Xu Xi Yuan (Chinese: 徐熙媛; pinyin: Xú Xīyuàn, October 6, 1976 – February 2, 2025), also known as Barbie Hsu and Big S (大S Dà S), was a Taiwanese actress, singer, and television host. She was a member of the mandopop band ASOS with her sister, Dee. Hsu was largely inactive as an actress after 2012, but she retained her show business presence through modelling, advertising, and variety shows.
She is best known for her portrayal of the female lead, Dong Shan Cai, in Meteor Garden and Meteor Garden II.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Hsu was born on October 6, 1976 in Taipei, Taiwan. Hsu was a middle child, having an older sister Xu Xi Xian (徐熙嫻) and a younger sister Dee Hsu.[1] Their parents Huang Chun Mei (黃春梅) and Hsu Chien (徐堅) separated when their daughters were young but did not officially divorce until 2008.[2] Hsu's father passed away in late 2012 of liver cancer.[3]
Career[]
Hsu formed the band SOS ("Sisters of Shu") with her sister Dee in 1994. They released their first album Zhanling Nianqing (佔領年輕), while attending Hwa Kang Arts School.[4] They became popular for pop songs like "Ten Minutes of Love" (十分鐘的戀愛).[5] After graduating in 1996, they changed the name of their duo to ASOS (徐氏姊妹; "A Sisters of Shu") due to contractual disputes.[6] The sisters then began transitioning to hosting variety shows, including Guess[7] and 100% Entertainment.[8] ASOS released their final album together, titled Biantai Shaonu (變態少女) in 2001.[4] In 1998, Hsu had her acting debut in TVBS-G's Musical Love Story (音樂愛情故事) with Harlem Yu. A small role playing herself in Six Lines of Youth (2001) followed.[9]
Hsu and her castmates promoting Meteor Garden
In 2001, Hsu starred as Dong Shan Cai in the popular idol drama Meteor Garden opposite Jerry Yan, Vic Chou, Ken Chu, and Vanness Wu as the F4.[10][11] She was nominated for a Golden Bell Award for her performance.[12] Hsu reprised her role in the 2002 sequel, Meteor Garden II.[13] The following year, she starred in Eternity: A Chinese Ghost Story, a period drama based on Chinese folktales.[14][15] In 2004, Hsu starred alongside Blue Lan in the third segment of the anthology series Say Yes Enterprise[16] and with Meteor Garden costar Vic Chou in Mars.[17] The same year, she released a guide on skincare and haircare, Queen of Beauty (美容大王), which later received a sequel.[18] Hsu made her film debut in the horror flick The Ghost Inside in 2005.[19] Her next film Silk, also in the horror genre, was screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.[20]
In 2007, Hsu starred in the television drama Corner with Love, costarring Show Lo.[21] The following year, she appeared in two films, My So Called Love (愛的發聲練習)[22] and Connected, the latter being her first Hong Kong film.[23] Hsu starred opposite Louis Koo again in the comedy film On His Majesty's Secret Service, which premiered in 2009.[24] In 2010, she was the lead in Summer's Desire, an idol drama costarring Peter Ho and Huang Xiaoming.[25] The same year, Hsu also appeared in Hot Summer Days,[26] Future X-Cops,[27] Reign of Assassins,[28] and Adventure of the King.[29] The next year, she starred in the period film My Kingdom.[30] Hsu's final film roles include Million Dollar Crocodile[31] and Motorway both released in 2012.[32] After marriage, she stepped away from acting but continued appearing in variety shows, such as Dream Space in 2019.[33]
Personal life[]
Hsu with Blue Lan
Hsu with Wang Xiao Fei
Hsu and Koo Jun-yup
Hsu had a number of high-profile relationships. Starting in high school, she dated Blackie Chen for seven years.[34] Hsu and South Korean musician Koo Jun-yup dated after meeting on 100% Entertainment, breaking up around 1999 due to his agency's "dating ban."[35][5] She met Blue Lan while filming Meteor Garden in 2001.[36] They broke up in 2005.[37] Hsu then became romantically interested in her Meteor Garden and Mars costar Vic Chou, whom was dating Beatrice Hsu at the time. They dated for two and a half years until January 2008.[38]
On September 29, 2010, Hsu met entrepreneur Wang Xiao Fei (汪小菲) at a mutual friend's party. They were engaged on October 22 and married in a civil ceremony in Beijing on November 16.[39] They held a wedding banquet in March 2011 on Hainan Island.[40] After trying to conceive for two years, Hsu gave birth to a daughter, named Wang Xi Yue (汪希玥), on April 24, 2014.[41] The couple welcomed their second child, a son named Wang Xi Lin (汪希箖), on May 14, 2016. Hsu fainted while giving birth due to the pain of the contractions, which also caused her epilepsy to flare up.[42] She had two miscarriages in 2011 and 2018.[43] In June 2021, Hsu revealed her intentions to divorce Wang.[44] The couple officially announced their decision to divorce in November.[45]
