Taiwanese actor Barbie Hsu, a leading star in the Chinese-speaking entertainment industry, has passed away at the age of 48 due to a flu-related illness, according to Taiwan’s official Central News Agency (CNA), citing her sister via CNN.
Hsu succumbed to pneumonia after contracting the flu while on a family vacation in Japan, her younger sister, Dee Hsu, stated in a message shared by her agent, as reported by CNA.
“I am grateful that I could be her sister in this life, to take care and accompany each other,” Dee Hsu said. “I will always be grateful to her and miss her.”
Her sister previously mentioned on television that the star had been struggling with health issues in recent years.
Barbie Hsu born on October 6, 1976, in Taipei, Taiwan, was a celebrated actress, singer, and television host. She rose to fame in the early 2000s with her breakout role as Shan Cai in the hit Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden (2001), which gained immense popularity across Asia and established her as one of the most recognizable stars in the Chinese-speaking entertainment world.
Before her acting career took off, Hsu was a member of the Mandopop duo ASOS alongside her younger sister, Dee Hsu. The siblings were also popular TV hosts, known for their work on the variety show 100% Entertainment. Hsu later starred in several successful films and dramas, including Mars (2004) and Connected (2008), further cementing her status as a leading actress.
Hsu was also known as Big S. On Monday, “Big S passed away” dominated China’s Weibo social media platform as the top trending topic, garnering over 1.5 billion views, with shocked fans mourning the star, according to CNN.
Beyond entertainment, Hsu made headlines for her high-profile relationships. In 2010, she married Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, with whom she had two children. Their 11-year marriage ended in 2021, drawing significant media attention. In a surprising turn, she rekindled a past romance with Korean rapper Koo Jun-yup and married him in 2022.
Hsu stepped away from the entertainment industry in 2022 after ending her 11-year marriage to Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, per CNN.
She is survived by her husband, Korean rapper Koo Jun-yup, as well as two children from her previous marriage.
Rest In Peace.