# The8

Xu Minghao (Chinese: 徐明浩; Korean: 서명호; born 7 November 1997), known professionally as The8 (also stylized as The 8; 디에잇), is a Chinese singer and dancer based in South Korea. Managed by Pledis Entertainment, he is a member of the South Korean boy band Seventeen and its performance team.
In 2018, he had his official solo debut with the release of "Night and Rain" and served as one of the two dance mentors in the Chinese survival show Youth With You. In 2024, he released his first EP titled Stardust.

## Early life and education

The8 was born in Haicheng, Liaoning, China on 7 November 1997. He attended Beijing Contemporary Music Academy.

## Career
### 2008–2014: Early career in China

In 2008, The8 appeared on the Chinese program CCTV Variety Show. Later on, he appeared on the Chinese program Day Day Up. In 2012, The8 participated in the 6th Shanghai World Dance Competition held from 27 to 30 April. He placed in the top 8. This is how he earned his nickname.

### 2015–present: Debut with Seventeen, solo work, and Youth With You

He made his first appearance on Seventeen TV in late 2014. The8 debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band Seventeen with their first extended play (EP) 17 Carat on 29 May 2015. After debuting with Seventeen, The8 also landed a television role in Real Class - Elementary School in 2017. On 12 December 2017, Pledis Entertainment announced that The8 would be suspending his promotional activities due to a waist injury. He returned to promotions with the release of Seventeen's special album Directors Cut in February 2018.
In 2018, The8 participated in the Chinese reality television show Chao Yin Zhan Ji alongside bandmate Jun. In 2019, he served as one of the two dance coaches (alongside Jolin Tsai) in the Chinese survival show Youth With You. The8 made his solo debut on 9 June 2019 with the single "Dreams Come True". On 4 May 2020, he announced the release of a second single, "Falling Down", released four days later.
On 8 April 2021, The8 announced the release of his third single, "Side by Side". It was released on 13 April in both Chinese and Korean. On 4 May 2021, The8 released a single called "Mom's Missed Call" along with bandmate Jun, with all proceeds donated to help children in need in China. The single was a part of the Dandelion Philanthropy Music Project for the Chinese Children’s Charity Association. In September 2021, Pledis Entertainment announced that The8, alongside bandmate Jun, would be temporarily taking a break from Seventeen activities in order to work in China for the rest of the year. The8 and Jun arrived back in South Korea late December that year.
On 18 March 2022, The8 released the single "Hai Cheng" (海城), which he dedicated to his hometown. On 4 December, 2024, The8 released his first EP titled Stardust. The Chinese-language EP comprises three songs, including the lead single "Orbit" featuring JinJiBeWater. On 2 February, 2025, The8 began serving as a producer and mentor in the survival show Chuang Asia: Season 2.

## Discography
### Extended plays

List of extended plays, showing selected details :
| Title | Details |
| Stardust | Released: December 4, 2024 Label: Pledis Entertainment Formats: CD (in China), digital download, streaming Track listing "54321 (Lift Off)" (feat. Vernon) "Orbit" (feat. JinJiBeWater_隼) "Cold Love" |

### Singles

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Album | Notes |
| Title | Year | CHN | KOR DL | Album | Notes |
| "Night and Rain" | 2018 | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Dreams Come True" | 2019 | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Falling Down" | 2020 | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Side by Side" | 2020 | — | 126 | Non-album singles | Released in Korean and Chinese |
| "Mom's Missed Call" (妈妈的未接来电) (with Jun) | 2021 | — | — | Non-album singles | Charity single |
| "Hai Cheng" (海城) | 2022 | — | — | Non-album singles | Released in Korean and Chinese |
| "A Bite of Summer" (嘗一口夏天) | 2022 | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Orbit" (轨道) (feat. JinJiBeWater_隼) | 2024 | 8 | 14 | Non-album singles | Stardust |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. ||||||

### Other charted songs

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Title | Year | CHN | KOR DL | Album |
| "54321 (Lift Off)" (feat. Vernon) | 2024 | 23 | 64 | Stardust |
| "Cold Love" | 2024 | 25 | 65 | Stardust |

### Soundtrack appearances

| Title | Year | Album | Notes |
| "Pāi Shǒu (Live)" (拍手) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 2 | Chinese version of Seventeen's "Clap" |
| "My I (Live)" (with Jun) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 4 | Chinese version of Seventeen's "My I" |
| "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Live)" (小星星) (with Zhou Zhennan) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 5 | |
| "Secret (Live)" (秘密) (with Victor Ma) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 6 | Cover of Chang Chen-yue |
| "Wǒ Yuàn Yì (Live)" (我愿意) (with Sara Liu, Victor Ma) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 7 | Cover of Faye Wong |
| "Supernatural (Live)" (超自然) (with Victor Ma) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 8 | |
| "In My Feelings (Live)" (with Victor Ma) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 9 | Cover of Drake |
| "Busy and Blind (Live)" (忙与盲) (with Victor Ma) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 9 | Cover of Sylvia Chang |
| "Just……Pǔ Tōng Friends (Live)" (Just……普通 Friends) (with Victor Ma) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 10 | Cover of Musiq Soulchild's "Just Friends (Sunny)" |
| "Fall In Love (Live)" (with Victor Ma) | 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji Episode 10 | |
| "Highlight (Live)" (with Li Zhenning, Shi Mingze, Zhan Yu, Bo Yuan, Wen Yechen, Shen Qunfeng, Wu Zelin) | 2019 | Youth With You Episode 11 | Cover of Seventeen |
| "Brothers for One Time" (兄弟一回) (with Jun) | 2019 | Seven Days OST | |
| "Maze" | 2020 | The King: Eternal Monarch Chinese version OST | |
| "Hide" (藏) | 2021 | Who is the Murderer (谁是凶手) OST | |
| "Youth Is Young" (青春就这Young) (with Wang Baoqiang, Yang Di, Chen Zheyuan, Shen Yue, Zhang Yitong) | 2023 | Youth Periplous Season 4 (青春环游记 第四季) OST | |
| "Fly! Birdy Friends" | 2024 | Protect the Black Forest! Birdy Friends OST | Korean and Chinese versions |
| "Hào Dí Sa Huá Fán" (浩迪Sa华凡) (with Charlene Choi, Yang Di, Henry Lau, Lars Huang) | 2024 | Youth Periplous Season 5 (青春環游記 第五季) OST | |
| "Time Spoken in Ink" (时光语墨) | 2024 | My Wife's Double Life OST | |
| "When The Wind Blows" (风吹来的时候) | 2024 | Love's Rebellion [zh] OST | |

## Filmography
### Television shows

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2010 | Day Day Up | Cast member |
| 2017 | Real Class - Elementary School | Cast member |
| 2018 | Chao Yin Zhan Ji (潮音戰紀) | Cast member |
| 2019 | Youth With You | Dance mentor |
| 2021 | Dancing Millennium | Cast member |
| 2023 | All-Star Street Dancing Show | Cast member |
| 2023 | Youth Periplous Season 4 | Cast member |
| 2024 | Youth Periplous Season 5 | Cast member |
| 2024 | Heart Signal Season 7 | Cast member |
| 2025 | Chuang Asia: Season 2 | Producer |