KOSPI holds 6,000 after sixth losing session; BOK chief warns on inflation
KOSPI slid for a sixth straight session but clung to the 6,000 line as foreign selling weighed on Korean equities, while a Wall Street analyst predicted fresh record highs within 6-12 months. Bank of Korea's chief flagged inflation risks from the AI boom and Middle East tensions, and SK hynix sketched out a 20-fold expansion in AI infrastructure performance by 2030.
Markets & chips
KOSPI
Korea's main stock index has now fallen for six consecutive sessions, with foreign investors on the sell side.
KOSPI extended its losing streak to a sixth session but stayed just above the 6,000 mark.
A Wall Street analyst said KOSPI is likely to reach new record highs within the next 6 to 12 months.
Bank of Korea
The Bank of Korea governor stressed the need to curb inflation amid the AI boom and the Middle East crisis.
SK hynix
The memory maker is positioning itself around AI-era demand, from HBM to NAND, while its shares came under pressure.
SK hynix projected that AI infrastructure performance will grow 20-fold by 2030.
SK hynix is looking beyond high bandwidth memory to address AI memory bottlenecks.
SK hynix said the memory hierarchy must be optimized.
Samsung and SK hynix shares fell on a CXMT DRAM development.
SK hynix outlined research on 3D FeNAND co-optimization presented at IEEE, part of its AI memory portfolio spanning HBM, DRAM and NAND flash.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung drew activist pressure over its preferred shares while rolling out a health-app update.
Palliser pressed Samsung and Hyundai over their preferred shares.
Palliser pushed Samsung to buy back its discounted preferred shares.
Samsung Electronics announced an update to the Samsung Health app that lowers the data requirement to start Sleep Coaching and adds more personalized sleep guidance and expanded running program tiers.
Business of culture
K-pop agencies
Industry-level items on concerts, awards shows and streaming milestones, with no agency-specific announcements in the window.
Songpa's autumn festival will feature 900 drones and K-pop stars.
Korea is considering new dome stadiums for sports and K-pop concerts.
MMA2026 will bring 26 K-pop acts to Gocheok Sky Dome for a two-night event.
BTS' 'ARIRANG' reached 5 billion Spotify streams, the most among 2026 releases.
A report examined whether K-pop stars are squeezing aspiring actors out of K-dramas.
Son Ho-young questioned whether K-pop idols have become 'too perfect'.
CJ ENM
MBC Group and CJ ENM launched a dedicated K-content space on the MENA streamer MBC Shahid, announced at MIPCOM.
Netflix in Korea
A report showed Netflix sends 81% of its Korea revenue to its US parent.
'Doctor X: Mafia in White' topped Netflix's weekly non-English TV chart.
K-drama, film, webtoons & streaming
An interactive exhibition is turning K-drama fans into regional tourists.