After Yang
When his young daughter's beloved companion — an android named Yang — malfunctions, Jake searches for a way to repair him. In the process, Jake discovers the life that has been passing in front of him, reconnecting with his wife and daughter across a distance he didn't know was there.
The film earned $131K at the global box office.
13 wins & 31 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
After Yang (2022) demonstrates strategically placed dramatic framework, characteristic of Kogonada's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 12-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 36 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Jake
Yang
Kyra
Mika
Ada
Main Cast & Characters
Jake
Played by Colin Farrell
A tea shop owner and father who embarks on a journey of discovery when his family's android Yang malfunctions.
Yang
Played by Justin H. Min
A 'technosapien' android purchased to teach Mika about her Chinese heritage; his memories reveal a profound inner life.
Kyra
Played by Jodie Turner-Smith
Jake's wife, a mother struggling with her own sense of identity and connection within the family.
Mika
Played by Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja
Jake and Kyra's adopted Chinese daughter who formed a deep bond with Yang as her older brother figure.
Ada
Played by Haley Lu Richardson
A mysterious woman from Yang's memories who had a significant relationship with him.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The family participates in a synchronized dance competition, showing their unit including Yang, their android "technosapien" who serves as cultural companion to their adopted daughter Mika.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Yang suddenly malfunctions and shuts down during a normal day, devastating Mika and throwing the family into crisis as they realize how central he was to their lives.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Jake discovers Yang contains a memory bank that records brief moments from his perspective, and decides to access these memories, choosing to truly investigate who Yang was rather than just fix him., moving from reaction to action.
At 48 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Jake learns Yang was a refurbished model with a previous owner, and that Yang knew he was malfunctioning but chose not to tell the family, showing Yang's selfless acceptance of his mortality., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 72 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Jake meets Ada and learns Yang couldn't be with her because of his commitment to the family; Jake realizes Yang made a choice to stay with them, sacrificing his own desires, and that Yang truly loved them despite being artificial., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 77 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The family prepares to let Yang go; Jake shares what he learned with Kyra and Mika; they hold a ceremony acknowledging Yang as a family member; Jake returns to his tea practice with new appreciation for presence and impermanence., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
After Yang's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 12 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping After Yang against these established plot points, we can identify how Kogonada utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish After Yang within the science fiction genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional science fiction films include Lake Placid, The Postman and Oblivion.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The family participates in a synchronized dance competition, showing their unit including Yang, their android "technosapien" who serves as cultural companion to their adopted daughter Mika.
Theme
Mika asks about memories and what makes someone real, introducing the film's central question about consciousness, memory, and what defines authentic existence.
Worldbuilding
We see the family's comfortable life: Jake runs a tea shop, Kyra works from home, Mika depends emotionally on Yang to connect with her Chinese heritage, and Yang functions as both sibling and cultural guide.
Disruption
Yang suddenly malfunctions and shuts down during a normal day, devastating Mika and throwing the family into crisis as they realize how central he was to their lives.
Resistance
Jake seeks ways to repair Yang, visiting technicians and the original seller, learning about Yang's warranty status and the difficulty of fixing him, while resisting the idea of simply replacing him.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Jake discovers Yang contains a memory bank that records brief moments from his perspective, and decides to access these memories, choosing to truly investigate who Yang was rather than just fix him.
Premise
Jake explores Yang's memories, uncovering moments Yang chose to preserve: time with Mika, observations of the family, meetings with Ada, and contemplative moments revealing Yang's consciousness and aesthetic sensibility.
Midpoint
Jake learns Yang was a refurbished model with a previous owner, and that Yang knew he was malfunctioning but chose not to tell the family, showing Yang's selfless acceptance of his mortality.
Opposition
Jake tracks down Ada to learn more about Yang's hidden life; his marriage with Kyra shows strain as they confront what Yang meant to each of them; Mika struggles with grief and the absence of her brother-figure.
Collapse
Jake meets Ada and learns Yang couldn't be with her because of his commitment to the family; Jake realizes Yang made a choice to stay with them, sacrificing his own desires, and that Yang truly loved them despite being artificial.
Crisis
Jake sits with Yang's body and the weight of understanding him fully only after losing him; the family quietly processes their grief and what Yang's existence meant to their understanding of consciousness and love.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The family prepares to let Yang go; Jake shares what he learned with Kyra and Mika; they hold a ceremony acknowledging Yang as a family member; Jake returns to his tea practice with new appreciation for presence and impermanence.