Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, better known as "Da S" which means "Big S," unveils her new poster for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia in Beijing on Nov. 26, 2009. The Chinese characters on the poster reads "Vegetarians Make Chicks Happy!" - AP
TAIPEI (AFP) : Fans, friends, co-stars and family members were left stunned on Monday. Taiwanese star Barbie Hsu, who was hugely popular across Asia for her leading role in the 2001 television drama "Meteor Garden", has died from a respiratory illness, local media reported Monday. She was 48.
Hsu passed away after developing pneumonia during a family trip to Japan over the Lunar New Year holiday, the younger of her two sisters was quoted as saying.
"My dearest and kindest sister Barbie Hsu sadly left us due to influenza complications that led to pneumonia," the younger Hsu said in a statement shared by her agent and reported by the semi-official Central News Agency.
"I'm grateful to have been her sister in this lifetime, to take care of each other, accompany each other, I will forever be thankful to her and miss her."
Hsu's death was the top trending topic on China's X-like Weibo platform on Monday.
Fans in Taiwan, the Philippines and elsewhere also paid tribute to her on social media.
Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming, who starred with Hsu in another Taiwanese drama, said he was "in shock and deep grief" over her death.
"I've heard that truly brilliant souls are never dimmed by time -- they remain vibrant, like bubbles shining in the sun," Huang said on Weibo.
Filipino fan Edmalyn Canton wrote on Facebook: "Thank you for bringing joy to my childhood. You will always be my favorite version of Meteor Garden and will forever be remembered."
Stacy Hsu, a Taiwanese celebrity, posted on Facebook that Hsu's "beauty and intelligence will forever remain in our hearts."
Animal rights group PETA said it was "heartbroken" over Hsu's death, noting she was "one of the first and biggest stars" to support the organisation.
Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu smiles during an event to promote her new movie Future X-Cops, Monday, March 29, 2010, in Taipei, Taiwan. - AP Photo
Many Taiwanese celebrities on Monday also expressed their shock at the sudden death of Hsu, as according to The Straits Times
Many of them took to social media to mourn the 48-year-old, who was best known for playing feisty Shancai in the hit Taiwanese idol drama Meteor Garden (2001 to 2002).
Actor Ken Chu, currently based in China, portrayed playboy Ximen in Meteor Garden. The 46-year-old expressed the feelings of many when he wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo, “Alas, a bolt from the blue”, together with three folded hands emojis.
Singer-actress Rainie Yang made her acting debut as Shancai’s good friend Xiaoyou in Meteor Garden. She wrote on Instagram Stories: “Thank you for everything, Shi-yuan. I will always miss you and love you.” Shi-yuan is the Chinese name of Hsu, who is also known by her stage name “Big S”.
Yang, 40, said in previous media reports that Hsu was her acting senior who had supported her both in public and in private after their first TV serial together.
Hsu and her younger sister Dee rose to fame in the 1990s as a pop duo before switching to hosting TV shows and acting.
It was the elder Hsu's role as Dong Shan Cai in Taiwan's popular 2001 television series "Meteor Garden" that made her a star across Asia.
The show about an ordinary girl attending an elite university was originally based on a Japanese manga series.
It was later remade in China and now screens on Netflix.
Hsu's acting career dimmed in recent years but appearances in reality television shows and dramas in her off-screen life kept her in the celebrity gossip pages. She was also always seen in many advertisements in East Asia
Hsu married Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei in 2010 and they had two children, Taiwanese media reported.
The couple divorced in 2021, and the following year Hsu tied the knot with an ex-boyfriend, South Korean DJ and singer Koo Jun-yup. - AFP
