Seoul: Payments at Starbucks Korea plunged over 10 billion won (US$6.5 million) in the month of May, following a controversial promotion event criticized for evoking painful memories of the 1980 pro-democracy uprising, industry data showed Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the event, operated by E-Mart, a subsidiary of Shinsegae, was an online "Tank Day" promotion coinciding with the anniversary of the May 18 uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The promotion was suspended within hours after it drew widespread public criticism.
Starbucks Korea's estimated payment volume for May totaled 121.2 billion won, marking a decline of approximately 10 percent, or 13.1 billion won, from 134.3 billion won recorded in the preceding month, as per data provided by MobileIndex, a platform operated by industry tracker IGAWorks.
The data further indicated that weekly payment volumes fell for two consecutive weeks following the launch of the controversial campaign. It is important to note that the figure only encapsulates purchases made through local debit and credit cards, excluding payments made through other channels such as cash, simple payment methods, and the coffee chain's mobile application.
The coffee company's promotion involved a discount event for "Tank" tumbler sets, accompanied by a contentious slogan, "Put it on the table with a sound of 'Tak!'" The campaign faced backlash as the term "tank" was reminiscent of the military's violent suppression of pro-democracy protesters, while the word "Tak" triggered memories of student activist Park Jong-cheol, who died in 1987 after being tortured.