# The9 (group)

The9 (stylized as THE9 or THE NINE) was a Chinese girl group formed through the IQIYI survival show Youth With You 2. The group consisted of Liu Yuxin, Yu Shuxin, Xu Jiaqi, Yu Yan, Xie Keyin, An Qi, Zhao Xiaotang, Kong Xueer and Lu Keran.
The9 was formed on May 30, 2020, and officially debuted on August 10, 2020. It was managed by Idol Youth Entertainment of iQIYI. The group was supposed to disband on November 30, 2021, but they disbanded on December 5, 2021.

## History
### Pre-debut: Youth With You 2

The9 was formed through the reality television show Youth with You 2, which aired from March 12 to May 30, 2020. It was the third season of the Idol Producer franchise. Out of 109 trainees from different companies, only the top 9 most voted trainees in the final episode got to debut in the final group.
On May 30, 2020, the final lineup was eventually announced. Liu Yuxin placed 1st, Esther Yu Shuxin came in 2nd, followed by Kiki Xu Jiaqi, Yu Yan, Shaking Chloe Xie Keyin, Babymonster An Qi, Zhao Xiaotang, Snow Kong Xue'er, and K Lu Keran in 9th place respectively. Since having earned 1st place, XIN Liu Yuxin was chosen as the center of the group.

### 2020: Beginning of promotions, debut with Sphinx X Mystery and MatriX

On May 30, 2020, The9 was formed following the finale of Youth with You Season 2 and their training began the day after. Apart from training, they also filmed for several variety shows such as "My Little Forest". On June 17, 2020, they participated in Hunan Television's 618 Super Night to perform "Yes! OK!" and "Hunt", marking The9's first public performance. On July 4, 2020, the official Weibo account for the group released a video of the members selecting their team leader, revealing to be Babymonster An. They also revealed other details such as their fandom name, fandom colors as well as their hand sign.
On July 10, 2020, the group attended the "Current Business Conference" and announced their appointment as "Advance Officer for Edge Art."
The group has also done many commercials as well as editorials for magazines and high-end fashion houses. Xu Jiaqi, a former member of Chinese girl group SNH48's Team SII as well as a current member of the SNH48 sub-unit 7Senses, performed at SNH48's 7th Request Time Senbatsu General Elections as a guest.
The group released their first extended play, Sphinx X Mystery (斯芬克斯X谜), on August 10, 2020. The EP consists of the lead single "SphinX" (斯芬克斯) as well as another song titled "Not Me". The EP sold over 150,000 units in less than 45 minutes; it also won the "Double Platinum" rating. The music video for SphinX was released on August 15 via Weibo and YouTube. They promoted their EP through performances at variety shows and through music shows such as 818 Super Night. The group then announced their first variety show called "Let’s Party 2020" which would be released on iQIYI. The group released their debut studio album MatriX (虚实X境) on December 25, 2020 which features the lead single "Dumb Dumb Bomb" and nine solo tracks.
On December 31, The9 participated in the 2021 Jiangsu Satellite TV New Year's Eve concert.

### 2021: RefleXtion, THE NINE and disbandment

From March 26–27, 2021, The9 held their first online concert titled "X-CITY," which garnered tens of thousands of viewers. The concert utilized XR technology to create realistic stage backgrounds.
On June 9, 2021, the group released their first anniversary EP entitled RefleXtion. The EP consists of two tracks: "Hello" and "Xenogeneic". The group officially disbanded on December 5, 2021. Though the group had plans to hold a graduation concert, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these shows have been indefinitely halted.

### 2022–2023: Reunion concerts

On August 19–20, 2022, The9 held their first reunion concert since disbandment at the Harbin International Convention Exhibition and Sports Center.
On October 27–28, 2023, the group held their second reunion concert at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park.

