When celebrated television personality Yoo Jae Suk accepted his record 21st Grand Prize at the 2025 MBC Entertainment Awards on December 29, the network’s innovative choice of acknowledgment immediately sparked controversy. Instead of the customary fresh floral arrangement, the beloved host received a vibrant bouquet crafted entirely from LEGO bricks, prompting a swift and forceful backlash from South Korea’s struggling floriculture sector.
The unprecedented move by major broadcaster Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), reportedly intended as an eco-conscious gesture, has been condemned by the Korea Florists Association. The organization fears that replacing traditional bouquets with toys undermines the value of real flowers, potentially dealing a severe economic blow to an industry already facing acute challenges.
Industry Decline Raises Alarm
In a strongly worded January 10 statement, the Korea Florists Association criticized MBC, arguing that showcasing toy blooms risks positioning actual flowers as obsolete or inefficient during a period critical to the industry’s survival. Statistics underscore the sector’s precarious state: The number of floriculture farms in South Korea has plummeted by nearly 50% over the last two decades, falling from 13,500 in 2001 to approximately 7,100 by 2023.
The association highlighted that over 20,000 independent flower shop owners, along with numerous growers, rely on the consumption of fresh flowers for their livelihoods.
“The use of toy flower bouquets has inflicted yet another wound on flower farmers and florists who are already suffering due to economic slowdown and reduced consumer spending,” the statement asserted. This sentiment underscores a deeper concern that the highly visible cultural moment could negate ongoing government policies designed to promote everyday floral culture and support domestic growers.
Symbolic Shift Draws Scrutiny
The significance of this incident is amplified by its context. MBC is one of the nation’s premier broadcasters, and the year-end awards show commands massive viewership. With the nation’s most influential host, Yoo Jae Suk, receiving the plastic bouquet, the decision received maximum exposure, setting a precedent the floristry industry now fears other organizations will replicate.
The industry is particularly sensitive to perception shifts, having seen the number of growers drop dramatically between 2000 and 2020. This period coincided with a public perception shift where flowers were increasingly viewed as a luxury item rather than an essential, compounding difficulties exacerbated by fluctuating consumer spending.
The Sustainability Paradox
MBC’s perceived rationale—that LEGO bouquets offer a reusable, waste-free alternative to wilting flowers—is scrutinized by environmental and industry experts. While the network likely viewed the substitution as progressive, critics point to the fundamental paradox. Although LEGO uses bio-polyethylene derived from sugarcane for some botanical elements, these plastics are non-biodegradable, contribute to microplastic pollution, and join the estimated 400 billion existing LEGO elements, each with a lifecycle spanning centuries.
In contrast, fresh flowers are inherently biodegradable, support agricultural ecosystems, sequester carbon during cultivation, and contribute robustly to local economies. These qualities align directly with broader national sustainability and agricultural development goals.
Policy Implications and Next Steps
The controversy presents a dilemma for South Korean policymakers, who have actively implemented the “Flower Road” initiative to bolster the domestic market against increasing imports, which now account for nearly 30% of national consumption. The florists association has urged event organizers and broadcasters to consider the ripple effect on the entire supply chain.
Industry observers suggest potential compromises, such as utilizing locally sourced, seasonal flowers alongside robust composting initiatives, or substituting cut flowers with potted plants that recipients can keep alive. For the time being, the plastic bouquet remains a powerful, divisive symbol, exposing the tension between perceived environmental innovation and the tangible economic impact on established cultural industries. The debate over how South Korea values its agricultural traditions will likely continue long after the awards season concludes.