Why does TKD lend itself to "flashiness"?

[Ottman]

Flash sells.

Most people don't want to practice a real martial art, so they look to flashy products that don't require as much from them.

Sad, but true.

[bushido_man96]

I'll agree with you there monk, but I also wouldn't necessarily call a head height kick flashy. Depends on which kick, and how you're performing it. I don't think I've seen many head kicks in UFC/Pride/etc. that I'd call flashy. (Most of them I'd call either devastating or sloppy, and even some of the sloppy ones result in knock outs). If you can stick a good high turn kick or front kick (etc.) in someone's face, not telegraph it, and keep your balance and control, I wouldn't call it flashy, especially if you knock them out.

This is a good point. The round kick and the front kick are fairly basic kicks. Going high is definitely impressive, but it is still a basic kick.