On October 29, SK Hynix Inc. announced its Q3 financial results, reporting a remarkable 62% jump in operating profit to a record ?11.4 trillion (around US$8 billion), slightly above market expectations. Revenue also climbed to ?24.5 trillion, driven by surging demand for AI-related memory products. The company's stock rose 5% in early Seoul trading following the announcement.

SK Hynix said that thanks to the explosive growth in AI applications, demand for its DRAM and NAND flash memory has been fully secured through next year. The company also confirmed plans to start supplying next-generation HBM4 chips this quarter, with full-scale sales expected in 2026.

Analysts such as Greg Roh from Hyundai Motor Securities believe the AI memory boom will continue into next year, fueled by large-scale projects like OpenAI's "Stargate" and growing interest in national-level AI development. However, some investors have cautioned that AI market valuations may be overheated, given uncertainties around mainstream AI applications and cyclical infrastructure investment.

Just hours before SK Hynix released its earnings, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang dismissed concerns of an AI bubble, saying, "We're not in an AI bubble. We use all kinds of AI models and services—and we're happy to pay for them."