A new president had been inaugurated.
It was early in the year, so that made sense.
The problem was that the inauguration speech felt familiar.
Regression.
I might have been too complacent thinking I'd returned to the past.
'We're screwed...'
Life difficulty set to Hell.
A country we've never experienced before.
The first female president's inauguration speech became reality, regardless of her intentions.
'Historic events kept piling up one after another.'
Korea-Japan trade dispute, COVID pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, stagflation, and so on.
The old world's common sense didn't apply in this chaotic hellscape.
It was the most brutal period in Korea's long history.
The insane pace felt like the previous 20 years compressed into one, leaving everyone dazed.
'Especially for investors.'
It left trauma for countless investors.
Like riding a rollercoaster at 4x speed.
The time of my investment debut.
Ironically, surviving that absurd era made me who I am today.
Of course, it wasn't the president's fault.
The era itself was so turbulent that no one in power could have avoided the backlash.
'Anyway.'
The worst of times.
I thought God had sent it for the sweet gains, but it slapped me with another round of military service on top.
The one silver lining: I got through the army.
Might've been better to rot there for two years instead.
<
Innocent citizens unaware of the chaotic future ahead.
Cheering the president's speech.
I wanted to join in, but the situation wouldn't allow it.
I knew everything.
'What do I do, what do I do.'
My hands and feet trembled.
I bit my thumbnail without realizing.
That's how dire the crisis felt.
But any situation can be turned to advantage.
Flip a crisis upside down?
'Cri-sportunity... nah, that doesn't mean anything.'
Screwed.
No matter how much I thrashed, a crisis remained a crisis.
Still, I racked my brain desperately.
Amid the president's words.
'Right, people come first!'
One thing resonated.
The president's lifelong motto in fighting for human rights.
I hadn't realized it back then.
Why?
Nothing ranks above money, right?
Wrong.
Only after aging did I come to admire the depth of her words.
'The people working at my firm—I have to raise them myself.'
Earning big money matters.
But no matter how much you make, poor management means it leaks away.
Japan's famous investor.
BNF hit his solo limit at 160 billion won.
Couldn't handle the size, so he turned to real estate and safe assets.
I'm better than him, but limits exist all the same.
With mediocre employees.
'Just makes me uneasy.'
I handled most tasks alone.
Getting screwed by that bitch was inevitable in hindsight.
Market anomalies.
Sensing them and responding properly required more bodies.
I needed someone to stand in my place.
Talent I—this suspicious me—could trust and delegate to.
💬 Economics Dept Men's Group Chat — Someone "You know there's a freshman welcome party tonight, right?" — Someone "Oh" — Someone "Those coming, please bring 50,000 won participation fee. Not mandatory."
Such trash acting all high and mighty as elite uni students.
That's one reason I quit.
'Still, might dig up a few usable ones.'
It's a top school, after all.
Not all are hopeless.
College is prime for building connections.
— Someone "50k is a bit much." — Someone "Seniors covered freshman dues too. Gotta pay it forward~" — Someone "Aigoo, got something urgent lol..." — Someone "What hardship."
—Water good?
A worthwhile event.
Freshman welcome party happening right on cue.
Chance to eye the craziest from our dept at once.
'Worth attending.'
At least compile a list of humans.
And one more reason.
— Someone "Class of '17 has a high girl ratio." — Someone "Ooh~"
'If the water's good, gotta go.'
As a senior, I could impart wisdom to green rookies.
Day or night, drinks or not.
Mood thing.
Me, Wall Street's (past) success story, gracing them.
One tiny issue.
Checking Account 02120-10-697482 Balance: 520,892 won
A bit short on cash.
In this era, I'm a fresh army dischargee scraping by on rent.
'No money? Just copy some.'
Literally trivial.
Marie Antoinette's delusion works in modern times.
Perfect timing: 8 AM.
When humans feel least guilty about greed.
