Musical actor drops out of show, issues apology over Starbucks post

Musical actor Jung Min-chan has stepped down from the ongoing musical "Diaghilev" after facing online backlash over a social media post showing him drinking a beverage at Starbucks Korea, which recently came under fire for a marketing campaign criticized as insensitive to a painful chapter in Korea’s modern history. On Saturday, Jung posted a lengthy apology on his Instagram, stating, "I sincerely apologize for causing discomfort and disappointment to many people due to my recent social media post." The controversy began after Starbucks Korea faced severe criticism for holding a promotional event named "Tank Day" on May 18, which marks the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising. In Korea, tanks are a sensitive historical symbol associated with violent military suppression of the 1980 pro-democracy uprising. Although Starbucks Korea issued an official apology, the incident triggered a boycott against the coffee franchise. Jung sparked outrage by uploading a photo of his visit to a Starbucks store on his social media. When online users criticized the post, his initial response wWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times