Illusionist Lee Eun-gyeol held a special performance titled "One of One" at the Seoul Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' main theater to mark the 30th anniversary of his debut.
During the preparation for this performance, it was revealed through broadcasts that he had spent more than 200 billion won on stage equipment alone over the past 30 years.
We take a closer look at what actually happened behind the glamorous stage.
Three-line summary
1. Lee Eun-gyeol spent 200 billion won on equipment over 30 years
2. The 4-ton train appeared on stage only once
3. Large scale does not guarantee quality
First Domestic Illusionist to Take the Sejong Center Main Stage
Born in 1981, Lee Eun-gyeol was a high school student performing street magic at Maronie Park in Seoul in 1996. Since then, he became the first Korean to win the Federation Internationale des Societes Magiques (FISM) Championship, known as the "Magic Olympics," and received the Golden Lion Award at the Las Vegas Magic Convention in the United States and the Magic Achievement Award at the Singapore International Magic Festival, establishing his name on the international stage. He introduces himself as an "illusionist" rather than a "magician." This reflects his role as a director who conveys fantasy and inspiration beyond merely surprising audiences with tricks.
To mark the 30th anniversary of his debut this year, he performed "One of One" at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts main theater from August 22 to September 6. It was the first time a domestic illusionist has performed on this main stage. According to Korean Economy Review, the performance began with a scene of his entrance in a giant helicopter and presented his 30 years through period-specific magic acts, including his first world championship victory, first solo performance, and his crisis and comeback resulting from agency issues.
The 200 Million Won Train Was Used Only Once
The process of preparing such a stage was revealed in MBC's "Omniscient Interfering View," which aired on the 12th. Lee Eun-gyeol was in the process of finalizing his 30th anniversary performance at an 870-pyeong work space in Seoul, the so-called "Imagination Factory." The space housed large equipment including a 6-meter-high wooden set that took 4 years to design, a train brought from Las Vegas in the United States, and oversized rockets and helicopters.
In the broadcast, he revealed that the cost of purchasing and producing equipment purely for magic performances exceeded 200 billion won. The most expensive piece of equipment he cited was the "floating train" used in his 20th anniversary performance. With production costs alone reaching 200 million won and weighing 4 tons, it was used in only one performance and never again. This indicates that large stage props are often produced and discarded for a single performance.
Six 5-Ton Trucks, Loading and Unloading That Continued Until 5 AM
Transporting 30 years' worth of magic equipment to the actual performance venue was also no small task. The delicate equipment was disassembled one by one, carefully packaged to prevent damage, and loaded onto six vibration-free 5-ton trucks. Multiple media outlets reported that this work continued overnight until 5 AM. This illustrates how a single scene that lasts only a few minutes on stage actually goes through days of design, transportation, and repeated rehearsals to be completed.
Chuseok Special Broadcast and Late October Yongin Performance
The live recording of the Sejong Center performance will be broadcast as a Chuseok holiday special titled "THE Lee Eun-gyeol Chuseok Special Magic Concert." This allows audiences who could not visit the theater in person to watch the 30th anniversary performance in their homes. The Yongin Cultural Foundation has announced that it will hold a 30th anniversary debut commemoration performance by Lee Eun-gyeol at the end of October. After the Sejong Center performance concludes, his 30th anniversary performances are set to continue on regional stages.
References
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