South Korea’s booming stock market mints a generation of novice investors

South Korea's stock market has experienced a spectacular rally, with the number of stock owners surging from about 6 million in 2019 to over 14.5 million at the end of 2025. The benchmark Kospi has nearly doubled in value, making it the best-performing major index worldwide. As a result, the number of active stock trading accounts has risen significantly, with many everyday South Koreans, including Kim Ha-young, investing in the market for the first time.