1st-year English Literature student and amateur magician Jeon Hyun Woo
(Photos: Charles Ian Chun)
In front of you is a card, the seven of hearts. Or is it really? Rub the card a few times and it becomes the seven of clubs. Give the card a shake, and it’s now the seven of diamonds. That is magic! What wasn’t there suddenly appears. And what you thought was there can disappear. It’s surprising, a little scary sometimes, but always entertaining.
I have been doing magic for about five years. Although not a perfect magician, I have performed shows at all of my school festivals, doing not only stage magic but close-up magic with cards.
My love of magic started when I went to an amusement park five years ago. When a stranger passed me by I noticed a cane suddenly appear from his hand. Curious, I ran to one of the gift shops and bought the same cane. I hoped the clerk would show me how to use the cane, but the store was too crowded. Instead he suggested I visit the company’s website for instructions.
As soon as I got home, I went to the website and found not only how to use my new cane but all sorts of magic tricks. Eventually I learned those too. Soon I was going to other magic websites to study all the tricks I could.
Jeon Hyun Woo demonstrates his skill with cards.
Many have asked why I like magic. I actually have many friends who also do magic. We all enjoy seeing our audiences laugh and react to our tricks. I think this is true for all magicians.
Magic may be fun, but it’s also a lot of hard work. I’m always practicing, the tools I use never far from my hand. Learning a magic trick can take a few hours, but you may not master it even within months.
The hardest trick for me was the “pinkie counter”, a trick in which you count cards with only your pinkie. To master it I spent two hours a day, sitting at a desk with a mirror to watch myself. I kept a deck of cards in my pocket and practiced whenever I could. It took me seven months to master it. But the more time I spent learning the trick, the greater value it had to me. The “pinkie counter” is now my ace.
If you also want to learn magic, don’t find an amateur magician to teach you. Search for the solutions and teach yourself. Unless you’re lucky enough to find a professional magician who will take time with you, your progress will be slow and you will be fed up. Visit web sites and practice the tricks you want at your own pace. And if you want to keep things interesting, try inventing tricks of your own!