Starbucks Korea ignited controversy after running a “Tank Day” promotion that many said evoked the traumas of the country’s military dictatorship. Major international outlets gave the story broad coverage.
According to Yonhap on the 19th, Reuters described the promotion as inappropriate marketing and reported that SCK Company CEO Son Jeong-hyun was dismissed in the aftermath of the backlash.
Reuters also provided historical context, noting that the May 18 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising involved a military crackdown that left hundreds of civilians dead, and that the campaign was timed to coincide with the movement’s memorial date.
AFP reported that the phrase “Tank Day” conjured images of the military vehicles used to suppress protests during the 1980 Gwangju uprising and that the promotion provoked widespread criticism.
AFP added that on the day the controversy erupted, President Lee Jae-myung posted on the social platform X (formerly Twitter) saying he was angry about the event.
The BBC reported that Starbucks Korea’s head was fired over a campaign that recalled a bloody historical event. It cited online reactions calling the campaign absurd and infuriating and noted growing calls to boycott Starbucks Korea and its parent, the Shinsegae Group.
The Guardian likewise reported that Starbucks Korea’s CEO was dismissed over an advertisement that invoked the massacre of pro-democracy protesters. It quoted the Gwangju-Jeonnam Memorial Coalition, which characterized the incident as malicious mockery.
Coverage has also renewed scrutiny of Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin’s recent activities. Reports say Chung delivered a keynote at Build Up Korea—an event modeled on the U.S. conservative group Turning Point USA—and that Starbucks Korea provided free coffee at that event.
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