- Starbucks Korea sparked outrage by promoting a large tumbler as a "tank" and dubbing May 18 "Tank Day" — the anniversary of the deadly 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy crackdown.
- Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong‑jin made a televised apology (bowing three times); the promotion was canceled and Starbucks Korea's CEO was fired as police and internal probes began.
- The backlash led to boycott calls, government bans on serving Starbucks at events and a sharp drop in sales for Shinsegae's Starbucks operation.
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