Lego bouquets at Korea’s biggest TV awards spark backlash from flower farmers

Yoo Jae-suk / Courtesy of Antenna

A feel-good, eco-friendly twist at a major Korean TV awards show has unexpectedly turned into a heated controversy. After comedian Yoo Jae-suk accepted his grand prize holding a Lego bouquet instead of real flowers, South Korea’s flower industry erupted in protest, warning that the move could hurt already struggling farmers and florists.

The Korea Florist Association said the decision to replace traditional fresh bouquets with toy flowers at broadcast awards ceremonies “adds another wound” to growers and small shop owners who are battling weak consumer demand and rising costs. The group said that using plastic or toy bouquets on such high-profile stages risks making real flowers appear “inefficient or disposable,” even though millions of people rely on flower sales for their livelihoods.

“More than 20,000 small flower shops and countless flower farms depend directly on fresh flower consumption,” the association said. “At a time when the government is promoting flower use through the Flower Industry Promotion Act, seeing a major broadcaster turn to toy bouquets sends the wrong message.”

Courtesy of Lego

The backlash centers on the “2025 MBC Entertainment Awards,” held n Dec. 29, where the network replaced all congratulatory bouquets with Lego flower sets. It marked the first time a major Korean broadcaster had eliminated real flowers from an awards ceremony in favor of toy alternatives. Yoo, South Korea’s most influential TV host, was among the winners seen holding the Lego bouquet on stage, amplifying the moment’s visibility.

On Korean social media, reactions are sharply divided. Some users said the Lego bouquets were clever and collectible, with one writing, “You might toss real flowers, but you’d keep a Lego bouquet.” Others said they never realized such a switch could affect the flower industry, while some defended the idea as a harmless creative choice.

The debate grew louder after a florist who supplies bouquets to other TV awards shows posted on social media about the impact. The florist said, “This is a crucial season for the flower industry because of graduations, but we are suddenly getting strange inquiries asking for Lego bouquets instead of real ones. With flower prices and labor costs rising, this just feels heartbreaking. Broadcasters influence consumers, so they need to be more careful.”

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.