America’s Got Talent: The Champions video: Shin Lim’s card wizardry

On Monday night’s America’s Got Talent: The Champions episode, you’re going to see the return of one of the best card magicians we’ve ever seen in Shin Lim. He may have only appeared on the main series this past season (and won it!), but it still feels like it’s been forever since we’ve seen him. A big reason for that is that we could watch him all day, every day and never get bored.

America’s Got Talent: The Champions preview video – Be sure to preview the entire lineup for Monday’s new episode in our video at the bottom of this article! Meanwhile, remember to subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube so you don’t miss out on our weekly America’s Got Talent: The Champions videos, and be sure to check out our show playlist.

We’ve seen a lot of magic over the years, but what Shim does almost feel like something entirely different. He can make cards disappear out of thin air, and have them reappear just as easy. There’s no obvious sleight-of-hand quirk or way in which he does it. He also has the cameras up so close on his hands and the camera that he gives himself a tiny margin for error — one wrong move and the entire trick is ruined. He is so good and so mesmerizing to watch, and we’re not sure we’ve ever seen a close-up magician this good anywhere else.

What is especially fun about this performance is that we have Terry Crews present for it, and this is the first time he’s ever had a chance to be on-stage with him. He’s getting to experience Shin’s work up close for the first time and he seems as blown away by it as many of us are. He manages to make cards appear in Terry’s hand (and in his suit pocket); beyond just that, he’s also able to create some secret messages on the back of his cards.

It’s hard sometimes for close-up magic acts to showcase some sort of progression from one act to the next, but what Shin has achieved over the past year is finding a way in which to build tension and momentum while still staying true to who he is. Even if his performances only take up a few feet of space, he makes them feel enormous, almost like you are watching a high-production show in Las Vegas. We know that America’s Got Talent: The Champions has been far too reliant on singers as of late, and maybe because of that, we’re worried about his odds moving forward. Also, we haven’t seen many acts go forward who had their performances released early. Hopefully, this is an occasion of the show breaking their typical pattern.

Related News – Check out a list of everyone performing on Monday night

Do you think that Shin Lim should be a favorite to win America’s Got Talent: The Champions? Be sure to share now in the comments. (Photo: NBC.)