Barbie Hsu, Taiwanese Star of "Meteor Garden," Dies at 48

Barbie Hsu, the Taiwanese actress known for her role as Dong Shancai in the 2001 drama "Meteor Garden," has reportedly passed away at the age of 48.

Local media, including the Taipei Times, revealed that Hsu died from pneumonia, a consequence of contracting influenza during a family trip in Japan.

Barbie's sister, talk show host Dee Hsu, shared this heartfelt statement through an agent: "Our whole family came to Japan for a trip, and my dearest sister Barbie died of influenza-induced pneumonia. She unfortunately left us." Dee added her gratitude, saying, "I was grateful to be her sister in this life, that we spent valuable time together. I will always miss her."

The specific date of Barbie’s death remains unconfirmed, and PEOPLE has reached out to her representatives for additional details.

According to the BBC, Barbie Hsu, also called Big S, faced health issues such as epilepsy and heart disease in her life. Previously, she had been hospitalized due to seizures, adding to her health challenges.

Barbie began her career at the age of 17, forming a pop duo with her sister Dee. They transitioned to become television hosts before Barbie achieved international success through "Meteor Garden," based on a 1990s Japanese comic.

In this series, she portrayed the character Dong Shancai, a middle-class girl who enters an elite private school and interacts with wealthy heirs.

After "Meteor Garden," Barbie featured in various television shows and films, including 2007's "Corner with Love" and 2018's "Summer's Desire."

Per CNN, she chose to retire from the entertainment industry in 2022 following her divorce from Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei in 2021. Shortly after, she remarried singer and DJ Koo Jun-yup.

Her last Instagram post, dated December 21, featured her husband performing a DJ set. She captioned it, "Clon forever 🌟🌟🌟DJ KOO你超Cool❤️❤️❤️".

As reported by the "Taipei Times," Barbie Hsu is survived by her husband, their 10-year-old daughter, and an 8-year-old son whom she shared with her ex-husband.

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