Ideas
KOSDAQ policy push targets 3,000 rally.
The KOSPI has reached 5,000, so policy attention is shifting to boosting the KOSDAQ toward 3,000. The KOSDAQ underperformed the KOSPI last year, and government and legislative support plus digital-asset-related promotion can drive rotation into KOSDAQ. Next week the KOSDAQ can comfortably exceed 1,000 and may rise about 5%, roughly 150 points, from there.
Robot theme pauses; Hyundai overheat correction.
Hyundai Motor's Atlas upgrade drove a massive short-term rally in robot and humanoid stocks, but the move became technically overheated. Hyundai's union threatened to block Atlas unless it gets an agreement, and humanoid mass production is still several years away, so the robot theme is in a correction or pause until around February. Do not abandon it, because March labor-law issues and future Atlas versus Optimus competition can revive the theme; watch support levels.
NAVER crypto merger and GPU laggard catch-up.
NAVER rose sharply after its subsidiary merger with a virtual asset exchange caused it to be classified as a crypto-related stock. It is also the only one among Nvidia GPU recipients, including Samsung, SK, and Hyundai, that has not rallied, so the crypto and regulatory catalyst could drive a catch-up move; it may be the crypto theme's leader.
SpaceX IPO, lunar mission boost space stocks.
SpaceX's IPO process is progressing with major banks, and a lunar mission is scheduled around February 2-6, adding a rare catalyst. Space and aerospace stocks with confirmed SpaceX supply-chain exposure saw strength, and rotation within the space theme is ongoing.
Brokerages benefit from higher volume and policy.
Securities stocks are emerging as a new leader: trading volume is structurally much larger than in the past, 12-hour trading starts in June, and government corporate-governance and share buyback or cancellation policies are supportive. Brokerages with large buybacks such as Mirae Asset Securities, Bookook Securities, and Shinyoung Securities surged, and the sector benefits from margin and credit balances even without commissions.
KOSDAQ IPO push benefits venture capital.
To raise KOSDAQ, the exchange plans to delist weak companies quickly and bring large IPOs, such as FuriosaAI possibly listing on KOSDAQ instead of Nasdaq. Venture capital and IPO-stage investors should benefit from a KOSDAQ IPO boom.
KOSDAQ biotech revival needed for 3,000.
For KOSDAQ to reach 3,000, biotech must revive because it is a large KOSDAQ sector. After the Alteogen-related co-decline, the sector broke the pressure and many bio stocks rose more than 10%; although the JP Morgan effect was absent, sentiment is improving.
AI power demand keeps nuclear theme alive.
AI expansion's biggest bottleneck is electricity, as Musk noted; nuclear power therefore remains a live theme. Hyundai E&C and Daewoo E&C rose on nuclear issues, and Doosan Enerbility, a representative nuclear stock, hit a new high.
Steel and petrochemical survivors rally from bottom.
Steel and petrochemicals were among the worst-performing sectors all last year, but as restructuring ends, survivors are rallying from the bottom. POSCO Holdings and Hyundai Steel rose, and Kumho Petrochemical has been making 52-week highs.
Ukraine talks decide reconstruction versus defense.
U.S.-Russia-Ukraine trilateral talks over the weekend could determine early next week's leadership: progress toward a deal would favor Ukraine reconstruction stocks, while military escalation would favor defense stocks. This is an event-driven setup to monitor.
SK hynix cheaper if earnings match Samsung.
SK hynix and Samsung Electronics report on the same day, and the market expects SK hynix's operating profit to be slightly above Samsung's. If both report similar 44-45 trillion won operating profits, SK hynix looks much cheaper because its market cap is around 500-600 trillion won versus Samsung's roughly 1,000 trillion won.
Digital-asset law makes crypto stocks core.
The ruling party's Digital Asset Basic Act is expected to be finalized next week, with a strong drive on STO and stablecoin. Today's move in crypto, payment, and local-currency-related stocks is a precursor; the virtual-asset sector is likely to be the core theme next week.
KOSPI ranges near 5,000 before policy-led upside.
KOSPI has hit 5,000 but the leading stocks are technically overextended, so next week may be a range-bound period around 5,000 plus or minus 100. A move toward 5,500-6,000 requires stronger shareholder-return and corporate-governance legislation, tax support, and confirmation from Q1 earnings; Samsung's potential 170 trillion won operating profit supports valuation upside.
Samsung earnings and cheap valuation leave upside.
One brokerage expects Samsung Electronics to report 170 trillion won in operating profit this year. If that is realized, even after the rally and including preferred shares, Samsung's valuation is cheap relative to many stocks, leaving room for further upside; its earnings release on the 29th is a catalyst.
FSD safety and approvals lift autonomous driving.
Tesla FSD-equipped cars receive half-priced insurance, suggesting the technology is safer and could reduce public anxiety about autonomous driving. Hyundai's new AVP head from Tesla and Nvidia has declared it will compete with Tesla, and Tesla may receive European approval next month, creating catalysts for the autonomous-driving sector.
Crypto theme pulls quantum-related stocks higher.
When the virtual-asset and coin theme strengthens, quantum computer and quantum cryptography stocks tend to move in tandem. With the digital-asset law catalyst next week, these related stocks merit attention.
This 815 Money Talk (815머니톡) video, published January 23, 2026,
features Kim Dong-yeop
discussing KOSDAQ, Korean robot/humanoid stocks, 005380.KS, 035420.KS, Korean space/aerospace stocks, Korean securities/brokerage stocks, 006800.KS, 001270.KS, 001720.KS, Korean venture capital/IPO beneficiary stocks, KOSDAQ biotech stocks, URA, 034020.KS, 000720.KS, 047040.KS, Korean steel and petrochemical sector, 005490.KS, 004020.KS, 011780.KS, Ukraine reconstruction stocks, ITA, 000660.KS, Korean digital-asset/crypto/STO/stablecoin-related stocks, EWY, 005930.KS, DRIV, Korean quantum computing/quantum cryptography stocks.
16 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers:
Kim Dong-yeop
· Tickers:
KOSDAQ,
Korean robot/humanoid stocks,
005380.KS,
035420.KS,
Korean space/aerospace stocks,
Korean securities/brokerage stocks,
006800.KS,
001270.KS,
001720.KS,
Korean venture capital/IPO beneficiary stocks,
KOSDAQ biotech stocks,
URA,
034020.KS,
000720.KS,
047040.KS,
Korean steel and petrochemical sector,
005490.KS,
004020.KS,
011780.KS,
Ukraine reconstruction stocks,
ITA,
000660.KS,
Korean digital-asset/crypto/STO/stablecoin-related stocks,
EWY,
005930.KS,
DRIV,
Korean quantum computing/quantum cryptography stocks
