From 'FOMO' to 'JOMO': The Growing Sentiment That 'Not Buying Was the Winning Move'

Recently, the term 'JOMO' has emerged in online stock investment communities, drawing significant attention.

Earlier this year, as the KOSPI surged day after day, the term 'FOMO' (Fear of Missing Out)—the anxiety and fear felt by those who did not enter the stock market that they were missing out on a golden opportunity—became a widespread trend.

However, as both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ indices have been falling consistently, the antonym of 'FOMO,' known as 'JOMO,' has begun to gain popularity.

'JOMO' stands for the Joy of Missing Out, a neologism that refers to the comfort and joy of not participating in a trend.

In consumer behavior studies, it is defined as a psychological state of being satisfied with one's own choices rather than chasing every available opportunity.

Online communities are filled with reactions such as, "JOMO is more popular than FOMO these days," and "The joy of not owning stocks."

However, some analysts point out that the term 'JOMO' as used in Korea is evolving beyond its original meaning and taking on a sense of 'ridicule.'

Combined with expressions like "those who didn't buy are the winners" and "cash is the best investment," it is being used to mock individual investors who bought at the peak. This sentiment has spread as more investors suffer losses due to the sharp decline in the stock market, leading to a mindset that says, "It is fortunate that I did not invest at all."

Since last month, a sell sidecar has been triggered 18 times in the KOSPI market due to the rapid decline in the index, and circuit breakers have been implemented five times.

It has been estimated that more than 90% of investors in certain semiconductor leverage products have entered a loss-making phase.

A financial industry official stated, "There are many cases where investors who were swept up by FOMO during the bull market and jumped late into semiconductor and leverage products have suffered significant losses during the market crash." The official added, "In both bull and bear markets, what ultimately matters is not following others, but sticking to your own investment principles."

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Kim Na-on | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News

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