Working In Progress

Yu Shuxin—Turning Passion into Achievement | COVER STORY

by SoFigaro
2022-01-13 20:00

Because of her deep love for music and the stage,
she has never once let herself slack off—
and that’s exactly how she earned the applause and accolades that are truly her own.

As the cover star of So Figaro,
Yu Shuxin shares the stories behind her creative journey.

ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS
Yu Shuxin—Turning Passion into Achievement

Pink and femininity seem to share a natural affinity.
Lately, Yu Shuxin has found herself captivated by all things pink.
To her, pink is a lucky color—one that blends romance with feminine strength.
It stands for self-love and staying true to oneself.

Whether she’s lighting up the stage or embodying different roles on screen,
Yu Shuxin remains authentic and self-assured.
radiating a warm, sunlit energy through her unique charm.

A Treasured 2021, Kept in the Heart

Filled with a whirlwind of emotions—busyness and fulfillment, gratitude and joy, reluctance and farewells—Yu Shuxin’s 2021 has quietly become part of the past. As she reflects on everything she’s gained recently, she can’t hide the joy in her voice—especially over the many small wishes she managed to fulfill during moments of rare free time.

The Rhythm of a Busy Life

For instance, she finally got to visit a restaurant she’d been wanting to try for ages, and after months of fine-tuning, the remix version of Gwalla was released—along with a practice room video.

✔ Checked off: dream restaurant
✔ Released: practice room version of Gwalla (Remix)

“This song carries a lot of my personal input in its overall musical arrangement. It was something the producer and I carefully crafted, bit by bit. Most of the communication with the team actually happened during breaks on set while I was filming, so the whole production process was especially demanding. That’s why, once it was finally released, I felt a real sense of relief—like all the effort I’d poured in recently had truly paid off.”

To many, Yu Shuxin—the sweet, radiant girl who shone on the Youth With You 2 stage—
seemed to rise to fame effortlessly, quickly capturing public attention and gaining more and more fans. But in truth, it was her unwavering love for music and the stage that kept her from ever letting her guard down for even a moment. It’s that dedication that earned her the applause and admiration she truly deserves.

For the sake of one of the most beautiful chapters in her life—walking down a flower-strewn path adorned with colorful streamers, singing songs that were truly her own—those days became cherished memories. After the disbandment of THE9 not long ago, each member took to social media to say their goodbyes and reflect on the journey they had shared. Yu Shuxin has always held onto the memories of everything they experienced together.

The time I spent with my group members was truly wonderful. Even though our moments on stage often lasted just a few minutes, those few minutes required each of us to be fully prepared—countless hours of practice behind the scenes to make sure every move, position, and expression was flawless. On stage, we may have looked graceful and beautiful, but in reality, we were always in a high-pressure, tightly focused state. Those moments with my groupmates are especially precious to me, and I’ll always keep them safely tucked away in my heart.

A New Chapter in 2022

Beyond the music-filled stages where she shines, the screen has become another space where Yu Shuxin continues to radiate her energy. In the upcoming xianxia drama Love Between Fairy and Devil, she takes on the role of “Xiao Lanhua,” set to embark on a heart-wrenching love story with the Demon Lord.

In the trailer, many of the beautifully romantic scenes left a deep impression on Esther Yu as well.
She shared, “I think the snow-covered landscapes and the lantern-lit streets in the drama are absolutely stunning. Sometimes during filming, it’s hard to picture how the final scenes will look.
But when I watched the trailer for the first time, I was genuinely surprised by how beautiful everything turned out.” “This time, I’m playing Xiao Lanhua, a sweet and lovable fairy who’s a bit timid by nature. The whole filming experience was really fun—both on and off set, there were so many moments that made me smile.”

Back in Moonlight, Yu Shuxin charmed audiences as the lively and optimistic girl, Chu Li, delivering a sweet and heartwarming love story. Now, she returns as the pure and kind-hearted Xiao Lanhua, ready to take viewers on yet another enchanting and highly anticipated fantasy journey.

This time, Yu Shuxin transformed into an “Oxygen Girl”—the charming “Yu Meiren”—for a shoot that took place entirely in the heart of nature. Surrounded by the great outdoors, she had the chance to spend time with many adorable animals, making the entire experience feel even more alive and authentic.

“By the later stages of filming, I had already gotten so used to having small animals around where I was living that when I didn’t see them, I’d actually start looking for them everywhere.”

Expressing Myself Through Pink

Oxygen Girl

When it comes to being an “oxygen girl,” Yu Shuxin has her own unique sense of style. “Since A Romance of the Little Forest has a nature-inspired vibe, the outfits I chose for the drama included elements from nature—like leaves, flowers, and little insects. The overall color palette leaned toward earthy, forest tones, and pairing that with cute headbands really completed the look.
The whole style gives off the feeling of a relaxed vacation outfit.”

