“Tank, Your Drink Is Ready”: Starbucks Becomes a Playground for Hate... May 18 Groups Demand Action

"Ordinary Spaces Turned Into Playgrounds for Hate"

Double Burden on Staff Exposed to Hate and Ridicule

Call for Response Manual and Measures to Protect Employees

Recently, some Starbucks stores have seen expressions mocking the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement used as order nicknames and elsewhere, prompting May 18 organizations to criticize the company’s complacent response and urge the implementation of measures to prevent recurrence. They also called for the establishment of response manuals and support systems to protect frontline employees.

Words used to belittle former President Roh Moo-hyun and President Lee Jae-myung displayed on the queue electronic board at Starbucks Gwanghwamun branch. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)

On June 2, the May 18 Memorial Foundation and three related public organizations (the Association of the Injured, the Merit Association, and the Bereaved Families Association) issued a statement, saying, "Cafes, which should be everyday cultural spaces, are being turned into playgrounds for hate by particular groups," and added, "We express deep concern over the indiscriminate spread of acts mocking the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and specific individuals both online and offline."

Starbucks offers a service in which the nickname specified by the customer is called out when their order is ready. There are concerns that some customers are abusing this system by registering nicknames that belittle or ridicule the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement or specific politicians, using them as tools for mockery in certain stores.

The organizations criticized, "The continuation of these problems is due to Starbucks’s complacent and passive response to the previous 5·18 insult marketing incident that occurred internally."

They further pointed out, "The company is shifting the blame for its mistakes and the resulting social criticism entirely onto frontline employees," and added, "Employees who had to personally face public criticism are now suffering doubly, as they are once again left defenseless against indiscriminate hate and mockery occurring inside the stores."

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The organizations stated, "A sincere apology can only be proven through substantive actions and measures to correct the wrongdoing," demanding that Starbucks establish an effective response manual to block hate speech and derogatory acts and to protect employees.

They also called for: ▲ establishing criteria to block political and social hate speech and derogatory acts in stores; ▲ restricting store access for customers who mock or incite hatred toward the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement or specific individuals; ▲ ensuring psychological counseling and legal support for affected employees.

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