Shin Lim

Liang-Shun Lim (; born September 25, 1991), known professionally as Shin Lim, is a Canadian-American magician, recognized for his use of card manipulation and sleight of hand. He is known for elaborate close-up card magic routines, during which he remains silent with the tricks set to music. He is self-taught, having learned most of his skills from watching YouTube, and has in turn shared some of his own techniques in videos on the site.

Originally educated to be a pianist, Lim took up magic as his career after being diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Lim was discovered around 2012, began to tour internationally, and subsequently won the 2015 championship of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques in Close-up Card Magic. His appearances on Penn & Teller: Fool Us and his wins on America's Got Talent during its 13th season in 2018 and on America's Got Talent: The Champions led to even greater international fame.

Early life Lim is the second of three children of Singapore-born parents. Lim was born in Vancouver, where his father was completing postgraduate studies. Lim's family returned to Singapore when he was 2 and moved to Acton, Massachusetts, when he was 11. As he started to improve his skills, he developed his own tricks, and used YouTube as a platform to show his performances and technique.

Penn & Teller's Fool Us Shortly after his World Championship win in 2015, Lim was contacted by the producers of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, a show where magicians attempt to fool hosts and magicians Penn & Teller with their tricks. They had seen his YouTube videos and offered him a spot on the show to try to fool the hosts. His routine successfully fooled the hosts. Penn Jillette described Lim's routine: "The idea of doing card tricks —which are silly at their very core — really seriously and really, really importantly is wonderful." Subsequently, on his 2017 appearance on Fool Us, he again successfully fooled Penn & Teller.

America's Got Talent Lim had been contacted by the producers of America's Got Talent after his 2015 appearance on Fool Us to see his interest in performing, but he initially turned it down as he had only one major act he could perform. Lim was selected for the 13th season of the show, and on September 19, 2018, he was announced as the winner. In addition to a prize, Lim would be a headline act at the Paris Theater at Paris Las Vegas. His performances during the competition, while using variations of his tricks, included more dialogue and other aspects, for example demonstrating a bit of his pianist background for his final show. Lim said that one of the show's judges, Simon Cowell, advised him after his quarterfinal act that he needed to show more of his personality, and he needed to step back from the card table and add larger elements to his show if he wanted a chance to win. He was subsequently invited back to participate in the first season of America's Got Talent: The Champions, which started filming immediately after his 2018 13th-season win, and he edged out American ventriloquist and season 12 champion Darci Lynne.

Subsequent stardom From his success on America's Got Talent, Lim began headlining a long–term Las Vegas residency in the Terry Fator Theatre at the Mirage Casino Hotel in October 2019. Lim also began participating on tour with The Illusionists, a theatrical magician troupe show, as well as his own United States tour in 2020. and second as part of a trick by AGT semi-finalist Colin Cloud. He is currently headlining a new long-term residency at Venetian Las Vegas which- like his Mirage show- has been exceptionally well-received, winning both the 2024 and 2025 Tripadvisor Traveler's Choice Awards as well as other honors.

Technique Lim describes his approach to magic as more of an artistic show, rather than an attempt to trick people. "I'm trying to change the outlook on card magic—to make it more artistic, more visual."

Awards Year Title Role 2010 World Teen Close-Up Magic 1st Place 2011 Adult Card Magic I.B.M. 1st Place 2011 North American Adult Card Magic (Joint S.A.M. and I.B.M.) Champion 2012 FISM- North American Card Magic (Magic Olympics) Finalist (In Top 6, represented North America) 2014 North American Joint S.A.M. and I.B.M. People's Choice 2015 I.B.M North America 1st Place and People's Choice 2015 FISM World Champion in Close-Up Card Magic 2018 Merlin Award Best Close-Up Magician2018 America's Got TalentWinner2019America's Got Talent: The ChampionsWinner

Television