Yesung, oh Jongwoon…the words that describe you all contradict each other. You’re eccentric, dorky, lame, creepy, princely, adorable, weird, hot, awkward, and sexy all at the same time. I’m not surprised that I didn’t have a good first impression of you…I didn’t want to warm up to Super Junior when I was such a devoted Cassie in mid-2009, and I simply didn’t like your entrance or your bright orange hair in the lip-synced It’s You performance at KBS Open Concert. Very, very slowly you thawed my reluctantly frozen heart towards you. The first time I laughed at you was when the other members were exposing your nighttime-creeping and philtrum-touching secrets and you were stubbornly in denial. The second time I laughed (and consciously paid attention to you) was when you bravely ate three of the world’s spiciest peppers and showed little reaction except for a cute hiccup. The third time was when you announced happily on Sukira that you were wearing red underwear that day.
You became my fourth favorite, a too-low spot that you did not deserve. For months I was caught up in my hectic final year of high school and I completely forgot about Super Junior. Finally, in late May, I decided on a whim to rewatch a princekyu video featuring (obviously) my then favorite Kyuhyun. Towards the end I saw unfamiliar footage of Kyuhyun with an evil smirk, leaning against a wall in a mysteriously dark setting illuminated by a sweeping light. I was thoroughly confused (and excited) and quickly found out that it was Bonamana, the hit song of the 4th Super Junior album of the same name. My jaws dropped to the floor when I witnessed Yesung’s subtle ultra-hot transformation and the beautiful lines he sang. By the time I listened to Your Eyes, my ‘only Kyu’ mindset was wavering. Somehow, instead of being pleased that so many other fangirls loved Kyuhyun’s voice and wished that he had a solo song instead of the duet, I felt offended. Why so little appreciation for Yesung? Why was he so insignificant in their eyes, so underrated in the sea of Kyuhyun drool? I didn’t mind Kyuhyun getting showered with praise, but the fans’ demand for Kyu to have his own song, which I attributed to their opinion that Kyuhyun far exceeded Yesung, tore my heart to shreds.
By then, Yesung had long since gained second place in my heart. Consciously I still only thought of Kyu. But now I look back at my dream diary (I’ve recorded all my dreams since 2006, whether in journals or on Google Docs), and it seems that unconsciously, Yesung had crept into my dreams by June 26th. Still I remained in the dark about this extraordinary boy. When the No Other MV came out, I found myself drawn to Yesung’s balloons-and-kids scenes far more than Kyuhyun’s artsy heart collage scenes. During the rotating view of Yesung and the girl surrounded by a myriad of balloons, I held my breath. When I saw the silver ring held out in his fingers and the gorgeous smile on his face, I completely fainted over Yesung.
I was no longer blind to this boy’s charms, but I was still stubborn. Again and again I berated myself for being so fickle. Hadn’t Jaejoong once captured my attention in Love in the Ice the same way Kyuhyun did in Super Girl? And then two months later I was crazy over Junsu, whom I couldn’t even identify for at least a week after being smitten with Jae. My swooning over Yesung progressed much later, true, but I was afraid to begin another drooling rampage. I had enough boys to admire and didn’t want to attach myself so deeply again. Well, that was a pretty hopeless resistance to the irresistible temptation that is Yesung. I began to fall in love with him after I watched his complete fail on Shin Jeonghwan PD’s Variety World as well as his hilariously cute reaction to a fan’s question about reading YeWook fanfics.
Many months before, I had watched some Exploring the Human Body episodes, but not until recently did I notice the chains of total failures that Yesung achieved in EHB. His regressing reaching and jumping records, being demo man, enduring spicy peppers, being tickled and his expression when being fed a ball of salt, failure at catching arrows, octopus dance, inability to cry for his mom because he was thinking of black bean noodles…all sent me into fits of laughter. I laughed my head off in every video that featured Yesung fail, including his poor attempt at the grape Chinese tongue twister.
