Taiwanese singer Christine Fan has faced criticism online after referring to late actress Barbie Hsu while discussing her husband Blackie Chen’s recent heart attack.
Chen, 49, suffered an acute myocardial infarction on Sept 15 after experiencing tightness in his chest while watching basketball players train. He was taken to hospital and underwent emergency surgery, including the insertion of a heart stent.
Fan, 50, rushed to the hospital after learning about her husband’s condition. Speaking to Taiwanese media, she said Chen had originally been scheduled to travel to Nagoya, Japan, with their children for a business meeting.
Fan said she had told him not to make the trip and added that she was grateful he had remained in Taiwan, otherwise he could have “ended up like Barbie Hsu”.
The remark quickly drew criticism from some online users, who questioned why Fan had specifically mentioned Hsu while discussing her husband’s medical emergency.
Hsu died at the age of 48 in February 2025 after developing pneumonia caused by complications from influenza while on a family trip to Japan.
Fan and Chen had previously faced online accusations over claims that they may have passed influenza to Hsu at a wedding before Hsu’s trip to Japan. Fan subsequently addressed the allegations by sharing a message from her doctor stating that she was no longer contagious at the time. The post was later edited and deleted.
Following Fan’s latest comments, some netizens criticised her for bringing up Hsu’s death and accused her of being insensitive towards the late actress and her family.
Others defended Fan’s comments as an emotional reaction to a frightening situation involving her husband, rather than an attempt to make a statement about Hsu.
Meanwhile, Chen has reassured fans that he is recovering after the medical emergency. He said he initially experienced chest tightness and severe back pain before seeking medical attention.
He was first taken to a hospital for examination before being transferred to National Taiwan University Hospital, where doctors performed an emergency procedure to restore blood flow to the blocked artery.
Chen later said the entire process from arriving by ambulance to completing the surgery took about 90 minutes. He has since been moved from the intensive care unit to a regular ward.
The entertainer thanked the medical team, his wife, family and friends for their support, and urged people to pay attention to warning signs such as persistent chest discomfort, pain and breathing difficulties.
The latest incident has drawn attention both to Chen’s recovery and to the renewed online debate surrounding Fan’s comments and their previous connection to Hsu.
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