A Sudden Passing

On February 3rd (local time), Taiwanese media outlets, including ETtoday, reported that Barbie Hsu passed away at the age of 48 due to pneumonia complications from the flu. Her younger sister and broadcaster, Dee Hsu, later confirmed her sister’s death through a statement and expressed her condolences.

In particular, Dee Hsu stated, “During the Lunar New Year holiday, we went on a family trip to Japan, but my dearest and kind sister passed away due to pneumonia complications after contracting influenza”, adding, “I was happy to spend time together and care for each other. I will forever be grateful to my sister and miss her deeply,” expressing her profound sadness.

Meanwhile, Barbie Hsu had been actively supporting her husband Koo Jun-yup on stage and maintaining a healthy appearance until recently. In particular, she shared a photo celebrating the end of the year with Koo Jun-yup on December 31st, further shocking fans with her unexpected passing.

Concerns over Children’s Custody

With her death, the actress left behind two children, who she had with her ex-husband Wang Xiaofei. The kids are only 10 and 8 years old, raising attention on who will become their legal guardian and how custody will be determined moving forward, especially under Taiwanese law, which automatically grants custody rights to the surviving parent (who in this case, is Barbie Hsu’s ex-husband) after the death of the other.

On the other hand, after divorcing Wang Xiaofei, Barbie Hsu lovingly cared for the two children. After remarrying Koo Jun-yup, the family was often seen together, showing they had a warm family life. However, with this sudden tragic news, questions have arisen about the children’s future, and it is speculated that Wang Xiaofei, as their biological father, might take custody again.

Debates over Assets and Inheritance

Additionally, there have been discussions over the division of Barbie Hsu’s assets following her death, especially between her current husband (Koo Jun-yup) and former one (Wang Xiaofei).

In fact, Taiwanese media reported that the actress left behind assets worth 110 billion won (approx 75 million USD). Legally, this will be inherited by Koo Jun-yup and her children. However, if Wang Xiaofei took custody of Barbie Hsu’s 2 children, he can control their proportion of inheritance.

According to several sources, Wang Xiaofei claims that a portion of Barbie Hsu’s assets were acquired with his financial contributions during their marriage. These include real estate, bank accounts, and joint investments.

Under Taiwanese law, a deceased person’s assets are distributed according to legal provisions or a will. Recently, shocking reports emerged claiming that Barbie Hsu had drafted a will last year. The will allegedly states that her entire estate will be inherited by her mother and two children. Many believe this document was prepared at a crucial time, potentially helping to resolve the ongoing inheritance disputes.

The topic of Barbie Hsu’s assets remains one of the top searches on China’s most popular SNS platform Weibo, but as of now, there has been no official confirmation or concrete evidence regarding the existence of Barbie Hsu’s will. If no will is found, her assets will be divided among her children and current husband in accordance with legal regulations.

However, legally speaking, the inheritance dispute between Barbie Hsu and her ex-husband Wang Xiaofei has yet to reach a conclusion.

The battle over Barbie Hsu’s estate could become a prolonged and intense legal conflict between the two men who once loved her. For now, fans continue to await official statements from her family and authorities regarding how the matter will be resolved.

Meanwhile, according to Chinese media outlets, reports on February 3rd stated that Koo Jun-yup did not register his marriage with Barbie Hsu in Taiwan. While the couple legally married in Korea by registering their marriage, they reportedly did not complete the registration process in Taiwan.

As a result, issues regarding inheritance distribution and child custody have arisen. A legal expert stated that if Barbie Hsu had left a will before her passing, the inheritance would be distributed according to its terms. However, if no will was made, her assets would typically be divided equally among Koo Jun-yup and her two children. Yet, since Koo Jun-yup is neither the biological father of the children nor legally registered as her husband in Taiwan, he risks losing both his share of the inheritance and any claim to custody.

Additionally, as Barbie Hsu had ongoing legal disputes with her ex-husband Wang Xiaofei, it is speculated that Koo Jun-yup may inherit these legal battles. Though Barbie Hsu passed away, her legal successors have the right to continue pursuing the lawsuit. This suggests that Koo Jun-yup could continue demanding child support from Wang Xiaofei on Barbie Hsu’s behalf. However, since Wang Xiaofei is the children’s biological father and a wealthy businessman with assets exceeding 100 billion KRW, he may now assert his right to reclaim custody. In fact, Wang Xiaofei’s mother, Zhang Lan, has already expressed strong attachment to the children, making a legal battle over custody seem inevitable.

Meanwhile, on February 10th, Taiwanese media outlet ETtoday reported, “Koo Jun-yup and Barbie Hsu agreed to separate their assets before marriage and transferred the mansion located on the National Art Museum site to Barbie Hsu’s mother.”

However, the media outlet added, “Since the agreement was not notarized by the court, it is likely to be invalid, meaning Koo Jun-yup may still inherit Barbie Hsu’s estate.”