I put together a list of good topics to talk about with strangers.
First Meeting Topics#
These are great topics for breaking the ice when you first meet someone.
- Quick self-introduction
- MBTI
- Birthday
- Whether you drink/smoke
- Major and current job
- Whether you like games or not
- Complimenting their clothes or accessories
- Height
- Whatever it is, compliment the other person
Travel#
These are travel-related topics you can chat about.
- Preferred travel style (relaxation VS adventure)
- Domestic travel VS international travel
- Places you want to visit
- Places you've been before
- The best place you've ever visited
- Most memorable moment from a trip
- Whether you collect souvenirs from every trip (magnets, postcards, pins, etc.)
- Whether you can swim
- Food you want to try while traveling
Food#
These are food-related topics you can chat about. Cooking shows are also a great topic.
- Favorite food
- Food you can't eat
- Food you dislike
- Dishes you're good at making
- Dishes you've tried making before
- Your own special recipe
- Your go-to restaurant
- Whether you handle spicy food well
- Favorite cafe
- Whether you can drink coffee (or can't)
- Regular restaurant
Movies/TV Shows#
People usually spend a lot of time watching things. You can find out what they watch on TV, YouTube, Netflix, etc.
- Favorite movie/show
- All-time favorite movie/show
- Memorable scene
- Favorite genre
- Most recent movie/show you watched
- Favorite writer
- Favorite director
- Favorite actor/actress
- An actor/actress you trust to always deliver
- Action VS Romance
Music#
These are topics you can ask someone who likes music.
- Favorite song
- Favorite genre (music taste)
- Favorite artist
- Go-to karaoke song
- Song you've been listening to lately
- Favorite classical piece
- Song you're currently obsessed with
- Whether you like opera/musicals
- Concerts you've been to
- Festivals you've attended
Interests#
If you want to find out what someone likes, try asking about these first.
- Whether you like exercise
- What your recent hobby is
- Favorite season
- Favorite animal (or pets you have)
- Something you want to learn
- Things you want to do in the future
- What makes you the happiest
- What you do on your days off
- iPhone VS Galaxy
- Whether you like amusement parks (rides)
- Favorite hairstyle
Question List with Someone#
- Do you have any hobbies (after work, on weekends, after school)?
- Where did you get your hair cut? I get a down perm every two months because ~
- Do you like tteokbokki? I find myself craving it at least once a week.
- Is there anything you want to get better at? I want to get better at programming, so I'm trying bit by bit, but it's not as easy as I thought.
- What's your ideal type? Kind-hearted? Career-driven?
- I don't like swearing. Hearing it bothers me too. When someone swears, it really gets to me.
- Don't you want to go to the beach? It's getting so cold lately, the winter wind must be brutal.
- I used to play League of Legends a bit when I was younger, but I can't play at all these days.
- Where did you get your wallet? I only carry cards, so I bought a card case, but it's surprisingly inconvenient.
- I want to get married before 30. Could you give me one piece of advice?
- Is there any food you can't eat? I eat everything — carrots, cucumbers, you name it.
- What time do you need to head home? I'm worried you might be staying late because of me.
- Is there anything I should fix about myself?
- Do you invest in stocks? I'm stuck holding SK Hynix right now...
- I'm stressed about money these days. I want to earn more but I'm still looking for ways.
- Do you think we'll still be meeting up in 5 years?
- What's the most exciting thing in your life? For me, it's dating or being in the talking stage. The memories are bittersweet and I have regrets, so it makes me want to do better.
- I want to live on my own, but I need to save up more money, so I can't just move out. It's a dilemma.
- What did you do to your shoulders? Why are they so broad? I want shoulders like that.
- I'm heavily influenced by IT companies. I tend to follow new tech and trends pretty quickly. What I'm learning these days is Flutter, and I'm really excited about it.
- Do you have a favorite place? Somewhere fun to go together, like a zoo or an amusement park.
- I've become more emotional as I've gotten older. I cried watching Coco.
- What songs have you been listening to lately? I like upbeat songs that you'd hear at a club.
- If you had a lot of money, what would you do? Travel the world? Buy an expensive sports car? Or study abroad in the US?
- If I started a YouTube channel, do you think I could get famous?
- You really work hard. They say consistency is a talent — I'm jealous.
- Do you have a bucket list? I want to try bungee jumping or skydiving.
KakaoTalk Polaroid Questions#
I saw these questions somewhere on KakaoTalk, and the questions were so good that I had to save them. You can learn about people's relationships through these.
- Who is someone so cute that just thinking about them makes your whole day happy?
- Who is someone who doesn't hesitate to give you tough love for your own good?
- Who is someone who surprises you every time you see them because they've changed so much?
- Who is someone who always shows up before the meeting time to be considerate of you?
- Who is someone who has qualities you want to learn from?
- Who is someone you'd still want to take photos with 10 years from now?
- Who is the person most similar to you?
- Who is the first person you think of when you're having a hard time?
- Who is someone who taught you a life lesson?
- Who is the person who has said "thank you" to you the most?
- Who is someone who silently and steadfastly believes in you?
- Who is someone you can't express it in words, but you're always grateful for in your heart?
- Who is someone you end up sharing your worries with the most?
- Who is someone who makes you seaweed soup on your birthday every year?
- Who is someone who showed you warmth through actions rather than words?
- Who is the person who listens to your stories the most attentively?
- Who is the person who gives you gifts the most often?
- Who is someone who generously understood your mistakes?
- Who is someone you only realized you were grateful for after time had passed?
- Who is someone who offered you warm comfort during tough times?
Talent is luck. The important thing in life is courage.
— Woody Allen
