An object made of adamant -- the most rigid steel or iron. Anything which is inflexible, firm, or lasting. (figuratively, of one's character)
In Greek mythology, Adamas was a Phrygian participant during the Trojan War.
I have been watching Korean dramas for quite some time now and as always, the ending makes or breaks the whole drama story. Adamas didn't escape this trend. It was promising at the very beginning and stars prominent actors like Ji Sung (Devil Judge) and Seo Ji Hye (Dinner Mate, Crash Landing). This drama has its own highs and lows so I didn't rate this with the highest stars I can give.
But if you are into mysteries, problem-solving, and action and are prepared to give 16 hours of your precious time, then go ahead and watch this drama.
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A rough Diamond which gradually smooths.Still a Gem,right?
The Devil Judge left me with a void.I was waiting too long for Ji Sung and Adamas to fill this void.No need to say he is one of my favorite actors and i will always follow his projects.Too much talk about this.People hate it.Some others love it.But noone is indifferent!
Apparently i belong to the latters.No matter the hatred this series receives,i will defend it!
So here are all my thoughts about it.
Music: 6 AMAZING OSTs,6 beautiful,melodic and sensual songs.You will never skip the Outro.All plays in turns there and you will add them in your playlist for maximum pleasure!
"All About You" stole my ❤! And " Rain On Me" made me wanna dance!
Cast/Acting : Too many stars shines in Adamas.Stellar performances.Every actor contributed with his/hers passionate,realistic,brilliant acting.
I thought Ji Sung would be the scene stealer and ofc his acting is incredible.But everyone's acting is at Top Tiers.
Noone was "less" good than anyone.
Production /Direction/Cinematography:I may sound like a broken record when i have to analyze this part of a KDrama,but i can't find better words.Best Value and quality.Brilliant.Stunning.Excellent.Perfect!
I think it is easier to find a KDrama with poor quality and issues,as 90% of them,are indeed Top Notch regarding these features.I thought Insider had the best Cinematography of 2022.Adamas stole the scepter and left it in Second place.And i don't think any other Drama until the end of the year will surpass it.
Iam sorry iam repeating myself but the filmmaking here is PERFECT!Every scene,shot,angle and frame could easily be a painting to hang it in your living room!Yes this series made me too excited about cinematography,i can talk hours about it!I just wanna say the film crew deserves special thanks along with all the talented actors.
About chairman's residence,iam speechless.I mean is this place even real?Lol!Estate?Mansion?Because definitely i can't call it house!
Characters:
The Twins: Prosecutor is hot-headed, acts impulsively.He is loud, makes irrational choices.He has brains but most of the time rushes to solve evrything and he makes mistakes. He is scared to jump from a 2m wall.Like a normal human being!How cool is that?I loved all his flaws and weaknesses just because he is a "real" character.The Writer let the smart and heroic side to the other twin to balance things..Writer is the voice of logic.More "perfect" than his brother. Smart,witty,he can turn a bad situation at his benefit.He acts only after he had everything planned.He is always few steps ahead.Not as sentimental as his brother,he keeps few secrets too.It would be annoying and even silly for both twins to be super smart, super brave and super efficient in everything.This significant difference makes the twin characters unique and interesting.
The Reporter:She messes and complicates things.Actually she is one of the main key players and she is a great help to brothers' plans but she has her own way.She is a very important character .A base character ,big part of the story is built around her.Yes she is "that annoying character" we can't avoid it!Once again we have to suck it and endure this.(although other female chars shines brighter than her in this Drama)She is not stupid.She is brave enough to get herself in the center of the events.She is more compatible with the Prosecutor,in terms of personality.
The Chairman:The main Villain(played ofc by -who else than Lee Kyung Young.-You can't call yourself a Kdrama fan if you don't know him.Lol!)He is the utmost bad guy and the not so much of a bad guy,until he becomes again the ultimate villain.Confused?Yes the scale of his "evilness" varies from episode to episode!
Ms Kwon,the Butler:From the first minute she appears on screen you hate her.Like really -really hate her guts.The actress did an amazing job for sure!And yes indeed the Butler always knows everything.She keeps all the dirty secrets of the family and her involvement in the story is crucial.
