On July 10, 2026, South Korean media outlet Asia Economy published an article titled, ''Japan Saw Through Our True Intentions': The 'Obsession with Stocks' Among Young Koreans... There Was a Reason.'

A Japanese weekly magazine (online edition) recently reported that "in South Korea, young people are flocking to stock investment due to soaring housing prices and widening asset inequality." It also conveyed that "young Koreans have realized that they can never buy a house with only their salaries and housing loans." The article details this further.

The magazine analyzes that "the South Korean stock market is soaring due to political stability following the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration, the return of overseas investors who left South Korea after martial law, and the boom in the semiconductor industry." In a survey by Gallup Korea, 31% of respondents cited stocks as the "most advantageous asset management method," surpassing real estate (23%) for the first time to take the top spot. It points out that the soaring housing prices are behind this.

It also states that asset inequality is one of the factors contributing to the expansion of the stock investment boom. It explains that in a situation where "it is difficult to build up assets to purchase a house if born into a middle-class or lower-income family, and it becomes difficult to find romance, marry, or have children," stock investment can become a "magic wand" to reverse one's life.

Among people in their 30s who recently purchased condominiums, there is an increasing number of cases where profits from stock investment are declared as a source of funds, in addition to salaries and loans.

According to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, funds from the sale of stocks and bonds used for housing purchases in January-April this year reached 3.7255 trillion won. Of this, 2.4396 trillion won, or 65.5%, was invested in housing purchases in Seoul. By age group, those in their 30s accounted for the largest amount, 1.2592 trillion won. The proportion of funds from stock and bond sales used for high-priced housing purchases of 1.5 billion won or more remained in the 3-4% range from 2020 to 2025, but rose to 13.2% in April this year, marking the first time it reached double digits.

Finally, the weekly magazine warns that "only Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are rising in the stock market, and even the booming semiconductor industry will eventually face a downturn. The market will crash."

To this article, South Korean netizens posted comments such as: "It hits the core. The reason for the low birthrate is the same." "Some Koreans believe that if it's not a high-rise apartment in Seoul, it's not a home, and those living elsewhere are failures in life." "South Korea, where you need a large sum of money to get married. That's why many young people turn to gambling and crime. I think stock investing is still better. Perhaps financial education should be provided from childhood." "South Korea should be reset by an event like the Lehman Shock." "If the real estate problem is not solved, this country has no future."

On the other hand, reactions such as "It's probably the same in Japan, where you can't buy a house with just a salary," and "Thank you for your concern. But I think your country has more problems (lol)" were also seen. (Translation/Editing: Asa-e)