On March 7, 2022, Hsu confirmed that she had married her ex-boyfriend Koo.[46] Koo revealed that he had contacted Hsu after her divorce and they reconnected.[47] The pair registered their marriage in Korea first, which allowed Koo to travel to Taiwan on a spousal visa.[48] On March 28, they registered their marriage in Taiwan.[49] The couple had a small ceremony and also had their wedding rings tattooed on their fingers.[50]
Death[]
While vacationing in Japan with her family for the Chinese New Year holiday, Hsu contracted influenza which developed into pneumonia.[10] She subsequently passed away at the age of forty-eight on February 2, 2025 in Tokyo.[51] Her sister Dee confirmed the news of her death through her agency the following day.[52] Hsu's body was cremated in Japan.[53] Family and friends came to Japan for a private cremation ceremony.[54] On February 5, Hsu's remains arrived in Taiwan. Her family decided against holding a public funeral, citing that "she [had] always preferred to keep a low profile."[55] Friends and family gathered at Hsu's home on February 8 for the seventh day anniversary of her passing. That day was also the third anniversary of her and Koo's marriage.[56]
Hsu's family initially had plans to have a natural burial for her ashes.[57] However, the plans were changed after her widower Koo expressed wishes for himself and other family members to be able to visit her. After searching, the family had Hsu's ashes buried at Chin Pao San Cemetery in New Taipei City on March 15.[58]
Filmography[]
Television dramas
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Musical Love Story | ||
| 2001 | Six Lines of Youth | Herself | |
| Meteor Garden | Dong Shan Cai | ||
| 2002 | Meteor Garden II | Dong Shan Cai | |
| The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra | Ice Goddess | ||
| 2003 | Eternity: A Chinese Ghost Story | Nie Xiao Qian | |
| 2004 | Say Yes Enterprise | Xiao Niao | Episodes 8-12 |
| Mars | Han Qi Luo | ||
| 2005 | Phantom Lover | Tong Ruo Fan | |
| 2007 | Corner with Love | Yu Xin Lei | |
| 2010 | Summer's Desire | Yin Xia Mo |
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Ghost Inside | Lin Xiao Yue | |
| 2006 | Silk | Su Yuan | |
| 2008 | My So Called Love | Xiao Mao | |
| Connected | Grace Wong | ||
| 2009 | On His Majesty's Secret Service | Mei Xi Wang | |
| 2010 | Hot Summer Days | Ding Dong | |
| Future X-Cops | Wang Xue'e | ||
| Reign of Assassins | Ye Zhanqing | ||
| Adventure of the King | Li Fengjie | ||
| 2011 | My Kingdom | Xi Mu Lan | |
| 2012 | Million Dollar Crocodile | Wen Yan | |
| Motorway | Yee |
Notes[]
Boys Over Flowers related
- She originally turned down the role of Shan Cai in Meteor Garden, but decided to accept it after talking to her sister Dee who was a fan of comics.[36]
- Hsu remained good friends with producer Angie Chai after Meteor Garden ended.
- Hsu and her sister were good friends with Meteor Garden II costar Tony Fish. When he passed away in 2012, the sisters gave a speech at his memorial service.[59]
- In April 2018, Hsu posted on social media that she began to dislike Shan Cai midway through production. She reported that she did not like her character's indesiveness.[60]
- On a talk show in September 2018, she revealed her attempt to "match-make" Ken Chu and her sister, but nothing came of it. Chu was shocked, having never guessed it at the time.[61]
Personal details
- As the older sibling, she was nicknamed "Big S" while her younger sister Dee is called "Small S". Despite the nickname, the Hsu sisters actually have another older sister who is not in show business.
- Hsu had several tattoos, including an angel wing that she got in July 2017[62] and her wedding ring on her left ring finger in 2022.[50] Two tattoos, a six-pointed star and a flower, can be spotted several times throughout Meteor Garden, while a third one on her ankle is occasionally visible.
- She was a big fan of Takuya Kimura and had followed his career since she was fourteen.[63]
- Hsu was an animal rights advocate and spent over a decade of her life as a vegetarian. She appeared in campaigns for Peta.[5]
- While attending Hwa Kang Arts School, she and her sister Dee formed a group of friends known as the "Seven Fairies" with Aya Liu, Pace Wu, and three others.[64] The sisters' other friends, Mavis Fan, FanFan, and Makiyo Kawashima were later associated with the group name.[65][66]
- She voiced Helen Parr (Elastigirl) in the Taiwanese dub of The Incredibles and its sequel, while her sister Dee voiced Mirage.
Connections to others
- She worked with Chai on Mars (2004) and Corner with Love (2007)
- She starred in a segment of Say Yes Enterprise (2004) with her then boyfriend Blue Lan. Vanness Wu, Winnie Chien, Edward Ou and Dee Hsu also appeared in it, though all in different stories.
- Hsu starred opposite Vic Chou in Mars (2004). They began dating the following year.
- She appeared in Reign of Assassins (2010) with Pace Wu.
