Actress the late Choi Jin-sil's daughter Choi Jun-hee defended herself and expressed regret over the suddenly erupted "Starbucks photo controversy."
About a week has passed since May 18, and domestic criticism of Starbucks' "tank day" marketing has intensified. The issue arose from using phrases such as "tank day" and "plop on the desk!" while selling the "tank tumbler series" through its application on May 18.
Numerous netizens and civic groups pointed out that it evokes memories of the deployment of military tanks during the May 18 democratic movement and the 1987 torture death of Park Jong-chul, and Starbucks Korea deleted the related posts while Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong-jin also apologized, saying "It was inappropriate marketing that should not have happened and cannot be tolerated."
On May 26 he issued a public apology and promised to prevent recurrence, but as boycott movements such as "탈벅" continued, Chung Yong-jin bowed his head with a second public apology eight days after the controversy began. Still, critics say the apology lacked sincerity and the controversy continues.
Meanwhile, some far-right groups have voiced support for Starbucks. Actor Choi Jun-yong and singer JK Kim Dong-wook publicly showed Starbucks purchase photos to express their support. In this context, on the 27th Choi Jun-hee posted a photo holding a Starbucks coffee cup during her honeymoon in the United States, sparking controversy. The controversy intensified as attention returned to her past post saying "I want to live in a world without leftists."
When a social media channel covering the issue posted about the "Starbucks photo controversy" involving her, Choi Jun-hee replied in the comments to that post, "What exactly did I 'prove'..... We went to Universal Studios during our honeymoon in LA and there were no decent coffee shops except Starbucks. People who know my usual style would know I truly went out unmade that day, and since we spent a lot to go to the amusement park I wanted a photo to remember it, so I hid my face slightly with the cup and took the picture. There are a lot of Starbucks in the U.S.; why should I be criticized for having a drink there?"
In particular, when the channel offered, "If it's uncomfortable we will take the feed down," Choi Jun-hee wrote, "No, it's fine."
Afterward, Choi Jun-hee also expressed her displeasure about the issue on her SNS story. She wrote, "Stop being such XX people," adding, "Why would I 'prove' something about that incident. There was simply a Starbucks at Universal Studios and I just bought it. Followers know, but today my styling was almost bare-faced, level 2 of casual, so I just wanted to hide my face with the cup and take a picture. I'm really, truly sorry. I'm busy with work and sending off my honeymoon; I don't have time to dwell on remembering that Starbucks incident and dwell on it."
Choi Jun-hee said, "And it's a trip to the U.S., whether someone else buys coffee or not is their business. Why do you run incendiary articles like that?" She set "People are tired" as the background music and targeted those who overinterpreted the photo.
Choi Jun-hee also revealed a photo saying she had responded "Exactly, I never even thought of it" to a DM from a follower that read, "Be careful with Starbucks photos for a while. I'm worried they'll tear you apart in the press." "The worry became reality. Today's advice: listen to the older sisters," she added.
Choi Jun-hee, who had faced controversies from exaggerated interpretations before marriage, during the marriage process and after marriage, finally exploded over the honeymoon photo controversy. With Choi Jun-hee publicly expressing her discomfort, attention is focused on whether the exaggerated interpretations and controversies surrounding her will decrease going forward.
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