Actor Jeong Minchan Withdraws From Musical After Posting Photo of Starbucks Visit

ShowPlay, Producer of "Diaghilev," Announces Departure

Specific Reason for Exit Not Disclosed

Recently, actor Jeong Minchan, who had posted a photo of himself visiting Starbucks on social media, withdrew from the musical "Diaghilev," in which he was appearing.

On May 22, the production company Showplay for the musical "Diaghilev" stated, "Actor Jeong Minchan, who was playing the role of Nijinsky, will be leaving the production," and added, "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to the audience due to the actor's withdrawal and changes to the casting schedule."

Musical actor Jeong Minchan. Screenshot from Jeong Minchan's Instagram.

The reason for Jeong Minchan's withdrawal has not been disclosed. However, it is speculated that it may be related to his posting a photo of his visit to Starbucks on his social media account on May 20. At the time, he uploaded a photo taken inside the store along with the comment, "I drank a beverage that a Starbucks employee offered for tasting, and it tasted like Makgeolli."

The post became controversial due to Starbucks' "Tank Day" marketing campaign held on May 18, two days before Jeong's post. At the time, Starbucks used phrases such as "5/18," "Tank Day," and "a thump on the desk!" in its promotional materials, which led to criticism that the company was belittling the May 18 Democratization Movement and the death of Park Jongcheol under torture. As a result, a boycott of Starbucks was launched, and Jeong Minchan's visit to Starbucks also became a point of controversy.

Afterward, Jeong Minchan posted again, saying, "I don't really keep up with the news or current issues because I'm busy living my life, so I don't know why I'm receiving so much attention; I'm at a loss," and added, "Not knowing or being ignorant is also a fault, so I would like to offer my sincere apologies. From now on, I will make sure to keep up with the news."

Actor Withdrawal Notice. Screenshot from Showplay Blog

Public reactions to Jeong Minchan's withdrawal have been divided. In the Showplay notice regarding Jeong's departure, there were comments such as, "Does it make sense to remove someone just because they bought coffee at Starbucks?" as well as, "Thank you for the prompt decision," among others.

Meanwhile, on May 20, President Lee Jaemyung criticized Starbucks Korea at a cabinet meeting, saying, "How can someone wearing a human mask do such things?" On May 21, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojoong announced that Starbucks gift certificates and other items would no longer be provided at events hosted by the ministry, effectively declaring an institutional boycott. On May 22, Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at a party meeting, "The Starbucks boycott, centered around Gwangju, will spread like wildfire," and added, "Yongjin Chung, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, should kneel before the people and make a sincere public apology once again."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.