Max Vandenburg (The Book Thief)
Max, whose father was shot when he was two, whose mother’s business got down, uncle who died when he was just thirteen but he vowed at that time only ‘When death captures me’ ‘he will feel my fist on his face’. Max is also called the Jewish Fist fighter who hates Adolph Hitler for all the reasons turning Jewish lives to a living hell. The guilt of leaving his family behind when a raid took place in his home, he survived in hiding of one of his old fist fighters- Walter Kugler’s . He stayed in an empty basement for 2 years and when it was not safe, the only hope was the address of Hanns Hubermann given by his mother.
The hiding in the basement of Hubermann and Liesel (main character) in his life was a turning point. Liesel and Max shared so many similarities- the price was guilt and shame for both of them for leaving their family behind in order to save their own'. There was mutual love of words and books. The shared loss of loved ones. The opening of each others’ nightmares and seed of true lasting friendship was sown.
The most heart-warming scene was when Max expressed he got a gift (a warmest hug) from Liesel instead of giving gifts on her birthday. He had written a 13 pages booklet “The Stand-over Man” dedicated to Liesel. Their relationship flourished further with Liesel cutting Max’s hair and Liesel playing a weather reporter to Max as he couldn’t go out from the basement, for instance she would bring a handful of snow to say it's snowing outside.
Liesel nursed Max when he got sick for months, she used to read stories to his bed. They had celebrated Christmas together though with less food but much love. Max got caught when he left Liesel’s house and the second time she saw him marched to Dachau, a Nazi concentration camp.
At the end Liesel was left with another book by Max called Word Shaker dedicated to her.
His character has helped Liesel to shine brighter in the book and to show how Jewish struggled in Hitler’s time. Max and Liesel were soulmates made in heaven.
HAN JI PYEONG (START UP)
In a romantic comedy drama of a tech firm, a side character of an orphan who became a great investor also called Han Ji Pyeong. He was a street-smart kid, lived in an orphanage till he was eighteen, got thrown out to live on his own and met Choi Won Doek- the kind grandma of Seo Dal-mi. Won Doek was a blessing in disguise, she kept him safe and fed him. But the boy having a great Investment skill started early in stock market thereby earning money to support his college education. The scene of Dal-mi’s grandma giving a new pair of shoes to Ji Pyeong for a new journey has touched the tender heart of a kid who has seen gusts of cruelty as an orphan.
He was a tall, fair toned guy with a genuine smile and a man that all mothers will readily give their daughters' hand. He was a cold person wearing a distant veil over his face but a softy inside. When reunited with his life savior Won Doek, he broke into tears and tried best to repay his gratitude. The sweet sour relationship between Ji Pyeong and Won Doek was one of the most beautiful ones with innocence, care and flourishing with unconditional love.
He appeared as an old pen pal of Dal-mi. He started writing to Dal-mi due to Won Doek’s request but he carried on his letters to her for a long time after. The love triangle thing began to get entangled when Ji Pyeong was confused whether he loved Dal-mi or not and in-between Nam Do San (the main male lead of the drama) hit the jackpot.
Though never got Dal-mi as his girlfriend, he succeeded in guiding Dalmi and Nam Do San in the tech firm. At the end of the drama you could see Ji Pyeong, Dalmi, Dosan and In Jae (sister of Dal-mi) all heading toward the board of directors meeting.
We can say, the drama started with Ji Pyeong and ended with him.
JANG HAN SEO (VINCENZO)
Jang Han Seo is featured as a villain to hero character in the Korean drama Vincenzo. He was an illegitimate son of the Babel group and a puppet of Han Seok (his half-brother). He appeared as the chairman of the Babel group in public but in reality it was run by his brother. He does all the dirty work for Ham Seok. He came across as rude, pretentious, a bit foolish, dull, annoying at the beginning of the drama but towards the end he seems to be cute, loyal, truthful, amiable, kind and witty.
He had been tolerating all his brothers’ brutality: including all sorts of beating, hitting with hockey sticks, slapping and sometimes strangling. It was depressing to see Han Seo suffering from ill and humiliating treatment but there came a point when he started rebelling these tortures and eventually teamed up with Vincenzo Cassaino for good deeds.
He betrayed his brother pretending to kill Vincenzo (whom he considered as a real brother) and got revenge against Jang Jun Woo for arresting him. Jang Han Seo is someone who embodies Vincenzo Cassiano to the core and dies at the hands of Han Seo (his half-brother),trying to protect Vincenzo.
Han Seo is the best character depicting a villain who becomes a hero at the end by standing tall with loyalty and good deeds. He had rightfully justified to viewers that despite horrible past deeds, one can always redeem with good actions.