STORY: BTS fans in Taiwan are turning to Yue Lao, the Taoist God of Love in charge of love and marriage, in the hope that divine matchmaking will connect them with seats for the world-renowned South Korean boy band's upcoming Kaohsiung shows.

On Saturday (May 30), a group of K-pop fans, mostly BTS fans, laid out snacks in purple packaging — the official BTS group colour — along with group merchandise, concert seat maps and wish lists on an altar table, and prayed to the deity under harsh sunshine at Taipei's Bangka Longshan Temple.

"After all, it's another kind of matchmaking. I hope He can help connect me with it (concert tickets)," 26-year-old fan Jessie Chuang said.

Chen Yu-sin, a 22-year-old university student, brought a light stick, a member's plush doll and a group photo card to pray. She hoped she would bring these items to see her idols perform in November.

Another university student, Ye Yu-ting, 22, said, "If you truly believe in it, your wish will come true."

The trend started on social media a couple of years ago. Taiwanese K-pop fans believe Yue Lao, also known as the "Old Man Under the Moon," will connect those destined to meet with his red thread of fate — in this case, connecting fans with a concert seat.

The last time BTS performed with all members in Taiwan was 2018.

The group announced their long-awaited world tour in early 2026. They will perform three shows in Kaohsiung on November 19 and November 21 to 22.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: TAIPEI, TAIWAN (MAY 30, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PERSON PRAYING

2. PEOPLE PRAYING / ALTAR TABLE FULL OF OFFERINGS

3. BTS MEMBER JUNGKOOK MERCHANDISE WITH BEVERAGE OFFERING AND WISH LETTER

4. BTS PHOTO CARD WITH SNACK OFFERING

5. LETTER ON ALTAR READING (English): "BTS WORLD TOUR ARIRANG"

6. ALTAR WITH OFFERINGS WITH PURPLE-COLOURED (BTS OFFICIAL GROUP COLOUR) SNACKS

7. PURPLE-COLOURED SNACK WITH BTS PLUSH DOLL AND BTS TOUR SEAT MAP

8. SEAT MAP READING (English): "BTS WORLD TOUR ARIRANG SEAT MAP" / CIRCLED SECTIONS

9. VARIOUS OF BTS FAN JESSIE CHUANG PUTTING OFFERING BEVERAGE ONTO OFFERING PLATE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 26-YEAR-OLD ASSISTANT SALESPERSON AND BTS FAN, JESSIE CHUANG, SAYING:

"I hadn’t done it (praying to God of Love for concert tickets) before, but like you said, it’s really hard to get tickets for BTS concerts, so everyone says praying to the God of Love is the most efficacious. After all, it’s another kind of matchmaking. I hope He can help connect me with it (concert tickets)."

11. PEOPLE PRAYING AND FULL ALTAR TABLE

12. PEOPLE PRAYING TO GOD OF LOVE

13. GOD OF LOVE DEITY STATUE

14. VARIOUS OF SNACK WITH WRITTEN WISH READING (English AND Chinese): "BTS WORLD TOUR ARIRANG IN KAOHSIUNG 2026 11/19、21、22" / "Tixcraft / online / credit card / Tuesday June 2, get the tickets"

15. VARIOUS OF YE YU-TING (LEFT) AND CHEN YU-SIN (RIGHT) PICKING UP OFFERING PLATES

16. CHEN (FRONT) AND YE (BACK) HOLDING OFFERING PLATES AND PRAYING, THANKING THE GOD OF LOVE

17. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 22-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY STUDENT AND BTS FAN, CHEN YU-SIN, SAYING:

"I saw it on (Instagram) Threads that people have come to pray to the God of Love and it is efficacious, so I came here to make a pilgrimage.“

REPORTER ASKING: 'WHY DO YOU BELIEVE IN THIS?'

"It’s better to believe in it than not. And I hope He will help me get the tickets."

18. VARIOUS OF CHEN CASTING DIVINATION BLOCKS

19. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 22-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY STUDENT AND BTS FAN, CHEN YU-SIN, SAYING:

"I brought their (BTS) doll, photo card of the seven members and a light stick."

REPORTER ASKING: 'WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BRINGING THESE ITEMS HERE?

"Because I'll bring the light stick to the concert. I hope that after I prayed here, I will bring these items to the concert."

20. VARIOUS OF PERSON SETTING UP OFFERING PLATE WITH PURPLE SNACK, BTS WORLD TOUR INFORMATION PRINTOUT AND PLUSH

21. PEOPLE PRAYING

22. VARIOUS OF BTS FAN GRACE WU (BLACK SHIRT) AND FRIEND SETTING UP OFFERING PLATE WITH LETTER SHOWING BTS MEMBERS AND GOD OF LOVE DRAWING

23. LETTER GRAPHIC READING (Chinese): "Ticket‑getting wish to the God of Love: please, Yue Lao (name of the deity), I beg you to help me secure the tickets smoothly."

24. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 34-YEAR-OLD WORKS IN TECH, GRACE WU, SAYING:

"Oh, yes! My friend said that the red thread of fate (granted by the God of Love) is for (connecting with) BTS. In fact, I think it’s essentially the same. When you pray for romance, you’re not always naming a specific person. You’re just describing the qualities you want in a partner. But with BTS, it’s more like you’re specifying exactly who you want, so it is more concrete and detailed in praying. That said, I think the overall idea is the same.”

25. VARIOUS OF WU PRAYING

26. VARIOUS OF FANS SETTING UP ALTAR PLATE WITH BTS PHOTO AND SNACK

27. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 22-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY STUDENT AND BTS FAN, YE YU-TING, SAYING:

"Ultimately, being a devoted fan is believing in Occultism. If you truly believe in it, your wish will come true.”

28. VARIOUS OF TEMPLE LANTERN READING (Chinese): "BANGKA LUNGSHAN TEMPLE"

29. BANGKA LUNGSHAN TEMPLE