Shini Park's "Park and Cube" has taken the fashion blogosphere by storm. Photo credit: Soo Kim

South Korean fashion blogger Shini Park has kept her feet very much on the ground despite the success surrounding Park and Cube, her blog and pet project. Her non-obsessive, DIY approach to fashion renounces the materialism of the industry and tries to keep clothes simple, returning the act of dressing and shopping to a more innocent place.

Perhaps it’s this light-hearted, humble take that has given her cult status among fashion bloggers. From being an amateur fashionista two years ago, Shini’s prestige has now given perks such as an invitation to Paris for a private viewing of Coco Chanel’s original apartment to exclusive bra fittings and viewings of Ted Baker’s latest lingerie range at Debenhams. Not bad for a graphic designer that has lived in South Korea, Austria and Vienna.

Unexpected fame

Shini’s clean, smart and young fashion blog Park and Cube, which turns only two this November, quickly caught the media’s eye after a post on how to jazz up a pair of short trousers by adding chains to it. She never anticipated that her hobby-turned side project venture would draw such worldwide interest.

But Park’s eye-catching DIY ideas led to various mentions and features in numerous lifestyle and fashion magazines across the globe from French Vogue, Vogue Girl Korea, Milan’s Pig, China’s Way, UK’s Company and Sportsgirl. She will also be featured in Vanity Fair’s annual style issue in September.

Fashion lovers were interested in her unique style instinct for the latest ‘must-haves’ and ‘how-to’s of the season. Her focus on practical, DIY fashion gives everyday women access to high-end runway styles with an economically creative touch.

“It’s very relatable,” she told The First Pint. “When you’re a young girl, you always want to try things and make your own bracelets and necklaces. It touches a spot in any girl.”

Believe it or not, Shini Park admits that fashion sense doesn’t come naturally to her and she does have to work at it.

“You can definitely learn style and fashion,” Shini says. She relates it to learning how to create colours in art school by mixing shades. “You learn through experimentation,” she says.

London is her favourite source of this inspiration, whose fashion she describes as “experimental and colourful.”

“In London, you don’t have strict rules about balance, such as a loose top with tight pants…” she says. “There are no rules like that and I love that. Because not everyone looks like a model and basically anyone can wear anything.”

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Breaking tradition

Fashion is about defying convention and Park achieves this in a different, more natural way. Her wholesome, humble image is a breath of fresh air to the often stuffy, self-important circles of today’s unforgiving fashion scene. At a fairly young age of 22, there is a reserved wisdom and maturity tucked away in her calm voice and feminine demeanour.

Instead of a predictable degree in fashion, common to many in the field, Park graduated this summer with a BA in Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design – a school known for its prestigious fashion studies. Graphic design was the most sensible choice for her, having designed websites since she was 16. She never looked to fashion as a career because of the unstable nature of the business.

The loud and trendy fashion scene among students at her university was also quite new to Park who was raised in Poland for most of her life. A year after she was born in South Korea, Park and her family relocated to Vienna for a year and a half due to her father’s job. She spent the next 16 years in Poland before moving to London for study in 2006. Her parents still live in Poland.

Small town life in Poland was quiet and slow, as was fashion and trend-setting. “But because it was slow, in a way it was refreshing and classic,” she admits.

Her fashion interests peaked in London but she noticed that most of the blogs were “idolising materialism and getting to be really shallow”. While the old fashion blogs painted a two-dimensional, square image of the fashion world, she was inspired to start Park and Cube, by adding another depth to to the industry. It’s no coincidence that the cube is part of her blog’s title.

Style, influence and inspiration

Park’s earliest sign of a fashion conscience was at 14 when she made doll-sized paper versions of her entire wardrobe to try on her dolls. This spirit of constant reinvention continues today as she is likely to sell her wardrobe from last year in order to start anew.

She describes the process of putting an outfit together: “I usually start with one hit piece, say like this [points to her shirt, a recent DIY project using safety pins] and then build around it. I had to change my trousers three times today… I couldn’t get out of the house!”

