Barbie Hsu death: Meteor Garden actress dies aged 48 after catching the flu on family holiday

Barbie Hsu, a Taiwanese actress who starred in the popular TV drama Meteor Garden that once swept Asia, died after contracting pneumonia triggered by the flu. She was 48.

Hsu, better known as ‘Da S,’ which means ‘Big S,’ caught the flu when she visited Japan with her family during the Lunar New Year, according to her younger sister, Dee Hsu, also a famed TV host. Dee Hsu said the pneumonia was a flu complication.

“I am grateful that in this lifetime I was able to be her sister, taking care of each other and being companions. I will forever be thankful for her and miss her!” Dee Hsu said in a statement on Monday (overnight in Australia), without specifying where and when her sister died.

READ MORE: Bedtime habit you don’t realise is ruining your sleep

Barbie Hsu
Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, pictured here in 2010, has died. She was 48. (AP)

READ MORE: The truth about the ‘5am club’ – is it all it’s cracked up to be?

The news about Barbie Hsu’s sudden death shocked audiences in Taiwan and China, where many had watched her shows since her early career. In China, news of her death was trending on the social media platform Weibo.

“It feels like someone you’re so familiar with is suddenly gone,” wrote one Weibo user. “This is unbelievable. Her two children, poor kids. May she rest in peace.”

Hsu broke into the industry when as a teenager she formed a pop music group called S.O.S. with her sister Dee Hsu, popularly known as ‘Xiao S,’ or ‘Small S’. The pair later switched to hosting TV shows and won many young fans.

For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.

https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net

Remembering the stars we’ve lost in 2025

In 2001, Meteor Garden beamed Barbie Hsu’s name into many households in Asia. She played the female leading role in the romance drama, which also starred the boyband F4.

After gaining widespread popularity, she continued to advance her entertainment career through other TV dramas, movies and talk shows.

In recent years, her personal life also made it into the news, in particular her high-profile divorce from Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei. Her fallout with Wang, their heated exchanges on social media following their divorce in 2021, and their legal battles often made headlines.

READ MORE: Phone plans that promise to be a ‘budget game-changer’

Barbie Hsu
Hsu, pictured here in 2015, is survived by her two children, her husband, and her sister. (AP)

READ MORE: Is it OK to treat myself to something sweet every day?

She later married Korean musician Koo Jun-yup, also known as ‘DJ Koo’.

Hsu was passionate about defending animal rights and collaborated with groups including PETA.

“Barbie was one of the first and biggest stars to lend her support to PETA,” read a statement by the organisation’s senior vice president, Jason Baker. “She spoke up countless times for animals, directly urging brands to stop selling fur.”

Hsu is survived by Koo and two children she shares with Wang.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.

Hello, I’m Khan Saab, the author behind many of the articles on usacouples.com. I graduated with a degree in Computer Science from the University of Punjab in Pakistan. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and through this platform, I get to share my thoughts and ideas on topics that matter to me and, hopefully, to you as well. I’m excited to connect with readers like you and share insights that can make a difference in your life. Thanks for being part of this journey with me,

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.