# Esther Yu

Yu Shuxin (Chinese: 虞书欣; pinyin: Yú Shūxīn, born December 18, 1995), better known by her stage name Esther Yu, is a Chinese actress and singer. She is a former member of The9, the project girl group from iQIYI's survival show Youth With You 2. Yu has also gained recognition for her roles in the hit television series Find Yourself (2020), Moonlight (2021), Love Between Fairy and Devil (2022), My Journey to You (2023), and Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (2024).

## Early life

Yu was born in Shanghai, China and is the only child in her family. Her grandfather was chairman of Xinyu Iron and Steel Group and her parents are business moguls who own several real estate, construction and steel companies. Yu herself is also a shareholder and owner of many businesses. For post-secondary education, she attended Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore and graduated with a degree in Fashion Media and Industries.

## Career
### 2015–2019: Career beginnings

In 2015, Yu made her acting debut in the wuxia drama Border Town Prodigal, which premiered in 2016. She then subsequently gained recognition for her appearance in the variety program Grade One Freshman. In 2017, Yu continued to play supporting roles in the historical drama The Advisors Alliance, and romance family drama Ordinary Years.
In 2018, Yu played her first leading role in the coming-of-age drama Youth, adapted from the 2016 South Korean drama Hello, My Twenties. In 2019, she starred as a happy-go-lucky actress in the romantic comedy drama My Amazing Boyfriend 2.

### 2020–present: Rising popularity

In 2020, Yu participated in the variety program Youth With You 2 and became one of the most popular trainees on the show. She successfully debuted as a member of temporary girl group The9 on May 30, 2020.
That same year, Yu gained popularity and recognition with her role as a lovable university student in the hit romance drama Find Yourself, and was nominated for the Audience's Choice award at the 30th China TV Golden Eagle Award. She later portrayed a quirky female investigator in the well-received historical romance I've Fallen For You, and appeared as a recurring guest role in the drama A Love So Romantic. In the 2020 Forbes China Under 30 Elite list, she was included as a notable actress for the Entertainment and Sports industry.
In 2021, Yu starred as a newcomer editor in the romantic comedy drama Moonlight. On December 5, 2021, The9 officially disbanded.
In 2022, Yu starred as a lively and innocent immortal in the widely popular fantasy romance drama Love Between Fairy and Devil, and as a fashion blogger with an Ornithology PhD in the environmental romance drama A Romance of the Little Forest.
In 2023, Yu starred in Sword and Fairy, adapted from the popular Chinese RPG game of the same name, and the historical wuxia drama My Journey to You. She made an appearance in Feng Xiaogang's new film If You Are the One 3. For upcoming projects, she is confirmed as the female lead for another fantasy historical drama titled Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, reuniting with Ding Yuxi, set to air on November 1, 2024.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 2021 | A Writer's Odyssey | 刺杀小说家 | Nurse | Guest role |
| 2022 | My Little Pony: A New Generation | 小马宝莉：新世代 | Izzy | Chinese dubbing |
| 2023 | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | 蜘蛛侠：纵横宇宙 | Gwen Stacy | Chinese dubbing |
| 2023 | If You Are the One 3 | 非诚勿扰3 | Judy | |
| TBA | Hua Luo Liu Nian | 花落流年 | Li Yifan | |

### Television series

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role |
| 2016 | Border Town Prodigal | 新边城浪子 | Qing She |
| 2017 | The Advisors Alliance | 大军师司马懿之军师联盟 | Consort Liu |
| 2017 | Ordinary Years | 平凡岁月 | Li Xiaoya |
| 2018 | Youth | 最亲爱的你 | Chen Chenchen |
| 2019 | My Amazing Boyfriend 2 | 我的奇妙男友2之恋恋不忘 | Tian Jingzhi |
| 2020 | Find Yourself | 下一站是幸福 | Cai Minmin |
| 2020 | I've Fallen For You | 少主且慢行 | Tian Sanqi |
| 2020 | A Love So Romantic | 少爷与我的罗曼史 | Cheng Qianyu |
| 2021 | Moonlight | 月光变奏曲 | Chu Li |
| 2022 | Love Between Fairy and Devil | 苍兰诀 | Xiao Lan Hua / Xi Yun |
| 2022 | A Romance of the Little Forest | 两个人的小森林 | Yu Meiren |
| 2023 | My Journey to You | 云之羽 | Yun Wei Shan |
| 2024 | Sword and Fairy 6 | 祈今朝 | Yue Qi |
| 2024 | Love Game in Eastern Fantasy | 永夜星河 | Ling Miaomiao / Lin Yu / Mu Qingshi |
| 2025 | Ski Into Love | 嘘，国王在冬眠 | Wei Zhi |
| TBA | Speed and Love | 双轨 | Jiang Mu |