References[]
- ↑ http://www.sohu.com/a/503237090_121269270 (Chinese)
- ↑ https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/487343655 (Chinese)
- ↑ https://www.qingdaonews.com/content/2012-11/02/content_9473751.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.hinews.cn/news/system/2010/11/06/011426346.shtml (Chinese)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/more-dramatic-than-fiction-10-things-to-know-about-the-late-barbie-hsus-life
- ↑ http://www.haibao.com/star/1668/ (Chinese)
- ↑ http://media.people.com.cn/n/2013/0130/c355649-20378790.html (Chinese)
- ↑ https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20240920A09RFV00 (Chinese)
- ↑ Barbie Hsu on Chinese Wikipedia
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgy81rv22do
- ↑ Advancing Comparative Media and Communication Research, Joseph M. Chan, Francis L. F. Lee, Taylor & Francis, 2017, 9781351715898, page 224
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0001552/2001
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/2/9/17/n216038.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/3/6/2/n322517.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/2003-08-09/1419183416.html (Chinese)
- ↑ https://www.ttv.com.tw/drama/2004/propose/default.asp (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/4/4/6/n502899.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ https://istyle.ltn.com.tw/article/34643 (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/5/5/1/n906839.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/films/guisi
- ↑ http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/h/2007-07-20/10571645173.shtml (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/8/11/14/n2329700.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/8/10/9/n2290720.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/9/7/30/n2606846.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/2009-03/16/content_7583614.htm
- ↑ https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/02/12/hot-summer-days-celebrates-both-valentines-day-chinese-lunar-new-year/
- ↑ http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/10/4/9/n2871294.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/assassins-wraps-weather-hit-china-shoot
- ↑ http://news.163.com/10/0818/04/6EBFI0MV00014AED.html (Chinese)
- ↑ http://ent.people.com.cn/h/2011/0903/c226947-2186714155.html (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/million-dollar-crocodile
- ↑ http://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/motorway-1117947737/
- ↑ https://www.sohu.com/a/329440325_442458 (Chinese)
- ↑ https://news.tvbs.com.tw/entertainment/110441 (Chinese)
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/actress-barbie-hsu-rushed-to-marry-dj-koo-so-he-could-visit-her-in-taiwan
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/2002-03-06/74875.html (Chinese)
- ↑ http://asianfanaticfans.blogspot.com/2008/10/blue-lan-spent-3-years-to-move-on.html
- ↑ http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/2008-01-16/16341879548.shtml (Chinese)
- ↑ http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/2010-11-17/09413148675.shtml (Chinese)
- ↑ http://ent.southcn.com/8/2011-03/16/content_21333163.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://gb.cri.cn/27564/2013/10/17/1042s4288047.htm (Chinese)
- ↑ http://entertainment.toggle.sg/en/asianbuzz/article/barbie-hsu-fainted-during-6346320
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/taiwanese-actress-barbie-hsu-reveals-she-had-two-miscarriages
- ↑ https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4217062
- ↑ https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4353114
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0sr7MveZ0/ (Chinese)
- ↑ https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/03/08/entertainment/kpop/barbie-hsu-taiwan-korea/20220308162528782.html
- ↑ https://theindependent.sg/happily-ever-after-the-world-is-rooting-for-barbie-hsu-new-husband-but-old-flame-dj-koo/
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/a-closely-watched-marriage-actress-barbie-hsu-and-dj-koo-register-nuptials-in-taiwan
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 https://www.cosmo.ph/entertainment/barbie-hsu-dj-koo-vogue-taiwan-pictorial-a4575-20221003
- ↑ https://star.setn.com/news/1603875 (Chinese)
- ↑ https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-02-03/entertainment/musicPerformance/Taiwanese-actor-Barbie-Hsu-wife-of-DJ-Koo-dies-at-48/2233839
- ↑ https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2025/02/03/a103955566.html (Chinese)
- ↑ https://e.vnexpress.net/news/life/celebrities/husband-dj-koo-shares-final-kiss-with-barbie-hsu-4845634.html
- ↑ https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2025/02/06/barbie-hsus-ashes-return-to-taiwan-as-family-announces-no-plans-for-a-funeral/
- ↑ https://i.ifeng.com/c/8gr4TcH2Zq2 (Chinese)
- ↑ https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-03-06/entertainment/movies/Late-Taiwanese-actor-Barbie-Hsu-to-be-buried-at-private-cemetery-in-Taiwan/2256169
- ↑ https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/229997/Taiwanese-actress-Barbie-Hsu-laid-to-rest-at-Chin-Pao-San-Cemetery
- ↑ https://kknews.cc/entertainment/op6b4xq.html (Chinese)
- ↑ http://www.dramapanda.com/2018/04/barbie-hsu-reveals-that-she-started-to.html
- ↑ https://entertainment.toggle.sg/en/entertainment/asianbuzz/article/barbie-hsu-match-make-ken-chu-dee-hsu-10744722
- ↑ https://entertainment.toggle.sg/en/entertainment/asianbuzz/article/barbie-hsu-gets-inked-again-9004576
- ↑ https://www.recordchina.co.jp/b696370-s0-c70-d0044.html (Japanese)
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN1RYwdO4dY
- ↑ https://topick.hket.com/article/3895725/?r=mcsdth (Chinese)
- ↑ https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20250203-5821908 (Chinese)
See also[]
| Meteor Garden (2001-02) actors | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Tsukushi Makino portrayals | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
