According to local media, Barbie Hsu, a Taiwanese actress best known for her role in the successful 2001 television series Meteor Garden, passed away at 48 from pneumonia.
Hsu, one of the most prominent figures in the Mandarin-speaking world, gained recognition in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand due to the localization of Meteor Garden.
One comment on the Chinese social media platform Weibo said, “I can’t believe it,” echoing the sentiments of millions of shocked admirers who have been paying tribute.
It is speculated that she contracted an illness while in Japan. On Monday, Taiwan’s TVBS News received confirmation of her passing from her sister, Dee Hsu.
“Our family travelled to Japan for a vacation during the Lunar New Year.” “My beloved sister Barbie has sadly passed away due to pneumonia, which was precipitated by influenza,” Dee Hsu stated in a statement that her manager distributed.
Barbie Hsu, who had a history of cardiac disease and epilepsy, was previously hospitalized for seizures. She is survived by her spouse, South Korean singer DJ Koo, and two children from a previous marriage.
Before their acrimonious divorce in 2021, she and her ex-husband, Chinese industrialist Wang Xiaofei, were married for a decade.
At 17, Barbie Hsu embarked on her professional journey as a member of a musical duo with her sister, Dee.
Their animated manner and sense of humour made them famous as TV hosts.
However, Meteor Garden, a television adaptation of a Japanese comic of the same name from the 1990s, propelled Hsu to stardom that transcended the confines of Chinese entertainment.
The drama featured Hsu as Shancai, an adolescent from a middle-class family who enrolls in an elite private school and becomes entangled in a love triangle with the heirs of wealthy families.
The Taiwanese boyband F4, one of the most popular Mandopop groups of the 2000s, was formed by her four male co-stars in Meteor Garden.
On Monday, Ken Chu, an F4 member, posted a group photo with Hsu and a black, vacant screen on Instagram. Subsequently, he posted on Weibo, “What a sudden and unexpected event.”
Following Meteor Garden, Hsu appeared in over a dozen television programs and films, including beloved romantic dramas such as Summer’s Desire and Corner With Love.
In 2012, Barbie Hsu ended her acting career but remained involved in reality television programmes.
In a post on Weibo, Aya Liu, a host and long-time acquaintance of the Hsu sisters, disclosed that she had encountered Hsu at a gathering last month and had promised to meet more frequently.
“I didn’t think that would be our last gathering,” Liu indicated. “Rest in peace, the most beautiful queen.”
On Monday, Barbie Hsu was the most popular topic on Weibo. One commenter said, “Barbie Hsu was only 48 years old; this is an unforeseen event.” Another said, “This is somewhat challenging to believe. ”
Influenza-related posts regarding Japan were also in high demand as admirers endeavoured to comprehend her illness.
Meteor Garden was a resounding success in the 2000s, a period in which Taiwanese shows and music dominated the region’s mainstream culture. The modern, high-school interpretation of Cinderella was particularly well-received.
F4 inspired young women to adore, and they drew inspiration from Barbie Hsu’s Shancai. The floppy hairstyles the male protagonists wore were displayed on the walls of hair salons as young men in Southeast Asia and East Asia attempted to replicate the style.
To satisfy fan demand, a local broadcaster aired the complete series eight times in the Philippines. Bootleg copies of the series were also sold at roadside kiosks. Meteor Garden’s theme songs were released in other languages and rapidly became hits on the radio and TV.
Although remakes have attracted new admirers, the show’s popularity has persisted for over twenty years. It has inspired adaptations in India, China, South Korea, and Japan.
From Chinese users on Weibo to Southeast Asian fans on X to Meta’s Threads, notably popular in Taiwan, tributes to Hsu have poured in from across the region on social media.
“Big S has always been a part of my youth,” wrote a fan on Threads, referring to Hsu by her nickname.
According to X users, Meteor Garden fostered an entire generation of Asians. “I am grateful to Barbie Hsu for bringing Shancai to life.”