“And the shoes always come last.”

Admitting her obsession with shoes, she adds: “I need to sell some of my shoes.”

Park is still defining her personal style but does know that “it has all to do with class and modesty. For her, this means staying away from anything too revealing due to her Christian beliefs.

“Christianity is not just a religion for me,” she says. “It’s an identity – which is difficult because fashion equals materialism but I’d like to try and work around that.”

Chanel and the future

Most recently, Park developed a new-found appreciation for legendary fashion designer Coco Chanel as she was invited by Chanel headquarters this May for a special private viewing of Madame Coco’s original apartment.

“Every collection has been inspired by something in that apartment and it hasn’t been changed since [Coco Chanel] died. She still lives on.”

Park plans  for the future includes contributing to a blog for a PR agency which will have a travel diary feel to it from a fashion angle and is most likely to start from Paris.

Meanwhile, Park and Cube will remain personal and DIY in nature, including the beautiful photography of every post which is all self-produced and edited by her.

Shini’s 5 smart fashion tips

Buy damaged items – If an item is reduced in price because of it is damaged, buy it because it may just be a matter of just, for example, sewing the buttons back on.

Think beyond what’s hung on the rack – You can always add something onto your shirt to make it your own.

Don’t throw away old clothes – You can always revamp it in some new way.

Go to charity shops – Grab the basics for your DIY projects at second-hand stores.

Visit more ‘blog shops’ – Fashion bloggers often sell items they don’t want any more on their blogs. You may find exclusive items no longer found in department stores! “Another woman’s trash could be your treasure,” says Shini.

Read more from The First Pint, the international's guide to all that London offers.

The light show at the Tate Modern opening night party on 11 May 2000. Photocredit: ChicagoGeek/Flickr

Ten years ago on 11 May, the world’s largest modern art gallery saw its first light of day in Britain. The Tate Modern gallery was officially opened by the first visit of the Queen of England and a star-studded evening celebration with politicians, celebrities and famous artists from everywhere. Tuesday marked its tenth year since it was first officially opened to the public.

Fifty-two exhibitions, 400 film screenings, and over 45 million visitors later, the former power station on Bankside is still going strong today as the world’s most visited modern art gallery and one the UK’s top three free tourist attractions. The gallery brings over £100 million in economic benefits to London each year.

For its remarkable tenth anniversary, the Tate Modern will hold a free global arts festival in its iconic Turbine Hall space, including the special collaborative work of Maurizio Cattelan and curators Cecilia Alemania and Massimiliano Gioni. Titled No Soul for Sale, over 70 independent art spaces and collectives from across the globe have been invited for a unique project to promote a spirit of diversity and independence.

The celebration kicks off today (12 May) with special birthday procession led by a samba music band and 300 local children who will participate in a birthday cake cutting ceremony. All visitors are invited to come enjoy a slice of cake.  The procession begins at 10:45am at Borough Market and ends at the Tate Modern.

Tate also asks the public to share their personal memories of Tate Modern from the past ten years which will be used for a film about the gallery. The collaboration of these stories, pictures and film clips will be posted on Tate’s online blog, the Tate Modern Flickr Group, Facebook, Twitter and on YouTube.

Here’s what’s coming up at this weekend’s anniversary celebration and the rest of 2010 at the Tate Modern:

Tate Modern 10th Anniversary – Free arts festival (12-16 May 2010)

• Birthday Procession (12 May) – Borough Market to Tate Modern
• Arts Culture and Social Space: Can Culture Make You Well? (13 May) – discussion
• Live Performances (14-15 May) – including Thurston Moore, Eva Prinz, DJ Spooky and more
• No Soul for Sale exhibition – A Festival of Independents (14-16 May)
• Quick Silver (14 -16 May) – performance piece by The Cholmondeleys Dance Company
• Bankside Birthday Barrows Parade (15 May)
• Banksidemews: a community display (16 May)
• Tate Shapes (14-16 May) – during gallery hours

Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera (28 May – 3 October 2010) – photographic exhibition featuring candid pictures of iconic subjects taken without their explicit permission.

