On the 20th, the Seoul Jazz Festival announced via their official SNS, “The Starbucks booth will no longer be operating at the ’18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026.’ We ask for the audience’s understanding.”
As one of the largest music festivals, the event will take place from May 22 to 24 at the Olympic Park area in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
While the organizers did not provide a specific reason for the cancellation, it is being interpreted as a move reflecting the recent controversy over a tumbler promotion Starbucks held on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.
Starbucks launched a ‘Tank Day’ event on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. Additionally, the use of the phrase ‘Tak on the desk’ sparked criticism for reminding people of the deployment of martial law troops on May 18 and the police’s explanation during the 1987 torture-death case of Park Jong-chol.
Consequently, Chung Yong-jin, Chairman of Shinsegae Group (the parent company of Starbucks Korea), dismissed the CEO of Starbucks Korea and issued an official apology. Starbucks stated, “We bow our heads in deep apology to the spirits of May 18, the May organizations, the citizens of Gwangju, the bereaved family of the late Park Jong-chol, and everyone who led the democratization of Korea, who were deeply hurt by marketing containing inappropriate expressions regarding the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.”
