Taiwanese TV host Dee Hsu has cleared the air on the continued use of her late sister Barbie Hsu’s image by a Taiwanese skincare and wellness brand more than a year after her death.
Better known by her stage name Big S, the actress died at the age of 48 in February 2025 from pneumonia while holidaying in Japan with her family.
Barbie Hsu, best known for starring in the popular Taiwanese idol drama Meteor Garden (2001 to 2002), had an endorsement deal with the beauty company before her death.
Netizens recently noticed her image is still featured on the brand’s website and social media, which sparked criticism it is exploiting her memory.
While the brand is not named in the Taiwanese media reports, Hsu was known to have endorsed TKLAB when she was alive.
Her image is still featured on TKLAB’s website, while two videos featuring her, uploaded in 2022 and 2023 respectively, are available on the brand’s YouTube channel. Her photos are also on its Facebook and Instagram pages.
In response to the criticism, Dee Hsu’s manager clarified that the arrangement was the result of discussions between the Hsu family and the brand, with the aim of preserving Barbie Hsu’s beautiful likeness.
The manager said the endorsement contract had not yet expired, and given the longstanding good working relationship between both parties, the advertisements were not taken down.
Dee Hsu, who is better known as Little S, recently returned to her talk show Dee Girls Talk (2022 to present) after a year away due to her elder sister’s death. The 47-year-old is also a brand spokesperson for TKLAB. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