🎰 Welcome to Gambler's Abyss! The nation's only legal gamble.
KOSPI can multiply your money several times a day, depending on skill.
Fire up HTS.
Set it up.
Just wait for 9:00.
'Open the casino doors!'
Boiling up after so long.
Sitting at the desk barking orders meant missing this fun gamble.
'No... investing.'
Anyway, clear task.
Bet on rising stocks, win cash.
That's stocks.
Of course, not easy.
Analyze if it's a good company.
'What good stocks around now?'
Memory over 20 years old.
Nothing sticks.
Even if I recalled, no clue for today.
Future 10x, 20x gems can still drop today.
Why stocks are tough.
'What to buy to build rep for good picks.'
8:55 now.
Even as hotshot fund CEO, can't scan in 5 mins.
📈 Top 20 Pre-Market News — Headline Nasdaq -2.2% Close... Powell: "Will Kill Nasdaq For Sure" — Headline Samsung Electronics, SQ Technology Stocks 'Set to Surge'—Reasons — Headline [Hot Stock] Ssangbural Chairman: "Will Join Ssangdu Car Acquisition Bid" — Headline [Econ Briefing] 5 Firms Enter Ssangdu Car Acquisition War + More
First check: US and Europe markets from yesterday.
From headlines.
'Powell's at it again.'
Senile geezer.
Toys with USD at whim, spits nonsense when bored.
Geezer trait! Touchy.
Ignore, and who knows—gotta fake anxiety to tank prices.
Ripples hit KOSPI opposite side of globe.
Nasdaq down? Local market shakes too.
Harder to find risers today.
But even sky falls, holes appear.
'Ssangdu Car acquisition battle...'
Company eats company.
Such events spike stocks.
Not 1-2% teases—30% jumps.
Risk huge too.
Probably priced in; fail acquisition, endless plunge.
'Ssangbural? Never-heard penny stock.'
Good firm? Fine.
Dips let you average down till rescue.
But penny stock?
Unknown firm—recovery? Nah, turns toilet paper easy.
Gulp!
First post-regression trade hits snag.
Rational investor? Never touch.
Warren Buffett warned.
Smart investors invest, don't speculate.
His philosophy.
Succeeded via value investing.
Looks cheap to me?
Buy undervalued, profit far future.
'No time for that game.'
Can't wait leisurely.
Need cash from casino now.
No, invest.
Buffett's human, bends rules.
"If you aren't holding for 10 years, don't hold 10 minutes." —Warren Buffett
Stock adage everyone knows.
Surprisingly misunderstood.
'Worth pondering.'
But don't overthink.
Like dropped food.
3-second rule.
✅ Purchase Order Executed!
Stocks too—out in 9:59.
Stock market's 3-second rule.
Real trading tactic.
'Pros use it.'
Need quick profits.
Such investors dive fire pits risks be damned.
💥 Retail Investor Downed!
Enemy Double Kill!
Can't be easy.
5% surge drops to 2%.
Retail clings, institutions/forces take profits.
Retail got "shaken out."
'If easy, why jobs?'
10 mil seed.
One +30% monthly? 3 mil.
Money copies itself.
Bigger seed, leverage?
Tens, hundreds mil no dream.
Theoretically.
🩸 Institutions Massacring!
Foreigners Going Wild!
95% retail loses money.
Stats don't lie.
'Drops make you paranoid.'
Why they selling?
Reasons exist.
Hope blinds; fear reveals.
Ssangbural Financial Statement [Roughly: Rumble in the jungle, palace intrigue setup.jpg]
Like financials.
Late check on company report: oops.
'Net income wrecked first off.'
Loss-making.
Tiny scale too.
Market cap 100 bil.
Ssangdu Car: 500 bil.
Shrimp swallowing whale.
Can't unthink it.
5x size gap, acquiring? Makes no sense.
✅ Purchase Order Executed!
Buy regardless? That's scalping.
What I'm doing now isn't day trading.
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