Business · Markets · 57 mins ago
South Korean worker says semiconductor investment cut savings to a quarter
A South Korean worker in his late 30s says he lost most of his savings after investing in semiconductor shares.
He wrote anonymously in an online community that he had spent about 10 years saving 400 million won.
In May, he put that money into semiconductor investments, including SK Hynix and a product designed to magnify share-price moves twofold.
He increased his investment in late June, expecting prices to keep rising, but shares fell for several days and his losses exceeded 40%.
He said he held on because he hoped a rebound would help him recover, but his savings eventually fell to about one-quarter of their former value.
The account shows how borrowing-like leverage can magnify losses as well as gains, especially when prices move sharply.
People responding to his post urged him to protect what remained rather than invest more to chase losses; no further action was described.
A South Korean office worker says his net worth fell from about 400 million won to about 100 million won after he concentrated his savings in semiconductor shares and leveraged products.
The man, who described himself as being in his late 30s, said he had saved the money over about 10 years of work.
He put most of his money into SK Hynix shares and a product designed to move at twice the rate of the stock.
After share prices fell, he said he did not sell because he hoped a rebound would make up his losses.
He said the losses had caused severe distress and that he had begun taking medication for depression and anxiety.
- Who
- A man in his late 30s who said he was an office worker. Hankyung described him as unmarried.
- What
- He said his net worth fell from about 400 million won to about 100 million won after investing heavily in SK Hynix shares and a two-times leveraged product.
- When
- He increased his investment in May and put a large sum into the leveraged product in the last week of June. He posted about his losses on November 11.
- Where
- In an online anonymous workplace community. The sources do not give a more specific location.
- Why
- He said expectations for semiconductor stocks to rise, along with fear of missing out on gains, led him to invest heavily. He hoped the shares would rebound after they fell.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The man said he built up about 400 million won in net worth through his work and savings.
More than 300 million won in deposits matured, and he said he put the money, along with his existing stock funds, into semiconductor investments.
He said he put a large sum into a two-times leveraged product; share prices later fell and his losses grew.
He said he visited a mental-health clinic and began taking medication for depression and anxiety.
He posted about his losses in an anonymous workplace community.
- Reported net worth before losses
- About 400 million won
- Reported net worth after losses
- About 100 million won
- Main investments
- SK Hynix shares and a two-times leveraged product
- Initial investment increase
- May
- Leveraged investment
- Large sum put in during the last week of June
- Online post
- November 11
What people are saying
Even after just three days of declines, my loss rate exceeded 40%, and I couldn’t cut my losses because I thought a small rebound would make them back.
I got so much FOMO during the May–June market, when Hynix was making money, rather than analyzing several stocks and investing in individual shares.
I started taking medication for depression and anxiety, but although the feeling of despair has gone, my vitality and energy seem to have fallen close to zero.
For the first time in my life, I thought I wanted to die.