To 김종운, Kim Jongwoon, Yesung. To our beloved Prince of Clouds, Happy 28th Birthday.
Twenty-eight years have gone by, and in those twenty-eight years, Yesung has bloomed into an absolutely stunning young man. Everything about him is elegant, beautiful. From the way he is adamantly true to himself, to his love for his family, to how he stands up against wrongdoings…there are endless gorgeous things about him.
As a child, he was hard working. He worked for good marks in school, some of the highest in his class, despite it pushing him in a different direction than his dream. Why? Because he is a loving and loyal son, filial and responsible. Even after getting into SM as a trainee, he continued to suffer long commutes from home to Seoul, in order to remain with family. Even until now, he always thanks his mother for setting up his audition, back when he didn’t even think he could be a singer. At the start, his values and his heart are in the right place, knowing that family, above all, is the most important.
After debut, Yesung was not the most popular member. After training for many years, blood, sweat, and tears, the strain on his family, it must have been frustrating. But Yesung wouldn’t quit. Until now, Yesung has put everything he has, his entire heart into Super Junior. He said himself, Super Junior is like water to him. Everywhere surrounding, and it’s something he needs. His absolute dedication to his fourteen brothers is so admirable, and sweet, and undoubted… that someone can hold so many people so close to their heart, means his heart is made of gold.
He is sweet, sometimes silly, but we can’t forget how determined he is. Just like he worked hard during training years, he continues to work just as hard at everything he does. He always says he will work hard, sing hard, try hard. When he collapsed trying to run a marathon in 2008, he returned to be with his other members at the end, even on crutches. Only a few days ago, after a frightening injury, he returned to complete the filming. If that isn’t determination, I don’t know what is.
Even at first, being outcasted as the strangest member, the “failure” member…he has worked so hard to move on past that. Yes, his antics on variety shows continue to be funny, but his desire to be recognized instead as Yesung, The Singer… hasn’t he succeeded? His voice, always husky, passionate, desperate, it tears into your soul. In every ballad, every time he is singing about pain, he can make an ache in the very depth of your heart. When singing brightly about happiness, togetherness and love, he can set your heart aflutter, and bring the most remarkable of smiles.
And that. His smile…is the most beautiful thing. After years, it is unchanged. His cheeks turn into apples, his eyes curve into to perfect half-moons, and his lips a pretty upturned cupid’s bow. When he smiles, the look is absolute joyfulness of the heart. When he laughs, you can’t help but want to laugh too. When he is so innocently happy, you can’t help but feel your heart get lighter with his.
Yesung is a special kind of person, someone who can make you happy even in the saddest, most morose of times. Maybe he does a silly dance, a skilled imitation, or he’s singing a beautiful ballad. He is like a piece of sunshine fell from the sky. Someone who can open his heart to even the smallest tortoise.
He said himself, he wants to touch the hearts of people, by performing and singing. He’s done so much more than that. Even being himself, he’s found his way into the hearts of ELF, and beyond ELF. He’s proven that you can be yourself, and achieve what you want if you work and persist, even if it takes a long time. He can make you want to be a better person.
To Yesung, please, have the happiest birthday. I love you, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of happiness and dreams than you.
