[Opinion] Verbal Fashion Statements

How will people react when they see a woman whose underwear appears from very tight jeans? Some would enjoy seeing it, while others would criticize the woman for being sloppy. Popular American fashion TV programs that unveil the worst-dressed list of Hollywood stars would even call that a “fashion crime.” Yet, some say this is fashion.

For today’s young women, it is nothing new to show their bra straps and to wear their pants low in order to show the brand of their underwear. With a greater variety of colors and shapes of undergarments, underwear-only stores have sprung up. Its concept is changing from something to conceal to something to show. Even female golfers are said to think twice what to wear before they choose an undergarment. The phrase “fashion begins and is completed with underwear” means more than just the ad itself.

Nicholas Cardinal Cheong Jin-suk recently mentioned underwear while delivering morning mass to National Assembly Catholic representatives. He quoted Leviticus 6:10 of the Old Testament, “The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments [breeches] next to his body.” He added, “Those under the altar can see the one on the altar. All of you are the ones on the altar, so you should always remember people are watching you, behave well, and brace yourselves from making extreme remarks.”

This is one of the best examples of advising to “watch one’s tongue” to politicians. The British Parliament issued guidelines about words that should not be used during the meetings. Words like “liar,” “coward,” and “blockhead” were included. New taboo words are added to the guidelines with the passage of time. If such guidelines are adopted and implemented in Korea, many politicians would have to shut their mouths completely. As words represent oneself just like underwear does, politicians should pay more attention to their “verbal fashion.”

Lee Jin-nyong, Editorial Writer, jinnyong@donga.com