Local Property Agent Has Side Hustle As A Magician; Once "Stole" TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi's Watch For A Trick

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When 8days.sg arrived at the industrial blocks along Jalan Bukit Merah on a Monday afternoon, we were greeted by a cheerful man at a multi-use space by Apartment Tofu, and for a moment, we couldn’t tell if we were in an open office or an apartment showroom.

It was neither.

That was our first time meeting local magician Jerryl Tan. The 29-year-old is a realtor by day, but, no, we weren't here for a home viewing. 

We were standing on the set of Hotel Incanto, a new immersive theatrical magic show headlined by Jerryl and fellow magician Ryan Goh. The 60-minute show is on from Nov 18 to Dec 14 December, with tickets at S$48.80.

It was this writer’s first up-close encounter with a magician, and Jerryl, who has been in the industry for 17 years, turned out to be nothing like what she expected.

No, he wasn’t mysterious, and no, he wasn’t wearing a tuxedo, waiting to pull a rabbit out of his top hat. 

Instead, he was upbeat, in an oversized T-shirt and always ready with a joke to lighten the mood in the room.

There was also an unmistakable sparkle in his eyes — and a clear sense of pride — whenever he talked about Hotel Incanto, the avant-garde magical performance he created with Ryan.

In Hotel Incanto, Jerryl and Ryan take on multiple roles as the hotel staff, guiding audiences into a "mystical magical land” with a playful dose of comedy, with both guys playing multiple characters in the show. 

This is the second time they're doing this show, after the success of their pilot run last year. 

"I think a lot of people really really enjoyed it. Some of my very close friends said this is actually very fresh. The context of the entire show was very immersive, and like I say, transports people to another realm, where they don't feel like they're watching magic," he said. 

This time, they're back with brand new magic tricks and a refreshing storyline, with "everything kind of revamped". 

Jerryl and Ryan were already buddies before this project — they met about six to seven years ago at a magic convention — and working with a friend has surprisingly been smooth-sailing. 

"I guess we kind of complement each other quite well because I'm more of the aggressive one while Ryan is the ideas guy," said Jerryl."It has been very fun [working together]."

Scale-wise, this isn’t Jerryl’s biggest stage. He does large corporate illusion shows, sometimes for audiences of up to a thousand people.

He's also performed for local stars like Jean Danker and Sonia Chew ("very courteous, really easy to handle, and, overall, very good experiences") and American film producer Kurt Hugo Schneider. 

But among his most memorable experiences as a magician was performing for TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi at a private party in Singapore.

At that time, his client merely told him that they have around 20 guests which Jerryl thought it would be a "pretty straightforward" gig. 

"Then I popped my head out and saw him, I was like, [that guy] looks very familiar," he chuckled.

Jerryl only confirmed Shou Zi’s identity after he went up to introduce himself and asked for the audience’s names. 

"It was very fun. In fact, I even stole his watch [for a trick]," he laughed.

The celeb that was "hard to impress" was his pal Chantalle Ng, who incidentally was the one who tipped us off about Jerryl's upcoming show. They met at an event and have been friends since.

"But I think the jokes kind of get me by. It's why when I perform for her, I have to prepare as many jokes as I can to make her still entertained," he quipped. 

Jerryl has been doing magic since primary six but how did it all begin?

Turns out, he watched a YouTube video after his PSLE and learnt a card trick which he performed for his parents. 

"They were impressed. I was like: 'Wow my parents are in their 40s and they're impressed by what a 12-year-old can do'," he gushed.

That was how he fell in love with performing and started showcasing his tricks for his friends and family, especially during Chinese New Year. 

Despite that, Jerryl, who studied Applied Math at the National University of Singapore, initially wanted to become a teacher.

"I tried to apply for a few times but they didn't accept me, probably because the demand for teachers wasn't that high back then while the supply was pretty high," he said. 

And, surprise, surprise, he’s not actually a full-time magician now. His main job is a real estate agent.

After his failed attempts at becoming a teacher, Jerryl chanced upon a job opportunity as a realtor which he thought suited him as he likes to talk to people.

"And I can kind of juggle between magic and real estate as well, since they're both very different realms," he said.

Jerryl has been a realtor for close to five years. Yet, only some of his clients know about his alter ego.

He does, however, do a little bit of magic for clients who bring their kids along to viewings, just to keep the children occupied while their parents take their time to look at the houses.

So which of his two jobs pays the bills? 

"Honestly, contrary to popular belief, I feel like being a magician in Singapore can be very sustainable," he revealed, adding that sacrifices are inevitable, such as travelling overseas for shows and hence, giving up family time. 

He reckons a full-time magician could earn between $100K to $150K, "For myself, I [earn] a comfortable amount below the $100K range."

Not too bad. So why does he need another job? 

"With a real estate job, I can have two sources of income. If you are a full time magician, then I think you really need to take almost everything that comes your way."

"I feel like for myself, when my passion becomes my career, I find it very hard to be selective with the kind of opportunities I'm given," he averred.

Jerryl also tries his best to not negotiate his rates as he wants to value his shows.

Moreover, being a full-time realtor helps his parents appreciate his magician hustle better.

"Initially they weren't too happy because they were like: 'Can you really make money out of this?' even though I was drawing a decent salary from magic. But now I think they are more relaxed and convinced that I can do this on the side."

On the flip side, his side job as a magician helps pay the bills as real estate commissions do come in maybe six months after he secures a deal.

"Whereas for magic, usually you get paid before the show starts. It helps with the cash flow."

Regardless, having a few tricks up your sleeves can definitely come in handy in many situations.

Say, for example, courting girls? Has Jerryl used magic to wow the ladies before?

 "Yes, back in the days when I was younger," he quipped. But using magic to impress women didn't work on his girlfriend. 

"In fact, my girlfriend doesn't even really enjoy magic and was one of those whom I didn’t impress with magic at the start. So maybe it was just the natural charisma," he smirked. 

By now, it’s clear that Jerryl has a lot on his plate, much like the multiple roles he plays in Hotel Incanto.

And circling back to the show, wouldn’t it take a certain level of acting skill to pull something like that off?

After all, he was a freelance actor and had a small role in Ch 8 kids programme, Le Le Wo, when he was 15.

So is Hotel Incanto Jerryl’s stepping stone back into acting? 

"I might not do acting — I mean small roles, I wouldn't mind but it also boils down to time and whether I have the energy to step into this realm again," giggled Jerryl.

Anyone looking for a magician or realtor or part time actor? Jerryl’s your guy.