 |
| Xiao Zhan’s Quiet Move Hits No. 1 on Weibo |
The end of an era has come, and it’s hitting fans right in the feels.
On 18 July 2025, X玖少年团 (X Nine) was officially disbanded—nine years after the group was first formed through Zhejiang TV's idol survival show X-FIRE. But what really sent fans into overdrive was Xiao Zhan silently removing the group’s name from his Weibo bio.
No big announcement, no grand post. Just one quiet profile edit... and boom, it became the No. 1 trending topic on Weibo within hours.
Xiao Zhan, who debuted with X Nine in 2016, has long been seen as the breakout star of the group. Formed with nine members — Xiao Zhan, Zhao Lei, Xia Zhiguang, Peng Chuyue, Wu Jiacheng, Gu Jiacheng, Guo Zifan, Yan Xujia, and Chen Zexi — the group’s name symbolised an “X” for the unknown, the limitless, the future. And now, that chapter has closed.
 |
X Nine’s official account posted a bittersweet farewell message to mark the disbandment:
“The burning time has made the best teenagers. Nine years, Be A Man. X玖少年团 wishes you happy every day!”
Soon after, several members updated their profiles to reflect the change — but as always, all eyes were on Xiao Zhan. His edit sparked waves of emotion online. Fans flooded Weibo with throwback posts, fanart, and messages reminiscing about the group’s early days. Some got emotional, others practical — many see this as a fresh start for Xiao Zhan as a completely independent artist.
There’s also a deeper undercurrent. Long-time fans haven’t forgotten the rocky history between Xiao Zhan and Wajijiwa Entertainment, the company behind X Nine.
From poor career management to the mishandling of his image during the infamous 2020 forum controversy, many have been vocal about their frustration with how the agency treated him. Some fans even believe Wajijiwa’s interference worsened the backlash during that time.
 |
Since then, Xiao Zhan has moved towards more self-management through his personal studio. The quiet removal of X玖少年团 from his profile felt to many like the final snip of an old thread — subtle but significant.
As of now, there’s no official word about whether Xiao Zhan is still under contract with Wajijiwa. Some insiders suspect he’s on his way out. Others think he might keep things low-key and just continue as he’s been doing — focusing on solo music, acting projects, and select endorsements, on his own terms.
Either way, fans agree: this is a new chapter.
And while many are nostalgic, there’s a shared sense of optimism. As one top comment on Weibo reads:
“We’re proud of the X Nine days, but even prouder of who you’ve become. Fly even higher, Zhan ge.”