From consumers to politicians, Starbucks Korea faces growing boycott

A passerby walks in front of a Starbucks in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Kim Hye-joon, 30, doesn't go a single day without visiting Starbucks. But her daily routine may change following sharp criticism of the company over its controversial “Tank Day” promotion that briefly ran on Monday, the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising.

“I think this was extremely careless. I have no idea what they were thinking with the event and the wording,” Kim told The Korea Times on Wednesday. “I'm not about to smash my mug like some people on social media, but if there's a local cafe nearby, I'll just go there instead.”

Kim's sentiment reflects a broader backlash spreading among consumers and politicians, highlighting how a marketing blunder can ignite public fury in a country where the historical wounds around the 1980 uprising run deep.

The pro-democracy movement erupted in the southwestern city of Gwangju on May 18, 1980, when citizens stood up against the nationwide extension of martial law by the military junta led by Chun Doo-hwan, who would become president later that year. The crackdown left hundreds dead or missing, and it has since been recognized as a pivotal moment in Korea's long road to democratization.

Roh, 29, who asked to be identified by her surname only, called the chain's move naive.

“These days, even K-pop idols with foreign citizenship don't recommend Japanese anime on Liberation Day. There's an unspoken awareness (of Korean history) everyone shares,” Roh said. “The fact that the most mainstream cafe brand in Korea did this is bound to provoke outrage.”

With budget coffee shops and local cafes now widely available, Roh said she had rarely visited Starbucks and saw little reason to return.

Demonstrators hold placards denouncing Shinsegae Group, whose subsidiary E-mart owns Starbucks Korea, at a protest in front of Shinsegae Department Store in Seo District, Gwangju, Wednesday. Yonhap

Kim Dong-young, 29, echoed the sentiment, calling the decision to run a promotion on that date a clear marketing failure. “I probably won't be going to Starbucks for a while.”

Kim added that recent controversies with far-right undertones — including YouTube caption this month by the Lotte Giants, a Korean baseball team, that allegedly mocked the late President Roh Moo-hyun — suggest that fringe actors with extreme views are becoming emboldened.

“When something is far from public sensibilities, there really needs to be at least one round of content review,” he said.

The backlash carries particular weight in Gwangju, where Starbucks has its second-highest store density per capita in the country, with 1 outlet for every 19,000 residents, second only to Seoul's 1 per 13,000. Shinsegae Group Chairperson Chung Yong-jin issued an apology on behalf of the conglomerate, which owns Starbucks Korea, but civic groups in Gwangju are demanding a full accounting of how the promotion was approved.

On Wednesday morning, members of civic groups gathered in the rain outside Shinsegae Department Store in Gwangju's Seo District to call for Chung's resignation. Photos of near-empty Starbucks outlets in the city circulated online as well.

The backlash also spilled into the political arena ahead of June 3 local elections. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae on Wednesday urged party members and campaign workers to avoid Starbucks, adding that refraining from visits would better reflect public sentiment.

“DPK candidates and their associates involved in campaigning visiting Starbucks could leave a poor impression on the people,” Jung said.

Jung also called for stronger penalties for those who mock or demean pro-democracy movements.

“Germany strictly punishes those who glorify or defend the Holocaust,” Jung said. “We will push for legislation that enables stronger punishment for those who mock or demean the May 18 uprising or other pro-democracy movements.”

Under a 2021 special act, distorting or defaming the Gwangju pro-democracy movement can carry up to five years in prison.

DPK Seoul mayoral candidate Chong Won-o's camp also issued an internal ban on Starbucks Wednesday, instructing all staff to avoid the chain and take home any previously purchased Starbucks items like tumblers and mugs to avoid any appearance of endorsement.

Other progressive politicians, including Rep. Son Sol of the minor left wing Progressive Party and Justice Party Seoul mayoral candidate Kwon Young-kook, also posted messages on social media calling for a Starbucks boycott.

The mounting backlash also reached the events industry. The Seoul Jazz Festival, running Friday to Sunday at Olympic Park in Songpa District, announced Wednesday that it would not operate a Starbucks booth this weekend.