Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jjurabong]

....have black underwear.

A student has asked me about this quote which headlines a business article about sustainable industries. She asked if it was a cultural reference. I've honestly never heard it before. Have any of you?

Thanks

Sorry mods - just realized I should have posted in off-topic or Q&A - Please feel free to move the post.

[peppermint]

Might be related to the idea of the "good guys in white hats" , the idea being that they have a dark side that they keep hidden?

[I_Am_Wrong]

black is symbolic of bad or evil and underwear is something you hide underneath the exterior.

[denverdeath]

Not 100% sure, but if you go to the web-site:

http://www.global100.org/2005/index.asp

"Even the good guys have black underwear" expression is at the head of that list of the most sustainable industries/companies. If you browse around the site a bit, you'll see that a new idiomatic expression comes up on each new page. I'm assuming that this business expression means that even good companies/people are dirty sometimes or may have a skeleton or two in their closets. As you know, black = dirty/evil/bad. And, most people would be embarrassed if others knew that they were wearing soiled shorts, right? I also don't think it's a specific reference to that list of companies or that it's the headline. Never heard the expression myself either.

Sorry, more or less the same as I_Am_Wrong's post.

[jjurabong]

Thanks for the replies - Denver, that website is actually the one my student is referring to - her company is on the list. I wanted to double check with opinion here, before I explained what I was thinking ( Pretty much the same as the replies) as it doesn't seem to be such a complementary heading. But I will go back and click around - so that I can tell her that the heading isn't necessarily related to the list.

Thanks again!!!

[Paji eh Wong]

It's a Chuck Norris reference, naturally.