'Tank' is Not a Military Tank, but a 'Water Tank'—An Alias for a Starbucks Tumbler

 

 

'Tank' is Not a Military Tank, but a 'Water Tank'—An Alias for a Starbucks Tumbler

Written by Ye yearn Cheong Seung-yearn

Starbucks Korea, a subsidiary of Shinsegae Group, conducted a tumbler promotional event from May 15th to 26th, marketing May 18th specifically as "Tank Day." They also utilized the catchphrase "Plop on the Desk," emphasizing the tumbler as an essential desktop item.

 

Soon after, online communities and social media erupted into a frenzy, claiming that the expressions "Tank Day" and "Plop on the Desk" deliberately disparaged the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and the 1987 torture-death of Park Jong-chol (where authorities infamously claimed, "They tapped the desk, and he dropped dead"). It seems there are quite a few individuals whose minds are exclusively wired to function in such a warped manner.

 

Admittedly, because the designated day for "Tank Day" coincidentally fell on May 18th, one could forge such a forced association. However, it is highly improbable that a commercial enterprise—whose sole survival depends on selling even one more product in this country—would intentionally orchestrate an event to mock Gwangju with military tanks. If the marketing coordinators are in their late 20s to early 40s, May 18th is merely a distant historical event that occurred before they were even born—an era they likely find entirely disconnected from their immediate reality.

 

Above all, the "Tank" in question does not refer to a military vehicle; it means a "water tank" meant for carrying liquids, serving as a playful marketing alias for a large Starbucks tumbler.

 

Americans frequently refer to large, sturdy tumblers capable of holding ample amounts of coffee as "tanks," a marketing angle evoking the image of a rural farm's water tank. Starbucks Korea likely never anticipated that "Tank Day" would be forcibly linked to May 18th, or that a harmless water tank would morph into a military suppression tank. The corporate headquarters of Starbucks in the United States might find themselves utterly bewildered by this peculiar commotion unfolding in South Korea.

 

As seen in product listings on the global e-commerce platform Amazon, stainless-steel Starbucks tumblers are overtly designed with the word "TANK" printed on them. Domestically, these products were already released as early as April 16th under names like the "Mini Tank Tumbler" and the "Pink Tank."

 

As public condemnation mounted due to this complete misreading of the word "Tank," Starbucks Korea issued an apology on their official application and website. When the public anger failed to subside, they released a formal public apology under the name of CEO Son Jeong-hyun. The internal corporate consensus was likely that attempting to rationally explain the "water tank" would not register with the public, and would only worsen the situation—hence, they decided it was best to simply lie low and prostrate themselves.

 

One would have thought this level of criticism and apology was more than sufficient for a corporate marketing oversight, but then President Lee Jae-myung joined the fray.

 

On his official X (formerly Twitter) account, President Lee criticized, "To hold a '5·18 Tank Day' event that insults the bloody struggle of the victims and citizens on the historic anniversary of the Gwangju 5·18 Democratization Movement—I am outraged by the inhumane, outrageous behavior of these low-class merchants who deny the values of the Republic of Korea, fundamental human rights, and democracy."

 

He continued, "Appropriate moral, administrative, legal, and political accountability must be delivered," adding, "Have they even apologized to the bereaved families and victims of 5·18?"

 

Is it truly an issue that warrants the President himself stepping in to distort the original intent of a private enterprise's event, bashing them as "low-class merchants" engaging in "inhumane, outrageous behavior"? If certain citizens could not tolerate this "Tank Day" event, the matter should have simply been left to the free market—whether they chose to boycott Starbucks tumblers or take other voluntary actions.

 

President Lee's venomous attack of "low-class merchant" may stem from a lingering personal and emotional grudge against Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin.

 

Four or five years ago, Chairman Chung openly displayed his ideological leanings on his Instagram account, posting phrases like "I hate communists" and "Annihilate Communism (Myeolgong) for Unification." At the time, some dismissed it as the "attention-seeking psychology of a third-generation chaebol heir" or a "far-right Ilbe mentality," while others praised him as a "principled businessman" and affectionately dubbed him "Yong-jin Hyung (Big Brother)."

 

During that period, then-presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung directly targeted Candidate Yoon Suk-yeol and Shinsegae Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin, remarking, "Individuals who have never served in the military are often the ones claiming 'Annihilate Communism,' 'Northern Unification,' and 'Preemptive Strikes.'" (Of course, President Lee himself is also exempt from military service).

 

Under the current Lee Jae-myung administration, Shinsegae Group may have already been singled out as a conglomerate that needed to be disciplined. Chairman Chung likely sensed this reality instinctively.

 

Immediately following the President's public targeting, Chairman Chung dismissed Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jeong-hyun—who had orchestrated the "Tank Day" event—and announced severe disciplinary measures for the executives involved.

 

A Shinsegae representative stated, "Upon receiving the report, Chairman Chung immediately ordered a rigorous and thorough internal investigation," adding, "Considering the extreme gravity of the matter, he took the decisive measure of dismissing the CEO."

 

In essence, Chairman Chung sacrificed the CEO and executives of Starbucks Korea as scapegoats to deflect the arrows flying directly at him. Ultimately, this "Tank Day" commotion—now amplified by the President—leaves a bitter taste, demonstrating how innocent people are once again being ruthlessly hunted down.

 

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