Artifical intelligence-generated images of former President Chun Doo-hwan holding a Starbucks drink circulate on social media, Wednesday, after the company came under fire over its “Tank Day” event. The images, presumed to have been created by a far-right online user, depict Chun promoting Starbucks coffee. Captured from XFar-right Korean online users began posting artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images and videos in support of Starbucks after the coffee chain’s controversial “Tank Day” promotion on May 18 drew criticism for appearing to insult the Gwangju Democratic Uprising.What appeared at first to be a marketing blunder soon turned into a political flashpoint, with Starbucks becoming a symbolic rallying point for far-right users. As insulting posts targeting the May 18 Democratization Movement and messages supporting the coffee chain spread online, concerns grew over the potential for secondary victimization of survivors and bereaved families. A capture of an artificial intelligence-generated video presumed to have been created by a far-right online user shows former President Chun Doo-hwan drinking Starbucks coffee and saying, “It tastes good.” Captured from XAI-generated former dictator promotes Starbucks Multiple posts spread on X Wednesday featuring Starbucks products alongside former President Chun Doo-hwan. Chun ruled the country under a military dictatorship from 1980 to 1988 and violently crushed the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in 1980.In one video, Chun is seen drinking coffee from a Starbucks tumbler and complimenting its taste before stopping mid-sentence after mentioning the words “Gwangju” and “guns.” The line appeared to refer to a controversial past interview in which Chun denied the democratic nature of the movement and described Gwangju as “a riot in which people rose up with guns.”An AI-generated poster featuring Chun also circulated online. In the poster, Chun is shown holding up a Starbucks mug, with a Starbucks store interior in the background. The text on the graphic reads, “Starbucks, a good daily habit.” An artificial intelligence-generated image, presumed to have been created by a far-right online user and circulating online on Wednesday, depicts a tank carrying the Starbucks siren rolling over devil-like figures holding Chinese and North Korean flags. Captured from ThreadsStarbucks tanks, nationalist edits and open support More concerning and inflammatory posts also began to appear. One image showed a tank bearing the Starbucks logo rolling over devil-like human figures holding North Korean and Chinese flags.Another post altered the Starbucks logo with the Korean national flag and urged users to repay the coffee brand by purchasing its products. Text in the post included phrases such as “Right-wing patriots, Starbucks” and “Leftist-free zone.” In another post, game characters wearing Starbucks uniforms were seen carrying pickets that read, “We’re Starbucks.”The slogans appear to go beyond online chants. Far-right supporters have begun uploading photos of themselves buying coffee at Starbucks, attaching political symbolism to the brand and publicly showing support.Across multiple social media platforms, posts such as “Starting the day with a sandwich at Starbucks. Death to communism,” and “Another day, another cup of Starbucks” suggest that the online campaign is spilling into offline action.A far-right post featuring the Starbucks logo combined with elements of the Korean flag circulates online on Wednesday. Captured from ThreadsPublic reaction to the far-right posts and the Starbucks promotion has remained largely critical. Posts condemning users who uploaded photos of Starbucks purchases as part of the movement appeared to far outnumber supportive ones. Some called on Starbucks’ global headquarters to take action against Starbucks Korea, while calls to boycott also began to spread.The controversy stemmed from Starbucks Korea’s tumbler discount event on May 18, the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, which they named “Tank Day.” It also used the phrase “Put it on the table with a sound of ‘Tak!’” which critics said evoked the infamous official explanation given by police after the 1987 torture and death of student activist Park Jong-chul, whose death helped fuel South Korea’s pro-democracy movement.The promotion triggered an immediate backlash, with critics accusing the company of mocking both the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and Park’s death. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin later dismissed Sohn Jeong-hyun as CEO of Starbucks Korea and issued a public apology.This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.