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The encyclopedia · Product & Design · Product decision · 2025–2026

Starbucks Korea's giveaway humidifier: 393,548 units recalled after a fire

A loyalty-event freebie whose battery could overheat: one fire. 393,548 units recalled; each return earns a 30,000-won card — an 11.8-billion-won promo.

Starbucks Korea · Hanil Electric · 2026-01-30

What happened

Starbucks Korea's 2025 e-Frequency stamp drive ended in a humidifier: customers who filled their stamps between October 30 and December 31 received one of two Starbucks-branded humidifier models — 393,548 units in all, built by Hanil Electric. A loyalty gift meant to sit on every desk in the country.

The battery could overheat; one localized fire suspected to be caused by battery overheating was reported. On January 30, 2026, Starbucks Korea announced a voluntary recall of all 393,548 units, reported to the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards; courier pickup began February 2.

The remedy: return the humidifier and receive a 30,000-won Starbucks mobile card. If every owner shows up, that is roughly 11.8 billion won in coffee credit — the promo's budget rewritten as a recall bill.

Why it happened

  • The battery could overheat and cause a localized fire — one fire reported on a freebie handed out Oct 30–Dec 31, 2025; voluntary recall announced Jan 30, 2026
  • 393,548 units across two models; the remedy is a 30,000-won mobile card per return — about 11.8 billion won if every owner redeems, courier pickup from Feb 2
  • Starbucks Korea put its name on a humidifier built by Hanil Electric — the brand on the shell, the risk in the cell, and the bill at the counter
What it cost1 fire; 393,548 recalled; 11.8B won in gift cardscostly

The lesson

A promo gift carries the brand on every use — and every defect too. The 30,000-won card per returned unit turned a loyalty freebie into an 11.8-billion-won lesson in supplier QA.

Sources

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