Starbucks is facing major backlash in South Korea after a marketing campaign tied to one of the country’s most painful political anniversaries led to the firing of the CEO of Starbucks Korea and renewed scrutiny around the company’s leadership and messaging strategy.
According to The Guardian, the controversy exploded after Starbucks Korea launched a May 18 promotion for its new “Tank” tumbler collection, branding the event as “Tank Day” — a phrase many South Koreans immediately connected to the military crackdown that crushed the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising.
The campaign paired the date “5/18” with military-themed language that critics said evoked the armored vehicles and violent tactics used during the massacre in Gwangju, where hundreds of civilians were killed after troops opened fire on protesters demanding democratic reforms.
Starbucks Korea also used the phrase “thwack on the desk” in its promotion — wording tied to the 1987 torture death cover-up of student activist Park Jong-chul, a case that became symbolic of state brutality during South Korea’s dictatorship era.
The fallout was immediate. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin reportedly ordered the dismissal of Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jung-hyun, along with the executive responsible for overseeing the campaign. According to local reports, Chung demanded a full internal investigation after outrage spread online and calls for boycotts intensified.
A Shinsegae official said the chairman viewed the issue as “very serious” and responded with what the company described as “extreme measures.”
For many South Koreans, the reaction went beyond a bad marketing decision. The Gwangju uprising remains one of the defining events in modern Korean history. What began as student-led demonstrations against martial law in May 1980 turned into a deadly military crackdown under dictator Chun Doo-hwan’s regime.
Historians estimate that anywhere from hundreds to more than 2,000 people may have died during the violence. The event later became a major catalyst for South Korea’s democratic movement.
A coalition representing Gwangju memorial groups called the Starbucks campaign “clearly malicious mockery,” while South Korean President Lee Jae Myung publicly condemned the promotion after attending anniversary memorial events earlier that day.
In a statement posted online, Lee said he was “outraged” and argued that those behind the campaign needed to be held accountable.
The controversy has also reignited attention around Chung himself and his previous political messaging. In recent years, the businessman has faced criticism for anti-communist social media posts and associations with right-wing political movements in South Korea.
Starbucks Korea later pulled the campaign entirely and issued a public apology, saying the promotion was “unintentional” and acknowledging the “deep pain and offense” caused to victims’ families and supporters of Korea’s democracy movement.
The company also confirmed that leadership accountability measures were already underway as public pressure continued to build.