Level 2 Gallery: Haris Epaminonda, VOL. VI (29 May – 30 August 2010) – a three-dimensional collage exhibition making specific use of the architecture of this gallery space.

Francis Alÿs (15 June – 5 September 2010) – a Belgian artist who explores the interpretations of political and social subjects in his travels around the world.

Gaugin (30 September 2010 – 16 January 2011) – celebrating the painted works of Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gaugin.

The Unilever Series: Ai Weiwei (12 October 2010 – 25 April 2011) – the eleventh installation of the famous series for the Turbine Hall space at Tate Modern will be done by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

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Gordon Brown (left), David Cameron and Nick Clegg. Will there be a coalition among the three UK candidates after tonight? Photo Credit: Feyip/flickr

By Soo Kim and Aoife Yourell

World leaders and citizens alike welcomed the election of US President Barack Obama in 2008 with a standing ovation. It was evident that if ever there was ‘world vote’, Obama had already won it. But would that same world share such enthusiasm and decisiveness in today’s UK elections? If the vast non-British population were eligible to vote, would they have been the wild card to turn the election tables upside down?

The international community accounts for a significant portion of the UK population. According to the latest figures from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, around 505,000 non-British citizens came to live in the UK in 2008—a figure that has been rising since 2004. The Labour Force Survey showed there were 3.8 million people aged 16 and over who were born abroad but working in the UK in the last quarter of 2008, representing 13 per cent of the total employed in the UK.

Figures also show that London had the largest number of non-UK born residents compared to other Government Office Regions, so an ‘international vote’ from the migrants in this city alone would have either been a crucial boost or loss to any of the party candidates.

The parties and immigration policy

Immigration policy has been a contested topic among candidates and would have been an important factor for non-British voters. But none of the candidates had a policy favourable to migrants and it may be difficult to predict who would have gotten the vote from the internationals.  Speeches, such as the one below from Gordon Brown addressing illegal migrants, would have certainly turned voters away from the Labour party:

“To those migrants who think they can get away without making a contribution, without respecting our way of life, without honouring the values that make Britain what it is—I have only one message—you are not welcome.”

Jan Brulc from the Migrants’ Rights Network (MRN) said the Labour party has “fallen into a trap of taking a problem that resonates with the public and then blow it out of proportion.”

“Reinforcing people in their belief that migration is out of control is worse than scaremongering, it completely misses the real issue and it inevitably fails in addressing it,” she said.

MRN’s policy officer Ruth Grove-White agreed: “The direction for immigration policy under a further Labour term seems likely to be more of the same, only more restrictive.”

While the Labour party might not have been a favourite among migrant voters, the Conservatives’ policy would not have sat well with them either.

Who would you vote for if you could?

The First Pint’s Aoife Yourell asked a number of young internationals living in London:

Hanna Hauck, 24, who came to the UK almost four years ago from Germany, said, “I’d either vote for Labour or the Liberal Democrats. One of the reasons is that I was especially appalled by David Cameron’s comments about immigration in the last leader’s debate.”

Grove-White agreed, saying: “The Conservatives have been busy shooting themselves in the foot with the notion of an annual limit on skilled non-EU migrant workers, pretty much the only distinct policy on immigration that the Tories have noisily had up their sleeves over the past few months.”

But international residents seem drawn to Liberal-Democrat party candidate Nick Clegg, who was given a second look by the country after this year’s first televised national debates. Grove-White was impressed with his proposals for “introducing a regional points-based system for economic migration, putting in place a one-off ‘earned regularisation’ of undocumented migrants, and allowing asylum seekers to work,” but said “the devil would be in the detail.” And that is what’s lacking.

The lesser of two evils

Indu Chandrasekhar, 23, from the US and in the UK for over a year, believes Gordon Brown is still the man for the job but says, “I like what the Liberal Democrats stand for, but I don’t think they can make their promises a reality—especially when they can’t suggest concrete plans.

