Starbucks Korea launched a "Tank Day" campaign on May 18, the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, prompting a wave of public outrage across the country. Customers smashed tumblers, deleted loyalty apps and demanded refunds, while government agencies suspended ties with the coffee chain. Within hours the promotion was withdrawn, the CEO Son Jeong‑hyun was fired, and police opened criminal investigations.

May 18 Promotion Triggers Mass Boycott After Gwangju Uprising Reference

According to the source report,the "Tank Day" promotion was intended to showcase a new line of large‑capacity coffee tumblers, but the choice of the word "tank" and the declaration of a "Tank Day" on May 18 were seen as a direct affront to the memory of the Gwangju Uprising, where military paratroopers crushed pro‑democracy protests. Victims’ groups estimate hundreds were killed during the ten‑day crackdown, making the date a deeply sensitive national reminder.

Customers responded by smashing Starbucks mugs in stores , posting videos of the destruction online, and deleting the Starbucks loyalty app. the backlash quickly spread to social media, where users called for a nationwide boycott of the brand.

Executive Fallout: CEO Son Jeong‑hyun Dismissed and Chairman Chung Yong‑jin Issues Multiple Apologies

The source notes that Starbucks Korea’s chief executive Son Jeong‑hyun issued an apology and pledged company‑wide education on historical awareness before being dismissed the same day. Billionaire Shinsegae Group chairman Chung Yong‑jin, whose firm licenses Starbucks in Korea, issued a written apology on May 19 and a televised apology on May 26, bowing three times in a culturally significant gesture.

Despite the apologies, the elder brother of student activist Park Jong‑chul wrote to police demanding charges against both Chung and the former CEO for insulting victims’ memory, and both men have since been classified as criminal suspects.

Government and Corporate Repercussions: Partnerships Suspended and Sales Slump

South Korean ministries supsended partnerships with Starbucks, and President Lee Jae Myung condemned the campaign as the work of "low‑class peddlers." The Democratic Party leader Jung Chung‑rae called for Chung to kneel before the nation in reparation. card spending at Starbucks stores fell sharply in the days after the controversy, with customers seeking refunds on hundreds of billions of won held on prepaid Starbucks cards.

Starbucks Corporation, which holds no equity in the Korean arm, said it was "deeply sorry for an unacceptable marketing incident" and emphasized that the incident was unintentional.

Unanswered Issues: Who Authorized the AI‑Generated Slogan and Why Was It Not Reviewed?

The source indicates the controversial slogan "thwack on the desk" was generated by an AI tool and approved by managers who had not opened the email attachments containing it.. It remains unclear which individuals authorized the final copy, whether any internal checks flagged the historical sensitivity, and how the AI tool was selected for such a high‑profile campaign.

These gaps leave open the question of corporate responsibility in AI‑assisted marketing and whether stricter oversight will be imposed on future campaigns .