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Starbucks Korea CEO Fired Over Offensive Ad
星巴克韩国CEO因广告争议遭免职
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Starbucks Korea CEO Fired Over Offensive Ad
星巴克韩国CEO因广告争议遭免职
星巴克韩国公司近期因营销活动涉嫌嘲弄民主化运动而陷入舆论旋涡，随后其首席执行官被免职。该争议起源于公司在“5·18民主化运动”纪念日使用了“坦克日”这一表述，并在广告中引用了让人联想到过去酷刑掩盖丑闻的语句。尤其是“拍桌子”等词语对受害者家属和民众造成了巨大伤害，引发了猛烈抨击。目前，抵制运动正不断扩散，这充分体现了企业尊重国家痛点与历史的重要性。
Starbucks Korea just fired its CEO after a shocking marketing disaster.
星巴克韩国因营销惨案免去了首席执行官的职务。
The company used slogans that mocked South Korea’s struggle for democracy.
这是因为广告中使用了嘲讽民主化运动的措辞。
This happened on May 18th, a very sensitive day for Koreans.
事件发生于5月18日，这对韩国人来说是一个极其敏感的日子。
On this day in 1980, the military killed many protesters in Gwangju.
1980年的这一天，军队在光州武力镇压示威者，导致多人牺牲。
The ad called the date 'Tank Day.'
然而，广告却将这一天称为“坦克日”。
This reminded people of the tanks used against civilians.
这个词让人联想到当时被派去镇压平民的坦克。
The ad also used the phrase 'thwack on the desk.'
广告中还出现了“拍桌子”这一表达。
This phrase comes from a famous 1987 torture cover-up.
这源于1987年为了掩盖一宗酷刑致死案而留下的臭名昭著的托辞。
Police lied about a student’s death by using that word.
当时警方为了隐瞒学生的死因，用这句话撒了谎。
Victims’ groups said the marketing was a 'malicious mockery.'
受害者团体批评此次营销是“恶意的嘲弄”。
Shinsegae Group chair Chung Yong-jin fired CEO Son Jung-hyun immediately.
新世界集团会长郑溶镇立即免去了CEO孙正贤的职务。
He also dismissed the executive who created the campaign.
策划该活动的管理人员也被一并撤职。
Some people think the chairman’s own political views caused this.
也有观点认为，会长的政治倾向是导致此次事态的原因。
He previously posted messages that angered many citizens.
因为他此前曾发表过引发众怒的言论。
Now, many people are calling for a boycott.
目前，许多民众正在发起抵制运动。
This event shows how deep historical scars remain in society.
这一事件反映了历史创伤在社会中留下的痕迹有多么深刻。
Companies must be careful with national trauma.
企业在处理国家伤痛题材时必须谨言慎行。
Quiz 🧠
Q1. Making fun of a country's painful history can ruin a company's image.
查看答案
✅ True
嘲弄令人痛心的历史事件不仅会伤害公众情感，还会严重损害企业的信誉。
Mocking painful historical events hurts people's feelings and damages a business's public trust.
Q2. What does "mock" mean in "mocking a sad event"?
查看答案
✅ laughing at
'mock'的意思是恶意捉弄或嘲弄某事。
To mock means to make fun of or laugh at something in an unkind way.
Q3. A coffee chain in South Korea mocked a painful historical event. Why did customers get angry?
查看答案
✅ They felt deeply insulted
轻率地贬低全民族的伤痛与创伤，会让人感到极大的侮辱。
People feel hurt and angry when a company treats their national trauma like a joke.
Dialogue 🎧
James: Did you hear the news about Starbucks Korea? They just fired their chief executive.
James: 你听说了吗？星巴克韩国最近免职了他们的首席执行官。
Emma: I did. It was because of a shocking marketing disaster that sparked huge outrage.
Emma: 听说了，据说是由于一场引发公愤的营销惨案。
James: Fired the CEO immediately? That is very dramatic. What exactly did they do?
James: 直接免去CEO职务，这力度可真大。他们到底做了什么？
Emma: The company used slogans that mocked South Korea’s struggle for democracy.
Emma: 公司使用了涉嫌贬低韩国民主化运动的宣传口号。
James: Wait, I don't understand. How did coffee slogans mock a struggle for democracy?
James: 等一下，我不理解。咖啡广告是怎么和贬低民主化运动扯上关系的？
Emma: They launched a 'Tank Day' campaign on May 18th for a new tumbler series.
Emma: 他们在5月18日推出新款保温杯系列时，竟然搞了一个叫“坦克日”的营销活动。
James: May 18th? Why is that such a sensitive day for Koreans?
James: 5月18日？为什么这一天对韩国人来说这么敏感？
Emma: In 1980, the military killed many protesters in Gwangju on that specific day.
Emma: 1980年的那一天，军方在光州杀害了大量示威群众。
James: Oh, so 'Tank Day' reminded people of the tanks used against civilians.
James: 啊，难怪“坦克日”这个词会让大家联想到当年镇压平民的坦克。
Emma: Yes. Victims’ groups called the marketing a malicious mockery of the uprising.
Emma: 没错。受害者团体批评这种营销是对民主化运动的恶意嘲弄。
James: That is awful. But was there more to the controversy than just the tanks?
James: 太糟糕了。除了“坦克”，还有其他争议吗？
Emma: The ad also used the phrase 'thwack on the desk,' which is very infamous.
Emma: 广告里还用了“拍一下桌子”这种文案，这在韩国是非常臭名昭著的表达。
James: 'Thwack on the desk'? That sounds so strange.
James: “拍一下桌子”？听起来很奇怪啊。
Emma: It comes from a famous 1987 cover-up of a student activist’s torture death.
Emma: 这源于1987年警方试图掩盖一名大学生遭酷刑致死的丑闻。当时官方抛出了“只是拍了一下桌子，他就倒地死了”这种荒唐的借口。
James: The police used that word to lie about the student's death?
James: 你是说警察为了掩盖真相，竟然用了这种离谱的托辞？
Emma: Yes. It became shorthand for regime brutality during those nationwide protests.
Emma: 是的。在当年的全国性示威中，这个说法成了政权残暴本质的象征。
James: No wonder people are calling for a boycott of Starbucks now.
James: 难怪民众现在发起了大规模的抵制运动。
Emma: Shinsegae Group chair Chung Yong-jin fired the CEO and the executive responsible.
Emma: 新世界集团会长郑溶镇迅速解雇了CEO和相关负责人。
James: Some think the chairman’s own political views might have caused this.
James: 不过，也有人猜测是会长本人的政治立场导致了这一切。
Emma: He previously posted messages about communism that angered many citizens.
Emma: 因为他以前确实发表过一些关于“灭共”的言论，当时就激怒了不少市民。
James: This event really shows how deep historical scars remain in society.
James: 这起事件深刻反映了历史创伤在社会中留下的痕迹有多深。
Emma: It's a reminder that companies must be careful with national trauma.
Emma: 这确实给所有企业敲响了警钟：在对待国家的痛点历史时，必须保持敬畏。
James: A marketing disaster like this can destroy a brand's reputation very quickly.
James: 这种营销翻车真的会在瞬间毁掉品牌形象。
Emma: Especially when they mock such a sensitive and tragic historical event.
Emma: 尤其是涉及到嘲弄如此敏感且悲剧性的历史事件时，更是不可原谅。