Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu has died at the age of 48, after contracting pneumonia that developed following the flu.

The star, known by her fans as Da S (Big S), rose to fame in the TV drama Meteor Garden, which became hugely popular across Asia in the early 2000s.

Her death has shocked people across Taiwan and also in China, where news of her death was trending on the social media platform Weibo.

Hsu caught the flu while visiting Japan with her family during the Lunar New Year, according to her younger sister, Dee Hsu, who is a TV host.

“My dearest and most kindhearted sister Barbie Hsu died of influenza-induced pneumonia and unfortunately left us,” she said in a statement.

“I am grateful that in this lifetime I was able to be her sister, taking care of each other and being companions. I will forever be thankful for her and miss her!”

She did not give details about where and when her sister died.

Who is Barbie Hsu?

Hsu broke into the entertainment industry first through music, forming the pop group SOS with her sister as a teenager.

The pair later switched to hosting TV shows.

In 2001, Meteor Garden made Hsu a household name across Asia. She played the female lead in the romance drama, which also starred the boyband F4.

She also starred in other series including Mars, Corner With Love, and Reign Of Assassins, and films such as The Ghost Inside and Connected.

Hsu was married to Korean musician Koo Jun-yup, also known as DJ Koo. She was previously married to Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei for more than 10 years, but the pair went through an acrimonious divorce which made headlines in 2021.

A passion for animal rights

One of the actress’s big passions was animal rights, and she collaborated with groups including Peta.

“Barbie was one of the first and biggest stars to lend her support to Peta,” said the organisation’s senior vice president, Jason Baker.

“She spoke up countless times for animals, directly urging brands to stop selling fur.”

Hsu is survived by Koo and two children from her marriage to Wang.