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Korean Stock Market Where Only Foreigners Make Money... Samsung Electronics' Plunge Sends a Warning: 'At This Rate, It Will Become an ATM' | CEO Kang Gwan-woo

Korean Stock Market Where Only Foreigners Make Money... Samsung Electronics' Plunge Sends a Warning: "At This Rate, It Will Become an ATM" | CEO Kang Gwan-woo
Watch on YouTube ↗  |  July 08, 2026 at 07:00  |  25:26  |  815 Money Talk (815머니톡)
Speakers
Kang Gwan-woo — CEO

Summary

CEO Kang Gwan-woo explains that recent Korean market volatility is driven by single-stock leveraged ETFs causing negative compounding and by heavy foreign selling that may continue for months. He advises a long-term mindset, highlighting KOSPI's high ROE and recommending accumulation on dips. For Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, he argues the memory cycle is intact, Q3 price negotiations will be a near-term catalyst, and the stocks will become attractive value plays with ~5% shareholder yields by 2028.

  • Volatility is fueled by single-stock leveraged ETFs that produce severe negative compounding and distort market dynamics.
  • Foreign ownership of KOSPI is elevated; an additional 120-240 trillion won of selling is likely, pressuring the market through Q3 and possibly Q4.
  • Despite near-term headwinds, the Korean market's globally competitive ROE makes long-term accumulation via dollar-cost averaging attractive.
  • The memory chip cycle is not broken; Samsung and SK hynix should see earnings growth through 2027 and then transition into high-dividend value stocks with shareholder yields around 5%.
  • The Q3 memory contract price increase is a decisive catalyst; a 30% rise would be a huge positive, while a 10% rise would likely trigger a sell-off.
  • Samsung's foundry is showing early signs of a turnaround, adding optionality, though non-memory segments remain too small to drive major re-rating.
  • Michael Burry's short on Korean memory stocks is seen as misplaced given cheap PBR multiples and extraordinary ROE levels.
Ideas
AVOID Korean single-stock leveraged ETFs
Single-stock leveraged and inverse ETFs on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix suffer from severe negative compounding due to high daily volatility. The leveraged ETF fell 8% while the underlying fell only 1%, and the inverse 2X ETF fell 30% despite the underlying decline. These products erode investor accounts, amplify market beta, and worsen foreign selling by increasing Korea's perceived risk, contributing to a structural valuation discount. They are a net negative for the market and should be avoided.
Cautious near-term Korean stocks on outflows
Foreign ownership of KOSPI is still at 40.2%, well above historical peaks of 38% and the 30-31% range seen in previous lows. To normalize, foreign investors likely need to reduce their stake by another 2-4 percentage points, translating to additional selling of 120-240 trillion won. This selling pressure is expected to last through Q3 2026 and potentially into Q4, warranting a cautious near-term stance on Korean equities.
Buy Samsung and SK hynix long-term
The memory semiconductor cycle is not broken; supply remains constrained and price increases are expected to continue, with Q3 2026 likely seeing another hike. Earnings growth driven by AI demand will persist through 2027 before plateauing in 2028, at which point Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will generate massive free cash flow. This will enable shareholder yields of around 5% (dividends and buybacks), making them attractive value plays relative to bank deposit rates. Current PBR multiples of 2-3x are not expensive given ROEs of 50-60%, and Samsung's foundry business is turning around, offering additional upside. Michael Burry's short thesis on these names is seen as incorrect.
Up Next

This 815 Money Talk (815머니톡) video, published July 08, 2026, features Kang Gwan-woo discussing KODEX Samsung Electronics Leverage ETF, KODEX Samsung Electronics Inverse 2X ETF, KODEX SK hynix Leverage ETF, EWY, 000660.KS, 005930.KS. 3 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Kang Gwan-woo  · Tickers: KODEX Samsung Electronics Leverage ETF, KODEX Samsung Electronics Inverse 2X ETF, KODEX SK hynix Leverage ETF, EWY, 000660.KS, 005930.KS