Cocoa stocks are sluggish... From 170,000 won at one point, they have fallen to the 30,000 won range (Korea)

Kakao, a South Korean IT giant that once established itself as a national stock and created a huge boom in the stock market, is now experiencing an unbelievable slump in its stock price. At its peak, it was worth 170,000 won (about
The stock price of the company, which had exceeded 18,500 won (US$1,000) in the past, has now fallen to just 30,000 won (US$3,200), and the stock options held by many employees have effectively lost their value.
These options, which were once highly valued as incentives, have now fallen into the category of being "not worth getting." Stock options are the right to buy a company's stock at a specific price in the future.
If the stock price exceeds the exercise price, the difference can be earned as profit. This system is designed to make promising companies more attractive, and to attract talent and improve employee motivation.
The price of stock options granted to Kakao employees was about 120,000 won in 2019 and about 110,000 won in 2021. However, as Kakao's stock price rose in 2021,
After hitting a peak of 173,000 won in 2015, it began to fall and is now at 36,550 won.
As a result, there has been a steady stream of people resigning and giving up their stock options. During the 2021 cocoa boom, the stock price reached 170,000 won, and
At the time, there were calls for the stock price to rise to 200,000 won, but the subsequent crash was unexpected. With no sign of a rebound in stock prices, many investors sold their stocks, bracing for losses.
The number of small shareholders has also fallen from 2 million to 1.78 million. Meanwhile, the sudden drop in Kakao's stock price is due to slowing growth and legal risks. The stock market is also looking at Kakao with a cold eye.
Samsung Securities lowered its target price from 51,000 won to 42,000 won, an unusual move for a large-cap stock.
The company changed its investment opinion from buyout to neutral. Neutral means "sell your shares immediately." In addition, the company has been accused of market manipulation by founder Kim Bum Soo in the process of acquiring SM Entertainment.
The arrest of Mr. Kim in a phone call with his friend on the phone is also a major cause for concern for investors. In addition, the number of users of the communication app "KakaoTalk," which had firmly held the number one spot, has been overtaken by YouTube.
According to the Korean research company Mobile Index, the number of monthly users of KakaoTalk in July was 45 million, surpassing YouTube (45.8 million).
In response to this critical situation, Kakao CEO Chung Shin-ah has indicated that she will try to restore stock prices by purchasing shares.
He has purchased a significant amount of shares, bringing his total purchases so far this year to 200 million won. He also stated his determination not to sell these shares during his term in office, which shows his determination to forge ahead with Kakao's future.
They are showing a willingness to take responsibility for the situation.