Watching the screen for hours and feeling like I missed the point

Staring at the blinking lights of the KOSDAQ

I remember sitting in front of my monitor late in the evening when the US market was still deep in its own cycle, trying to keep track of the volatility. It’s funny how you start with these grand ideas about learning the nuances of the stock market, but then you end up just staring at the flickering red and green numbers. I was looking into some of the robot-related stocks because everyone seemed to be talking about them, but honestly, the speed at which they move makes it nearly impossible to think clearly. I recall spending about three hours just refreshing the feed, wondering if the closing time of the local market was actually going to bring some stability, or if it was just going to be another day of unpredictable swings.

The noise of leadings rooms and anonymous advice

At one point, I fell down a rabbit hole of various ‘leading rooms’ and online communities. People were posting these incredible returns—some claiming nearly 1000% cumulative yields—and it’s hard not to feel like you’re missing out. A name like Song Ryul popped up frequently in those circles, usually associated with these high-percentage figures on financial programs. I checked out some of the bands and groups linked to these experts, but the sheer volume of information is exhausting. One moment they are talking about secondary battery stock strategies for the second half of the year, and the next, they are pivoting to ESS demand. It all sounds very professional when you read it, but when you’re actually holding the stocks, that knowledge doesn’t necessarily stop your heart from racing when the price drops.

Why the tools feel more complicated than the market

I tried using some platforms like YesTrader to get a better handle on the technical side, thinking that if I just had the right software, the complexity would clear up. That was a mistake. I spent an entire weekend setting up indicators and trying to understand the logic behind the automated signals, but by Monday morning, I realized I was just adding more friction to my process. The software is powerful, I’m sure, but it felt like building an architect’s house—it’s beautiful in theory, but living in it is a different experience entirely. I kept getting stuck on the interface, forgetting to look at the actual company fundamentals I was supposed to be analyzing.

The strange feeling of being ‘informed’

After a few months of this, I still feel uncertain. You hear about big names in the industry being part of selection committees or giving advice on television, and you want to trust that there’s a clear path to success. Yet, whenever I look at my portfolio, it’s just a collection of decisions I made based on snippets of news I caught on the fly. I saw a mention of the Venice Biennale committee involving some of the same experts who talk about stocks, which felt like such a bizarre crossover of worlds. It made me realize that even the people who seem to have it all figured out are just balancing different, equally complicated projects. I’m not sure if I’m any better at this than I was when I started, but I suppose I’ve learned that the ‘real’ information isn’t always the one that’s being shouted the loudest in those investment bands.