80-year-old actor stunned to find stock investment worth only a quarter of its original value

Eighty-year-old South Korean veteran actor Im Hyun-sik recently recounted a startling investment misadventure that left him bewildered. Believing that holding stocks for the long term would lead to significant financial gains, Im Hyun-sik shared two anecdotes that ultimately evoked laughter rather than admiration from his audience.

One particularly striking story involved a shipbuilding industry stock Im Hyun-sik purchased 25 years ago. He had completely forgotten about this investment until recently when he checked his account. To his dismay, the stock, initially bought for 10,000 Korean won (about $7.50 USD), had plummeted in value, now being worth a mere 2,500 Korean won (about $1.88 USD) – a drastic drop to one-quarter of its original price.

This revelation contrasted sharply with the audience's expectation that he had profited handsomely from his long-term investment. Im Hyun-sik wryly admitted his shock at the account balance, concluding that he might not possess a natural talent for stock market investing.

His investment woes did not end there. Im Hyun-sik also shared an even more regrettable experience from two to three years prior. He had invested in an electricity company's stock at 250,000 Korean won per share (approximately $188 USD). Fearing further decline, he sold his shares prematurely. Shortly after his sale, the stock price skyrocketed to 2.7 million Korean won per share (approximately $2,000 USD), causing him to miss out on a potential tenfold increase in his investment.