인연 Friendship

The word on the talisman

인연 (in-yeon) is hard to translate. It means a bond between people that feels meant to be — the friend you met by chance, the mentor who changed your path, the person you keep running into.

The idea comes from Buddhist thought, where every meeting has causes reaching far into the past. In everyday Korean it’s used warmly: people say “좋은 인연” (a good in-yeon) to thank someone for being in their life, or “인연이 아니었다” (it wasn’t meant to be) to let go gently.

This is a wish for finding your people, especially after a move, a new school or a lonely stretch.

In Korea, in-yeon means the people you were meant to meet. Many Koreans still say a good in-yeon is something to be grateful for, whether it’s a friend, a mentor, or a partner.

Wishes people write

• “Make one real friend in my new city.”
• “Meet a good mentor.”
• “Find my people.”
• “Reconnect with an old friend.”

How people keep it

Keep it in your phone case, and say yes to the next invitation.

Make a Friendship talisman

Other wishes