## Members

* Liu Yuxin / XIN Liu (刘雨昕) - Center
* Yu Shuxin / Esther Yu (虞书欣)
* Xu Jiaqi / Kiki Xu (许佳琪)
* Yu Yan (喻言)
* Xie Keyin / Shaking (谢可寅)
* An Qi / Babymonster An (安崎) – leader
* Zhao Xiaotang (赵小棠)
* Kong Xue'er / Snow Kong (孔雪儿)
* Lu Keran / K Lu (陆柯燃)

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Title | Details | Sales |
| MatriX (虚实X境) | Released: December 25, 2020 Label: ADQC, iQiyi Formats: Digital download, streaming Track listing Dumb Dumb Bomb BiuBiu Gwalla SKIN 薔薇之巔 Comet Yea T.A.N.G Call Me By My Name K' | CHN: 370,000+ |

### Extended plays

| Title | Details | Sales |
| Sphinx X Mystery (斯芬克斯X谜) | Released: August 10, 2020 Label: ADQC, iQiyi Formats: Digital download, streaming Track listing 斯芬克斯 (SphinX) Not Me | CHN: 1,100,000+ |
| RefleXtion | Released: May 22, 2021 Label: ADQC, iQiyi Formats: Digital download, streaming Track listing Hello 异兽 (Exotic Beast) | CHN: 210,000+ |
| THE NINE | Released: December 5, 2021 Label: ADQC, iQiyi Formats: Digital download, streaming Track listing 驭舞者 Devil's song 我们啊 | CHN: 92,000+ |

### Songs

| Title | Year | Peak chart position | Album |
| Title | Year | CHN | Album |
| "斯芬克斯" (SphinX) | 2020 | 5 | Sphinx X Mystery |
| "Not Me" | 2020 | 9 | Sphinx X Mystery |
| "Dumb Dumb Bomb" | 2020 | 60 | MatriX |
| "BiuBiu" | 2020 | 26 | MatriX |
| "Gwalla" | 2020 | — | MatriX |
| "SKIN" | 2020 | 57 | MatriX |
| "蔷薇之巅" | 2020 | 39 | MatriX |
| "Comet" | 2020 | — | MatriX |
| "Yea" | 2020 | — | MatriX |
| "T.A.N.G" | 2020 | — | MatriX |
| "Call Me By My Name" | 2020 | 75 | MatriX |
| "K'" | 2020 | — | MatriX |
| "Hello" | 2021 | 42 | RefleXtion |
| "异兽" (Exotic Beast) | 2021 | 33 | RefleXtion |
| "我们啊" | 2021 | 80 | THE NINE |
| "Devil's song" | 2021 | — | THE NINE |
| "驭舞者" | 2021 | — | THE NINE |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. ||||

### Promotional singles

| Title | Release Date | Remarks |
| "Yes OK!" | March 12, 2020 | Theme song of Youth With You 2 |
| "Super Shiny Summer" | July 30, 2020 | Promotional song for the Oppo Reno 4; features XIN Liu, Esther Yu and Zhao Xiaotang |