Eun Hye Soo,
The Daughter in-Law!A great and intriguing female character(Finally!!!)Cold.Smart.She carries a lot of pain and she wants revenge.She calculates everything.She knows how to handle situations and avoid traps.She is bold and not afraid to make hard decisions.I don't know if there is a term but i can describe this role as "a negative character development"Almost in the whole Drama we get to see one face, one aspect of her character.One side.But in latter episodes she is like Janus coin!Two-sided, a well hidden shady side,a scary one.For me the most interesting character.Not likeable but you definitely can't ignore her. The King is Dead.Long Live The Queen!
Story/Plot:
Ok let me be a nagger here.
So many complains."pace is too slow..is so boring..nothing really happens.Story and acting is so lame."
I mean seriously people?Yes it is a slow paced.Is 16 hourly episodes but every episode gives us a little somehing.The structure of the plot is build-up by layers.The story is unfolding with the right dose.Not too slow,not too fast.What exactly expected?To reveal all within 6 episodes and the next 10 will be just fillers and unnecessary romance?I was afraid i got bored easily based on the bad reviews.For me the "trick" is always the first episode.If i don't drop the drama after ep 1 most likely i will watch it non-stop.There are dramas which need extra patience and Adamas is one of them.I do not find this bad as long as there are interesting characters and a story which makes sense.It is not sloppy.It is not bad written and executed.Is an intriguing drama.
The main leads are not the super heroes who can solve everything in 5 minutes,take out all the bad guys and live happily ever after!Whats the point if everything was served to us fast and easy?Yes i know iam the Devil's Advocate here.But someone should be, because is a pity good Dramas like this fall in a fire pit. Ji Sung once again shines,in this double role.Prosecutor and writer has 2 totally different personalities.Never once you are confused about who is who.The annount of effort and dedication he puts here is amazing. So please, saying his acting was lame, is unrealistic.Fan of him or not it doesn't matter.He can act, he has tons of talent and noone can doubt it.
Twists and turns here and there,strategically planted.Not too many but trust me they come with a Big Bang! It is not an "awe" situation every 10 minutes.As i said the key here is patience.This is one of those Series the villain is so damn genius,a true mastermind,you think he deserves to win over the good guys!
The story is set like a chess game.Every player,pawn and every move is brilliant.Traps and catches.Betrayals.Noone can trust anyone.Every alliance is too fragile,easily can shift at any time.So if someone thinks this is boring...i rest my case!
Debates,arguments and fights i bet will occur within us,the viewers,after today's last episode.Iam not spoiling anything.I just convey my opinion.Yes it wasn't exactly what expected BUT I LOVED IT!Not the typical ending.not the "orthodox" one.You can call it a tiny plot twist.And i don't mind at all i didn't get the expected ending.The writer(not the twin!)fooled us here.Nicely done!No complains.
I believe every review is helpful.Take the best out of each one.Judge by yourself.Give it a try,watch 1 or 2 episodes(remember,Patience!) and why not?Take a leap of faith.You won't regret it!
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This review may contain spoilers
Unfinished and Unsatisfying
While watching this drama, I LOVED it. I had recently finished Devil Judge with Ji Sung and wanted to watch something else with him in it and this seemed like the perfect drama for me. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and it was super fun to watch.Then, as we neared the end, I started to wonder how they could wrap this show up. So many loose ends, so much unsolved still. I was excited to see how they would pull it off!! And then they didn't pull it off at all. It felt like when an American show thinks it'll be renewed for another season but it gets canceled and doesn't have an actual ending to it. If it had a proper ending, it would've been a FANTASTIC drama.
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The show that keeps you guessing till the very end
This show is more of a mystery than a thriller. The plot moves like chess - where each character, yes even the side characters, has their own place on the board, and their motivations and arcs are interconnected.As someone who will drop shows if I lose my patience watching, I didn't feel that at any point of this show I had to bear the plot to see what comes next. I was really worried when there were too many branches in the story there would be plot points being left behind, but the writer did a great job in balancing character arcs and motivations, while upping the stakes as the story progresses as more parties come into play.
Without going too much into it, there’s a point to having identical twins, I’m not too sure why there are reviews saying there’s not. It might not be the conventional way of using twins to tell a story, the way this show uses it is more on the subtext.
Ji Sung gave a splendid performance, as usual, each twin has their own nuances that are not too obvious nor too hidden. The weak links I’d say is Lee Soo Kyung, whose acting is just a tad boring, and Hwang Jung Min, who I find to be overacting most of the time. The rest of the cast gave a stellar performance, even the supporting roles.
