The Tiger

The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The majestic Mountain Lord tiger roams the snow-covered peaks of Mount Jirisan. Chun Man-duk, once the greatest hunter in Joseon, now lives a quiet life with his young son Seok, having abandoned hunting after his wife's tragic death.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.

The inciting incident occurs at 17 minutes when Japanese Commander Maezono demands that the legendary hunter Man-duk lead an expedition to kill the Mountain Lord. When Man-duk refuses, the Japanese threaten his village and his son. The peaceful life Man-duk built is shattered by colonial violence.. 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 35 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Man-duk takes up his rifle and joins the hunting expedition to protect his son. He crosses back into the world he abandoned—the frozen mountain wilderness—accepting that he must become the hunter once more. This is an active choice driven by paternal love., moving from reaction to action.

At 70 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat The hunting party finally corners the Mountain Lord, but the confrontation turns catastrophic. The tiger unleashes devastating attacks, killing several hunters. Man-duk wounds the tiger but it escapes. The false victory of trapping the beast becomes a false defeat as casualties mount and the Japanese commander's obsession grows more dangerous. The stakes escalate from a hunt to a war., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.

The Collapse moment at 104 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Seok is gravely wounded protecting his father from the tiger's attack. Man-duk holds his dying son in the snow, the last of his family slipping away. Everything Man-duk tried to protect is lost. The "whiff of death" is literal—his bloodline ends, his purpose for living destroyed. He is left alone with only vengeance and grief., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.

The Second Threshold at 111 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Man-duk realizes that the Mountain Lord is not his enemy—they are kindred spirits, both relics of a dying world, both fighting against extinction. He chooses to return to the mountain one final time, not to hunt the tiger for the Japanese, but to face his destiny on his own terms. His purpose transforms from vengeance to spiritual completion., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.