Starbucks Korea cancels summer e-Frequency event amid ongoing boycott fallout

Starbucks Korea has decided to cancel its signature summer e-Frequency promotion, which had been on hold following the backlash over its "Tank Day" campaign.

According to industry sources, Starbucks Korea notified staff through its internal network on Monday that it would not proceed with the 2026 Summer e-Frequency event, originally scheduled to run from June 2 through July 26. "We have decided not to hold this year's Summer e-Frequency in order to prioritize restoring customer trust and to focus more on strengthening our internal systems," the company said in the notice.

The e-Frequency promotion is one of Starbucks Korea's flagship events, held twice a year — once in summer and once in winter. Customers who purchase a set number of handcrafted beverages, including designated mission drinks, receive gifts such as planners and calendars. Limited-edition items offered on a first-come, first-served basis have sold out every time, and the promotion has become so popular that customers trade their frequency stamps on secondhand platforms.

The cancellation reflects a judgment that rebuilding customer trust takes precedence over recovering sales. Analysts also point to renewed public pressure after a controversy involving inappropriate cheers by the Baejae High School baseball team reignited criticism of the company. However, Starbucks Korea said its broader summer promotion — featuring seasonal beverages, food and merchandise — will continue as planned.

The "Tank Day" controversy sparked a consumer boycott that sent Starbucks Korea's estimated card payments and user numbers sharply lower. While there are signs of a modest recovery, the company has yet to return to pre-controversy levels.

According to IGAWorks' Mobile Index, Starbucks Korea's estimated weekly credit and debit card payments in the first week of July reached about 24.43 billion won ($16.4 million), up roughly 5.7 percent from the previous week. Payments stood at 32.16 billion won in the week of May 11–17, just before the Tank Day controversy broke, but plunged 26.3 percent to 23.69 billion won in the week of May 18–24. They fell further to 21.46 billion won in the week of May 25–31. Payments have since risen for two consecutive weeks — in the fourth week of June and the first week of July — but have not recovered to the 30 billion won range seen before the controversy.

Earlier, Starbucks Korea drew widespread criticism after using the term "Tank Day" and similar expressions in a tumbler discount event held on June 18, the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. In response, Shinsegae Group dismissed the head of Starbucks Korea, and Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued a public apology. On June 22, all Starbucks Korea stores nationwide closed early for a company-wide education session aimed at raising historical awareness and social sensitivity.