Starbucks Korea issued a public apology on Monday following widespread backlash over an online promotional event. Critics argued the campaign inadvertently invoked painful memories of South Korea’s authoritarian past and sensitive historical events, particularly coinciding with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement.
The controversial “Tank Day” promotional event, launched by Starbucks Korea at 10 a.m., offered customers 10 to 21 percent discounts on a tumbler set explicitly named “Tank.” A central component of the promotion was the phrase, “Put it on the table with a sound of ‘Tak!'”
Swiftly, the event drew significant criticism from various civic groups and numerous online users. They argued that the term “tank” directly recalled the military vehicles deployed by martial law troops during the brutal Gwangju Uprising on May 18, 1980, a pivotal moment in South Korean history.
Furthermore, critics highlighted that the promotional phrase “tak” disturbingly evoked the infamous explanation surrounding the 1987 torture death of pro-democracy student activist Park Jong-chol. This tragic incident became a powerful catalyst for South Korea’s broader democracy movement, directly challenging the authoritarian rule of then-President Chun Doo-hwan, who had previously ordered the brutal quashing of demonstrators during the 1980 Gwangju uprising.
Historical records indicate that at the time of Park Jong-chol’s death, police notoriously claimed he collapsed with an “eok” sound after investigators merely struck a desk with a “tak” sound. This widely discredited explanation quickly became a potent symbol of the military regime’s systematic attempts to conceal torture and state-sanctioned violence.
In response, a prominent civic group, representing victims and bereaved families of the Gwangju Uprising, vehemently condemned Starbucks Korea. They accused the company of “damaging the spirit of the democracy movement through a shallow understanding of history.” The group’s official statement demanded, “We strongly condemn Starbucks Korea and urge the company to provide a proper explanation and apology.”
Hours following the intense public outcry, Starbucks Korea officially suspended the controversial promotional event and subsequently issued a formal apology.
