Starbucks Korea bans political names from being used in coffee orders before high-stakes election

Banners showing South Korea's presidential election candidates, frontrunner Lee Jae-myung (top R), and main conservative rival Kim Moon-soo (top L), are seen beyond signage of coffee giant Starbucks in Seoul on May 15, 2025.

Starbucks outlets in South Korea have prohibited users from mentioning the six presidential hopefuls' names when ordering using its mobile app. The move follows an intense and polarising election campaign, during which customers had co-opted the company's "Call My Name" feature, created for whimsical or affectionate nicknames, as a means for political communication, according to the Washington Post.

The prohibition comes after a string of viral events where politically incorrect nicknames flashed up on store screens. A customer ordered their drink called "Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol," referencing the recently impeached and indicted president. Others opted for nicknames denigrating the former first lady or branding opposition leader Lee Jae-myung a spy. These instances grabbed mass attention online and soon developed into a public relations nightmare for the coffee giant.

Starbucks invokes neutrality amid tensions

In a statement, Starbucks Korea said the step was to guarantee political neutrality in its stores. The company, which has a presence in South Korea's third-largest market after China and the US, had never before limited names employed in its stores. The move highlights how politically charged the nation is getting in preparation for the June 3 election, with the public transforming common platforms into areas of protest.

Election on high stakes after six months of turmoil

South Koreans are on the verge of electing their fourth president in only six months, after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached after issuing martial law in December. The move resulted in mass indignation, criminal charges, and entrenched political tensions. His right-wing base, repeating similar mantras such as "Stop the Steal," still casts doubts over the legitimacy of the vote to be held.

Popular names in the line of fire

The policy also implies that customers sharing the same names with any of the six contenders — Lee Jae-myung, Kim Moon-soo, Lee Jun-seok, Kwon Young-kook, Hwang Kyo-ahn, and Song Jin-ho — cannot use their actual names while ordering until after the election. This has resulted in embarrassing moments, like for Democratic legislator Kim Moon-soo, who had to remove local campaign signs to prevent being confused with the opposing party's presidential hopeful of the same name. A reflection of South Korea's political mood

The Starbucks ban might seem trivial, but it betrays a larger mood in South Korea, where public frustration and political expression have overflowed into the unlikeliest of places. As the nation continues toward a possibly revolutionary election, even a humble coffee order has become a reflection of a severely fractured nation.