Head of Starbucks Korea Dismissed Following Marketing Campaign Backlash – CoffeeTalk

The head of Starbucks Korea, Sohn Jeong-hyun, was dismissed following significant public backlash against a marketing campaign that was perceived as insensitive. The campaign, launched on “Tank Day,” promoted a line of tumblers with the tagline “put it on the table with a sound of ‘Tak!’”, coinciding with the commemoration of the Gwangju Uprising of May 1980. This uprising, marked by a violent military crackdown that resulted in numerous deaths, led to outrage among South Koreans due to the campaign’s connotations and its perceived trivialization of a national tragedy.

Sohn’s firing was announced by Shinsegae Group, the retail giant managing Starbucks in South Korea, which labeled the marketing as “inappropriate.” The campaign drew notoriety as it intersected with memories of the brutal military regime of Chun Doo-hwan, whose forces responded violently to pro-democracy protests. Critics specifically highlighted the use of the word “tak,” referencing past explanations by authorities about the death of a student protester, which added to the outrage.

In the aftermath, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung criticized Starbucks, demanding apologies from the company for the offense caused to victims’ families. Starbucks Korea issued a public apology, but it was met with widespread criticism, as online users shared images of refunds and membership cancellations while some destroyed Starbucks products in protest. Consequently, the shares of Shinsegae’s discount retail branch, E-Mart, fell by 5.5%.

The backlash prompted a response from Starbucks Global, which expressed deep regret over the incident, announcing an investigation and commitment to enhancing oversight within the company to prevent future missteps. A spokesperson emphasized accountability and the implementation of stronger internal controls to safeguard against similar occurrences, aiming to restore trust with the affected communities and customers.

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