Taiwanese star Barbie Hsu dies at 48 after catching influenza in Japan
Actress Barbie Hsu was travelling with her family in Japan over the Chinese New Year period when she caught influenza-related pneumonia. PHOTO: REUTERS
Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, star of the seminal idol drama Meteor Garden (2001), who is also known by her stage name Big S, has died at the age of 48.
The news was confirmed on Feb 3 in a statement sent out to Taiwanese media by her family via the manager of her younger sister, famed Taiwanese TV host Dee Hsu, 46.
According to Taiwanese news outlet Star ETToday, the statement written primarily in Chinese read: "Thanks for all the concern. Over the Chinese New Year period, our entire family travelled to Japan for a holiday, and my most beloved, kindest elder sister Barbie caught influenza-related pneumonia and has unfortunately left us.
"I am thankful to be her sister in this life, and grateful that we have taken care of each other and kept each other company all these years. I will always be thankful to her and remember her. Shan (Barbie Hsu's nickname), rest in peace. We love you always. Together, remember forever."
The statement did not clarify when and where Barbie Hsu died. According to Taiwanese news reports, sources say the Hsu family is currently still in Japan, and Barbie Hsu will likely be cremated there before her remains are taken back to Taiwan.
The news came after a netizen implied on Facebook on Feb 2 that a Taiwanese celebrity married to a foreigner has died at age 48, sparking rumours that Hsu, who is married to South Korean musician Koo Jun-yup, 55, had died.
Many netizens initially thought the news was a hoax, as Hsu was recently at a homecoming banquet to celebrate the marriage of Taiwanese television producer Wang Wei-chung's daughter on Jan 25 and looked to be healthy and in good spirits.
She also appeared with the rest of her family in a New Year post made by Koo on Dec 31 and looked to be well then too.
But the rumours of her death intensified as messages sent to Hsu's family, including Dee Hsu, asking for clarification on the news were ignored.
Also, Barbie Hsu's former husband, Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, reportedly changed his profile photo on Chinese streaming platform Douyin to plain black, as if to indicate he was in mourning.
Taiwanese singer Christine Fan, who is good friends with both Barbie and Dee Hsu, posted a black background with no caption on her Instagram on Feb 3, shortly after the news was confirmed.
Barbie Hsu leaves behind two children – a 10-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son – she had with Wang, whom she divorced in November 2021. In February 2022, she reunited with her old flame Koo and married him. They would have celebrated their third wedding anniversary on Feb 8.
Hsu is also survived by Dee Hsu, their older sister who is not a celebrity and their mother.
Barbie Hsu had kept a low profile in recent years and had not acted in a long time. Her last role was a voice-acting gig for a dubbed version of the Pixar superhero movie Incredibles 2 (2018). Her last TV appearances were both in 2019 – as a commentator for Season 2 of Chinese reality dating series Dream Space, and in the Chinese travelogue series We Are Real Friends, in which she appeared with Dee as well as her close friends, singer Mavis Fan and TV host Aya Liu.
But prior to her retreat from the limelight, Hsu – who came to prominence in the 1990s as part of a pop duo with Dee Hsu called Asos – was a prolific star. She was known for being one of many hosts during the long run of variety series Guess Guess Guess (1996 to 2011) and entertainment news programme 100% Entertainment (1997 to 2024).
With the mega hit Meteor Garden and its 2002 sequel, she also found success in acting, and went on to star in period series Eternity: A Chinese Ghost Story (2003), thriller film Connected (2008) and romantic drama Summer Desire (2010).
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