Kospi crashes 12% after SK Hynix earnings; best performing Asian market of 2026 plunges 43% in a month. What’s ahead?

South Korea’s Kospi index crashed over 11% on Wednesday, extending its drop to 43% from its June peak into technical bear market territory. The sharp plunge, triggered by earnings from chipmaker SK Hynix that missed lofty AI-fueled market estimates, prompted government reviews into market stabilisation measures.