Two-story standalone store at Mudeungsan National Park entrance shuts Friday as lease goes unrenewed
![Lights are off at a Starbucks store in Seoul on June 22. Starbucks Korea closed all its outlets early that day for a company-wide historical-awareness training session for employees. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/10/30/rcv.YNA.20260622.PYH2026062213280001301_P1.jpg)
A large Starbucks store at the entrance to Mudeungsan National Park in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, has permanently closed.
The closure comes in the wake of a consumer boycott triggered by the company's "Tank Day" promotional event, held on the anniversary of the May 18 pro-democracy uprising.
According to Starbucks Korea, the Gwangju Jisan Yuwonji Ipgu store — located in Sansu-dong, Dong-gu, at the foot of Mudeungsan National Park — shut its doors Friday.
The store opened in 2017 and had been popular with local residents and visitors to Mudeungsan. It occupied a two-story standalone commercial building.
Starbucks Korea said it decided to cease operations after the commercial lease expired and was not renewed.
On May 18, the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, Starbucks ran a tumbler discount promotion using the slogans "Tank Day" and "Thud on the desk" — phrases widely seen as evoking the military crackdown of May 1980. The campaign drew accusations of mocking the pro-democracy movement and sparked a boycott that spread online and into political circles.
Starbucks' US headquarters subsequently responded to a letter of protest from the May 18 Memorial Foundation, calling the Tank Day event "inappropriate marketing that should never have happened." The company also said it "apologizes for the historical significance of the May 18 Democratic Uprising and the pain of its victims," and added that demands from May 18 organizations had been reported to senior internal management.
The Tank Day controversy took a further turn when members of the Baejae High School baseball team cheered against Gwangju Jeil High School at the 81st Cheongnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship by chanting "Let's go to Starbucks" — widely interpreted as a regional slur. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee reviewed the incident and handed the Baejae High School baseball team a one-month competition ban. Two students who led the chant received suspension from school attendance.
jshan@heraldcorp.com
