The KOSPI fell 19% in October. Korea's entertainment index rose 6.9%
From 30 September to 22 October the KOSPI dropped from 6,838 to 5,534. Over the same sessions the KOSPI entertainment & culture index went up from 789.29 to 843.55, and its KOSDAQ twin rose 2.4% while the KOSDAQ fell 10.7%.
AI-assisted, human-reviewed sourcing. Figures are pulled programmatically from the official sources listed at the end of this article and checked by an editor before publication.
korea entertainment stockskospi entertainment indexk-pop stockskospi october 2026kosdaqsector indices
October was a hard month for Korean stocks. From the last close of September to 22 October, the KOSPI fell 19.07%, from 6,838.04 to 5,533.77.
One sector index went the other way.
Entertainment against the market
| 30 Sep | 22 Oct | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOSPI | 6,838.04 | 5,533.77 | −19.07% |
| KOSPI entertainment & culture (13 stocks) | 789.29 | 843.55 | +6.87% |
| KOSDAQ | 855.91 | 764.10 | −10.73% |
| KOSDAQ entertainment & culture (55 stocks) | 282.36 | 289.27 | +2.45% |
That is a gap of about 26 percentage points on the main board and 13 points on KOSDAQ.
The worst days
| Date | KOSPI | KOSPI entertainment & culture |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct | −2.62% | −1.27% |
| 12 Oct | −3.65% | −2.37% |
| 13 Oct | −5.46% | +2.11% |
| 15 Oct | −7.57% | +0.22% |
| 20 Oct | −3.73% | −1.56% |
| 22 Oct | −3.52% | −1.70% |
On the two biggest down days, 13 and 15 October, the entertainment index rose. Its two best days came on 16 and 19 October (+4.01% and +4.24%).
Why this is not a comeback story
The rise starts from a low base. On 22 October the KOSPI entertainment index was still 40.48% below where it began 2026, and the KOSDAQ version 42.57% below. The KOSPI itself was 31.31% up on the year even after October.
So October narrowed a very wide gap. It did not reverse it. A sector that had already fallen 44% had less of the year’s gains to give back when the market turned.
What we cannot tell you
The index file gives the number of constituents (13 on the KOSPI, 55 on KOSDAQ) but not their names or weights. We cannot say which companies lifted the index. K-pop agencies are among them, but so may be casinos, cinemas and other leisure businesses.
Related: Korean analysts cut K-pop agency target prices in October, and still said Buy.
Data & Verification Notes
- Data as of
- Sources
- Korea Exchange index data via data.go.kr (Financial Services Commission, index quotes) — Daily closes of the KOSPI, KOSDAQ and their 'entertainment & culture' (오락·문화) sector indices, 30 September to 22 October 2026, with constituent counts and year-to-date change as published. Collected daily by SeoulMarkets.
- Cross-checks
- KOSPI: 6,838.04 (30 Sep) → 5,533.77 (22 Oct), −19.07%. KOSPI entertainment & culture (13 constituents): 789.29 → 843.55, +6.87%.
- KOSDAQ: 855.91 → 764.10, −10.73%. KOSDAQ entertainment & culture (55 constituents): 282.36 → 289.27, +2.45%.
- 15 Oct, the KOSPI's biggest fall of the month (−7.57%): KOSPI entertainment index +0.22%.
- Year-to-date on 22 Oct as published: KOSPI entertainment −40.48%, KOSDAQ entertainment −42.57%.
- Excluded figures
- Constituent lists: the index file gives counts (13 and 55), not names. We do not say which companies drove the move.
- 23 October, which the public data service had not yet published when we wrote.
- This is not investment advice.
The full dataset behind these figures — every listed company, every row — is available to license. SeoulMarkets data for licence →
Not investment advice. SMarkets publishes data journalism for general information only. Nothing here is investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security — any investment you make is at your own risk and responsibility. Figures are derived from official public data sources and may be revised by the issuing agency. Verify independently before acting.
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