South Korean singer Koo Jun-yup has paid tribute to his late wife Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu who died earlier this week, saying his “angel went back to heaven”.
In a post on Instagram, Koo added that he was going through “indescribable grief” and a time of “gut-wrenching pain”.
Hsu, one of the biggest stars in the Mandarin-speaking world, is believed to have fallen ill and later died while she was visiting Japan with her family members.
The sudden death of the 48-year-old star sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry. She was best known for her role in the 2001 TV series Meteor Garden, which became a hit across large parts of Asia.
“On 2 February, 2025, my angel returned to heaven… Right now, I am going through a time of gut-wrenching pain,” Koo wrote in a post on Instagram late on Thursday.
In his post, Koo, better known by his stage name DJ Koo, also called for his family to be left alone in their grief.
“Even before I could properly mourn and grieve this tremendous loss, some heartless people have begun to defame my family and our love.
“Please, can you just let Hsu rest in peace?” Koo wrote.
His comments come after several Chinese language media reports had published reports speculating who would inherit Hsu’s estate, which reportedly includes a property portfolio worth several million dollars. The BBC is unable to verify these details.
“All of Hsu’s assets were earned through her hard work to support the family she loved, so I have decided to give full authority over them to my mother-in-law,” Koo went on to say.
“As for the children’s share, I will take legal measures through a lawyer to ensure that bad people cannot touch it, protecting it until they reach adulthood.”
Hsu and Koo first met in 1998. At the time, Hsu and her sister were hosts on a popular variety program, and Koo, who was part of a K-pop duo, Clon, was an interviewee on the show.
They eventually started dating but later broke up, reportedly because Koo’s management was opposited to the relationship.
Hsu later married Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, with whom she had two children. The couple were married for 10 years, before an acrimonious divorce in 2021.
After their divorce, Hsu reconnected with Koo and they were married in 2022.
Her death shocked fans across Asia, where Meteor Garden – an adaptation of the Japanese manga series Boys Over Flowers – was aired and dubbed in local languages.
Hsu was also known for hosting Taiwanese variety shows, often with younger sister Dee. In the 1990s, the sisters were part of a pop duo SOS, which gave them their respective stage names, Big S and Little S.
Her remains were flown back to Taiwan on Thursday, local media reported.
