Meteor Garden: Taiwanese star Barbie Hsu dies at 48

Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, who was best-known for starring in the hit 2001 TV series Meteor Garden, has died from pneumonia at the age of 48, according to local media.

One of the biggest stars in the Mandarin-speaking world, Hsu became a familiar face even in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand after Meteor Garden was dubbed in local languages.

"I can't believe it," read one comment on Chinese social media platform Weibo, echoing the sentiments of millions of shocked fans who have been paying tribute.

She is believed to have fallen ill while visiting Japan. Her sister, Dee Hsu, confirmed her death to Taiwan's TVBS News on Monday.

"During the Lunar New Year, our family came to Japan for vacation. My dearest sister Barbie has unfortunately left us after getting pneumonia, triggered by influenza," Dee Hsu said in a statement shared by her manager.

Hsu, who had a history of epilepsy and heart disease, was hospitalised previously due to seizures.

She leaves behind her husband, South Korean singer DJ Koo, and two children from an earlier marriage.

She and her ex-husband, Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, were married for 10 years, before an acrimonious divorce in 2021.

When Meteor Garden aired in the 2000s, at a time when Taiwanese shows and music dominated pop culture in the region, the modern, high-school take on Cinderella was a hit.

Young women took fashion inspiration from Hsu's Shancai and swooned over F4. The floppy hairstyles sported by the male leads were plastered on walls in hair salons, as young men across South East Asia and East Asia tried to emulate the look.

In the Philippines, a local broadcaster reportedly aired the entire series eight times to satisfy fan demand. Bootleg copies of the series were also sold at roadside stalls.

Meteor Garden's theme songs were released in other languages, quickly becoming hits on the radio and on TV.

More than 20 years on, the show's popularity has endured even as remakes attracted new fans. It has inspired versions in Japan, South Korea, China and India.

On social media, tributes to Hsu have poured in from across the region, from Chinese users on Weibo, to Southeast Asian fans on X, to Meta's Threads, which is particularly popular in Taiwan.

"Big S has always been a part of my youth," wrote one fan on Threads, referring to Hsu by her nickname.

An X user wrote: "Meteor Garden raised an entire generation of Asians. Thank you Barbie Hsu for giving life to Shancai."