Korean stock market surges 8% in one day to recover from crash! SK Hynix soars 16%, Samsung rises 9%, Jensen Huang says "You should be happy about the discounts"

South Korea's KOSPI Index surged 8.18% on Monday, closing at 8,097 points, nearly recovering the 8.29% plunge from last Friday in a single day. SK Hynix soared 15.91%, and Samsung Electronics rose 8.97%, leading the rally. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang also signed multiple AI memory cooperation agreements in Seoul, calling out "You should be happy that prices are discounted." The Nikkei 225 index closed up 2.17%.
(Background: The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index plummeted 10% to its worst level since the pandemic, evaporating $1.3 trillion in chip stocks, and Jensen Huang's "carefully selected" lineup was completely wiped out.)
(Additional context: Taiwan Futures Night Session crashed 3,006 points—the worst in history—dropping 2,000 points in two minutes, with "Four Loans" all at once on Monday, waiting to be liquidated.)

Key Highlights

• KOSPI surged 8.18% to 8,097 points, SK Hynix up 15.91%, Samsung Electronics up 8.97%
• Jensen Huang signed long-term AI memory agreements with SK Hynix in Seoul, warning that memory shortages "could last for several years"
• Nikkei 225 rose 2.17%, Taiwan stocks up 2.65%, and the Philly Semiconductors rebounded 5.8% overnight, driving a broad Asian market rebound

Last Friday, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index plunged 10.26%, and on Monday, the Korean KOSPI collapsed 8.29%, triggering a circuit breaker. In just three days, it evaporated over 16% from its all-time high. Then, it recovered in a single day. The KOSPI closed Monday up 8.18% at 8,097 points, even triggering a sidecar rally halt program for five minutes during the session, marking the 11th time in 2026 that a buyer sidecar was triggered.

Huang Huang signs multiple agreements in Seoul

SK Hynix led the gains with a 15.91% increase, while Samsung Electronics rose 8.97%. The previous trading day, both companies had fallen sharply—7.68% and 10.18%, respectively—so Monday’s rebound exceeded their declines.

The catalyst isn’t just a rebound from oversold levels. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang arrived in Seoul on the 4th, signing five AI cooperation agreements during his stay. These include a long-term AI memory partnership with SK Hynix covering HBM and four next-generation memory platforms for NVIDIA; collaboration with Naver to build an end-to-end AI factory; deployment of GW-level AI cloud with SK Telecom (expected online in 2027); cooperation with LG Group on robotics and autonomous driving AI factories; and partnership with Hyundai Motor for mobile AI.

Huang publicly stated: "We are at the starting point. No matter what happens in the stock market, you should be happy because you can buy at a discount." He also warned that AI memory shortages "could last for several years."

Philly Semiconductors rebound 5.8% drives Asian markets

The US stock market rebounded 5.8% on Monday, with Micron up 9.9% and Marvell up 9.6%, providing confidence for Asian markets. Last week’s crash began with non-farm payroll data doubling (172k vs. expected 85k), combined with April’s CPI rising to 3.8%—a three-year high—causing market panic over rate hikes. CME FedWatch’s probability of a rate hike by year-end once surged past 60%.

The Nikkei 225 closed up 2.17% at 65,416 points, with Tokyo Electron rising 8.9% and Murata Manufacturing up 11.3%. Taiwan’s weighted index also gained 2.65% to 44,654 points.

Kiwoom Securities analysts noted, "Korean stocks triggered a record circuit breaker yesterday, but with a rebound in US chip stocks and strong KOSPI 200 night futures, we expect to recover lost ground." The market’s sharp drop and quick recovery resemble a nightmarish experience, but the KOSPI remains 9.4% below its all-time high of 8,934 on June 3.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did the KOSPI close on June 9?

The KOSPI closed up 8.18% at 8,097 points on June 9, with SK Hynix up 15.91% and Samsung Electronics up 8.97%. The previous day, the KOSPI plunged 8.29%, triggering a circuit breaker, and Monday’s rally nearly matched that decline in a single day.

What AI collaborations did Jensen Huang sign in Seoul?

Starting June 4, Jensen Huang visited Seoul and signed a long-term AI memory partnership with SK Hynix, along with agreements on AI factories and cloud collaborations with Naver, SK Telecom, LG Group, and Hyundai Motor.