The year he turned 18, 1996, he became a professional magician, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 24, he won the close-up and comedy categories and the Grand Prix at the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) Ring 85 Convention in Dublin, Ireland, for three titles. That is how he became known.
In 2003, he competed at FISM in The Hague, Netherlands. In 2006, he held a magic concert at Yonsei University to mark 10 years in magic. In 2009, he became the first Asian to win the Originality Award at the FISM World Championship of Magic in Beijing, and in December held his first magic concert in three years. In 2010, he staged Hyun-woo in Wonderland at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall.
In 2011, he put on Sherlock Holmes at Yongsan Art Hall. In 2012, he became the youngest judge at the FISM World Championship of Magic in Blackpool, England, and in December appeared on MBC Ilbam’s Magic Concert: This Is Magic. In 2013, he performed a first-pitch magic act at an LG Twins game.
In 2014, the Choi Hyun-woo Magic Theater opened in Busan. In 2016, he held a show for his 20th debut anniversary. In 2017, he performed WIZARD in Hwaseong.
In 2019, he opened the YouTube channel hupupupu. In 2020, he appeared on MBC Every1’s Video Star. In 2021, he returned after three years with the mental magic show The Brain. In 2022, he opened his first tarot reading class at MKYU.
The year he turned 46, he threw a first pitch at an LG game for the first time in 11 years and became the first Korean to receive the FFFF Magician of the Year award. In 2025, he staged the group hypnosis show Aphantasia at Yonsei University Centennial Hall and threw a third first pitch at an LG game. In November he appeared on SBS Dolsing Fourmen.
In 2026, he staged FaTE, the first part of a two-part 30th-anniversary run, and in September threw a first pitch at an LG game and appeared as a guest weather caster on JTBC.
Choi Hyun-woo (born 1978) became a professional magician in 1996, the year he turned 18, and became known in 2002, the year he turned 24, when he won three titles at the IBM Ring 85 Convention. On Jul 31, 2009, the year he turned 31, he became the first Asian to win the Originality Award at the FISM World Championship of Magic.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Yonhap News Agency says he became a professional in 1996.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · The Brain returns after three years · opens in a new tab The articles give no month or day. Articles on his 2006 Yonsei University show also count this year as the start of his magic career.At the convention in Dublin, Ireland, won the close-up and comedy categories, then the Grand Prix, for three titles in all. Thirty-eight magicians from nine countries competed.
Competed at FISM in The Hague, Netherlands, with Lee Eun-gyeol and Kim Jung-guk. He had earned his place with the IBM Ring 85 Convention Grand Prix.
Source 07 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Korean magicians to compete in the magic World Cup · opens in a new tab July 21 is the opening day of the July 21–26 event. Based on a Yonhap preview; the result was not confirmed in news reports.A show at Yonsei University through Dec. 31 to mark 10 years in magic. There was no show on the 26th.
Source 08 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo magic concert at Yonsei University from the 23rd · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Financial News (Korean) · Young magician shows 10 years of skill · opens in a new tabCompeted in the close-up category at the Beijing, China, event and became the first Asian to win the Originality Award. Segye Ilbo adds that he was also the first close-up competitor to win it.
Source 10 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo wins Originality Award at FISM World Championship · opens in a new tabSource 11 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · Three Koreans win prizes at the magic World Cup · opens in a new tab July 31 is the closing day of the event.A show at Mapo Arts Center that ran through Jan. 24, 2010. It was his first magic concert in three years.
Source 12 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo steps out with a magic concert after three years · opens in a new tabPerformed at Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, through Oct. 10. The show was themed on the children’s story Alice in Wonderland.
Source 33 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo’s magic show from the 28th · opens in a new tabPerformed at the Yongsan Art Hall main theater Mir in Seoul through Sept. 18. In the show he played Sherlock Holmes and searched for a murder suspect.
Source 13 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo magic show Sherlock Holmes · opens in a new tabAppointed the youngest judge at the event in Blackpool, England, which ran through July 14.
