonho’s portrayal of Hong Banjang?! Regardless of the personal issue, one cannot deny how well he did in Hometown Cha Cha Cha, so why was he not included in the list?
That character was boring
I agree it should be kim seon ho..no doubt he is a great actor..
It seems like Koreans completely avoid talking about kim seonho’s performance in homecha and shin Hye sun’s performance in mr.queen due to their so called controversy… Those two gave one of the best performances of 2021 but got robbed badly…
I agree. Hometown Chachachs was a success because of Kim Seon Ho. He has the most interesting character in the drama and he is a very good actor. I’m sure it would be him if the scandal did not happen. Hopefully he will make a comeback not only in the movies but also in kdramas.
Meh.
And who is this ‘famed South Korean magazine television critic’ (singular) who is also described in the heading as ‘K-ent Television Critics’ (plural) as if they’re the whooole K-ent industry? Lmao.
I can’t imagine anyone else playing Vincenzo Cassano. Sjk brought the right amount of charm and charisma to his character.
Vincenzo Cassano is a character for the (k-drama) ages. I would’ve swapped Shin Min-ha for Kim Seon-ho’s character, and the Squid Game guy for the Squid Game girl.
My personal favorite was Ashin. Hope Kingdom 3 comes soon so we can see more of her setting stuff on fire.
I agree with this list! Especially Song Joong Ki, he absolutely bodied the role of Vincenzo and even did it in two languages, what an absolutely magnificent performance in a show that basically became drama crack in 2021
Shin Min Ah too, HCCC is basically an elevated Hallmark movie type of storyline like many said but those kind of stories rest a lot on the charm of their heroine and she delivered in spades.
I’m fine with most of these picks though I really didn’t care for Beyond Evil. Predictable storyline and overacting by the leads IMO. I’m thrilled On the Verge of Insanity was recognized because that flew way under the radar but was wonderful. Racket Boys too though the guy who played the coach was terrible.
I completely agree with the list.!! So good❤️❤️. All the chosen charcters are not only unique but carries different charm, unique identity and represents different aspects of society. They were from different backgrounds, different circumstances and show there personality completely. Hats off to the actors. ?? I haven’t watch hometown whole series so Lil bit agree with it and others i Believe they were lifetime charcters for hallyu. Vincenzo Cassano will be remembered by people for ages.
Beyond Evil , perfect to binge watch , MOUSE even if some things don’t make sense both are thrillers and riveting . For actors,Shin Ha Kyun, Song Joong Ki, Lee seung Gi . Shin min ah’s role was’t great even if i like her as an actress . So i choose Honey Lee because she had to carry all the drama by herself and Park Gyu Young as she delivered a perfect performance as Dali .
Kim seon ho should be on the list…
So many con man n con woman nowadays, wise for me to verify what an anon write, i am very interested to know who is the “famed South Korea magazine television critic” n the title heading “k-ent television critic”, why it is left out in the post if is so FAMED and so singular. To me, all dramas, characters are good so long someone likes them.
@.missjb i think u understand that theme of vincenzo drama. The drama was about destroying the Devil by a Devil, show was not about personality of vincenzo, then they would shown up his upbringing, family, relationship, romance at a bigger stage. Then going into that much depth which u was expecting was not something meant. I like ur concept i also feels that if the show was autobiography of the charcter Vincenzo, it would be something else?? but still the charcter was shown from the social perspective.
@qwerty: the thing is you don’t have to bring up his upbringing or his past completely to make him more like a male lead or make him have some depth. instead he seems like just mere a plot device to other character how they react when someone who has power and inteligent like him existed. even then they are not even touching that issue properly and just goes for entertainment. instead it seems like the main character is the villain. like we see their struggle of how to cope someone like vincenzo and gave some dynamic. it’s make vincenzo is not that memorable as a character.
Yassssss Vincenzo is truly iconic!
Also agree with the choice of D.P, Run On and Squid Game characters. Nothing memorable about either lead in Hometown Cha Cha aside from some of the strange fashion choices. I can think of many far more memorable characters this year.
The binge-able dramas are fab choices. All the critical acclaim for Racket Boys is much deserved.
@missjb you just now explain how the charcter was unique. He was villain. He was antihero. The concept itself is unique. Well thats all! Don’t want to drag this topic anymore. What it is that’s it is. Someones nine can be someone’s six. Everybody is unique and have unique perspective. That’s what makes a discussion instead of criticism.
Who is the critic? Name him / her.
Vincenzo plagiarised Lawless Lawyer. Innumerable scenes are similar.
Some of the scenes of Beyond Evil are similar to Flower of Evil.