“Labour has made a mess of things recently, but the Conservatives’ cuts are going to cripple the country and make it much harder for us internationals to stay here—not the most welcoming prospect.”

Alexandra Zeevalkink, 26, from the Netherlands, has been living and working in the UK for about six years. She believes in Gordon Brown but also agrees with the Liberal-Democrats’ party platform. “My ideal view would be a coalition between the two with Brown staying in office.”

Lorena Fernandez-Abdo, 25, in London since last year, was also torn. “I would vote for Nick Clegg because voting for him is the only way to secure a change in the voting system.”

Chandrasekhar agrees there is an underlying problem with the voting process. “I think the amount of show-biz star power placed on the candidates distorted the way people see the voting process here, because liking a leader does not change the fact that in the UK you vote for a party, not a candidate.”

Nick Clegg seems to be most favoured by the international community. As current polls point toward a Conservative victory, perhaps the voice of these non-British citizen voters could have made a difference, even if meant choosing ‘the lesser of two evils’ with the Conservatives left out of the race.

So may the least evil man win tonight.

Read more from The First Pint, the international's guide to all that London offers.

'New Seoul' restaurant (above), more recently known as 'Tohbang', brings a bit of Korean seoul to Clerkenwell. Photo Credit: Kake Pugh/Flickr

A great meal begins with authenticity – both in ingredients and the hands that handle them. So when a Korean restaurant is run by native Korean staff, it’s a safe bet that their dishes will be worth your stomach. Tohbang, formerly known as New Seoul, is one such place, presenting traditional Korean fare at affordable prices in the quiet Clerkenwell area.

For what is usually a lively Saturday night anywhere in London, this side of Camden was quite the opposite with hardly anyone walking the streets. Tohbang is one of those spots that doesn’t stand out immediately to a casual passerby. Even its maroon sign with rather large block lettering is pretty unnoticeable if you aren’t interested. But despite its bland exterior, the restaurant sticks out as it seems oddly random on a quiet road.

Word on the street is that Saturday nights are busiest and it was best to make a reservation for guaranteed seating. But the place seemed a bit empty of their so called “busy” Saturday night crowd. The owner of the store was cordial, even personally opening the door, but it was surprising to have to ask for the menu and the waiter seemed a bit nervous.

Prices were reasonable, averaging £7 to £9 per main dish and £2 to £4 per appetizer or side dish.

The menu kept to its Korean roots with a range of classic dishes and minimal, if any at all, fusion-type or ‘foreigner-friendly’ dishes aimed to please the palettes of local Londoners new to the cuisine. From kimchee (pickled cabbage), bibimbahp (rice with mixed beef, vegetables, fried egg), and mee-yuk gook (seaweed soup) to pah-jun (green onion pancake) and bulgogi (grilled beef marinated in sesame oil), it was truly a Korean’s menu. One classic dish I didn’t find, however, was galbi (BBQ beef short ribs) which is usually cooked over a charcoal grill right at the table and eaten in lettuce wraps with a spicy red pepper sauce.

My soon doobu jee gae (spicy tofu casserole) and jahp-chae (stir-fried glass noodles) arrived pretty quickly.  The daen jahng gook (bean paste soup with tofu and vegetables) was also a Korean classic not to be missed.  Portions were just right, not too much and not too little, and the taste seemed the same as or close to what might be called ‘home cooking’. The number of free side dishes/appetizers, however, was on the skimpy side.  These usually come free with the main meal at most traditional Korean restaurants.

Nearly all of the clientele on this particular night were non-Koreans, which may seem like a red flag at first. However, perhaps that is Tohbang’s target market – the unreached, the ‘Korean food virgins’. Despite the initial awkward silence against the sound of classic American tunes, Tohbang offers the comfort of genuine Korean food at a good price to make it worth your visit.

