Starbucks Korea's 'Tank Day' misstep prompts trolling from far-right online communities

A promotional misstep by Starbucks Korea on the anniversary of a pro-democracy uprising is snowballing into a political clash, with far-right internet users deploying AI-generated videos to mock the historical event and trolling opponents with deliberate show-of-support visits to the chain.

Starbucks Korea drew public scrutiny for its latest promotional event on "tank tumblers," as the language used in the campaign, like "tank” and "tak" — a Korean onomatopoeia used to describe a sharp, hitting sound, similar to "bang" — recalled military vehicles deployed during the crackdown on the May 18, 1980, Gwangju Uprising and the 1987 torture death of pro-democracy student activist Park Jong-cheol (1965-1987). 

On Sunday, an AI-generated video was posted on X showing Chun Doo Hwan — the former Korean military dictator whose crackdown on the uprising left hundreds dead — drinking from the "tank tumbler." In the clip, Chun says, "Tastes good. And as for Gwangju, one weapon at a time...," referencing the violent suppression of pro-democracy protesters.  

Comments on the post included phrases such as "destroy the communists" and "no leftists — clean store." The account behind the post had also previously shared content supporting former conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached after a short-lived attempt to declare martial law in December 2024.

Some far-right users went further, visiting Starbucks branches and posting photos as a show of deliberate support for the brand in response to calls for a boycott. 

Actor Choi Jun-yong joined in, posting "Coffee is Starbucks" with a picture of himself sipping a Starbucks drink on his Instagram on Tuesday. 

Others posted photos of Starbucks digital display boards at the Gwanghwamun branch in Jongno District, central Seoul, showing derogatory terms used against liberal late former president Roh Moo-hyun and President Lee Jae Myung — language originating from the far-right online community Ilbe.

Since the controversial campaign, Starbucks Korea has apologized, saying it had "discovered that inappropriate language had been used," and halted the promotion. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin,  whose conglomerate operates Starbucks Korea, also issued a public apology saying the group had shown "insufficient historical awareness and sensitivity toward the historical pain of the Korean community," and fired the Starbucks Korea CEO. 

Despite the apology, a boycott movement has gathered pace, with users posting videos of themselves destroying or discarding Starbucks tumblers and cups. The Democratic Party's floor leader, Jung Chung-rae, on Tuesday urged party candidates and officials to stay away from Starbucks, saying that "people involved in Democratic Party campaigning or candidates visiting Starbucks could give a very negative impression to the public."

On May 18, 1980, the military cracked down on demonstrators, including students, protesting against then-Army Lt. Gen. Chun, who staged a military coup the previous year and became president in August 1980. The harsh quelling of the uprising left more than 200 dead and 1,800 others wounded in Gwangju.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON. [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]