The magic of world-renowned illusionist Jeki Yoo — known as “the cutest magician of all time” on social media — comes to downtown Asheville Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m., for an act that left notorious critic Simon Cowell stunned in a 2017 appearance on America’s Got Talent.
South Korean magician Jeki Yoo first made his mark in the world of magic as a high school student in 2006, when he won Asia’s greatest magic contest, The Busan International Magic Festival. From there, Jeki’s magic career took off as he began entering and winning additional international magic contests, inspiring audiences and other magicians alike with his originality.
In 2009, Jeki won a close-up magic award from the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the world’s largest organization of magicians. That same year, Jeki met his lovely wife, Ellie, who is an incredible magician in her own right. In 2012, they joined forces to create a powerful husband and wife team, winning major international magic contests together. The popular pair performs their own unique “Quick Change” act where they change outfits in a flash — right before the audience’s eyes! Their lightning-fast quick change was later seen on Britain’s Got Talent, where their act as a semi-finalist has over 100 million views online. The magical duo earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2016 for “The Most Costume Change Illusions in 30 Seconds.”
Jeki Yoo has wowed audiences in England, France, Sweden, Italy, Japan, China and Scotland, where, as a member of SNAP Contemporary Mystery Performance — one of Korea’s biggest magic shows — he was invited to perform at the famed Edinburgh Festival.
In 2017, Jeki grabbed the attention of American audiences when he graced the stage during Season 12 of the popular competition show, America’s Got Talent. More than 13 million people watched him perform his own unique style of close-up magic before an impressed panel of celebrity judges, including the infamously hard-to-impress Simon Cowell, who was left stunned by what he witnessed. Though Jeki didn’t continue on in the competition, he left the stage having won the hearts of a nation. “Love your laugh,” “freaking awesome,” “I love his giggle,” and “Jeki is so cool” are just a few of the comments that hit social media afterward. Not only was Jeki able to leave with his head held high, but he was also crowned with the unofficial title of “cutest magician of all time,” courtesy of America’s Got Talent by way of Twitter.
