Magician says tricks go well with Korean leaders
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, third from right, participates in a magic show performed by South Korean magician Choi Hyun-woo, center, during a banquet at Mokran House in Pyongyang on Sept. 18. 2018. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
By Jung Da-min
Magician Choi Hyun-woo, who went to Pyongyang as part of the South Korean delegation for the three-day inter-Korean summit, presented a magic show to the leaders of the two Koreas Tuesday night at Mokran (Magnolia) House.
"I was nervous at the moment," The Kyunghyang Shinmun quoted Choi as saying. He said he was bit worried as he heard North Korean leader Kim Jong-un likes magic and he did not want to let him down.
During dinner on Tuesday, Choi performed card tricks that engaged the leaders and their wives.
Choi turned a set of cards into a large card that showed the Unification Flag. Korea Times file
"The first theme was telepathy, that is, to communicate telepathically," Choi said.
For example, if President Moon Jae-in chose a card in his mind, Kim had to guess what card that was.
"It went well with President Moon and Chairman Kim, as well as with the two first ladies who were telepathic with each other," the magician said.
"At the end, I turned the cards into a large card with a Korean Peninsula flag on it to show a message of going together in harmony. I was surprised when the two leaders pointed out the same thing that Dokdo (the rocky islets in the East Sea) was displayed on the card."