Taiwanese Meteor Garden star Barbie Hsu dies of flu aged 48

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

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, without specifying where and when her sister died.

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.

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 boy band 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.

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.

AP