'Why did you tell me to buy at the peak?' SK hynix investors reel as shares slide toward W1m

Broadcaster Hong Jin-kyung expresses frustration over falling Samsung Electronics and SK hynix share prices. [YouTube channel 'Gongbuwang Jjincheontjae Hong Jin-kyung']

"It keeps falling. Why did you tell me to buy when it was expensive?" — Hong Jin-kyung

"If I sell now, I'm dead." — Mija

Shares of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have continued to lose ground despite hopes for a rebound, leaving retail investors in anguish. SK hynix has taken the harder hit: once touted as a 4 million won ($2,820) stock, it has tumbled into the 1.4 million won range, and fear is spreading that even the 1 million won level could give way.

Anger is also mounting toward the analysts and commentators who had urged investors to buy. Shareholders have been venting online, with comments such as "You were screaming at us to buy" and "You said SK hynix would never break below 2 million won."

Broadcaster Hong Jin-kyung, who bought shares of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix on the advice of others, has publicly expressed her dismay as both stocks tumbled.

"My teacher — an economics content creator — told me to buy, so I started buying then, and it just keeps falling," Hong said. "Why did you tell me to buy when it was so expensive?"

SK hynix closed Friday down 4.88 percent from the previous session at 1.42 million won, while Samsung Electronics edged up 0.22 percent to close at 231,000 won. SK hynix, which once touched 3 million won, has continued to slide even after being cut in half. Samsung Electronics, which had climbed as high as 380,000 won, has also fallen sharply.

Broadcaster Mija said on her YouTube channel "Mijane Jumak" that stocks have become a forbidden topic in her household. "If I sell now, I'm dead," she said, conveying the helplessness of being unable to exit a position as losses mount.

Mija is reported to have bought SK hynix shares at around 2.7 million won.

Despite the sell-off, many analysts maintain that the semiconductor sector's growth fundamentals remain intact, attributing the share price declines to supply-demand dynamics and investor sentiment rather than underlying business deterioration.

As semiconductor shares have fallen sharply, attention has increasingly turned to shareholder return programs, with growing expectations that such measures could serve as a catalyst for a rebound.

Both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have said they intend to expand shareholder returns, though neither has disclosed specific plans.

SK hynix is reviewing plans to expand shareholder returns to a meaningful level. At its second-quarter earnings call on July 30, Samsung Electronics said its board and management are "actively discussing specific measures for shareholder return policy this year, including a special dividend, as well as the next shareholder return policy."

Both companies posted record operating profits in the second quarter, driven by surging AI demand. Samsung Electronics logged operating profit of approximately 146 trillion won for the first half of this year, while SK hynix recorded approximately 98 trillion won.

On the back of those record results, securities firms had set price targets of 500,000 won for Samsung Electronics and 4 million won for SK hynix.

park@heraldcorp.com