The Negotiation
An ace crisis negotiator faces off against a cold-blooded hostage taker. Over the course of 21 hours, she attempts to crack his unusually calm demeanor and force him to reveal his motivations.
The film earned $15.2M at the global box office.
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%)
The Negotiation (2018) reveals strategically placed dramatic framework, characteristic of Lee Jong-suk's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 14-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 54 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Ha Chae-yoon is introduced as a skilled crisis negotiator working for the Seoul Metropolitan Police, shown confidently managing a tense hostage situation, establishing her expertise and composed demeanor in high-pressure scenarios.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Chae-yoon receives a call from Min Tae-gu, a kidnapper holding hostages in Thailand who specifically requests her as his negotiator, pulling her into an international crisis that becomes deeply personal.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Chae-yoon commits to negotiating with Tae-gu despite the unusual circumstances, accepting the challenge and entering a psychological chess match that will push her methods and ethics to their limits., moving from reaction to action.
At 57 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat False defeat: Tae-gu reveals he has deeper connections to corruption within the Korean police force and murders one of the hostages despite Chae-yoon's efforts, proving he's not simply a kidnapper but part of something larger—the stakes escalate dramatically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 86 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, All is lost: Tae-gu executes the final hostage and reveals the full extent of the conspiracy, including that people Chae-yoon trusted are complicit. Her faith in the system and her ability to save lives through negotiation appears completely shattered., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 92 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. The finale: Chae-yoon tracks down Tae-gu, confronts the corrupt officials, and engages in a final psychological showdown where she turns his own manipulations against him, exposing the full conspiracy while maintaining her core principle of understanding human motivation., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Negotiation's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 14 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Negotiation against these established plot points, we can identify how Lee Jong-suk utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Negotiation within the action genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Ha Chae-yoon is introduced as a skilled crisis negotiator working for the Seoul Metropolitan Police, shown confidently managing a tense hostage situation, establishing her expertise and composed demeanor in high-pressure scenarios.
Theme
A colleague warns Chae-yoon that "sometimes the person across from you knows more than you think," foreshadowing the film's exploration of manipulation, truth, and the psychological battle between negotiator and criminal.
Worldbuilding
Establishes Chae-yoon's world: her professional reputation, her relationship with her team, the protocol of crisis negotiation, and hints at her personal dedication to saving lives. We see her methods and the trust placed in her abilities.
Disruption
Chae-yoon receives a call from Min Tae-gu, a kidnapper holding hostages in Thailand who specifically requests her as his negotiator, pulling her into an international crisis that becomes deeply personal.
Resistance
Chae-yoon debates taking the case, learns about the victims (including Korean police officer hostages), coordinates with Thai authorities, and prepares for what seems like a standard negotiation, though Tae-gu's specific interest in her raises questions.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Chae-yoon commits to negotiating with Tae-gu despite the unusual circumstances, accepting the challenge and entering a psychological chess match that will push her methods and ethics to their limits.
Mirror World
The relationship between Chae-yoon and Tae-gu is established as a dark mirror—both are intelligent strategists, but where she uses psychology to save lives, he uses it to manipulate and destroy, reflecting the theme of how knowledge and power can be weaponized.
Premise
The "fun and games" of negotiation thriller: Chae-yoon and Tae-gu engage in psychological warfare through phone calls, with Tae-gu revealing information piece by piece, testing her, making demands, and demonstrating he knows far more about her and the situation than seems possible.
Midpoint
False defeat: Tae-gu reveals he has deeper connections to corruption within the Korean police force and murders one of the hostages despite Chae-yoon's efforts, proving he's not simply a kidnapper but part of something larger—the stakes escalate dramatically.
Opposition
Pressure intensifies as Tae-gu exposes police corruption, revealing connections between the hostages and illegal arms dealing. Chae-yoon faces opposition from her own superiors who may be compromised, while Tae-gu continues to control the narrative and eliminate hostages.
Collapse
All is lost: Tae-gu executes the final hostage and reveals the full extent of the conspiracy, including that people Chae-yoon trusted are complicit. Her faith in the system and her ability to save lives through negotiation appears completely shattered.
Crisis
Chae-yoon processes the betrayal and loss, questioning her methods and whether her dedication to protocol blinded her to the deeper corruption. She must decide whether to continue playing by the rules when the system itself is compromised.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The finale: Chae-yoon tracks down Tae-gu, confronts the corrupt officials, and engages in a final psychological showdown where she turns his own manipulations against him, exposing the full conspiracy while maintaining her core principle of understanding human motivation.
Transformation
Chae-yoon, having exposed the corruption and stopped Tae-gu, sits alone reflecting on the case. She remains a negotiator but is now harder, wiser, understanding that saving lives sometimes requires acknowledging the darkness in systems and people she once trusted.