Actor Choi Jun-yong is once again sparking debate with a "myeolgong coffee" proof shot.
On the 24th, Choi Jun-yong posted a short video on his personal social media saying, "Sㅇ love continues #Starㅇㅇ #IcedAmericano." The released video shows Choi Jun-yong ordering and drinking an iced Americano from a nearby major franchise brand.
This is not the first time Choi Jun-yong has defended the brand. The day after the controversy, on the 19th, he also posted a photo on his personal social media saying, "Coffee is SO," showing himself drinking the brand's coffee, which attracted attention.
Singer Kim Song also responded to the repeated posts. Kim Song commented, "What is that Chinese tea made to look similar to the Sㅇ logo? Those who leave a lot of malicious comments on my feed, please don't ever go to Sㅇ and go to the tea ㅇ instead. Fighting!" drawing attention.
The problem is that the brand was recently criticized for marketing that mocked the May 18 Democratic Uprising. On May 18, the anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, it used marketing phrases such as "Tank Day" and "table thump."
This provoked fierce criticism and backlash for ridiculing the tanks of the martial law forces that headed to Gwangju during the May 18 Democratic Uprising and for trivializing the torture and death of martyr Park Jong-chul. As a result, the brand officially apologized and the CEO was also dismissed.
Even Chung Yong-jin, chairman of the brand's domestic operating parent company Shinsegae Group, personally apologized. Chung Yong-jin bowed his head, saying, "We caused deep wounds to the spirits of the May 18 victims, their families and the public. We take seriously that the group's historical awareness and sensitivity were lacking."
Given the seriousness of the matter, the brand's U.S. headquarters also expressed its position through a spokesperson. "We deeply apologize that inappropriate marketing occurred in Korea coinciding with May 18, a day that is historically and humanely significant as the anniversary of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. We understand how much pain and hurt this incident has caused, especially to those who mourn the victims, the bereaved families and all who devoted themselves to Korea's democratization."
Furthermore, the U.S. headquarters said, "Actions have been taken regarding responsible executives and a thorough investigation is underway. To prevent such incidents from happening again, we are strengthening internal controls, standards review and companywide training. We sincerely apologize to the citizens of Gwangju, those affected by this tragedy, and our customers and the community," it said.
Nevertheless, Choi Jun-yong deliberately defended the brand. Rather than empathizing with the mockery of a disaster that caused casualties, his actions of applying it to political expression appear to have once again provoked critical public opinion.<
[Photo] Source: SNS.
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