Young Koreans are showing brand new talent in the world of magic.

Ahn Ha-rim, 22 from Busan was named Stage Winner at the IBM/SAM Combined Convention held in Louisville, Kentucky from July 21 to 26. Shin Young-woon, 20 from Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang Province) also made it to the finals and received a special award given to the top six competitors.

IBM stands for the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the world's largest organization for the professional and amateur magicians with over 13,000 members around the world. SAM stands for the Society of American Magicians, the world's oldest fraternal magic organization in the world with some 7,000 members.

At their latest convention a total of 44 noted magicians took part in the competitive part, but of those from Asia only Ahn and Shin made it to the finals.

Ahn dazzled the audience with his intricate card tricks and received a standing ovation from some 2,000 magicians. The People's Choice Award he won is given to the one who scored highest in the voting. Ahn received invitations to enter seven magic competitions. Shin, who did mime tricks using a mask, was invited to two more contests after this latest Convention.

Ahn was also Grand Prix winner of the 8th World Magic Seminar Asia held in Nagoya, Japan and again the winner of the first Busan International Magic Festival, which is on for the third time next month from Aug. 8 to 12. He is again invited to this year's Busan festival gala show. Shin is to star in the senior stage section.

Up until now the only Korean magician recognized abroad was Lee Eun-gyeol, 27, who took the first prize in general magic at the 23rd FISM World Championships of Magic in 2006.

By Kim Hee-sung