Are you looking for snail mail gifts ideas for a friend or pen pal who loves South Korea and travelling? Here are some of my favourites, curated after writing to over 100 penpals and traveling to Korea 10 times.
Korea in 5 Letters Snail Mail Club
Want to learn about traveling in Korea in real-time?
Join me on this 5-week snail mail subscriptionjourney in which I send you a letter from a different part of Korea each week! Each letter will include little gifts curated from Korea, local recipes or craft instructions, a DIY activity and more!
Find out about the travel snail mail club Korea in 5 letters here.
P.S. if you love traveling to UK, this UK train travel snail mail club may be more your thing.
Others
I have sent all sorts of things to my penpals, from a Chinese mirror to local food packets!
However, ideally, gifts to include in penpal letters should be light and small so you don't have to spend a ton on postage!
Stickers
Korea-themed stickers are the perfect such accessory to add color to your hand written letters!
Stationery
Little pieces of cute note paper or cards are always a delight to receive.
Korea is a great place to stock up on cute stationery- there is even a 12-storey Daiso in Myeongdong filled with such stuff!
Traditional Korean Pouch
If you send your friend a traditional drawstring Korean pouch (Bokjumeoni, 복주머니), you're literally sending him or her good fortune, wealth, and longevity!
It's light too!
The one above was gifted to me by a friend who married a Korean after her first visit!
Photos
Your penpal will love to see more of your travels, and what better way to show them than through photos of your trip to Korea? (Or of a K-pop concert you attended?)
Tea Bags
A tea bag is nice and light so fits into an envelope very well- just make sure you're not sending anything that the recipient's country doesn't accept. (e.g. a lot of countries don't allow meat.)
I still remember the first tea bags I received- it was from a penpal in Poland. The taste of the fruit tea she sent- strawberry and vanilla- is unforgettable!
A popular tea brand in Korea is O' Sulloc.
Coloring Pages
A coloring page centred around a theme that your friend likes is a great gift to help him or her relax and slow down.
Art Print
Even better if you drew it of a place you visited in Korea- if not, shop bought is nice too!
Postcard
In Korea, you can stamp your postcards with (free) ink stamps that are widely available in the country. They have various stamp trails in each city!
Seed Packets
If your pen pal enjoys gardening, some Korean seeds (that can grow in his or her climate) would be a joy to receive.
Any questions about the best snail mail gifts? Let me know in the comments!
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