## Videography
### Music videos

| Title | Year | Length | Ref. |
| "SphinX" | 2020 | 3:42 | |

## Filmography
### Variety Shows

| Year | Title | Network | Originally Aired | Notes |
| 2020 | Youth With You 2 | iQiYi | March 12 – May 30 | Contestants (final winners) |
| 2020 | Hunan TV 618 Super Pin Night + Hunan TV 818 Super Pin Night | Hunan Television | July | Performers ("Yes OK!", "Hunt", "SphinX") |
| 2020 | Go Fighting! Season 6 | Dragon Television | July 26 | The9 (finale guests, episode 12) |
| 2020 | Little Forest (Chinese: 《奇妙的小森林》; pinyin: Qímiào de Xiǎo Sēnlín; lit. 'Wonderful Little Forest') | Mango TV | August 1 – August 15 | Xu Jiaqi and Xie Keyin (guests, episodes 8–10) |
| 2020 | Summer Surf Shop | iQiYi | August 28 – September 5 | An Qi and Zhao Xiaotang (guests, episodes 9–10) |
| 2020 | Amazing Dinner | iQiYi | August 6–7 | Xie Keyin and Zhao Xiaotang (guests, episode 8) |
| 2020 | Masked Dancing King Season 1 | Youku | August 16 – October 18 | Liu Yuxin and An Qi (contestants) |
| 2020 | Let's Party! | iQiYi | September 4 – November 21 | The group's variety show |
| 2020 | Happy Camp (2020) | Hunan Television | September 19 | The9 (performance guest); Liu Yuxin, Yu Shuxin, Zhao Xiaotang (involved in guests’ activities with the show's MC) |
| 2020 | Go Fighting! Treasure Hunt, Season 1 (Chinese: 《极限挑战·宝藏行》; pinyin: Jíxiàn Tiǎozhàn·Bǎozàng Xíng) | Dragon Television | September 29 | Yu Shuxin (guest, episode 9) |
| 2020 | Little Giant Games | Mango TV | | Xu Jiaqi (fixed cast); Kong Xue'er (guest), Yu Yan (unaired) |
| 2020 | Dimension Nova (Chinese: 《跨次元新星》; pinyin: Kuà Cìyuán Xīnxīng; lit. 'Inter-Dimensional Rising Star') | iQiYi | October 21 – December 23 | Yu Shuxin (fixed cast, mentor) |
| 2020 | Field of Hope (Chinese: 《希望的田野》; pinyin: Xīwàng de Tiányě) | Mango TV | | An Qi (fixed cast); Zhao Xiaotang (guest, episode 9) |
| 2020 | Sending 100 Girls Home Season 4 | Sohu | | Yu Shuxin (guest) |
| 2020 | Glory is Back! Dunhuang (Chinese: 登场了！敦煌; pinyin: Dēngchǎngle! Dūnhuáng; lit. 'It's On Stage! Dunhuang') | iQiYi | 2020 November 18 – 2021 January 21 | Xie Keyin (fixed cast); Lu Keran (guest, episode 3) |
| 2020 | Ladies' Talk (Chinese: 《姐妹们的茶话会》; pinyin: Jiěmèimen de Cháhuàhuì; lit. 'Sisters' Tea Party') | iQiYi | 2020 December 2 – 2021 February 17 | Zhao Xiaotang (fixed cast, host) |
| 2020 | Fourtry Season 2 | iQiYi | 2020 December 4 – 2021 February 19 | Liu Yuxin (fixed cast); Zhao Xiaotang and Kong Xue'er (guests, episodes 5–6) |
| 2020 | I Am the Actor Season 3 | Zhejiang TV | 2020 December 12 – 2021 March 6 | Xie Keyin (contestant) |
| 2020 | Treasured Village (Chinese: 《宝藏般的乡村》; pinyin: Bǎozàng Bān de Xiāngcūn) | Zhejiang TV | 2020 December 20 – 2021 February 21 | Kong Xue'er (fixed cast) |
| 2021 | HAHAHAHAHA Season 1 | iQiYi and Tencent Video | January 15–22 | Yu Shuxin (guest, episode 10), Kong Xue'er (guest, episodes 10.2–11) |
| 2021 | Youth With You 3 | iQiYi | February 18 – May 1 | Yu Shuxin (Youth Tutor); The9 (guests, episode 8); Yu Yan, An Qi, Lu Keran (senior mentor collaboration performance) |
* ↑ Although Episode 8 premiered on iQiYi before episodes 9–10 of Summer Surf Shop, the episode of Amazing Dinner was filmed later, as Zhao Xiaotang talks about losing her fear of the sea while filming Summer Surf Shop.

## Concert

| Year | Name | Date | Platform/Venue |
| 2021 | X-City | 26 & 27 March 2021 | iQiyi (Online) |

## Awards

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination :
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
| Cosmo Glam Night 2020 | 2020 | Artist of the Year | The9 | Won |
| Madame Figaro Beauty Star | 2020 | Beauty Star | The9 | Won |
| 2021 iQIYI Scream Night | 2020 | Popular Female Artist | The9 | Won |
| 2020 Ifeng Fashion Choice | 2020 | Fashion Energy Group of the Year | The9 | Won |
| 2020 Sina Fashion Style Awards | 2020 | Idol Group of the Year | The9 | Won |
| Rayli Fashion Gala | 2020 | Favourite Group of the Year | The9 | Won |
| Asian Pop Music Awards | 2020 | Popularity Award (Female Group) | The9 | Won |
| Sina Film and Television Festival | 2020 | Musical Work of the Year | 斯芬克斯 (SphinX) | Won |
| Sina Film and Television Festival | 2020 | Variety Show of the Year | Let's Party! 2020 | Won |
| 2020 Baidu Entertainment Awards | 2021 | Best Group of the Year | The9 | Won |
| 2020 Weibo Night | 2021 | Weibo's Hottest Group of the Year | The9 | Won |
| Weibo Starlight Awards 2020 | 2021 | The Most Popular Artist Internationally | The9 | Won |