Tohbang

164 Clerkenwell Road

London, EC1R 5DU

Phone: 020 7278 8674

Photo by Kake Pugh via Flickr

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Britain's first Royal diptych (a pair of pictures hinged together) on display at 'A Positive View' Exhibition; Photocredit: Soo Kim

Britain’s first portrait of Prince William alongside former homeless person turned artist Jeff Hubbard is on display at the charity exhibition A Positive View. The diptych features the first ever Royal portrait taken by an ordinary member of the public and the only picture ever taken by a Royal family member to be on public display. It is the highly-acclaimed face of this fund-raising exhibition for Crisis, the UK’s leading homeless people’s charity.

As Royal Patron of the exhibition, Prince William was eager to be actively involved and had the idea of taking up the camera himself to photograph a homeless person. He and A Positive View founder Andrew Page then thought of  creating a diptych and got Jeff Hubbard on board.

Hubbard, with no formal training in photography, first played with a camera in his early twenties and took it up again when he came to Crisis for help in his later years. He was honoured by the opportunity to collaborate with Prince William. “It was just two hours so it was pretty intense. But he’s a funny, warm guy and we had a lot of laughter and fun together,” he said.

Both Hubbard and the Prince seemed nervous at the shoot. ”Perhaps the Prince was even more so,” said Page, who was quite pleased with the final picture of the Prince as, “It shows him in a completely different, informal manner and comes across as quite cheeky, which is very nice.”

Hubbard agrees, “It pretty much epitomizes the Prince because he clearly came in with the idea that this was going to be fun.”  The half-smile on Prince William depicts, “his sense of mischievousness and he absolutely does have that side to him.”

Hubbard will continue his focus on the volunteer sector running night shelters but in the photography realm he said, “I’ll continue to learn and try to become seriously proficient.”

Mentored by distinguished photographer Rankin for the past four months for this Royal project, Hubbard humbly said, “I’ve got a long way to go.”

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Paul Kelly is another featured photographer who found help at Crisis in Newcastle. Kelly came from a very different life before Crisis, living in Bristol with a successful business – even crowned as one among the top ten hairdressers in the country during the nineties, cutting the hair of several big name stars. He also took an interest in urban art and street photography and eventually did a joint show with the notoriously mysterious street artist Banksy.

Kelly came to Newcastle to study photography at the University of Cumbria, leaving his successful life in Bristol behind. With no money or friends, Kelly thought, “I’ll just go to university and get hall residence but it didn’t happen like that. I fell right onto the homeless track.”

The photography group at Crisis brought Kelly back on his feet and up to speed with the world of digital photography. “And the rest is history I suppose – I’ve been doing it for three solid years now,” he said.

Kelly’s work captures the more vulnerable and marginalised members of society, such as in the photograph called ‘Fifty Pence Diptych’ which is a close-up of the bruised faces of a beaten up girl and young man.

Having shared in the real-life pains and stories of the homeless at Crisis Kelly says, “It’s great to have an opportunity to show that side of society…a certain aspect of British society that is not really discussed as everybody likes to sweep things under the carpet.”

A Positive View is a free exhibition comprised of 130 different signed photographic works donated by artists from around the globe, including five artists from Crisis. This year’s collection features more work from Far East Asia including Korea, China, Japan and showcases less fashion-oriented and more graphically intriguing, real-life photography. All works will be on display at the Somerset House until 5 April and sold on 15 April at Christie’s Charity Auction.

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Comedian Ricky Gervais (above) from the UK sitcom 'The Office' has become an iconic representative of British humour. Photocredit: Diamond Geyser

In true comedy show fashion, let me open with a little anecdote – here’s a clip of actor Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton from the new film Alice in Wonderland interviewed on BBC’s Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.

Jonathan Ross: Now, you are kind of “weird”, I imagine.

Johnny Depp: (shyly) Uh…yea, I’ve been accused of being weird.

Tim Burton: (jokingly agrees) He is weird.

Jonathan Ross: (to Tim) And coming from you, that’s quite a lot cuz you’re no stranger to “weird”.

