“1.6 Million Won Hits Our Accounts Every Month Without Going to Work”... The Secret of a Couple Who Quit Civil Service in Their 30s

A portfolio focused on high-dividend and index-tracking ETFs
Prioritizing cash flow over buying a home

A couple of FIRE investors who left civil service in their 30s have unveiled an investment strategy they devised based on net assets of 700 million won.

The Subi Couple, appearing on the YouTube channel “Pyo Youngho TV.” YouTube screenshot.

The Subi Couple, a married couple and former civil servants who appeared on the YouTube channel "Pyo Youngho TV" on October 29, introduced a retirement strategy they devised using their 700 million won in net assets when they quit their jobs.

"As we prepared to leave our jobs, the first thing we focused on was how much we spent each month," the Subi Couple said. "We set a monthly budget of 2.5 million won and worked backward. We concluded that we could build a sustainable financial structure with assets of 300 million won per person, or about 600 million won for the two of us, combined with annual returns of 5%-6%."

The couple stressed the importance of dividing their money among separate accounts. "We set aside 100 million won for emergencies and a rental deposit, and invest 230 million won in high-dividend ETFs that yield around 10% annually to generate a stable monthly cash flow," they said. They added, "We have put the remaining 370 million won into long-term investments focused on U.S. growth stocks and high-quality indexes to prepare for retirement 30 years from now."

"To generate monthly cash flow, we invested 200 million won across four funds (QQQI, GPIQ, GPIX and SPYI), putting 50 million won into each. Over the past three months, we have consistently received an average of around 1.6 million won in dividends each month," the couple said. "Because it can be difficult to understand the rationale behind investing in individual stocks, and they are volatile, we built a portfolio focused on indexes such as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 while also aiming for dividend growth."

The couple said they had not bought a home because people pursuing FIRE may find it difficult to cover their living expenses if their money is tied up in residential property. They currently live on Jeju Island and pay rent annually, using their remaining capital for assets that actively generate cash flow.

"We started with small steps, such as ordering less delivery food, and putting 300,000 to 500,000 won a month to work through compound growth became the foundation for building our assets," the Subi Couple said. "Rather than being too ambitious, it's important to start gradually by learning about investments that suit your own temperament."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.