No memorial to be held for Barbie Hsu, says sister

The late Barbie Hsu (left) with her sister TV host Dee Hsu. Image: Instagram/@elephantdee via The Straits Times

Late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, who died on Feb. 2 at the age of 48 due to pneumonia while on holiday in Japan, has returned home, but there will be no memorial service.

Hsu’s younger sister, famed TV host Dee Hsu, 46, said the family will not be holding one for the Meteor Garden (2001) star, popularly known by her stage name Big S.

In a press statement sent on Feb. 5 via her manager, she said, “Thank you to members of the media who have awaited Barbie’s return in such cold weather. She has made it home safely. I believe she is happy and carefree in heaven now.

“We will not be holding a memorial service for Barbie since she always liked to keep a low profile. If you miss her, keep her in your heart. Our whole family thanks you for the love you have for Barbie.”

According to Taiwanese news reports, Barbie Hsu was cremated in Japan, and her family took her remains back to Taiwan on Feb 5 via private jet charter service VistaJet. Her husband, South Korean musician Koo Jun-yup, was spotted by Taiwanese media carrying her urn into a car after arriving at Taipei Songshan Airport.

Reports added that the urn is pink, in keeping with her youthful personality, and that her remains will be kept at home instead of at a columbarium.

A netizen on Chinese microblogging site Weibo claimed that the private jet charter was arranged and paid for by her former husband, Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, 43. Wang’s mother, restaurant entrepreneur Zhang Lan, reportedly liked a post suggesting that he paid for the jet.

Dee Hsu rebuked the rumor via her manager. She said all arrangements were handled by the Hsu family and her husband, businessman Mike Hsu.

She said, “I don’t understand why there is this lie floating around that Wang Xiaofei chartered the private jet. Heaven is watching what you’re doing, especially now that Barbie is up there looking down too. Must these unbearable rumors continue to spread?”

Wang and Barbie Hsu married in 2010 and divorced in 2021. They have two children, a 10-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son.

Their split was an ugly one, with both sides accusing the other of infidelity and Wang going on expletive-filled social media rants criticizing Hsu.

Hsu reconnected with former flame Koo soon after her divorce, and they got married in 2022.