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On Thursday, March 1, SHINee's Minho posted a series of pictures on his Instagram account, documenting his stroll across the streets of Tokyo, Japan. The idol and his fellow members are currently in Japan following their concert, SHINee WORLD VI [PERFECT ILLUMINATION] JAPAN FINAL LIVE at the Tokyo Dome.
While fans were expecting pictures of the members hanging out in the popular city during their visit, what fans were upset about was the first picture of Minho's thread of photos in his latest Instagram post. SHINee's Minho was seen holding a Starbucks cup and given that the brand has been boycotted by several people around the world due to its poor labor management and alleged pro-Israel perspectives, the photo has received backlash.
Following the news of Starbucks' stance on the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict, the company has been facing a major backslash and heavy loss due to the boycott.
Therefore, fans were disappointed with Minho holding a Starbucks cup, which meant that he bought a beverage from the brand amidst netizens' efforts to spread awareness about the boycott. Following the Instagram post, fans have been trying to explain the problematic stance of the idol's engagement with the brand and how it affects the boycott through several means.
Fans disappointed as SHINee's Minho poses with a Starbucks cup in his recent Instagram post amidst boycott of the beverage brand
The four-piece second-generation K-pop boy group, SHINee, is currently rolling out their sixth world tour, SHINEee World VI: Perfect Illumination, and they have currently stopped in Japan for a few shows. On February 24 and 25, the group rolled out their concert in Tokyo, Japan, at the Tokyo Dome, which fans grandly talked about and celebrated.
The idols were also seen spending their own time in the city during their stay. On February 29, SHINee's Minho posted pictures of him enjoying his stroll across the streets of Tokyo, and fans were delighted by the update.
However, they were soon disappointed to notice that the very first image in the thread of photos he posted on Instagram had him holding a Starbucks cup.
Since November 2023, Starbucks has been facing backlash for its treatment of its employees and its alleged pro-Israel stance. Many former laborers and employees of the beverage brand went on a strike against the company for its unfair labor practices. People reported that the employees who posted on their social media in support of Palestine were not only fired but also left with a lawsuit against them.
This communicated to netizens that Starbucks held Zionist ties and that they stood in support of Israel. Following the incident, people have entered a heavy boycott of Starbucks and several other brands that have showcased their support towards Israel, and this boycott has caused a total of $12 billion as of December 2023.
While netizens are happy about the boycott that's been working effectively, they've also been critical of those who still choose to buy from Starbucks and engage with the brand. Given that SHINee's Minho stands as a popular figure in the industry, fans believe that the post with a Starbucks cup in his hand not only communicates his alleged support towards Israel but also motivates other netizens to engage with the brand.
This, therefore, might affect the ongoing boycott. Fans have been trying to explain the situation to SHINee's Minho, demanding he take down the picture, by contacting him through Bubble, Instagram DMs, and comments under his post.
