Koreans in US send protest emails to Starbucks HQ over ‘Tank Day’

SEATTLE — Koreans in the United States are turning up pressure on Starbucks headquarters in Seattle over the company’s “Tank Day” controversy, arguing the issue has evolved from a local marketing blunder into a global brand problem tied to the historical trauma of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising. The movement has been gaining traction on MissyUSA, a popular online community for Koreans living overseas, where users have been sharing sample complaint emails in Korean and English, as well as Starbucks contact information, and encouraging others to contact the company directly. Many of the messages reference the painful memories associated with the 1980 military crackdown in Gwangju, when troops and tanks were deployed against pro-democracy demonstrators. Critics say the use of the phrase “Tank Day” in a marketing campaign trivialized one of South Korea’s darkest chapters. “I couldn’t stay silent after seeing the campaign,” said a Korean woman in Seattle surnamed Kim, who said she emailed Starbucks headquarters earlier this week. “On May 18, tanks aren’t something people

Original source: Korea Times