ACTRESS Barbie Hsu, one of the most prominent stars in the Chinese-speaking world, has died of a flu-related illness at age 48, Chinese media reported Monday, citing her sister. Hsu died of pneumonia after catching the flu during a family holiday in Japan, her younger sister Dee Hsu said in a statement shared by her agent. “I am grateful that I could be her sister in this life, to take care and accompany each other,” Dee Hsu said. “I will always be grateful to her and miss her.” Barbie had faced poor health in recent years, her sister previously said on television. Widely known as “Big S,” Hsu rose to fame at 17 in the mid-1990s alongside her younger sister in Mandapop duo ASOS. The siblings were known for their sharp sense of humor, underscored when both became popular talk show hosts. But it was Hsu’s lead role in the iconic 2001 television drama “Meteor Garden” that catapulted her to fame across the Chinese-speaking world as her portrayal of an ordinary girl who finds love with a rich boy resonated with millions of fans. On Monday, “Big S passed away” became the top trending topic on Sina Weibo, amassing over 1.5 billion views, as shocked fans mourned the star. “This is really hard to believe,” a top comment with more than 54,000 likes said. “It was so sudden, life is too short,” said another. Many Chinese celebrities also expressed shock over Hsu’s death. “What a bolt from the blue,” her “Meteor Garden” co-star Ken Chu wrote on Weibo. Hsu retired from the entertainment industry in 2022 following the end of her 11-year marriage to Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, a hot topic on social media. She is survived by her husband, Korean rapper Koo Jun-yup, and two children from her previous marriage. (SD-Agencies) | 