JOANNA GRACE P.

BERINGUEL STEM NMPL 12-02

Media and Information Literacy

DIRECTION: Pick a contemporary teleserye or movie, one that is being aired on
television now. Allow yourself to watch an adequate number of episodes so that you
can get a good grip of the plot and the characters, as well as the motivations that push
the characters. One week of sustained viewing with note-taking will address this
information requirement. Single out a villain and what s/he does that runs contrary to
the goals and motivations of the character.

CHOSEN VILLAIN: JANG JOON WOO aka JANG HAN SEOK of a 2021 South Korean
television series “Vincenzo” (2021)
 BACKGROUND ABOUT JANG JOON WOO: Jang Joon Woo (International: Joon Woo
Jang; Jason) is the primary antagonist in Vincenzo, a 2021 Korean crime noir
television drama. Initially, he appeared to be a bumbling, goofy lawyer from the
Wusang business corporation who seemed to work closely with Hong Cha Young.
However, it was soon found that Joon Woo is, in fact, the de facto head and supreme
chairman of the diabolical Babel Pharmaceuticals Group. Moreover, his real name is
Jang Han Seok, and he is the true mastermind behind all of Babel Group's illegal
actions in Korea. In addition, he is the older brother of Chairman Jang Han Seo, who
was introduced as the official chairman of Babel Group at the time. Being born as
the eldest son of a conglomerate family, Jang Joon Woo was diagnosed as a
psychopath at age 16. At some time in his youth, he murdered six classmates and
was acquitted of the crimes thanks to his father. However, their relationship
deteriorated when he blamed his father's affair with a young secretary for his
mother's departure, and he settled his resentment by killing his father. As time
passed, he had severed all family ties, going so far as to physically and emotionally
assault his brother on a regular basis. The actor that represented him was Ok Taec
Yeon.

1. What are the character traits of the villain? You can enumerate these according to
physical traits, psychological traits, and sociological traits.
ANSWER: Initially, Jang Joon Woo appeared to be the naive assistant of his no-
nonsense supervisor, Hong Cha Young, while the two worked together at the Wusang
law firm. Throughout their encounter, he demonstrates concern for her to the extent
that he exhibits attraction for her and becomes combative when she rejects his
objections to any plan she devises that he thinks to be too risky for her.
Jang Joon Woo is known to be a calculating, egotistical, manipulative, sadistic,
unpredictable, and psychopathic mastermind. Initially, he appeared to be a fool, but it
was later discovered that he was merely putting on an act. It was all a facade he made
as part of his exciting plans. He is the actual head and de facto chairman of Babel
Pharmaceuticals, making him accountable for all the crimes and illegal activities that the
company itself has committed. He is a hedonistic and cunning manipulator and plotter
who hides his actual nature from those who do not know him and is not above injuring
or even murdering anyone who threatens to foil his complicated schemes.
His relationship with his family, notably with his half-brother Jang Han Seo,
contributes to his mastery of manipulation and ruthlessness. Throughout the course of
the series, Jang Joon Woo repeatedly traumatized and mistreated his brother; he would
beat his brother with a hockey stick anytime he failed to perform his duties and even
murdered their father as punishment. He lacks the actual value of family or humanity in
general; he appears to be a devious and manipulative monster who takes joy in instilling
fear in those who discover his true nature.
Overall, Jang Joon Woo is a multi-dimensional type of villain. He can appear as a
naïve and happy-go-lucky person who seemed so innocent to a dreadful and cunning
psychopath who can kill you in just a snap. He has this tantrums or anger issues that
make him transform into a different high breed of monster when you get into his nerves.
On top of that, he is also a great player. If life were a game of chess, he could have
made many checkmates because of how smart and clever he is when strategizing and
making plans for his next moves. It is like he calculates every movement he makes and
how he seeks perfection in everything that he does. With that being said, he cannot
afford to have mistakes and flaws in his plans. Everything must go according to his
liking, or he can quickly destroy those who try to ruin him and his agenda. He is definitely
a great manipulator, deceiver, devilish, and a complete cunning psychopath who has
felt and seeks no regrets or remorse. He has this unreachable ego that he cannot afford
to be tarnished as it dramatically affects his narcissistic personality. Above all, he is
capable of doing anything just to achieve everything he needs or wants.

2. How does the villain impede in the achievement of the goals or desires of the main
character/s?
ANSWER: Given Jang Joon Woo's complex and bold personality, he ought to do
everything in his power and connection to attain his goals and desires. Just like what I
have previously mentioned, Jang Joon Woo is the type of villain capable of doing
anything as he can use his wits, influence, power and connection, and charisma to
achieve his plan. He does countless corrupt and illegal acts for his company and to
widen his power and wealth, which means he deals with various people against it. But
it is indeed hard to stand against him because he can either kill you instantly or make
you suffer ten times more if you annoy or displease him in any way. He is a great
pretender and manipulator. He even hid his true identity for so long as part of his façade.
He observes at first to familiarize himself with his company's insiders and know-how.
Jang Joon Woo is an expert in using cruelty, violence, and abuse of power to spoil
himself with the things he needs or wants.
Yet just as he thought he could have it all, he got a taste of his own medicine and
painful downfall, just as how every villain experiences. As time passed, more of Jang
Joon Woo's character emerged until he discovered that the protagonist, Vincenzo
Cassano, is a mafia mobster who appears to be not terrified of anyone or anything.
There, Jang Joon Woo had then experienced fear for the first time. As someone who is
a great narcissist and has deep anger or resentment issues, he attempted to assassinate
Vincenzo. He wants to end Vincenzo's interference in his plans, but he ultimately meets
his own demise when Vincenzo defeats and then executes him brutally for every horrific
deed he has performed.