On January 10, 2023, ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo shared images from a Sketchers event in Malaysia with fans. This is one of four images that he originally posted in a carousel. A Starbucks cup rested on the table in the photo. Given the delicate nature of the matter—whether it be demonstrating support or drinking Starbucks—in light of the Middle Eastern situation, this caused considerable pushback from followers.
After suing a union of employees for putting their logos on a statement supporting Palestine in the conflict, the company is now facing a boycott on an international scale. The company said it would not be supporting either side in the dispute and distanced itself from the controversy. But Starbucks wasted no time in retaliating against the union when it utilized the company’s name and trademark to publicly state its political position.
EUNWOO please do not buying and consume drink from STARBUCKS again, they fund the genocide in Gaza. Please apologize and educate yourself#차은우 #CHAEUNWOO @offclASTRO @CHAEUNWOO_offcl pic.twitter.com/QNmdaK9oci
— faa •kinda iaa (@zyassnh) January 10, 2024
This became an issue because many believe that Starbucks should not have sued its employees over a social media post, and that the company, which has tried to portray itself as more diverse and liberal than others, has instead chosen to take a controversial stand instead of standing in solidarity with the oppressed.
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He promptly removed the photo, replacing it with the other three. There is absolutely no indication of the coffee brand in the other images.
Do you really think that fan requests don’t matter? We asked him to remove the first photo, which showed Starbucks coffee, and he removed it. Nunu, thank you, i love you 💜#CHAEUNWOO pic.twitter.com/t74BbR5FYt
— rockyminhyukisthebestofthebest🇺🇦 (@eunwoo_loveyou) January 10, 2024
Astro’s Cha Eun Woo has also decided to start his solo journey. Meanwhile, stars who have been seen drinking or demonstrating support for the brand are being heavily criticized by fans. It is possible that the idol did not personally buy the drink in some instances. Still, K-Pop stars are under fire for allegedly being oblivious to world events, and standards remain high. You can also join us on our Twitter account for more K-pop updates.
