Office worker turns 300 mil. won into 1.5 bil. won with simple US ETF investing
Kim Ji-hoon, an office worker in his 40s, grew his 300 million won ($220,000) investment into 1.5 billion won over five years. Now financially independent, he earns a stable post-retirement income of about 4 million won per month — enough, he says, to live comfortably and travel after leaving his job. Kim shared his investment approach in the book "Retire with Just 3 U.S. ETFs," which has sold over 30,000 copies since its release in March, becoming one of the year’s most talked-about financial titles. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are investment funds that own financial assets like stocks, bonds and commodities that are traded on exchanges. Rather than chasing quick profits, Kim emphasizes what he calls “lazy investing” — maintaining long-term, consistent investments that produce steady, above-average returns. “It’s better to keep finishing fourth or fifth consistently than to win first place once and stop,” he said. Lee Eun-mi, an editor at Leaders Book, which published the title, said the concept resonated with many readers. “For busy workers, time-intensive active inv
Nov 4, 2025By Hankookilbo
