‘Meteor Garden’ actor Barbie Hsu passes away at 48

Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu
| Photo Credit: CHIANG YING-YING

Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, best known for her role in the hit 2001 series Meteor Garden, has died from pneumonia at the age of 48, Deadline reported.

Her sister, Dee Hsu, confirmed the news in a statement, revealing that Barbie fell ill during a family trip to Japan before succumbing to pneumonia. The sisters began their careers as a pop duo before transitioning to television hosting and acting.

Hsu, who had a history of epilepsy and heart disease, had been hospitalized in the past due to seizures, according to the outlet. She starred in popular TV dramas such as Summer’s Desire and Corner With Love and appeared in films like Reign of Assassins and Motorway.

Meteor Garden, an adaptation of a 1990s Japanese comic of the same name, propelled Hsu to stardom. She played Shan Cai, a teenager from a middle-class family who enrolls in an elite private school and finds herself entangled in a complex romance with wealthy heirs.

Hsu was married to South Korean singer DJ Koo and had two children from a previous marriage, Deadline reported.