### Television shows

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role |
| 2016 | Grade One Graduation | 一年级·毕业季 | Cast member |
| 2019 | The Sound: Season 3 | 声临其境第三季 | Member of New Voice Class |
| 2020 | Youth With You 2 | 青春有你第二季 | Contestant |
| 2020 | Let's Party | 非日常派对 | Cast member |
| 2020 | Dimension Nova | 跨次元新星 | Expansion mentor |
| 2021 | Youth With You 3 | 青春有你第三季 | Youth tutor |
| 2022 | Let's Go Skiing | 超有趣滑雪大会 | Cast member |
| 2024 | Chinese Restaurant 8 | 中餐厅第八季 | Cast member |

## Discography

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Title | Year | CHN | Album |
| "Stars" (星辰) | 2016 | — | Grade One Freshman OST |
| "Finally One Day" (终有一天) | 2016 | — | Grade One Freshman OST |
| "Love Problem" (恋爱练习题) | 2019 | — | My Amazing Boyfriend 2 OST |
| "Ever Since I Met You" (自从遇见你) | 2020 | — | I've Fallen For You OST |
| "Gwalla" (乖啦) | 2020 | — | MatriX |
| "Here's Chu Li" (初礼来了) | 2021 | 71 | Moonlight OST |
| "Loss of Memory" (失忆) | 2022 | 56 | Love Between Fairy and Devil OST |
| "Wish to be with You" (想和你) (with Dylan Wang) | 2022 | 59 | Promotional song for Love Between Fairy and Devil |
| "All Seems The Same" (好像都一样) | 2022 | 71 | A Romance of the Little Forest OST |
| "Sunny Day After The Rain" (雨过天晴) | 2022 | — | A Romance of the Little Forest OST |
| "Oh My" | 2023 | — | 1st mini album Esther |
| "Unfinished to be Continued" (未完待续) | 2023 | 83 | 1st mini album Esther |
| "Bestow Dreams" (赐梦) | 2023 | 61 | My Journey to You OST |
| "Try Everything" (尝试一切) (Special Mandarin Version of "Try Everything" with Ayanga) | 2023 | — | Promotional song for Shanghai Disney Resort |
| "Hope" (盼) | 2024 | — | Sword and Fairy 6 OST |
| "Pray" (祈) | 2024 | — | Sword and Fairy 6 OST |
| "Surge" (澎湃) | 2024 | 22 | Love Game in Eastern Fantasy OST |
| "Moonlight Thoughts" (寄明月) (with Ding Yuxi, Zhu Xudan, Yang Shize, Li Yizhen, Fei Qiming & Lu Yuhao) | 2024 | 7 | Promotional song for Love Game in Eastern Fantasy |
| "Spicy Honey" | 2024 | 9 | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |
| "Laffy Taffy" | 2024 | 77 | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |
| "How Not To Be" | 2024 | 99 | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |
| "Girls Night Out" | 2024 | — | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |
| "Last One Standing" | 2024 | — | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |
| "Spicy Honey" (Chinese Ver. featuring Dong Bao Shi) | 2024 | 51 | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |
| "Laffy Taffy" (在干嘛呀) ("Laffy Taffy" Chinese Ver.) | 2024 | 76 | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |
| "True Love" | 2024 | 98 | 1st studio album Spicy Honey |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2020 | 30th China TV Golden Eagle Award | Audience's Choice for Actress | Find Yourself | Nominated |
| 2020 | 7th The Actors of China Award Ceremony | Best Actress (Web series) | I've Fallen For You | Nominated |
| 2020 | 5th Golden Blossom Internet Film and Television Awards | Actress of the Year | Find Yourself; I've Fallen For You | Nominated |
| 2020 | 2020 TV Series Awards | Top 10 Popular Female Characters | Find Yourself | Won |
| 2022 | 35th Huading Awards | Best Actress in Chinese Ancient TV Series | Love Between Fairy and Devil | Nominated |
| 2023 | 2022 iQIYI Scream Night | Scream Goddess | Love Between Fairy and Devil | Won |
| 2023 | 3rd New Era International TV Festival Ammolite Awards | Best Costume Actress in the New Era | Love Between Fairy and Devil | Nominated |
| 2023 | 2022 Weibo Awards | Notable Actress of the Year | — | Won |
| 2023 | 2023 iQIYI Scream Night | Most Influential Actress of the Year | My Journey to You | Won |
| 2023 | 2023 Asian Pop Music Awards | People's Choice Award | "Esther" | Won |
| 2024 | 2023 Weibo Awards | Hot Actress of the Year | — | Won |
| 2024 | 2024 Weibo TV & Internet Video Summit | Expressive Actress of the Year | — | Won |
| 2024 | 2024 iQIYI Scream Night | Asia Pacific All-Round Artist of the Year | — | Won |
| 2025 | 2024 Tencent Video All Star Night | Most Overseas Influential Artist of the Year | Love Game in Eastern Fantasy; "Spicy Honey" | Won |
| 2025 | 2024 Tencent Video All Star Night | Most Popular TV Actress of the Year | Love Game in Eastern Fantasy | Won |
| 2025 | 2024 Tencent Video All Star Night | VIP Star of the Year | Love Game in Eastern Fantasy | Won |
| 2025 | 2024 Weibo Awards | Appealing Actress of the Year | — | Won |