Tim Burton: (now embarrassed) Well…what is “weird”?

Jonathan Ross: You two. You’re a double helping of “weird”.

Oh bless that Jonathan Ross for his not-so-tactful way with words. But like Depp and Burton, sense of humour is indeed ‘weird’ and unique to all. Britain’s quirky idiosyncrasies have been played out in the cheeky, rather direct nature of its humour.

So what exactly is British humour?  In one word – awkward,  in two – more honest.  “Social awkwardness is definitely a key part,” says Graham Trelfer, chairman of The London Comedy Writers. “But British comedy is not as defined as it used to be.” Several acts have translated very quickly overseas, such as The Monty Pythons who are considered pioneers of British sketch comedy. They inspired a version of it in America with the successful launch of Saturday Night Live.

In the earlier years of the British comedy scene, acts such as Benny Hill and Mr. Bean have led others to lean British humour towards that of a physical, slapstick nature but it’s actually unintended.

“We do have a thing for slapstick comedy but strangely it’s never actually written in the script – it just happens. Maybe we’re just a clumsy nation,” jokes Kenny Cavey, founder of the comedy writers group ComComedy.

The other fundamental quality of British humour is subtlety. Cavey notes, “The humour is so subtle here and done really well with even just a tiny, secret look to the audience, which the British go nuts for. Whereas in somewhere like America, people may just be thinking ‘Ok – where’s the next joke?’”

A more recent example of a great translation of British comedy can be made of the UK sitcom The Office which took America by storm. Ricky Gervais’s character in the UK version is the embodiment of the generally sarcastic and self-deprecating tone that is classic to British humour.  “We’ve been doing self-deprecation for centuries and Ricky Gervais has recently made it iconic to himself,” with the international success of The Office, says Cavey.

A recent scientific study in March 2008 led by Dr. Rod Martin at the University of Ontario surveyed 2,000 pairs of twins in the UK and 500 pairs in North America on their perceptions of humour. The results indicated that ‘positive humour’, referring to the bright side of life, was found in both regions. But ‘negative humour’, cruel jokes such as racist and sexist remarks, was found in Britain alone.

“The British may have a greater tolerance for a wide range of expressions of humour, including what many Americans might consider aggressively sarcastic or denigrating,” says Dr. Martin. America’s lesser tolerance for crude humour is seen in Steve Carrell’s character, who plays the more tolerable and sensitive version of Ricky Gervais’s character in UK version of The Office.

The British find humour in the more realistic, darker, uglier truths of life and “the comedy is often about wallowing in our own depravity,” says Trelfer.

“I think maybe we just cope better with more negative issues like depression,” says Cavey.

Former New York Times reporter Eric Weiner even goes as far as to say Brits are never happier than when at their most miserable in his book The Geography of Bliss.

“Most Brits, I suspect, derive a perverse pleasure from their grumpiness. For the British, happiness is a transatlantic import. And by transatlantic, they mean American,” he says.

Weiner believes, “For the English, life is not about happiness but getting by,” and British humour embraces this belief and makes light of the fact.

British actor, comedian and author Charlie Higson credits British comedy as “silly people doing silly things” and as less sophisticated than other acts around the globe.

But the rise of internet media has ultimately eliminated most of the cultural factors that determine an individual or even a societal sense of humour as viewership has widened, believes Cavey. “Nobody really goes to the internet wanting to get their bit of ‘British’ comedy.”

The wide-ranging internet audience appreciates the comedy before noticing where it’s coming from and ultimately raised the standards for the quality of humour and comedy.

With the overwhelming amount of content options on the internet, “You really can’t get away with making bad comedy anymore – which is really beautiful and the way it should be,” says Cavey.

Here are some recent Brit comedy programmes to check out if you’re itching for a laugh:

• The Thick of It
• The Inbetweeners
• Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Chips
• Live at the Apollo
• Mock of the Week
• QI

Read more from The First Pint, the international's guide to all that London offers.

