Starbucks Korea fired its chief executive on Tuesday after a disastrous marketing campaign triggered memories of a bloody military massacre that once haunted the nation. This sudden move followed a massive wave of public anger that swept across the country within minutes of the advertisement going live on social media.
The chain launched its "Tank Day" tumbler promotion on 18 May to celebrate the high volume and spacious design of its new coffee containers. But the date coincided with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, which remains a sacred day of mourning for the entire South Korean nation.
Military tanks crushed protesters back then. It was a dark time.
President Lee Jae Myung blasted the campaign on social media and called it a direct insult to the residents who died during the struggle. He said he was outraged by such inhumane behavior from a major corporation that clearly ignores the country's values of human rights and democracy.
"What were they thinking?" Lee asked on X.
Shinsegae owns the majority stake in the local franchise and they sacked CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun immediately in an attempt to contain the growing political damage. The company apologized for the "inappropriate marketing" and suspended the event just hours after it began on Monday morning in a desperate damage control move.
It is a total disaster.
Critics also noticed the phrase "tak on the table" used in the promotional materials for the "Tank Series" of large drink containers. This sounds like a notorious 1987 police excuse regarding the death of a student activist who died while in state custody during the democracy movement.
Police claimed the student died when they slapped a table, but he was actually tortured by government interrogators using water and electricity. They lied about it for years.
Starbucks headquarters in the United States issued a rare apology and admitted that the incident was unintentional but should never have happened. They recognize the deep pain and offense this caused to those who honor the victims and families who contributed to the country's democratization.
Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong-jin called the campaign an inexcusable mistake that trivialized the sacrifices of activists who fought against the old military regime. He pledged to investigate the approval process.
Public trust has vanished. Many users on X are now pushing for a total boycott of all stores and brands owned by the powerful Shinsegae retail group.
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