By OSEN — KBS2’s recent episode of Celebrity Soldier’s Secret revisited the life and sudden death of Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, reporting that medical analysis shown on the program linked her passing to an underlying heart condition and preeclampsia. The episode also recounted the widely reported love story between Hsu and musician Koo Jun-yup and the tributes that followed her death.
Medical analysis on the program
The broadcast, which aired on Feb. 3, 2026, at 8:30 p.m., presented commentary from medical specialists who examined why a seemingly mild illness proved fatal. The program reported that analysts identified a congenital heart condition — described as mitral valve prolapse — and a history of preeclampsia (pregnancy‑induced hypertension) as decisive medical factors. According to the segment, a fever that developed during a trip to Japan progressed rapidly and her condition deteriorated over several days; she died on the fifth day of that trip, as reported by the program.
The show cautioned viewers about the interaction of viral infection and pre-existing cardiac conditions and noted that those factors were presented as linked to her death in the program’s analysis.
Reunion story, public reaction and tributes
The episode retraced Hsu’s much‑publicized reunion with first love Koo Jun-yup, a story that began amid the 1990s Hallyu era. Cast members described the reunion as miraculous; on-screen reactions included comments such as “My heart feels like it’s about to jump out” and that the couple’s feelings were “preserved in a vacuum suddenly bursting open.”
Following Hsu’s death, the program reported a wave of unverified rumors and misleading reports that angered the studio. It also showed the production team’s visit to Hsu’s gravesite at Jinbaoshan Cemetery in Taiwan on the first anniversary of her death, and the visible grief of Koo Jun-yup, who the program said continues to visit the gravesite regularly. In the program, Koo was quoted, “How could I not come when Hye‑won is lying there much more painfully than I am.”
What the source does and does not say
The original broadcast and accompanying article presented the medical findings and the program’s recounting of events. The source links Hsu’s death to mitral valve prolapse and preeclampsia as reported by medical commentators on the KBS2 program. The article does not provide Hsu’s age, an exact date of death beyond the description that she died during a trip to Japan, or additional personal medical records; those details were not disclosed in the source material.
The account above is based on the KBS2 program and the OSEN report summarized in that broadcast.
Image Referance: https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2026/02/03/AZ7SZQX6FFFYPG7CV5WW2NAWLI/