Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu died at 48 due to pneumonia after contracting influenza during the Lunar New Year holiday, her sister confirmed late Sunday through her agent.
"Our whole family came to Japan for a trip, and my dearest and most kindhearted sister Barbie Hsu died of influenza-induced pneumonia and unfortunately left us," Hsu's sister and talk show hostess Dee Hsu said through her agent.
"I was grateful to be her sister in this life and that we got to care for and spend time with each other. I will always be grateful to her and miss her!"
Hsu is survived by her South Korean husband, singer and DJ Koo Jun-yup, along with her 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son, whom she shared with her ex-husband, Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei.
She gained widespread popularity in the Philippines for her portrayal of Shancai, the lead female character in the hit 2001 Taiwanese series Meteor Garden, where she starred opposite Jerry Yan as Daoming Si.
