Barbie Hsu.

Barbie Hsu was born on October 6, 1976, in Taipei, Taiwan, to father Xu Jian. She was the eldest of three sisters, including Dee Hsu and Hsu Si hsien, earning her the nickname Elder S. She attended Hwa Kang Arts School, where she developed her performance skills.

Hsu’s breakout role came in 2001 when she played Shan Cai in the Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden, an adaptation of the Japanese manga Boys Over Flowers. The series became a massive hit across Asia. She later starred in films such as Connected 2008 opposite Louis Koo, Reign of Assassins 2010 alongside Michelle Yeoh, and Croczilla 2012. She also appeared in Eternity: A Chinese Ghost Story 2003 and Mars 2004. Beyond acting, she was a television host and Tissot brand ambassador from 2005.

Barbie Hsu was first married to businessman Xiaofei Wang, with whom she had a daughter, Hsi-Yesh Xiaofei, born in 2014. She later married South Korean singer Koo Jun Yeob. In April 2018, Hsu experienced a pregnancy loss when her embryo stopped developing. She was a vocal animal rights advocate, praised by PETA for her work against the fur industry.

Meteor Garden made Barbie Hsu a household name across Asia, and her performance as Shan Cai remains a touchstone of Taiwanese idol dramas. Her animal rights advocacy also drew praise from organizations like PETA.