21.35: The Four Acts of Kishōtenketsu
· 22 min · S21 E35
Episode 21.35: The Four Acts of Kishōtenketsu
This week, our hosts explore kishōtenketsu, an Asian story structure that appears under different names in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Unlike the Western three-act structure, it isn’t built around conflict. Instead, it moves through four stages: introduction, development, twist, and conclusion. We dig into how stories like Parasite and The Tatami Galaxy create tension through discovery, contrast, and changing perspective, rather than direct confrontation. And don’t worry, we find time to get delightfully nerdy about poetry, RPGs, Star Wars, and why a “twist” can be less about surprise and more about seeing the story in a new way.
Homework:
Take something you’ve already written and map it onto a kishōtenketsu structure. See what opportunities emerge when you group the story into introduction, development, twist, and conclusion.
Liner Notes
Video explaining the argument that Super Mario follows Kishōtenketsu
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
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Transcript
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