On May 31 KST, NCT members Taeyong and Renjun stirred up speculation with their Instagram stories, seemingly making indirect references to the group’s recent collaboration with Starbucks Korea.
NCT’s leader, Taeyong, posted a curt message on his Instagram story, simply stating "boycott." Fans quickly speculated that his words might be aimed at the new merchandise collaboration with Starbucks Korea. Shortly after, Renjun updated his Instagram story with the word "peace" accompanied by a series of emojis. Fans interpreted these posts as subtle nods to the ongoing collaboration.
The NCT x Starbucks Korea collaboration, which launched on May 30 KST, features three limited edition menu items and various exclusive merchandise. This partnership, however, has sparked controversy among NCT’s North American fanbase. Many fans in North America have been boycotting Starbucks due to the global franchise’s alleged support of Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The announcement of NCT’s collaboration with Starbucks Korea was met with disapproval from these fans, who expressed their intent to boycott the collaboration.
Conversely, many Korean fans believe that the political stance of Starbucks America does not apply to Starbucks Korea (SCK COMPANY Co., Ltd.), which operates as a separate corporation owned by E-MART24 Inc., a subsidiary of Shinsegae Group. Despite the licensing agreements that require Starbucks Korea to pay royalties to Starbucks America, the two companies function independently.
This situation has led to a mix of reactions online. Some Korean netizens are questioning whether Taeyong and Renjun's Instagram accounts were hacked, while others criticize the members for potentially violating business contracts with their posts.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and whether the group will address the controversy directly. For now, fans are left to speculate on the true intent behind Taeyong and Renjun’s cryptic messages
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