Chapter 9: The AIG Play & Netflix – From ₩18.5 Billion to ₩832.5 Billion

November 2008 – The Next Big Opportunity

I had just turned ₩3.7 billion into ₩18.5 billion KRW with Volkswagen's short squeeze—an insane 5x return in just one month.

Most people would have walked away, satisfied with their newfound wealth.

But I wasn't most people.

I was playing a different game—a game where I turned my money into ₩100 billion KRW or more within two years.

And I already knew where my next bet would be—AIG.

🔹 The AIG Collapse and Rebound – My Next Big Move

By late 2008, American International Group (AIG) was one of the biggest financial failures of the crisis.

The stock had crashed from $50 to just $2 per share, as investors feared AIG would go bankrupt.The U.S. government bailed out AIG, pumping billions of dollars to stabilize the company.This meant that AIG was NOT going bankrupt—the stock was undervalued and ready to recover.

While others panicked, I saw the opportunity.

If AIG's stock returned to even a fraction of its pre-crisis price, I could easily 10x my money.

🔹 The All-In Bet – Investing ₩18.5 Billion in AIG

I moved fast.

📌 The Trade – November 2008

💰 Investment: ₩18.5 billion KRW (~$18.5 million USD)📉 Buy Price: $2 per share📈 Sell Price (2010 Peak): $30 per share📊 Return: 15x in 2 years (~₩277.5 billion KRW / ~$277.5 million USD)

It was a perfect move.

The U.S. government's bailout gave AIG time to recover, and as the economy stabilized in 2009 and 2010, the company's stock exploded in value.

By 2010, AIG was trading at $30 per share.

I sold my entire position, walking away with a ₩277.5 billion KRW fortune.

I had done it again—another 15x return in two years.

🔹 The Next Move – Investing in Netflix

I could have stopped there.

₩277.5 billion KRW (~$277.5 million USD) was enough to live several lifetimes in luxury.

But I wasn't done yet.

Because I remembered something that others ignored—Netflix.

In 2008, Netflix was still a DVD rental service, but they had started pushing streaming technology.By 2010, streaming was becoming mainstream, and Netflix had the first-mover advantage.Their stock had been undervalued for years, but the market was finally waking up.

I knew that if I moved fast, I could ride another massive wave of profit.

🔹 The Third Bet – Investing ₩277.5 Billion in Netflix

📌 The Trade – Early 2010

💰 Investment: ₩277.5 billion KRW (~$277.5 million USD)📉 Buy Price: $7 per share📈 Sell Price (2011 Peak): $21 per share📊 Return: 3x in 1 year (~₩832.5 billion KRW)

🔹 The Final Numbers – 3.7 Billion to 832.5 Billion in Two Years

📌 2008 – Volkswagen Trade (5x Return)

₩3.7 billion → ₩18.5 billion KRW

📌 2009-2010 – AIG Trade (15x Return)

₩18.5 billion → ₩277.5 billion KRW

📌 2010-2011 – Netflix Trade (3x Return)

₩277.5 billion → ₩832.5 billion KRW

🔹 Reflection – The Master Plan Worked

💡 In 2008, I started with ₩3.7 billion KRW.💡 By 2011, I had ₩832.5 billion KRW.💡 I had turned a few million into nearly ₩1 trillion KRW in just 3 years.

I had outsmarted the market, played the biggest trades of the decade, and won.

I wasn't just rich anymore.

I was one of the most powerful investors in Korea.