[Alpha Biz= Ellie Kim] Starbucks Korea is facing growing consumer backlash not only over its controversial “Tank Day” promotion tied to the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, but also over restrictive refund policies that are complicating boycott efforts.

As calls for a boycott spread online, many customers attempting to cancel memberships and withdraw balances from prepaid Starbucks cards have encountered unexpected hurdles. Under current policy, users must spend at least 60% of the total loaded amount before becoming eligible for a refund of the remaining balance.

For example, a customer with KRW 50,000 loaded on a card must use at least KRW 30,000 before requesting a refund—effectively forcing additional spending even for those who no longer wish to use the service.

Online communities have seen a surge in posts documenting refund attempts, with some users expressing frustration that they cannot fully exit the platform without making further purchases. One widely shared example showed a user buying multiple low-cost items simply to meet the minimum usage requirement for refund eligibility.

Critics argue that the policy unfairly pressures consumers into unwanted spending. Legal experts have also raised concerns that such conditions may infringe on consumer rights.

 

 

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