![]() |
Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu (L) and her husband, South Korean musician DJ Koo. Photo from Instagram/barbiehsu.fp |
Next Apple reports that several relatives and close friends of Barbie’s traveled from Taiwan to Japan for a final farewell. Eyewitnesses at the funeral said that DJ Koo’s tears during the ceremony deeply moved everyone present.
Model Pace Wu, a close friend of Barbie, helped the family with the funeral arrangements. Wu shared that she had planned an outing with Barbie as both were on vacation in Japan, but did not anticipate it would become "witnessing a tragedy."
"Farewell to my dearest friend on her final journey," Wu wrote on Instagram. "Your kindness and beauty will forever be remembered."
Barbie’s mother Huang Chunmei confirmed that while all the paperwork is complete, the date to transfer her daughter’s ashes back to Taiwan remains undecided.
On Monday, Barbie’s family issued a statement confirming her death, delivered by her younger sister, Taiwanese host Dee Hsu.
"Thank you for all the concern," Dee said. "Over the Lunar New Year period, our entire family travelled to Japan for a holiday, and my most beloved, kindest elder sister Barbie caught influenza-related pneumonia and has unfortunately left us."
"I am thankful to be her sister in this life, and grateful that we have taken care of each other and kept each other company all these years. I will always be thankful to her and remember her," Dee added. "Shan [Barbie’s nickname], rest in peace. We love you always. Together remember forever."
Initial rumors of Barbie’s death were fueled by a Facebook post, leading to skepticism due to her recent public appearances suggesting good health, including attending a wedding in January and appearing in a New Year’s post by DJ Koo.
Barbie gained fame from her roles in TV series such as "Meteor Garden," "Mars," and "Summer’s Desire." Her personal life, especially her marriages, has always been a focal point of public and media interest.
She was married to Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, 43, from 2011 until their divorce in 2021, and they have two children together. Just three months after her divorce, she married 55-year-old DJ Koo.