Criticism Grows Over Wang Xiaofei’s Mourning of Ex-Wife Barbie Hsu, Accused of Exploiting Her Death

After Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu’s tragic death at the age of 49, Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, her ex-husband, has been publicly mourning, but his actions have sparked significant controversy. Critics accuse Wang of using Hsu’s death to craft an image of a devoted former husband and, possibly, to stake a claim on her assets, raising questions about his sincerity.

Barbie Hsu’s family confirmed her passing on Monday, and shortly after, Wang, 44, made several public displays of mourning. According to Tien Phong Newspaper, he abruptly cut short his vacation in Thailand with his wife, Mandy Ma, and rushed back to Taiwan. Upon his arrival at the airport, visibly distressed, Wang bowed deeply and requested that the media “speak kindly of her,” declaring, “Barbie Hsu will always be family.”

In another gesture of mourning, Wang changed his Douyin (Chinese TikTok) profile picture to a plain black image, a traditional symbol of grief. However, he later replaced it with a photo of himself and his daughter, which led to further scrutiny regarding the authenticity of his grief.

Criticism intensified when Wang left a comment on an old video featuring him and Hsu, writing, “Wife, I miss you so much.” He later edited the comment to simply say “I miss you so much” before eventually deleting it entirely and replacing it with another message: “It should have been me who died.”

The comment quickly went viral on China’s social media platform Weibo, with some expressing sympathy for Wang, while others questioned his motives, especially in light of his remarriage to Mandy Ma in May 2024, and the fact that he and Hsu had been divorced since November 2021. Both Hsu and Wang had moved on to new relationships, with Hsu marrying South Korean musician DJ Koo in February 2022.

Wang’s actions drew even sharper criticism from his former girlfriend, Chinese actress Zhang Yingying, who accused him of exploiting Hsu’s death for personal gain. On Weibo, Zhang claimed that Wang and his family had continued to harass Hsu even after their divorce, using her fame to further their own financial interests. She also criticized Wang for manipulating public sentiment by portraying himself as a heartbroken victim, while the people who truly loved Hsu—her family and current husband, DJ Koo—faced online harassment.

“He exploits her death to paint himself as a victim. Is this what people call love?” Zhang wrote. “In reality, all her suffering was caused by him. The person who hurt her the most is now staging one sorrowful act after another.”

Amid growing public backlash, Wang has yet to publicly respond to these allegations.

Wang and Hsu’s relationship has been fraught with public drama since their engagement in 2010, just 49 days after they first met. They married in 2011 but announced their separation a decade later, citing irreconcilable differences. Since their divorce, the two have been involved in several public disputes.

Barbie Hsu, widely known for her roles in hit Taiwanese dramas such as Meteor Garden, Mars, and Summer’s Desire, was confirmed dead by her family in a statement released by her sister, Taiwanese TV host Dee Hsu.

Speculation surrounding Hsu’s death initially arose from a Facebook post, though it was met with skepticism due to her recent public appearances in good health. Hsu had attended a wedding in January and made a New Year’s appearance with DJ Koo. Leaked medical reports later revealed that the actress had missed two critical opportunities for life-saving treatment while in Japan, shedding new light on the circumstances surrounding her passing.

As the controversy continues to unfold, many are questioning the motives behind Wang’s public mourning and the appropriateness of his actions, especially in the wake of Hsu’s tragic and untimely death.