A Study on the Factors of Young Adults’ Risky Asset Investment: Focusing on the Personal and Environmental Factors Leading to Gamblified Investment

Recently, the problem of economic loss caused by young adults’ investment in the asset market has emerged as a social problem. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the causes of young adults’ risky investments and to suggest policy alternatives. To achieve the purpose of the study, 151 cases were extracted from 87 media articles in which young adults’ risky asset market investment cases were specifically revealed. The collected data were analyzed using the inductive content analysis method proposed by Elo and Kingäs (2008). As a result of the analysis, a total of 7 subcategories were derived, including “FOMO syndrome,” “overconfidence,” “aspiration,” “reference group,” “economic difficulties,” “liquidity expansion,” and “high accessibility.” In addition, considering the relationship among the derived categories, the researchers assumed that the main category that integrates the entire category is “social, economic, and technological conditions that lead to investing like gambling by stimulating feelings of anxiety, deprivation, confidence, and aspiration.” Based on the research results mentioned above, the researchers suggested policy alternatives: Expansion of financial education that can prevent young adults from risky investments, development of campaigns to create a healthy investment culture, expansion of the role of financial-welfare counseling centers for those who suffering from investment failure, and establishment of an integrated case management model based on the public-private cooperation.