Starbucks Korea to temporarily shut all stores for history lesson after bungled coffee promotion

Starbucks Korea announced it will temporarily close all its stores on June 22, 2026, at 3 PM for employees to attend a mandatory history lesson and "social sensitivity" training. This decision follows a bungled promotion that evoked memories of a pro-democracy massacre, sparking significant public and political backlash. The company will close over 2,000 locations simultaneously for the training, which will involve staff watching recorded lectures on modern Korean history. These half-day closures are projected to cost Starbucks an estimated 2.1 billion won ($1.4 million) in lost sales, according to data firm IGAWorks. The promotion in question, which has not been explicitly detailed in the provided text but is linked to "Tank Day," led to widespread criticism and a need for the company to address its historical insensitivity.