A prayer before the K-pop concert? Taiwan’s red thread may lead to a ticket

Imagine standing in a Taiwanese temple, surrounded by incense smoke, red lanterns and worshippers quietly making their wishes. But instead of asking for a boyfriend, girlfriend or marriage, someone is praying for something much more urgent — a concert ticket.

In Taiwan, some fans have turned to Yue Lao (月老), the traditional god of love and marriage, when facing the notoriously competitive race for tickets to popular concerts. K-pop fans, in particular, have been known to bring their wishes to Yue Lao, hoping for a little divine help before ticket sales begin.

It sounds like a stretch at first. What does a centuries-old matchmaker have to do with securing a seat for BLACKPINK or BTS? But it makes sense once you understand Yue Lao's most famous symbol, the red thread of fate.

The matchmaker under the moon

Yue Lao, short for Yue Xia Lao Ren (月下老人), literally means the “old man under the moon.”

In Chinese folklore, Yue Lao is a celestial matchmaker who determines which people are destined to marry. He is traditionally depicted as an elderly man carrying a book of marriages and holding red threads (紅線).

In the traditional story, the red threads connect people destined to marry. They may be invisible, but once two people are tied by fate, distance and circumstance cannot permanently keep them apart.

This belief has made Yue Lao one of the most recognizable figures associated with love, romance and marriage in Taiwanese folk religion.

Singles may visit him hoping to meet a compatible partner. Others pray for a stable relationship, a happy marriage or better luck in love.

But there is something particularly interesting about the red thread.

In modern interpretations, the thread can represent more than romance, extending to ideas of connection, timing and fate, the idea that certain encounters are meant to happen.

And that is where Taiwan's modern concert fans come in.

When fate meets the ticket queue

For fans facing a highly competitive K-pop ticket sale, getting a seat can feel like a matter of timing and luck. Some have therefore brought their wishes to Yue Lao, hoping that his famous red thread might help strengthen the fated connection between themselves and their favorite artist.

In this modern interpretation, the concert ticket is not really the thing being connected by the red thread. Rather, the ticket becomes a way for that connection to happen, a chance for fans and artists whose paths are meant to cross to finally meet in person.

The idea is playful, but it follows an unexpectedly familiar logic: if Yue Lao's red thread can connect people who are destined to meet, perhaps it can also help bring a fan closer to an artist they feel destined to see.

Whether the wish works is another matter. But the practice offers a fascinating glimpse into how an old tradition continues to find new meaning in modern Taiwan.

A simple ritual with plenty of meaning

There is no single set of rules for praying to Yue Lao. Customs vary between temples, but the basic experience is relatively easy for first-time visitors to understand.

1. Introduce yourself: Tell Yue Lao your name, birthday and where you live.

2. Make your wish: Be specific about what you hope for. Rather than simply asking for “love,” worshippers may describe the kind of relationship or partner they are looking for.

3. Prepare an offering: Offerings vary by temple and may include sweets, fruit or other items associated with the deity.

4. Ask for a red thread: The blessed red thread symbolizes the connection between people brought together by fate. Some worshippers keep it with them as a reminder of their wish.

5. Follow the temple's customs: Different temples may have their own worship sequence or instructions, so visitors should follow the guidance provided on site.

For international visitors, you do not have to travel far to encounter Yue Lao in Taiwan.

Among the best-known places are Taipei Xia-Hai City God Temple (臺北霞海城隍廟), a small temple on historic Dihua Street that is particularly famous for its matchmaking deity; Bangka Longshan Temple (龍山寺) in Taipei, where Yue Lao is one of several deities worshipped; Lecheng Temple (樂成宮) in Taichung, whose Yue Lao Hall has become popular with people seeking relationships.

For a first visit, Xia-Hai City God Temple is perhaps the most straightforward introduction to Yue Lao culture, while larger temples such as Longshan offer a broader look at Taiwan's diverse folk religion.

The important thing is that Yue Lao does not exist in isolation. In Taiwanese temples, different deities often share the same space, with worshippers turning to different gods for different aspects of life.

Follow the thread

Whether the wish is for love, a concert ticket or simply the chance to meet someone meant to cross your path, Yue Lao’s red thread carries the same idea: some connections are worth hoping for.

In modern Taiwan, that hope can take many forms, from finding a life partner to making it through a frantic online ticket sale. The ritual may change, but the belief in connection remains.