If you were anywhere near the internet during the early months of 2020 or 2021, you probably couldn't escape the "Yes! OK!" theme song or the sight of Lisa from BLACKPINK pushing trainees to their absolute physical limits. The Youth With You cast became a global obsession almost overnight. It wasn't just about dancing. It was about the grueling, high-stakes ecosystem of Chinese idol survival shows. People stayed up until 3:00 AM just to vote for their "picks," praying that their favorite trainee wouldn't be eliminated in the next round. But the reality of what happened to these performers after the glitter settled is a lot messier—and more interesting—than the edited episodes suggested.
Reality TV is a weird beast. You spend months memorizing the faces of 100+ contestants, and then, suddenly, the season ends. Some people become superstars. Others literally vanish from the public eye within weeks.
The Breakout Stars of the Youth With You Cast
Let's talk about THE9. This was the final group from Season 2, and honestly, they were a lightning rod for both praise and controversy. When you look at the Youth With You cast from that year, Liu Yuxin (XIN Liu) stands out as a genuine anomaly in the C-pop world. She didn't fit the "cute girl group" mold. She was tomboyish, incredibly sharp in her popping choreography, and she commanded the stage with a quiet kind of intensity. She didn't just win; she dominated the center position.
Since THE9 officially disbanded in late 2021, Liu Yuxin hasn't slowed down. She’s been hitting major fashion weeks and releasing solo music that actually leans into her hip-hop roots rather than generic bubblegum pop. It’s rare for a survival show winner to maintain that kind of momentum without the backing of a full group, but she managed it.
Then there’s Esther Yu (Yu Shuxin). People loved her or hated her during the show because of her "wow" reactions and high-pitched energy. But if you look at her career now, she’s arguably the most successful actress to come out of the Youth With You cast. Her role in Love Between Fairy and Devil was a massive hit. It proved that the "trainee" label was just a stepping stone for her. She used the variety show platform to build a fandom that followed her straight into the world of high-budget C-dramas.
Why some trainees disappeared
It's not all "center" positions and luxury brand deals. For every Esther Yu, there are fifty trainees whose names you probably can't remember. The contract situations for the Youth With You cast were notoriously complicated. Many contestants were "loaned" from small agencies that didn't have the capital to support them once the show's hype died down. They went back to training rooms in industrial parks, waiting for a debut that might never come.
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The Mentors Who Defined the Show
You can't talk about the cast without mentioning the mentors. They were the backbone of the series' marketing. Lisa’s involvement was a masterstroke by iQIYI. Having a member of the world's biggest girl group as a dance mentor brought in millions of international viewers who didn't even speak Mandarin. Her "strict" persona—remember her asking "Why are you laughing?" during a rehearsal—became a meme instantly.
But it wasn't just Lisa.
- Kun (Cai Xukun): As the Youth Producer, he brought a level of empathy because he had been through the same grinder in Idol Producer.
- Ella Chen: A legend from S.H.E., she provided the vocal grounding the show desperately needed.
- Jony J: The rap mentor who famously had to deal with trainees who couldn't stay on beat, leading to some of the most viral (and painful) moments in the show's history.
The chemistry between the mentors and the Youth With You cast created a teacher-student dynamic that felt high-stakes. When Lisa cried during the final eliminations, it didn't feel like a script. It felt like someone who knew exactly how much these kids had sacrificed just for a three-minute performance.
The Season 3 Disaster and the Industry Shift
We have to address the elephant in the room. If you followed the Youth With You cast in Season 3, you know it ended in a way no one expected. The "Milk-Wasting" scandal changed everything. For those who missed the drama: fans were buying massive amounts of milk from a sponsor just to get QR codes to vote for their favorite trainees. The actual milk was being poured down drains.
The backlash from the Chinese government was swift.
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The grand finale was cancelled. The group that was supposed to debut—IXFORM—basically came into existence in total silence months later. No big concert, no flashing lights. Just a social media announcement. This effectively killed the "idol survival" genre in China for years. The Youth With You cast of Season 3 became the "lost generation" of idols. They had the talent and the fanbases, but the platform they stood on was dismantled before they could even finish their final song.
Life After the Idol Industrial Complex
So, where does that leave everyone?
Interestingly, many members of the Youth With You cast have pivoted to the "influencer-to-actor" pipeline. Because the music industry in China doesn't have a robust weekly "Music Bank" style system like South Korea, it's incredibly hard to survive just by releasing EPs.
Take someone like Shaking (Xie Ke-yin). She was one of the strongest rappers in the Season 2 cast. While she still does music, a huge chunk of her visibility now comes from variety shows and acting roles. It’s a survival tactic. You have to be a "multi-hyphenate" or you risk being forgotten by the next algorithm cycle.
The International Pivot
Some trainees realized the domestic market was tightening and headed elsewhere. We've seen former contestants show up in Korean survival shows like Girls Planet 999 or Chuang Asia. They are chasing a different kind of longevity. For them, being part of the Youth With You cast was a credential—a way to show they could handle the 20-hour rehearsal days and the pressure of a massive audience.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Trainees
There’s this misconception that these kids were just puppets for a production company. Having spoken to people in the periphery of these productions, the reality is that the trainees were often hyper-aware of their "edits." They knew if they cried in a specific way or had a "rivalry" with another contestant, they’d get more screen time.
The Youth With You cast wasn't just a group of performers; they were essentially unpaid content creators fighting for a limited amount of bandwidth.
- The Sleep Deprivation: It’s not an exaggeration. Trainees often filmed for 24 hours straight during the "evaluation" phases.
- The Food Bans: While the show featured "hot pot parties," the day-to-day reality involved strict diets that many trainees have since joked (or complained) about in their vlogs.
- The Friendships: Despite the competitive nature, many of the bonds were real. You see it on Weibo even now—former cast members from different seasons supporting each other's drama releases or brand launches.
Navigating the Legacy of Youth With You
If you're still following the Youth With You cast, the best way to support them isn't just by rewatching old clips. The industry has shifted significantly toward individual branding.
How to stay updated on your favorite former trainees:
- Check Weibo and Oasis: These are the primary platforms where former cast members post their daily lives and project updates.
- Look for "Variety Show" appearances: Many former idols move into shows like Keep Running or Hello, Saturday.
- Support their OSTs: Often, the best way to hear them sing now is on the soundtrack of a drama they (or their friends) are starring in.
The era of massive Chinese idol survival shows might be on a long hiatus, but the impact of the Youth With You cast is still felt across the entertainment landscape in Asia. They were the last of a specific kind of "supernova" stardom that we might not see again for a long time.
Next Steps for Fans and Researchers
To truly understand the trajectory of these artists, you should track their transition into the "Actor-Idol" sphere. Follow the official tags for THE9 and IXFORM members on Chinese social media to see how they have diversified their portfolios. Additionally, watching the "After-Show" vlogs (often found on iQIYI’s VIP sections) provides a much more grounded look at the cast's personalities away from the high-pressure stage performances. Pay close attention to the smaller labels like Yuehua or Awakening East, as they often determine the long-term viability of these artists' careers through their management strategies.