He finds brief financial success but suffers bankruptcy from the Asian Financial Crisis or the IMF Crisis in the year 1997 (Kim, 2004). In Peppermint Candy (1999), when Kim is on the hospital’s staircase after visiting Sun-im, he limps down the stairs after receiving a camera from Sun-im’s husband. In the next scene, Kim brings the camera to a pawnshop in exchange for money. These scenes show how financially crippled Kim has become as he descends the social ladder to a lowered position. In addition to the financial crisis many civilians were facing, the protagonist’s limp reminds viewers of the sufferings and traumas that have accumulated in the past. Both Yeong-ho’s scar and Kim Yong-ho’s limp has put them through nostalgia of their traumatic war experiences and the economic crisis’ in South …show more content…
Echoing what happened between his younger sister, Myung-sook and his friend, Gyeong-shik, Yeong-ho refuses to commit to Miri unless he can find a job so she lines up an acting job for him (Paquet, 2004). The disabled war veterans during the postwar period felt emasculated, as they were unable to find employment due to their disabilities. Women, on the other hand, were able to find employment and their gender roles became more masculinized. For instance, Miri has found economic success as an actress and is able to line an acting job for Yeong-ho. Myeong-Sook, Yeong-ho’s sister is also able to find employment as a “Western Princess” or “comfort woman” for the American troops. Although her job is not ideal, the film does not condemn her but instead, presents her as the breadwinner of the family. When Geyong-Shik says, “We were brave men then”, this outcry resonates in all men as they have become emasculated figures in the postwar era (Paquet, 2004). In an attempt to regain his masculinity, Yeong-ho robs a bank and has a police chase throughout town. In this chase scene, Yeong-ho climbs the ladder in hopes of escaping but fails as it leads to nowhere. The use of the ladder metaphorically symbolizes the social ladder Yeong-ho has always wanted to climb. When it leads to nothing, Yeong-ho finally realizes that he will never achieve his goals and dreams. This scene