How a Starbucks marketing stunt spiralled into mass boycotts in South Korea A Starbucks marketing campaign in South Korea, launched on the anniversary of a pro-democracy massacre, used a “Tank Day” promotion and the slogan “thwack on the desk,” which deeply offended the public by evoking past state violence and torture. This led to widespread customer backlash, including product destruction, boycotts, and demands for refunds, forcing the company’s CEO to be fired and its parent company chairman to issue multiple public apologies. The controversy also drew political condemnation and a police investigation into the executives involved.

• Starbucks Korea launched a “Tank Day” promotion for new tumblers on May 18th.
• The date and “Tank” imagery evoked the 1980 Gwangju massacre of pro-democracy protesters.
• The slogan “thwack on the desk” echoed a police cover-up of student activist torture.
• Customers reacted with anger, smashing products and deleting loyalty apps.
• Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jeong-hyun was fired, and chairman Chung Yong-jin apologized multiple times.
• Government ministries and the defense ministry suspended partnerships with Starbucks.
• Card payment volumes at Starbucks dropped significantly, and customers demanded refunds for prepaid balances.
• Police have booked the former CEO and chairman as criminal suspects.
• The controversy highlighted deep societal divisions in South Korea regarding historical memory.
• Starbucks Corporation issued a statement apologizing for the “unacceptable marketing incident” and promised to review internal processes.