Source 14 · Munhwa Ilbo (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo, youngest judge · opens in a new tab July 9 is the opening day of the event.Performed psychic magic on that day’s broadcast.
Source 15 · Xportsnews (Korean) · Magic Concert: Eugene and Choi Hyun-woo’s psychic magic · opens in a new tabPerformed a first-pitch magic act before the game between LG and Hanwha. He also threw first pitches at LG games in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Source 16 · Sportsworld (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo throws a first pitch with no ball · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo throws a first pitch · opens in a new tabMBC Samju Art Hall in Busan opened as the first theater in Korea dedicated to magic shows. His agency Raon Play agreed to supply content exclusively for five years. Public shows began on the 25th.
Source 17 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · First magic-dedicated theater in Korea opens in Busan · opens in a new tabA show held for his 20th debut anniversary.
Source 18 · Xportsnews (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo at his 20th debut anniversary · opens in a new tab The start date is from Xportsnews. Newdaily gives Dec. 13 to Jan. 1, so the two disagree.A show at Nurim Art Hall, Modunurim Center, Hwaseong, that spans genres including close-up, mental, parlor, stage and illusion.
Source 19 · Kyeonggi Ilbo (Korean) · Magicians Lee Eun-gyeol and Choi Hyun-woo perform in Gyeonggi Province · opens in a new tabOpened a YouTube channel covering tarot, unboxing and other topics.
Source 32 · News1 (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo opens a YouTube channel · opens in a new tabAppeared as a guest and performed magic.
Source 20 · TV Daily (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo on Video Star · opens in a new tabThe neuroscientist Song Young-jo advised on the show. It came in the year of his 25th debut anniversary.
Source 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · The Brain returns after three years · opens in a new tab The articles do not give the opening date; the Yonhap article is dated Dec. 9.His first tarot reading class at MKYU. In 2020 he published the book Choi Hyun-woo’s Magic Tarot.
Source 21 · MK Sports (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo’s first tarot reading class at MKYU · opens in a new tab The date is the planned opening date given in the article.Became the first Korean to receive the FFFF Magician of the Year award.
Source 23 · Polinews (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo lectures at Sunchon National University · opens in a new tabSource 24 · Kyongbuk Ilbo (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo invited to Yeongju Insung Academy · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo throws a first pitch · opens in a new tab The year is from Sports Chosun (2026), which places the award in 2024. The award date was not confirmed in news reports.Threw the first pitch before the game against the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
Source 22 · News1 (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo throws the first pitch at an LG game after 11 years · opens in a new tabThe show ran through the 31st. NBN TV writes that it was recorded as the first group hypnosis magic show in Korea.
Source 25 · NBN TV (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo’s Aphantasia · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Gonggam Shinmun (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo’s Aphantasia · opens in a new tab The articles do not give the start date.Threw the first pitch before the game against Lotte at Jamsil. It followed his first pitches for LG in 2013 and 2024.
Source 30 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · LG’s Aug. 19–21 games open with first pitches for a win · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo throws a first pitch · opens in a new tab The date is from the preview article published the day before.Told of predicting lottery numbers on a live broadcast and performed impromptu magic.
Source 31 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Appears on Dolsing Fourmen · opens in a new tabThe first part of a two-part 30th-anniversary run, staged at the Sowol Art Hall.
Source 27 · Etoday (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo’s new show Legacy · opens in a new tab The articles do not give the exact date.Threw the first pitch at the Jamsil game against Kiwoom, after 2013, 2024 and 2025.
Source 28 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Magician Choi Hyun-woo throws a first pitch · opens in a new tabDelivered the weather report. He said he would hold a 30th-anniversary show for about a month from Nov. 28.
Source 29 · JTBC (Korean) · Choi Hyun-woo as a guest weather caster · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1996–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Arts · South Korea
1978 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1978: the year of the event minus 1978, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.06 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.