Lee Chang-dong uses the metaphor of the peppermint candy to represent a lost purity. Throughout the film, these small candies appear during pivotal moments, serving as a bitter reminder of the life Yong-ho could have had with his first love, Sun-im. As the film progresses in reverse, we see Yong-ho transition from a cruel businessman to a corrupt police officer, and finally, to a young, idealistic student. The tragedy lies in the viewer's knowledge of his eventual downfall, making his early moments of happiness almost unbearable to witness.
But with SAOC .