As the controversy surrounding Starbucks Korea’s ‘Tank Day’ promotion continues to stir up social debate, actress Han Jung-soo has publicly declared her boycott.
On the 20th, Han Jung-soo shared a photo of a cut-up Starbucks card on her personal account with the short message, “Let’s not go anymore.” This move is seen as her joining the ‘Tal-Buck’ (leaving Starbucks) movement currently spreading online. She didn’t hold back when responding to mocking netizens, firing back with comments like, “Do you think I have less money than you?” and “Yeah, you.”
In contrast, actor Choi Jun-yong, known for the drama ‘Yain Sidae’, took a different stance. He posted a photo of himself enjoying a Starbucks drink with the caption, “Coffee has to be Starbucks.” The post included hashtags such as #AntiCommunistBrother, #AntiCommunistCoffee, and #Starbucks, while singer Kim Song showed her support with a clapping emoji.
The backlash began on the 18th when Starbucks launched its ‘Tank Series’ promotion, using phrases like ‘Tank Day’ and ‘Ttak on the desk!’ Consumers were outraged, claiming these phrases evoke memories of the tank suppression during the May 18 Democratization Movement in 1980 and the infamous cover-up line (“He died after I hit the desk”) from the 1987 torture-death of Park Jong-chol. Many believe the promotion mocks and belittles the democratization movement.
Regarding the issue, President Lee Jae-myung expressed his anger, stating, “I am outraged by this inhumane and extreme behavior of low-quality merchants who deny the community of the Republic of Korea, basic human rights, and democratic values.” He further emphasized that “appropriate moral, administrative, legal, and political responsibility should be assigned.”
