Samsung Electronics shares plummeted nearly 10% as global markets reeled from news of a US invasion of Iran, with South Korea's benchmark KOSPI index suffering its worst single-day decline in recent memory.
The KOSPI closed at 5,791.91 on the previous trading day, down 7.24%, falling below the 6,000 level for the first time since the recent rally began, according to the Korea Exchange on the 4th.
The market collapsed under heavy selling pressure from foreign and institutional investors immediately after the opening bell. A "sell sidecar"—a circuit breaker that temporarily halts program sell orders when futures prices plunge—was triggered during the session, signaling extreme panic among market participants.
Geopolitical risk drove the selloff. News of the US invasion of Iran sent oil prices surging and sparked fears of supply chain disruptions across the global economy. Risk-off sentiment spread rapidly, hammering Asian markets including South Korea.
Samsung Surrenders 200,000 Won Level
Samsung Electronics closed at 195,100 won, down 21,400 won or 9.88% from the previous session. The stock had climbed to 216,500 won on the 27th of last month, seemingly cementing its status above the 200,000 won threshold on improved semiconductor conditions and KOSPI strength. Those gains evaporated within a week.
Securities analysts expect volatility to persist until war-related risks subside.
YouTuber's Ill-Timed Purchase Goes Viral
Amid the market turmoil, popular YouTuber Chimchakman (real name Lee Byung-gun) revealed he recently repurchased Samsung Electronics shares at 210,000 won—after selling at 70,000 won years earlier.
"If the stock falls, everyone falls together," he said on his YouTube channel. "If I don't buy, I'm lonely by myself. But if we all fall together, at least I'm not lonely."
Chimchakman reportedly held Samsung shares for about three years when the stock traded in a range between 40,000 and 70,000 won. When his position turned profitable last July, he quipped: "I desperately waited for the rescue team, but now that they're here, I don't want to get on"—a sentiment that resonated with long-suffering retail investors.