On May 18, Starbucks Korea faced strong criticism after launching a promotion called “Tank Day”. The promotion also included the Korean slogan “Thwack it on the table!” The company later posted official apology statements, and Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin also made a public apology.
“Tank Day” Promotion on May 18 Causes Criticism
At 10 a.m. on May 18, Starbucks Korea started selling its Tank Tumbler and uploaded a promotional post on its official website. The post featured the words “Tank Day” above and below the date “5/18,” along with the slogan “Thwack it on the table!”, an English translation of the Korean phrase “책상에 탁!”
Many people criticized the promotion on social media and online communities. They said the words reminded them of the military tanks used by the martial law troops during the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and the torture and death of democracy activist Park Jong-chul. As a result, many people argued that the promotion disrespected an important part of Korean history by mocking and insulting the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement on its 46th anniversary. Some consumers also started a boycott.
Civic groups and politicians also criticized the promotion. On the same day, the Gwangju-Jeonnam Memorial Solidarity released a statement of condemnation saying that the campaign was not just a simple mistake but a serious insult that turned Korea’s painful democratic history into a marketing tool. The Gwangju City Council and several politicians, including Min Hyung-bae (who was the Democratic Party’s candidate for the Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Metropolitan City then), also voiced their criticism.
From Revising the Advertisement to Public Apologies
Starbucks Korea’s first response made the situation even worse. The company changed the promotional phrases to “Tank Tumbler Day” and “Perfect for Work“. However, many people thought these changes only fueled public criticism, where Starbucks eventually deleted the post.
The company’s first apology also received criticism because it did not clearly explain how the incident happened or mention its connection to the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. Around 7 p.m., Starbucks Korea released a second apology under the name of CEO Son Jeong-hyun.
After the controversy, Shinsegae Group dismissed both the Starbucks Korea CEO and the executives who planned the promotion. Chairman Chung Yong-jin also apologized publicly and promised to provide history and social awareness education for employees. The training was held at the company’s headquarters and stores across the country in June.
On May 26, Shinsegae Group announced the results of its internal investigation. The company said it found no evidence that the promotion was intentional although it acknowledged that the investigation had limitations because some employees refused to hand over their mobile phones. However, they admitted that there were problems in its marketing decision-making process.
On June 17, police questioned the head of Shinsegae Group’s audit team as a witness. They said they may conduct searches and seizures later if more evidence is needed. Meanwhile, organizations related to the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement have pressed charges against Chairman Chung and other people involved.
Starbucks Korea has gradually returned to normal business after completing its history education program. Shinsegae Group also said that Chairman Chung plans to visit Gwangju and apologize in person, but no date has been decided because the company is focusing on finding out exactly what happened first.
Translated by Dayeon Lee
(dayeon_lee@gm.gist.ac.kr)