I firmly believe K-dramas could use more anti-heroes like Vincenzo Cassano and his unique justice-bending style

I was surprised to see Song Joong-ki play an anti-hero in Netflix's Vincenzo, but it only made me realize that K-dramas need more morally grey characters.

Vincenzo starts as a selfish character who only works for his Mafia family and believes in bending the law and justice according to his own will. After growing up in Italy, he returns to Seoul only to retrieve the hidden gold stashed under the Geumga Plaza.

He eventually becomes embroiled in the residents' ongoing battle with the pharmaceutical company Babel and their psychopathic CEO, Joon-woo.

The Italian Mafia helps the residents fight against Joon-woo for his own selfish reasons but ends up getting on their good side. Adept in manipulation and negotiation, he does not hesitate to use morally questionable methods or brutal force to get his way and even emerges triumphant in the end.

With many stories focusing on good vs. evil, it was refreshing to see evil pitted against evil. K-dramas can surely use more characters like Vincenzo Cassano.

I think K-dramas should have more morally grey characters like Vincenzo Cassano

With more and more K-dramas experimenting with thriller and mystery genres, there is an increased scope for morally grey leads like Joong-ki's Vincenzo.

While Joong-ki's protagonist had a fully villainous start in Vincenzo and showed no scope for redemption, he ended up becoming everyone's favorite at the Geumga Plaza. His particular 'brand of justice' (as he called it) was unacceptable and even illegal, but it was often necessary in a world like his.

An anti-hero like Vincenzo is not afraid to make morally grey decisions, and their actions do not revolve around ethics, which makes them interesting. While everybody preaches about doing things right, anti-heroes know that it cannot take you very far.

For monsters like Joon-wo and Myung-hee, antiheroes like the Italian mafia boss are needed. His execution style for the two terrific villains still gives me nightmares and is not for the faint-hearted.

In the Vincenzo finale, when all hope was lost and it almost looked like Jun-woo would run away for good, Vincenzo brought his A-game. First, he releases Myung-hee from prison and tracks her down to her apartment. After sedating her and nailing her feet to a wooden plank, she ties her to a chair in an empty warehouse.

After declaring his disgust over her, Cassano sets off the sprinklers over her head, which douse her in kerosene. He then leaves her to die, his signature lighter burning her to a much-deserved but brutal death.

If you thought this was brutal, the fate he chose for Jun-woo was even more merciless. After tracking him down, thanks to Han-seo's watch, he ties him to a chair equipped with a drill. As he explains, the drill would pierce his body five millimeters after every five minutes, and he will experience a frustratingly slow and extremely painful death.

His method of punishment was equally brutal and gut-wrenching, and Vincenzo proves that he doesn't just kill but makes you beg for your death. Interestingly, both Myung-hee and Jun-woo begged for the consigliere to shoot them instead of torturing them with this horrific fate. But he delivered what he promised.

I had rarely seen such graphic and violent deaths in a K-drama, and Vincenzo's bold choice shocked me. While I was accustomed to horrific deaths and gore in American shows, this was a first but a welcome addition. The show rightfully delivered on the thriller part, all thanks to a strong antihero who was ready to unlock new levels of brutality to punish the bad guys.

And just when you start thinking of him as a hero, he reminds you that he is still a villain:

''I’m still a villain. You’ll get no justice from me. Justice is weak and empty. One needs to get creative to beat villains and monsters. My particular brand of justice is merciless and painful, and often necessary.''

He adds:

''I have a new hobby- taking out the trash. If I don’t, the garbage will smother the world, taking innocents with it. Take it from a villain- evil is prevalent and vehement.''

The last line stays with you long after you have finished this K-drama, and it only made me realize that monsters like Jun-woo need equally befitting and monstrous antiheroes like Vincenzo.

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