The story will bring you to places, and you’ll have to allow it. The ending did fell flat for me, it’s obvious they are setting up for a sequel. I didn’t expect a happy ending where the bad guys are all defeated and the good guys win, but I’d hope the writer gave us a more concrete resolution. I have to remove half a star for the ending.
However, I did not regret going through the show as I love a logical story that I don’t have to constantly suspend my disbelief to make it make sense. The writer's vision is Clear, even though they got a bit ambitious at the ending. If you like realistic stories with depth, or if you are someone who likes to guess the plot or come up with your own theories while watching shows (and not be mad when it didn't turn out the way you expected), you’ll get a kick out of watching the show.
PS: I do think this show is probably more suitable as a binge-watch, which is what I did right after it finished airing. Some parts of the plot can be a bit slow (that’s what the fast forward button is for) and they don’t really leave a high point/hook at the end of each episode like usual shows do, which I personally think is the reason why this show didn’t have a great reception during its airing.
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Don't be fooled
I was barely two episodes in when i saw the reviews on this page, the low score actually had me intrigued since i know Ji Sung's dramas are usually the best and everyone was criticizing this one, so i kept watching till the end.The plot kept the flow at the right pace, while it might seen like an endless loop to keep Wooshin from finding the Adamas, it made me focus more on Suhyun's POV.
I was doubting if the drama was actually bad, but boy are the reviews wrong. I admit this is not an easy watch, but this storyline is for the ones who pay attention to every little detail, the ones who like to theorize everything, but perhaps i just insert myself in the plot way too deep that i keep guessing stuff before they actually happen.
That ending does scream season 2 though; can't believe it took me almost 3 years after it's airing to start watching this drama, now at this point I'm not so sure this can get another season, but my hope prevails.
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Adamas tells the story of twin brothers (Ji Sung) fighting against evil to unveil the truth behind a murder that happened 22 years ago in order to clear their biological father's charges, who was accused of killing their stepfather after hearing the death penalty date that has been scheduled for their biological father
I really appreciated the word as ot good to watch
Eagerly waiting for season 2
Adamas tells the story of twin brothers (Ji Sung) fighting against evil to unveil the truth behind a murder that happened 22 years ago in order to clear their biological father's charges, who was accused of killing their stepfather after hearing the death penalty date that has been scheduled for their biological father
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This review may contain spoilers
"Adamas" is a mystery drama about a murder that was covered up by money and power.Twin brothers Soo Hyun and Woo Shin lost their father when they were children and it left an irreversible mark on them. Woo Shin became a writer and Soo Hyun a prosecutor. One day, Woo Shin receives an invitation to be the ghostwriter for the owner of the Haesong conglomerate. Woo Shin then enters this strange house, but he has a hidden plan when he makes this choice. He wants to find his father's real killer and he knows that Adamas, the symbol of the Haesong group, was the murder weapon. He enters the house with the purpose of discovering the truth.
The entire family is corrupt, even the employees in the house do not care about committing crimes, using the excuse that they are just doing their jobs. Woo Shin discovers that the head of security is an undercover agent who is looking for evidence that can reveal Kwon Jae Kyu's crimes, so the two begin to work together. Outside the house, Soo Hyun joins journalist Seo Hee, looking for clues that could reveal the truth, since Seo Hee was a witness to their father's murder.
After all, everything about Woo Shin's arrival at the house was a plan made by Kwon Jae Kyu, to use him and find the whereabouts of the real Adamas, since the object he had was a fake and the real one was in the possession of Lee Chang Woo, Woo Shin and Soo Hyun's biological father. I have to say that Lee Chang Woo wasn't even close to being a good father, how did he hide the Adamas inside the toy he gave to Soo Hyun? It's okay that he never told the truth, but leaving that object with his children wasn't a gift, it was giving them a target.
The development of the drama is good, the story holds your attention and you end up creating an interest in seeing the truth being revealed, in finding out who killed Min Joo, if the maid's son was really killed to get the heart for the chairman, who killed Soo Hyun and Woo Shin's father... and we receive answers to basically all these questions and even a well-deserved revenge on the part of the maid, who killed the chairman to avenge the death of her son, I just think that the issue of the death of the twins' father ended up taking a back seat, they should have given it a focus, but overall it's a good drama.
