Exactly 25 years ago, on October 15th 1986, Kim Hyangsook gave birth to a wonderful son at home. Her husband and elder son, Donghwa, were playing badminton outside their house when it happened. The baby arrived earlier than they have expected.. and so Hyangsook’s husband blissfully named the baby Donghae. Lee Donghae.
Little Donghae grew up in a small town called Mokpo in South Korea. As a kid, he was playful, athletic and sensitive. He was naughty. He would pull a prank on his neighbors after going back home from school by pressing their door bells and run after that just to entertain himself, and also he would annoy the ajusshis at the public bathhouse with his friends. Being a rascal kid he was, he made a lot of friends. That also made him beloved by the people around him. But when it comes to playing any games at school activities, he would be the last one to get picked because even under what circumstances, any team that he joins will always lose.
As he grew older, despite being a naughty and playful kid he was, he is also a soft-hearted boy. He is a cry-baby, selfless, considerate, determined and thinks a lot. Especially before he goes to sleep at night. During his middle school days, Donghae and his friends had a part time job for over 6 months. Being a considerate boy Donghae is, he gave all the money he earned to his friend that he worked with because he understand that his friend’s family was in a very difficult finance situation than he was. That’s how a good person he is. He was bestfriends with his father and loves him dearly that he would leave his own dream and fulfill his father’s dream of being a singer intsead. His real ambition was to be a soccer player since he loves to play soccer so much. On top of all that, he is sensitive… to almost everything. His surroundings, his health and to the behaviour of the people around him. He feels lonely easily and he likes to be taken cared of.
When Donghae was 13, he saw a girl — of the same age as him, Kwon Boa — making her debut stage. He was inspired and wanted to be just like her someday. Since Donghae was a fan of SM Entertainment, his dad encouraged him to audition for it, till one day they both went up to Seoul to audition. Good news striked them that he got in and made everyone in the family happy and proud of Donghae. During his trainee days, every weekend — since he had school on Saturday too for a half day, so after school — his Dad would go up to Seoul together with him to send him off to SM Entertainment building for training classes.
It have been a year since he first started training in SM Entainment and he still could not blend in with the surrounding… the dialects spoken, the people of different interests and all. None of them were from Mokpo as him. He had no friends for being introverted at the time. He felt lonely and that made him sad. The bitterdays finally ended as Donghae meets Jung Yunho and became instantly close with because they are both from Mokpo. He became open and friendly eversince and met Lee Hyukjae and the others.
Finally, the hardships and hardworks paid off, Donghae was formed into a legit group of 13 boys after years and years of training. The group is Super Junior. Plus another members from their project sub-group, two more brothers was there for him. It is the best thing — after his family — ever happened to him. It brought him to 14 more brothers in the family. All of them love him dearly and takes good care of him. He acts like he’s the youngest but clearly he is not. One time when Donghae was about to take his high school exam, his fellow bandmate, Heechul was the one who cook him breakfast before he went off. Leeteuk, his eldest bandmate, look after him on behalf of Donghae’s dad as a friend. So basically Leeteuk is a father, a brother, a friend and a roommate to Donghae.
Donghae rarely see his family due to his super tight schedule since he debuted and that upets him. He would cry at random times thinking about his dad, because he knew his dad was badly ill. He would pray for his dad’s health every day and night. It broke his heart down to the dumps when he heard the news about his Dad passing. It was hard for him. With all that, he became an even more sensitive person than he already is and feels lonely easily.
But his father didn’t leave him with nothing. Donghae still have his family behind him. He is blessed with people who loves him. So he perked it up and continues to pray for his father who is already in heaven looking after him. With the people around Donghae who treat him like a treasure, like the youngest kid in the family, that makes him a sweetheart, considerate, selfless and always seek for attention like a puppy. The whole reason why people think he’s a kid.
Today is October 15th of 2011. The little sweetheart Donghae that we know and love is turning 25 and we know he won’t a change a bit. Not even a bit. What is to change when he is already an angelic person with an incomprehensible surreal beauty. All he need to know is how blessed he is and that he got the whole family on his back. I love you, Lee Donghae. We love you. Happy birthday, our sweet little tyke. Please never change.
— Ash
Who are we kidding? It’s the best album era ever.