Her role in the teen drama catapulted her to fame as a pop idol. She was also a TV host and appeared in films.

Barbie Hsu, better known as "Da S" which means "Big S," caught the flu when she visited Japan with her family during the Lunar New Year, according to her sister.

Taiwanese actor Barbie Hsu, one of the most prominent stars in the Chinese-speaking world, has died of a flu-related illness at age 48, Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported Monday, citing her sister.

Barbie Hsu has reportedly died at the age of 48. According to local media outlet the Taipei Times, the Taiwanese actress, who played the role of Dong Shancai in the 2001 drama Meteor Garden, died of pneumonia after contracting influenza during a trip to Japan.

Taiwanese actor Barbie Hsu, who rose to fame across East Asia as the romantic lead in the 2001 television drama "Meteor Garden," has died of influenza at 48, her sister said Monday.

Barbie Hsu, a Taiwanese actress who starred in the popular TV drama “Meteor Garden” that once swept across Asia, has died after contracting pneumonia triggered by the flu

Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, who starred in hit 2001 series Meteor Garden, has died from pneumonia at the age of 48. Her sister, Dee Hsu, confirmed her death to local Taiwanese media through a statement and said that Barbie Hsu passed away from pneumonia after falling ill during a family trip to Japan.

Barbie Hsu, a Taiwanese actor and singer best known for starring in the hit 2001 series "Meteor Garden," has died. She was 48.