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Regardless of its' flaws, Adamas is cool, stylish, and it was fun to watch the twins!
The story of twin brothers (Ji Sung) tracking down the truth behind a murder 22 years ago. Prosecutor Song Soo Hyun searches for the real culprit to clear his father's name for killing his stepfather, and his younger brother, a writer Ha Woo Shin, searches for the evidence of the murder, Adamas.Adamas has all the elements that makes it an intriguing mystery thriller; greed, lies, conspiracy, shady characters, etc. Though I was not sold with the lack of urgency in the premise, of why now after 22 years they need to investigate this case, I was curious to find out what’s behind the mysterious mansion people and about Adamas.
I had a great time watching the high-class cinematography, editing and Ji Sung. As always, he’s a captivating performer. Playing the twins, an angry-bird-but-soft-at-heart prosecutor Song Soo Hyun and a calm & collected novelist, Ha Woo Sin, who gains entry to the museum-like mansion of a CEO to write his biography, while carrying his own personal agenda; looking for the diamond-crafted weapon Adamas. Both of them have their own quirks and were really fun to watch! :)
The story unfolds slowly, but the twists maintain a good momentum. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t satisfactory that the later part focuses too much on the villains. The ending could’ve been more conclusive as well. Regardless, Adamas is cool, stylish, plenty of ulterior motives and power play.
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Patience
First of all this drama is slow- paced but after ep 3/4 u will be hooked, I assure you. Ji Sung‘s acting is too good to sleep on it and the music is put up perfect. Just give it a try and watch how Ji Sung acts as twins who are completely different from each other. I also have to mention how loveable the younger brother is. You will know early on who the enemy is but what’s more interesting is how u pray each and every second for the ML to not die. They are walking on a rope, so with just a finger snap someone could fall down.Just emm… give it a chance and u won’t be disappointed. If it does disappoint u( which won’t happen), I will give u 5$ lol.
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An okay watch
Its definitely a rideFor me its thrilling and right up my alley.
Acting is flawless no loop holes to be seen.
Main character is insanely talented at playing different personalities and the supporting cast is doing perfect.
I have watched the villain i presume( the old guy) so far in like other two ongoing dramas playing a main role.
So I have a hard time distinguishing his roles cause all of them are antagonist.
The cons are:
it drags midway..but thats okay cause the pace is a bit slow...you can be on your phone and still watch it and pick up whats ongoing.
Loses abit of steam...but probably because am watching while its ongoing so its probably a smoother ride for those who shall binge after completion.
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The most Boring first four episodes ever
I watched the first four episodes after each one aired ,, I had very high hopes and I was really disappointedthis drama only has Ji sung ,, the only good thing for it ,,, nothing good in it but him
the story is so slow and boring ,, what is the use of The Twin just to separate them from first episode ,,,? to investigate separately without any contact to each other or even a story to combine them as brothers
at least to build for us viewers some emotional connection to them but no
it's like two very separate stories happening at the same time and both stories are really not original nor new
same old criminal case of wronged father that's it
I dropped it because
1- No brotherhood scenes
2- No thrilling elements at all
3-No Angsty scenes
4- many villains for both brothers
5- No good female lead to add anything interesting to the whole thing
5-so many irritating people got on my nerves
6- Dark scheme or Dark palate colors for the drama that is hard to watch sometimes
7-No actual killing or horrifying scenes or anticipation at all
overall it was very exhausting experience watching something that boring in this heat of a summer
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ADAaaam....
Although the twin had different styles with different clothing to make them distinguishable enough but I found it a little tiring to keep making a conscious effort to differentiate between the two. Maybe throwing on some glasses would help or I'm just too lazy. The first episode felt too tame and didn't show enough gripping elements. That scene in the forest at the beginning of episode 2 really sat the overall tone of the drama moving forward. At that point, it was obvious it's going to be the type of show that would waste time on nonsense, fail to deliver the information and dance around aimlessly. I though I would give them the benefit of the doubt; they might deliver on that with clever plays but they never did. Not even the twins element was utilized enough. After about 4 episodes, the drama lost most, if not all, of its engaging elements. The mystery turned into a snoozefest. This was beyond what's considered a slow burner. It took 11 long episodes for something noteworthy to happen. The ending was underwhelming after all that wait and they had the audacity to set up some teasers for possible continuation.Was this review helpful to you?
