What to write in your first pen pal letter
Start your first pen pal letter with a friendly hello, a little about what you enjoy and a question that is easy to answer.
Guides to pen pals and friendship
Find words for a first letter and small ways to start a friendship across the sea.
How to Make Friends Online Across Countries
To make friends online across countries, join a friendship or hobby community and start with an interest you share.
How to Make Korean Friends Online & in Korea
To make Korean friends online or in Korea, start with a shared interest in a friendship community, language class or organised activity.
How to Make Japanese Friends Online & in Japan
To make Japanese friends online or in Japan, start in an interest community, Japanese class or organised hobby activity.
Pen Pal Safety for Teens: Safe Apps & Tips
Pen pal safety for teens starts with choosing an app with age rules, privacy controls, blocking and reporting, then keeping personal details private.
Korean phrases for writing to a friend
To write a friendly letter in Korean, start with 안녕하세요, share something you enjoy and ask an easy question.
Japanese phrases for writing to a friend
Start a Japanese letter to a new friend with はじめまして (hajimemashite, nice to meet you), a short introduction and an easy question.
Questions to ask a pen pal
Ask a pen pal about interests, food and small moments from daily life.
Best pen pal apps in 2026, compared
The best pen pal app depends on whether you want letters, language practice or everyday friendship.
K-pop words and fan slang, explained
K-pop fan slang mixes English with Korean: a bias is your favourite member, a comeback is a new release, and maknae means the youngest person in a group.
How to read Hangul, the Korean alphabet
Hangul is the Korean alphabet, with 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels arranged into syllable blocks.
Oppa, unnie, hyung, noona explained
Oppa, eonni, hyeong and nuna are Korean words for older siblings that can also address older friends when the relationship feels close enough.
BTS concert tips for the 2026–27 world tour
For a first BTS concert, use only official ticket channels, check the venue's rules and plan your journey home before you go.
K-drama Korean words for friends
K-dramas introduce everyday Korean words such as 진짜 (jinjja, “really”) and 고마워 (gomawo, “thanks”).
Korean comfort food to ask a pen pal about
Food is an easy way to start a friendship: ask a pen pal which Korean dish feels comforting to them, and share a favourite of your own.
Pepero Day: Korea’s 11 November custom
Pepero Day is a Korean custom on 11 November when friends, classmates, coworkers and couples exchange stick biscuits and small notes.
Photo booth pose ideas for friends
For a photo booth strip with friends, plan a little story: a hello, a shared pose, a silly surprise and a goodbye.
Apps like HelloTalk for friendship
For an app like HelloTalk, first decide how you want to talk: practise a language, exchange letters or chat about an interest.
Sea Pals vs Slowly: pen pal apps compared
Sea Pals and Slowly both start friendships through letters, but they differ in how you meet people and what follows.
What is a pen pal? Meaning, and how to find one
A pen pal is a friend you get to know by exchanging letters, through the post or online.
Apps to make friends online: how to choose (2026)
Choose an app to make friends by how you want the friendship to start: local introductions, a shared hobby, language exchange, letters or a small group chat.
Apps for teens to make friends: what to check
Before a teen joins an app to make friends, check who can contact them: whether adults can, what strangers see, and how photos and links work.
Things to do in a long distance relationship: ideas & games
Things to do in a long distance relationship include question games, watching a film together, swapping letters and making a photo strip from separate phones.
Letter for your best friend: what to write
A letter for your best friend can start with a shared memory, say what their friendship means to you and end with something you look forward to together.
Quotes about friendship: short messages
These quotes about friendship are original short lines you can send to your best friend or adapt in your own words.
Cozy apps for keeping in touch with friends
Cozy apps can give you a gentle way to keep in touch: a letter to answer later, a small island to visit or a pet to raise with a friend.