# Guides to pen pals and friendship

[Sea Pals](https://seapals.app/) › [Guides](https://seapals.app/guides)

Updated 20 October 2026

Find words for a first letter and small ways to start a friendship across the sea.

## [What to write in your first pen pal letter](https://seapals.app/guides/first-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.

## [How to Make Friends Online Across Countries](https://seapals.app/guides/make-friends-abroad)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-friends)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/japanese-friends)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/pen-pal-safety)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-phrases)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/japanese-phrases)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/pen-pal-questions)

Ask a pen pal about interests, food and small moments from daily life.

## [Best pen pal apps in 2026, compared](https://seapals.app/guides/pen-pal-apps)

The best pen pal app depends on whether you want letters, language practice or everyday friendship.

## [K-pop words and fan slang, explained](https://seapals.app/guides/kpop-words)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/learn-hangul)

Hangul is the Korean alphabet, with 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels arranged into syllable blocks.

## [Oppa, unnie, hyung, noona explained](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-honorifics)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/bts-concert)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/kdrama-words)

K-dramas introduce everyday Korean words such as 진짜 (jinjja, “really”) and 고마워 (gomawo, “thanks”).

## [Korean comfort food to ask a pen pal about](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-comfort-food)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/pepero-day)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/photo-booth-poses)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/apps-like-hellotalk)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/sea-pals-vs-slowly)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/what-is-a-pen-pal)

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)](https://seapals.app/guides/apps-to-make-friends)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/apps-for-teens-to-make-friends)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/long-distance-relationship-ideas)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/letter-to-best-friend)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/friendship-quotes)

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](https://seapals.app/guides/cozy-apps)

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.

[Culture](https://seapals.app/culture)

[Open in your browser](https://seapals.app/app)
## Pen pals for…
- [BTS fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/bts)
- [K-pop fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kpop)
- [Korean pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/korean)
- [Korean practice with friends](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-korean)
- [K-drama fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kdrama)
- [Anime fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/anime)
- [Japanese pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/japanese)
- [Learn Japanese](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-japanese)
- [English practice](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-english)
- [Adult pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/adults)
## Legal
- [Otter maker](https://seapals.app/make/otter)
- [Four-cut photo booth](https://seapals.app/booth)
- [Friendship book](https://seapals.app/book)
- [Sea creature quiz](https://seapals.app/quiz)
- [Letter paper](https://seapals.app/letter)
- [Friendship quiz](https://seapals.app/friendship-quiz)
- [Virtual pet app with friends](https://seapals.app/doori)
- [Friends in other countries](https://seapals.app/lagoons)
- [Pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals)
- [Safety](https://seapals.app/safety)
- [Guides](https://seapals.app/guides)
- [Friends widget app](https://seapals.app/widgets)
- [Memory book & photo journal](https://seapals.app/memory-book)
- [Long-distance friends](https://seapals.app/long-distance-friends)
- [Culture](https://seapals.app/culture)
- [Long distance relationship app](https://seapals.app/long-distance-relationship-app)
- [BTS fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/bts)
- [K-pop fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kpop)
- [Korean pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/korean)
- [Korean practice with friends](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-korean)
- [K-drama fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kdrama)
- [Anime fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/anime)
- [Japanese pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/japanese)
- [Learn Japanese](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-japanese)
- [English practice](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-english)
- [Adult pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/adults)
- [Help](https://seapals.app/help)
- [Privacy](https://seapals.app/legal/privacy)
- [Terms](https://seapals.app/legal/terms)
- [Community guidelines](https://seapals.app/legal/guidelines)
- [Child safety](https://seapals.app/legal/child-safety)
- [About](https://seapals.app/about)
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