(뉴스 영어) Changing consumer trend for flowers during S. Korea's graduation season

"Only about 60 percent." This is what one flower shop owner said when asked how much sales had recovered during the recent graduation season compared to pre-pandemic levels. Graduation season in Korea during December through February is usually when the flower industry sales blossom. But lately, it's been wilting.

"Because people haven't been buying flowers that often even after COVID-19. The need for flowers has disappeared. If people had been continuously buying flowers, they would be interested in buying them, and sometimes even making a habit out of buying flowers." One expert offered other reasons. "There's the perception that flowers are too expensive. And along with the decrease of the school-age population, shrinking overall consumption are other reasons as well."

According to the auction price data from Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation earlier this month, the prices of many flowers used in graduation bouquets saw on-year increases.

In particular, hydrangea was up by around 150 percent, gypsophila rose by 30 percent, and freesia around 10 percent. Experts say factors include bad weather and increased imports of low-cost flowers. So, due to higher prices, people are looking at ways to buy flowers more cheaply.

"I usually go to flower markets and buy them in bulk to get them at a more reasonable price." Some are even trading flowers through used goods smartphone apps. "A graduation bouquet like this can cost as much as between 20 and 50 dollars, but they are also being traded at lower prices, sometimes reduced by more than 50 percent on used goods apps." Bouquets that are said to have been used only for a short time to take pictures with at graduation ceremonies are being traded using these platforms. With this having a knock-on effect on the flower industry, one expert says there are ways to see it bloom again.

"The distribution stage should be reduced, prices should be lowered for consumers, and appropriate compensation should be given to farmers and for labor costs due to the change in the labor environment." And the expert concluded the government should come up with actual measures to revive the industry, along with its five-year promotional plan announced in 2022 to increase flower production volume by over 520-million U.S. dollars by the year 2026.

한 국가의 산업들은 서로 긴밀한 관계를 맺고 있다. 이런 관계를 한 단어로 interconnected(상호 연결된) 또는 intertwined(얽혀 연관된)로 표현한다. 그러다 보면 한 업종에서 생긴 일이 다른 업종으로 번져 파급 효과가 생기기도 하는데, '파급 효과'를 나타내는 단어로 knock-on effect, spillover effect, ripple effect, domino effect 등이 있다. '~에 파급 효과가 있다'는 have a knock-on effect[spillover, ripple, domino) effect on~라고 쓴다.

Because people haven't been buying flowers that often even after COVID-19. The need for flowers has disappeared. If people had been continuously buying flowers, they would be interested in buying them, and sometimes even making a habit out of buying flowers.

학교 문법에서 1차(미래의 일에 대한 가정), 2차(현재사실의 반대), 3차(과거사실의 반대) 조건법을 배웠는데, 실생활에서는 시제가 혼용되는 경우가 많다. 1990년대 실시된 연구 결과에 따르면 전통적인 1차, 2차, 3차 조건절 구문은 전체 if절의 25%에도 못 미친다고 한다.

if절은 3차 조건법으로, 주절은 2차 조건법으로 쓰는 경우가 제일 많다고 하는데, 이 복합가정법 구문은 "to have a past hypothetical with a present consequence"을 말할 때 유용하다.

예문) If you hadn't left the map at home, we wouldn't be lost. (You left the map at home in the past; we are lost now.)