‘Tank Day’ tumbler promo pulls Starbucks Korea into ideological fight

Starbucks Korea’s canceled “Tank Day” tumbler promotion has turned into a political firestorm, after far-right internet users began posting memes defending the coffee chain and mocking the country’s pro-democracy movement.

The backlash began after Starbucks Korea unveiled a tumbler campaign Monday using the phrases “Tank Day” and “Slam on the desk!” The wording appeared on the anniversary of the May 18, 1980, Gwangju Democratic Uprising and was widely criticized for echoing two of the most painf