The recent "Tank Day" and "Tak on the Desk" marketing campaign launched by Starbucks Korea is not a minor oversight or a simple marketing mistake; it is a malicious, systematic mockery of South Korea's darkest historical tragedies.
For Koreans, the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement of 1980 is a deeply painful history of innocent civilians being brutally massacred by military tanks deployed by a dictatorship. Furthermore, using the phrase "Tak" directly mocks the horrific 1987 torture and murder of student activist Park Jong-chul, which the military regime infamously tried to cover up by claiming the investigator merely struck a desk with a "tak" sound.
To fully comprehend the depth of this trauma, I implore your executive team to view the film A Taxi Driver or read the book Human Acts by Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang. These works document the unbearable grief, state-sponsored brutality, and human cost of Korea's fight for democracy. Trivializing this bloodstained history for a corporate promotion is an unconscionable violation of basic human decency.
While I note that Shinsegae Group has fired the local CEO, the systemic lack of historical awareness and ethical oversight within Shinsegae proves they are completely unfit to represent the values of Starbucks Global. Under Shinsegae’s management, the Starbucks logo has become synonymous with right-wing historical mockery, alienating millions of consumers and sparking a widespread, furious boycott.
Under the standard terms of your Area Development and Operating Agreement, Starbucks Corporation undoubtedly retains the right to terminate or revoke a master license if a licensee inflicts severe reputational harm, causes material brand degradation, or violates global ethical standards.

I urgently request that Starbucks Corporation revoke the master license from Shinsegae Group and transition operations to a responsible, ethical partner company. The South Korean public has a deep-seated love for the Starbucks brand, but we cannot support a company managed by those who mock the sacrifices that built our democracy. If Starbucks chooses to partner with a leadership team that respects our history and community, your business will flourish even more, and Koreans will once again welcome and love Starbucks with open arms.