Hong Kong performers revive magical past

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Chung found that being a magician on the mainland was more economically feasible than in Hong Kong. Rents were lower, and the government was willing to support magic events, unlike in Hong Kong.

To elevate the profile of Hong Kong magic, Chung has embarked on a mission to infuse his performances with the city's culture.

He spent a year and a half developing the fish-ball seller performance for the Greater Bay Area Golden Bauhinia Magic Competition. Chung said the idea for the performance came from his father, who was a fish-ball vendor for a year.

In his quest for authenticity, Chung sought out a fish-ball vendor in Mongkok and offered him HK$2,000 ($257) for the opportunity to follow him and sell fish balls for a week.

"The job is boring, but it provided me with invaluable insights into the entire fish ball-making process and the interactions between the vendor and passersby," Chung said.

"The vendor utilized a range of tactics to draw in customers, such as enhancing the aroma and generating smoke to waft the fragrance over a distance — I incorporated all these details into my performances."

After Chung performed his show at a magic competition in Thailand, the president of a renowned international magic association praised it as "very special".This gave Chung the confidence to believe that his magic act could be understood by people around the world.

Before he turns 30, Chung hopes to represent Hong Kong at the FISM World Championships, present his performance on the global stage, and win an international magic competition.

Chung said he wants to demonstrate that magic shows emanating from Hong Kong can be a powerful way to disseminate the city's culture as well as glimpses of its cultural heritage.