[Edaily Reporter KWON HYE-ME ] The BBC in the UK has spotlighted the stories of Korean retail investors who suffered losses in the KOSPI market. In particular, the report analyzed that investors who entered the market late during the sharp rally incurred greater losses.

On the 13th (local time), the BBC reported, “Stock prices can easily fluctuate based on a single major news story,” adding, “This volatility is most pronounced in South Korea’s KOSPI, which is the world’s most volatile stock index.”

The BBC then introduced the story of Mr. A, a bank employee set to marry later this year. Mr. A invested the money he had saved to help purchase a new home in domestic tech stocks, but lost approximately 20 million won when the market’s value dropped by 25% during the month of July, when the KOSPI’s sharp decline began. Mr. A said, “My friends are also struggling with investment losses, and some have even put most of their savings into stocks.”

Mr. A’s fiancée noted that while they had lost part of the money they had saved for a home, she remained hopeful that the market would recover. However, she expressed concern that having to constantly monitor their investment situation was placing a significant burden on Mr. A. He confessed, “Losing the money we saved for a home in the stock market was definitely a wake-up call.”

Another investor, Mr. B, reinvested most of the profits he made from his NVIDIA shares—which he had held to grow his business capital—into SK Hynix. However, he is currently facing a loss of approximately 14 million won.

Mr. B told the BBC, “It doesn’t always feel like stock price fluctuations are driven by rational reasons. Sometimes it still feels like gambling,” adding, “I’m worried whether I’ll have enough business capital.”

Mr. C, who invested half of the bonus he received earlier this year in SK Hynix, saw the stock price rise to four times his purchase price at one point. However, it subsequently plummeted, erasing a significant portion of those gains. His investment is currently worth about 300 million won, down to half of its peak valuation.

Mr. D, who invested 45 million won—most of his cash—in Samsung Electronics, said, “I think I’ll have to take a long-term approach now. I have no choice but to wait.”

College student E, after watching the stock market surge earlier this year, felt “FOMO (fear of missing out)” and jumped into investing in SK Hynix with friends. However, he now regrets not selling at the peak. He confessed, “None of my friends had any investment experience, and I didn’t do my homework properly before buying the stock.”

The BBC reported, “The global AI craze has caused sharp fluctuations in the stock prices of South Korea’s largest semiconductor manufacturers,” adding, “This downturn has had a significant impact on many individual investors who have invested in tech stocks over the past year.” It further noted, “The sharp volatility in the South Korean stock market is raising concerns about other markets around the world.”

Meanwhile, the KOSPI recently extended its winning streak to five days, buoyed by a rally in semiconductor stocks and net buying by foreign investors. On that day, the KOSPI closed at 6,977.94, up 164.60 points (2.42%) from the previous session. This represents a rise of nearly 25% compared to the low of 5,593.56 recorded on the 30th of last month.

In response, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that “the KOSPI has entered a new bull market.” However, some cautious voices are warning that investors should remain vigilant about shrinking memory demand and oversupply.