This classic Korean rice dish 'bi-beem-bahp' is served at Hanna Supermarket. Photo Credit: Soo Kim

Sometimes the best things in life make the most sense and are right under our own noses, such as a supermarket that is also a restaurant—the logical marriage of two basic food functions. Hanna Supermarket is the perfect ‘one-stop shop’ for the busy Londoner who needs groceries plus the occasional Korean fix—all for under a fiver.

This mini-market, buried on a side street off the overcrowded Tottenham Court Road, has been selling Korean fare for eight years. It shows all the right signs of a great food joint—well, except that there isn’t actually a sign that names the restaurant bit of the store.

The only indication of its existence is a short menu on a thin sheet of A4 taped to the wall behind the register. It may seem a bit dodgy, but you know you’re in good hands when you see Korean dishes served by Korean owners to frequent Korean customers—all the qualities that make an authentic spot.

The very limited menu is actually a benefit because too many choices can be blessing or a curse. Plus, you really can’t go wrong with two options available. Customers choose between either bi-beem-bahp (mixed vegetables, scrambled egg and ground beef over steamed white rice) or jae-yook-bahp (spicy sautéed pork strips and onions over steamed white rice). Both dishes come with a cup of bean paste soup (the Korean equivalent of the Japanese miso soup) and a dish of the classic traditional side kim-chee (cabbage pickled in spicy, red pepper powder).

The other beauty of the menu is its affordable pricing at £4 for the bi-beem-bahp or £4.50 for the pork dish. You order and pay for the meal at the register first and proceed downstairs where a server will seat you and take your receipt to bring out your order.

I say ‘restaurant’ but I really mean a tiny café of sorts in the basement of a store. Seating is also limited to four tables with one large communal table—the rest are meant for singles or pairs. The minimalist furniture scheme adds to the unpretentious, no-frills vibe of the place and suits the needs of those who simply want to eat in peace and quiet—though it could get a bit too quiet, even awkward, if you happen to be seated with a quiet stranger also dining at the one communal table.

You also can’t ignore the shelves of countless VHS tapes lining the walls of the basement. They are all recordings of different Korean television shows and the latest soap operas.

The mere two- to three-minute wait time for your order is incredible considering the homemade savoury taste. The pork dish is a touch spicier than the other as the meat has been sautéed in red pepper sauce. But both dishes can be made spicy according to taste with red pepper paste or soy sauce, and there’s always water. All that’s left to do is to mix well and dig in to a healthy burst of traditional Korean flavours.

So if you’re eager for some Korean groceries or an affordable Korean meal or just Koreans in general, Hanna Supermarket will have it all.

Hanna Supermarket
Phone: 0207 636 4118
41 Store Street
London, WC1E 7DB

Read more from The First Pint, the international's guide to all that London offers.

Let disco fever burn your calories away at Disco Health Club. Photo Credit: Aaron Dieppa

London’s nightlife prices leave minimal room for a gym in your budget. But why choose between the two when you can have both? At the Disco Health Club in the heart of Soho, the dance floor meets your fitness needs. You can get physical  in true eighties disco fever fashion at just £5 for students—that’s almost less than half the cover fees at most posh West End nightclubs.

Disco Health Club joined the fitness scene just a month ago, “…to incorporate the club experience with exercise and fitness,” says creator/organizer Thomas Knights. Iconic eighties dance moves are mixed with aerobics to the classic sounds of Madonna, Michael Jackson and plenty more. Flashing pink lights, a smoky dance floor fog and a few dance poles in the back for the brave few all create the disco era feel. Attendees dress the part too, turning up in full lycra gear with sweatbands, bodysuits, leg warmers and all.

A highlight of the night is when the class is separated into two halves of the room and bust a move facing each other in a “West Side Story” dance battle. Disco Health Club happens Wednesday nights at the Green Carnation night club.

