Starbucks Korea Temporarily Closes Shops for Staff History Lesson After ‘Tank Day’ Promotion Backlash
South Korea’s most popular coffee chain will shut down all its outlets for three hours next Wednesday to allow employees to attend a history lesson. The move follows a wave of public outrage over a “Tank Day” promotion that was launched on the anniversary of the Gwangju uprising, in which an estimated 165 civilians were killed by a military crackdown in 1980.
Starbucks Korea, operated by Shinsegae Group under a licensing agreement, fired its chief executive on the day the campaign was revealed. The group chairman, Chung Yong‑jin, will also sit in on the training session, the company said.
Shifts will cease at 15:00 local time (06:00 GMT) and the stores will not reopen until the following day. The announcement marked the first nationwide early closure in the country’s 27‑year history of Starbucks operations.
The “Tank Day” promotion involved reusable tumbler cups called the Tank Series, marketed as “spacious volume” for a large amount of coffee. A video explaining the campaign’s purpose was reportedly shown to staff as part of their training, which aimed to boost historical awareness and social sensitivity.
The promotional material used a Korean phrase that sounds like a slap on a table. Critics said the wording evoked the Gwangju massacre and, more broadly, the 1987 student protests that toppled the dynasty of Chun Doo-hwan. The phrase also appeared in a police statement in 1987 about a student activist’s death in custody.
Shinsegae’s marketing team explained that the slogan was generated by an AI suggestion tool, but the decision to use it was subsequently made by human staff. When questioned, the firm said the AI had been used only as a brainstorming aid.
The controversy reignited discussion of the Gwangju uprising’s legacy within South Korea. The event, a turning point for the country’s transition to democracy, led to widespread killings, beatings, torture and sexual assault by troops. Subsequent investigations confirmed the brutality and the military regime’s horrific conduct.
President Lee Jae‑myung took to social media to criticize the chain’s “inhumane” marketing tactics, while consumer groups called for a boycott. Sales figures, according to the chain, fell sharply following the protests.
In the context of these debates, the grandson of the last Korean dictator Chun Woo‑won publicly apologized to families of the victims of the Gwangju massacre. He described his grandfather as a “sinner and slaughterer,” expressing regret for not having apologized sooner.
The incident underscores the delicate balance that multinational brands must strike when marketing, cultural history and political sensitivities intersect. Starbucks Korea’s temporary closure and staff training illustrate how corporate actions can echo larger national conversations about remembrance, responsibility and brand image.
