Barbie Hsu’s family bids farewell to ‘Meteor Garden’ star at her funeral

According to a report by VnExpress International, her husband Koo Jun-yup carried Hsu’s ashes to the burial site and, together with Hsu’s immediate family, buried her cremated remains.

Koo, a South Korean DJ and music producer, was seen dressed in a black suit, appearing frail and visibly emotional. Dee Hsu, Barbie Hsu’s younger sister, stayed by their mother’s side throughout the whole ceremony.

As the traditional customs discourage them from attending burials, Hsu’s mother, along with the older members of the family, stayed in the car during the proceedings. Koo and Mike Hsu (Dee Hsu’s husband) delivered the late actress’ ashes by themselves to her final resting place.

Hsu died from contracting influenza-induced pneumonia while vacationing in Japan, her family confirmed on February 3. Her ashes returned home from Japan to Taiwan, as reported by The Straits Times, on February 5.

In an Instagram post on February 6, a day after, Koo wrote, in a mix of Chinese and Korean, “I am in indescribable sadness and pain, as if my heart is being cut by a knife and my insides are torn apart. I have no strength to speak, nor do I want to.” Koo claimed that certain individuals were tarnishing his family’s name, vowed to take legal action to protect their children “from the wicked,” and pledged to give his share of the inheritance to his mother-in-law.

Barbie Hsu’s death was mourned not just in Taiwan, but in neighboring countries as well, including the Philippines. The original Meteor Garden series was and continues to be iconic for Filipinos, with very few shows matching it in popularity.

Hsu’s ex-husband, Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, was not invited to the funeral.

Hsu and Wang wed in 2011 and were married for a decade before separating due to “irreconcilable differences” and announcing their divorce in 2021. Hsu married Koo Jun-yup in 2022, while Wang married online influencer Mandy Ma in 2024. But despite their new marital statuses, tensions between Hsu and Wang persisted, with the two exchanging accusations and filing charges of infidelity and abuse.

Barbie Hsu is best known for her portrayal of Shan Cai in the 2001 hit television series Meteor Garden. She is also famous for her roles in Eternity: A Chinese Ghost Story (2003) and Summer’s Desire (2010). – with reports from Bea Gatmaytan/Rappler.com

Bea Gatmaytan is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature at the University of the Philippines Diliman.