Will Barbie Hsu's estate and children go to Wang Xiaofei?
In February 2025, shocking news came from the entertainment industry: Taiwanese celebrity Barbie Hsu died of acute influenza complicated by pneumonia at the age of 48. This sudden news not only deeply saddened fans and loved ones but also sparked widespread attention regarding her estate and child custody.
Barbie Hsu, whose real name is Hsu Hsi-yuan, had a highly publicized marriage with Wang Xiaofei. The couple had a daughter and a son but announced their divorce in 2021, with custody of the children awarded to Barbie Hsu. However, with her passing, the issues of her substantial estate and child custody have become the focus of public attention.
Regarding the estate, reports indicate that Barbie Hsu left behind an estate worth approximately 650 million or 500 million New Taiwan Dollars (amounts vary across reports), including real estate, entertainment income, investments, and other assets. The distribution of this estate has sparked extensive discussion. Under Taiwanese law, Barbie Hsu's direct blood relatives—namely, her son and daughter with Wang Xiaofei—will be the first-line heirs. If no will exists, these two children will split half of the estate equally, with the remaining half inherited by her spouse, Koo Jun-yup. However, some lawyers have pointed out that due to the relatively short duration of Barbie Hsu's marriage to Koo Jun-yup and the absence of shared children, if most of her assets were pre-marital property, Koo Jun-yup may only be entitled to the portion that appreciated after the marriage. Additionally, as a South Korean heir, Koo Jun-yup would be subject to high inheritance taxes.
The issue of child custody is even more complex. Although Barbie Hsu obtained custody of the children after the divorce, this right will automatically transfer upon her death. According to relevant Taiwanese law, a deceased party in a divorce cannot designate a guardian for children born from the marriage through a will. Therefore, despite any estate planning Barbie Hsu may have done during her lifetime, she could not directly appoint a guardian for the children. In this case, custody may revert to the surviving parent, the children's biological father, Wang Xiaofei. However, this decision is not absolute and must consider other factors, such as the children's wishes, living environment, and the parenting capabilities of both parties.
In fact, Wang Xiaofei has always been highly attentive to child custody. Since the divorce, he has been actively seeking more parenting time and custody rights. Now, with Barbie Hsu's passing, Wang Xiaofei, as the children's biological father, may have an even stronger desire to pursue custody. He is fully capable and responsible for providing the children with a stable and healthy upbringing.
Of course, besides Wang Xiaofei, Da S's mother and younger sister Xiao S are also potential candidates for custody. They have deep affection for the children and are willing to take on the responsibility of caring for them. However, considering that Da S's mother is advanced in age and may not have the same energy as before, and Xiao S has her own family and children to take care of, they may face certain difficulties in raising the children.
In summary, the issues of Da S's estate and child custody are complex and sensitive topics. Under the intertwining of law and emotion, how to make a decision that best serves the children's interests becomes key. Wang Xiaofei, as the children's biological father and potential guardian, will undoubtedly play an important role in this process. However, the final decision still needs to consider multiple factors, including the children's wishes, living environment, and the custody capabilities of each party. We hope this issue can be properly resolved, allowing the children to grow up healthily in the days to come.