It really didn’t help that I also got addicted to Yesung’s artistic, husky baritone vocals in It Has to Be You and beautiful songs like Polaris, I Do, and Things I Can’t Do For You that he covered on Miracle For You. I literally couldn’t get enough. Every breath he took seemed to last an agonizing eternity because he paused his singing. Slowly, I revisited past songs like It’s You and Why I Like You, completely casting aside my previous ignorance and soaking myself in the ocean of his voice. I further indulged in his solo Resignation, in which he invested so much emotion that I ended up trembling from head to toe.
Then a friend sent me a link to Yesung singing The Trap of the North Gate in the studio. I was shivering when he sang the terrifyingly soft beginning, drooling when the camera zoomed in on his beautiful neck, astounded breathless as the song intensified along with Yesung’s ascending vocals, and finally smiled when he professionally put on his beanie and thumped his throat a little after he finished singing. I was definitely in love. Although I couldn’t find much footage of Hong Gil Dong, and could only witness him singing The Trap of the North Gate in the musical and crying during the curtain calls, I knew beyond a doubt that this boy has some serious talent in musicals. I was also completely in love. (Edit: wait, I already said that xD)
So the past three days I embarked on a Super Junior (Yesung especially) photo-collecting rampage. By now I’ve amassed a gallery of 600+ of the funniest/hottest photos, 241 of them solely Yesung and about another 200 of Yesung with the members and his family. I especially doted on pictures of baby Yesung (which I dreamed about having the honor of viewing on the night before my 18th birthday, interestingly enough) and the pictures he uploaded of his three beloved turtles. I thought I was a little obsessed, but was nevertheless certain that I was a cloud in love with the brightest star Yesung.
Finally, just a few minutes ago, that same friend who introduced me to Yesung’s musical prowess also mentioned, uh, his…yadong collection/habit/hobby? WHAT my darling is not as innocent as he seems! But who can blame him…he’s a man nearing 26 yet still single, and it must be difficult for him to cope, hence his turtle companions. Not to mention that he can seduce me with just his eyes, so I can’t consider myself entirely not perverted either. Yesung is just oozing sensuality and passion, so I suppose he has to expel it somehow. Even younger boys like Eunhyuk, Yunho, and Changmin have succumbed to the same guilty pleasure. 
And now for a really random list of other reasons why I love him:
- he loves the color red, whether red underwear, strawberries (yum), red glasses, or red flower and parasol in SSIII!
- looks great with kids and has that glow in his eyes when he’s playing with them…has the potential to be a superb father
- was the most adorable baby himself; he was just the same 20+ years ago with that big head, beautiful eyes, tiny eyes, perfect teeth, and that beaming smile that melts my heart
- is extremely filial, and cries when thinking about his parents whom he can’t visit often
- is the best hyung; he always hugs his dongsaengs in a close embrance whenever they’re crying, sad, overwhelmed, or all three
- never got any plastic surgery; still has single eyelids ♥
- his philtrum fetish annoys the other members but also endears him to them…what I wouldn’t give to be touched there by those adorable little hands 
- likes to act out being killed (stabbed or shot), and is darn good at it
- famous octopus dance that is so ridiculously hilarious
- infamous evil high-five trick in which he pulls away his hand at the last minute
- amazing lung capacity not just in singing, but also in table soccer (scored 3 goals!)
- never dated before, has had the same ideal girl for years (Moon Geun Young…he has good taste!)
- funny crack skit dances (especially Sailor Moon)
- got turtles when jealous of Heenim’s cats (he has eccentric but wonderful taste), and loved his first turtle Dangkoma so dearly that he got him/her two dongsaengs for company
- super speed wave (Love Pursuer)
- makes the use of guyliner super sexy
- goes well in any couple pairing: YeWook, YeKyu, KangYe, YeChul, YeHae, YeWon, YeHyuk, YeHo (Yunho!!)
- really knows how to kill fangirls with his piercing stare (*is dead*)
- so cute in cloud, turtle, Indian chief, broccoli costumes!
- excellent in musicals; he sings The Trap of the North Gate like a warrior god!
- his and Eunhyuk’s short rendition of Kiss Me Darling lulled me to sleep on two nights
- his signature, even without the childish cloud, is so elegant; the heart he drew completely sealed my love ♥
It has to be you, Yesung. (I also got a Twitter just to follow him, haha. I am seriously crazy.)