Yu Shuxin also brings a natural sense of fashion to her makeup looks, effortlessly pairing beauty with a keen eye for detail.

“I think fashion is really about finding the style that suits you best. If I have the time, I love mixing things up and trying out different looks every day. Sometimes, I’ll get a sudden burst of inspiration for an outfit, and the things I like might even end up becoming trends.”

Recently, Yu Shuxin drew attention with photos of her in a pink ski outfit against a snowy backdrop. The look was from her appearance on the winter sports variety show Go Skiing!. On the show, she tried both snowboard and ski styles, as well as took part in a variety of fun snow and ice games.

“Technically, that was only my second time trying skiing. I don’t usually go for thrill-seeking activities—kind of like how I rarely ride roller coasters. Overall, the experience made me realize just how challenging skiing really is—it’s hard to maintain your balance, and I do get a little scared by that rush of speed and adrenaline. But playing games in the snow was still a lot of fun, because there’s something so beautiful about the snow and ice themselves.”

Speaking about her pink ski outfit, Yu Shuxin couldn’t help but laugh and admit that pink has unexpectedly become her go-to color lately. Pink sweaters and dresses—they’ve completely taken over her wardrobe, so naturally, the pink ski suit has become one of her favorite pieces to wear these days.

A few years ago, I honestly wasn’t that into pink. But lately, I don’t know why—my closet is suddenly full of pink pieces. Whenever I see something pink, I can’t help but squeal!
Maybe I’m just becoming more of a girly girl now. [laughs] Honestly, when girls wear pink, it just magically lifts your mood—and somehow, it feels like your luck improves too. There was one look from this shoot that I especially loved: a pink hair accessory paired with a silky pink dress. I thought the whole outfit was really unique and fun. Pink really does have a kind of irresistible charm.

In Yu Shuxin’s eyes, pink has long since broken past traditional gender boundaries—it’s become a color full of strength and presence. And that strength, she believes, lies in being true to yourself, loving yourself, believing in yourself, and continuing to shine in your own unique way.

CREDITS:

Editor & Stylist / 胡玥EstherHU
Photographer / 张悦
Hair & Makeup / 杨单
Artist Manager / 狐狸
Text Editor / 周樱
Writer / JING
Digital Editor / Arya
Styling Assistants / Nico、徐琳菲
Photography Assistants / 穆嘉东、申友
Lighting / 上德大象

SoFigaro中文版 22-1-12 13:00

#CoverStory Reflecting on her recent accomplishments, Yu Shuxin can’t help but speak with excitement. Not only did she finally visit a restaurant she had been looking forward to for ages, but the long-awaited Remix version of 《Gwalla》—which she had worked on for quite some time—was also released in its practice room edition. “This song includes a lot of my own ideas in the musical arrangement,” she shared. “It was something the producer and I polished together, bit by bit. So when it finally came out, it felt like all the effort I’ve put in recently truly paid off.”

SoFigaro中文版 22-1-13 13:00

#YuShuxinSoFigaroCover #YuShuxinPinkBarbieLook #CoverStory
To many, Yu Shuxin seemed to break out effortlessly, quickly gaining widespread attention. But behind it all is her deep love for music and the stage—a passion that never once allowed her to take things lightly. Even during breaks on set, she made full use of her time, constantly creating and practicing. It’s that relentless dedication that earned her the applause and recognition she truly deserves.

SoFigaro中文版 22-1-13 15:00

#YuShuxinSoFigaroCover #YuShuxinPinkBarbieLook #CoverStory
During the shoot, Yu Shuxin couldn’t help but laugh and admit that pink has completely taken over her wardrobe. “Lately, I have so many pink pieces—whenever I see pink, I literally squeal! And somehow, wearing pink just instantly puts me in a good mood.” To her, pink has long moved beyond traditional gender boundaries. It’s a color full of strength—a strength that comes from being yourself, loving yourself, and believing in yourself. It’s the kind of power that allows you to shine in your own way.

1. Yu Shuxin—Turning Passion into Achievement | COVER STORY: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/HtN7tDwq0R-61edFmz_grg
2. Oxygen GIrl – While “氧气” directly means “oxygen,” in modern Chinese pop culture, compound terms like “氧气美女” or “氧气女孩” are idiomatic. The phrase refers to a girl who feels as refreshing and essential as oxygen—someone natural, pure, wholesome, and emotionally uplifting.
3. Meiren (美人) translates to “beauty.” Yu Meiren is also the name of her character in A Romance of the Little Forest
4. SoFigaro中文 版 Weibo: https://weibo.com/SoFigaro
5. SoFigaro中文版 22-1-12 13:00 – https://weibo.com/5738363424/Lapagc8Hu
6. SoFigaro中文版 22-1-13 13:00 – https://weibo.com/5738363424/LayAKuPx8
7. SoFigaro中文版 22-1-13 15:00 – https://weibo.com/5738363424/Laznru3HF