Translation result.
‘Tank Day’ controversy has knocked Starbucks out of the top spot in KakaoTalk’s gift voucher category for the first time in seven years amid public backlash over its marketing.
As of 10 a.m. on May 25, Starbucks food and beverage vouchers — which had consistently occupied the No. 1 and No. 2 positions — have fallen, with the flagship item now ranked ninth.
Through May 23, Starbucks vouchers held the top three places in KakaoTalk’s gift rankings. The No. 1 item was the “Americano for 2 + dessert set” priced at 13,900 KRW (about $10.43). No. 2 and No. 3 were e-card vouchers worth 30,000 KRW (about $22.50) and 50,000 KRW (about $37.50), respectively.
Currently, the No. 1 and No. 2 positions are occupied by Baedal Minjok gift certificates worth 50,000 KRW (about $37.50) and 30,000 KRW (about $22.50). They are followed by Mega Coffee’s Patbingsu Gelato Parfait and Olive Young gift cards.
Starbucks’ “Americano for 2 + dessert set” has dropped to ninth place, while the 30,000 KRW (about $22.50) and 50,000 KRW (about $37.50) e-card vouchers have fallen to 14th and 17th, respectively.
Still, Starbucks remains prominent within the Cafe category: its vouchers rank No. 4 (Americano for 2 + dessert set), No. 6 (30,000 KRW (about $22.50) voucher), and No. 8 (50,000 KRW (about $37.50) voucher).
Kakao said Starbucks vouchers had held the No. 1 spot in the KakaoTalk gift voucher category since 2019 until this incident. Starbucks maintained that top ranking for seven years after KakaoTalk Gifts began operating the voucher business directly.
The controversy erupted after Starbucks sold a “Tank Tumbler” series on the May 18 anniversary of the Gwangju democratization movement and used phrases such as “Tank Day” and “thud on the desk,” language that evoked the deployment of martial law tanks and recalled the 1987 torture death of Park Jong-chul.
Jung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, is scheduled to deliver a public apology on May 26 at the Chosun Palace in Gangnam, Seoul.
Shinsegae Group said, “We wish to apologize directly to everyone hurt by Starbucks Korea’s inappropriate marketing,” and added that it will explain the results of a group-level investigation into the matter.
Reporter Kim Myeong-geun (meang@viva100.com)
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