Peppermint Candy
A shattered man's final suicide attempt becomes a reverse journey through the personal compromises and national violence that destroyed his life.
Overview
A man's tragic journey through life unfolds in reverse, revealing the moments that led him to despair.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- melancholic
- harrowing
- devastating
- serious film night
- arthouse cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a formally inventive and deeply affecting classic of modern South Korean cinema, with its reverse chronology intensifying the tragedy of its protagonist's life.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film begins with Yeong-ho's suicide attempt and follows a train backward through six chapters of his life.
Yeong-ho's deterioration is presented against martial law, the Gwangju uprising, student protest, and democratization.
The reverse structure traces how Yeong-ho's past experiences and actions contribute to his depressed, aggressive middle age.
The departing train provides the central visual and structural mechanism for moving backward through Yeong-ho's life.
Films like Peppermint Candy, and why
Memento
reverse chronology, psychological devastation, and a protagonist confronting the consequences of his past
The Sweet Hereafter
nonlinear life reconstruction, melancholic emotional force, and intimate historical trauma
A Brighter Summer Day
political violence, fractured memory, and morally complex character study in modern East Asian cinema
Irréversible
backward-moving narrative, regret, and devastating examination of a life shaped by social violence
Movie Details
- Director
- Lee Chang-dong
- Release Date
- 2000-01-01
- Runtime
- 131 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (314)
Cast
- Sul Kyung-gu
- Moon So-ri
- Kim Yeo-jin
- Suh Jung
- Go Seo-hee
- Kim In-kwon
- Lee Dae-yeon
- Gong Hyung-jin
- Kim Kyung-ik
- Park Se-bum
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Metrograph, Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Peppermint Candy about?
- A shattered man's final suicide attempt becomes a reverse journey through the personal compromises and national violence that destroyed his life.
- What is Peppermint Candy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Peppermint Candy as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Peppermint Candy violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Peppermint Candy as brutal.
- What did critics think of Peppermint Candy?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a formally inventive and deeply affecting classic of modern South Korean cinema, with its reverse chronology intensifying the tragedy of its protagonist's life.
- Which films are like Peppermint Candy?
- Films with a similar feel include Memento, The Sweet Hereafter, A Brighter Summer Day, and Irréversible.
- How long is Peppermint Candy?
- Peppermint Candy runs 131 minutes.
- Where can I watch Peppermint Candy?
- In United States, Peppermint Candy streams on Metrograph, Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel.