Knights is also extending the club theme to other types of music such as zumba, a South American street dance quickly catching fire in the US. Zumba Health Club is at the same venue on Thursday nights. Other themes planned for the near future include R&B Health Club, Rock ‘n Roll Health Club and a Muscle Health Club, a body-pumping class geared for the blokes (ladies are, of course, always welcome).

Ania Poullain Majchraz, 30, from Poland, called it “an amazing experience…better than yoga.”

Londoner Lydia Menzier, 27, joined the class “to exercise in a fun way so that it isn’t a drag and also have a drink afterwards.” The club experience continues into the night with an after-class party at the venue from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., which includes free entry to those from the aerobics class.

“We’re taking it to new levels with different concepts, but the main thing is it’s all in the nightclub,” says Knights. “You’ll burn calories without even realizing it. Turn your fitness into a fun thing to do.”

MORE BUDGET-FRIENDLY FITNESS OPTIONS:

Sequin Park Women’s Gym offers a free trial class or one-day membership, giving you access to their gym and any class. Other cheap options are also available, such as a gym-only post-8 p.m. membership and restorative yoga class. Special rates apply to students. All memberships include all classes and free personal training sessions.

DanceVision offers jazz classes at just £5 a class with no membership fee.

London Academy of Pole Dancing offers free introductory pole-dance classes on Wednesday nights at various LA Fitness gyms in London.

British Military Fitness offers a free introductory taster class available at various locations in London. Different classes such as a running club are available for to members.

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Islington had one more reason to attend church before the holidays. Believers and non-believers alike gathered at the Union Chapel for a special lady (other than Mary): BBC Radio 1’s Jo Whiley. The songstress is the face of Little Noise Sessions, an annual acoustic gig fundraising event for the charity Mencap. This year’s sessions took place from 16-25 November. First Pint contributor Soo Kim had an exclusive backstage moment with the award-winning host.

“Good God, your hands are so cold!” she says with motherly concern as her hands reach mine for a handshake. Growing up with a disabled sister, this maternal instinct developed early on. Whiley’s sister Frances was born with Cri du chat syndrome, a genetic disorder that made Frances prone to obsessive behaviour and temper tantrums and left her with no sense of danger.

Life with Frances was “eventful,” she smiles. “Every child has accidents that happen to them growing up, but Frances probably had more than most.” She was in and out of the hospital every time she hurt herself.

Whiley recalls several moments of great sisterly bonding. The pair took frequent bus trips to the record store in town and created radio music shows using their father’s recorder.

Years later, Frances is still a huge pop music fan, enjoying the likes of Will Young and Newton Faulkner. Her sister became the reason for Whiley’s close-to-heart involvement in Mencap, known as “the voice of learning disability.” “I’ve grown up with people with disabilities all my life, all of Frances’ friends. So I’m naturally inclined to help people like that.”

Their shared love of music is what brought the Radio 1 DJ to Little Noise Sessions. She couldn’t have asked for a better place to stage these intimate gigs. “I don’t think we could ever do it anywhere else because so many musicians want to play at the Union Chapel now.” This seemingly plain church building boasts a ceiling modeled after the Sistine chapel and features beautifully lit arches, all providing the perfect acoustics for a live music set.

Little Noise Sessions has received annual buzz since 2006. Its star-studded past lineup has included the likes of U2, Chris Martin, Noel Gallagher, The Killers and Snow Patrol, to name a few.

This year’s sessions were a powerhouse in themselves, featuring David Gray, Mika, Alexandra Burke, Corinne Bailey Rae, Florence and the Machine and many others. Spanish guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela brought the church down with their racing, powerful Latin beats.

Whiley brings up-and-coming talents to the sessions each year as well. This year’s “not-to-be-missed” new artists included Erik Hassle, a soul-singing rocker from Sweden, and the quirky and sweet Golden Silvers.

Despite the demanding years of coping with Frances, Whiley isn’t phased at all and hasn’t lost her twinkling smile. As she says, “Everyone has something they’ve got to deal with in life, and Frances is just mine I guess.”

Read more from The First Pint, the international's guide to all that London offers.