I moved to Korea recently and I'm finding it really hard to make Korean friends?

Making Korean friends can be tough at first, but it's definitely possible with the right approach. Here are some practical tips:

Apps and platforms

• Meetup.com: Join groups for hiking, language exchange, sports, or hobbies in your area
• HelloTalk or Tandem: Language exchange apps where you teach English and learn Korean. Many real friendships start here.
• SOMOIM on Naver Cafe: Korean hobby groups. Great for meeting Koreans with shared interests.
• Bumble BFF mode: Yes, it works for finding friends too

Activities that work well

• Take a Korean class at a community center (주민센터). Your classmates are a natural friend group.
• Join a sports club: hiking clubs, running crews, or futsal leagues are very social in Korea
• Volunteer: Organizations like Habitat for Humanity Korea or local animal shelters
• Take a cooking class, pottery class, or join a gym with group classes

Cultural tips

• In Korean culture, friendships often form through repeated contact (same class, same gym, same hobby group) rather than one-off meetings
• Drinking culture is a big bonding activity. Accepting invitations to eat and drink together really helps.
• Koreans tend to be close with people their own age. Knowing basic Korean age-related etiquette helps.
• Learning even basic Korean shows effort and opens many doors

Don't give up. The first few months are the hardest. Once you break into a Korean friend group, you'll find Koreans are incredibly loyal and generous friends.