“Ex-husband and ex-mother-in-law of Barbie Hsu fined for ‘violating ethics’

Wang Xiaofei and Zhang Lan – former relatives of actress Barbie Hsu – have been banned from Douyin (China’s domestic version of TikTok) for ‘spreading rumors, violating ethics.’

According to Sina, on February 8, Douyin’s Safety Center issued an announcement about disabling the accounts of Wang Xiaofei, Zhang Lan, and several others involved.

The announcement stated that after actress Barbie Hsu’s passing, many viewers expressed their condolences and hoped for peace for the deceased. However, some people attracted attention by spreading false rumors, acting against ethics, human conscience, and showing disrespect for both the deceased and their family.”

           “Zhang Lan and her son, Wang Xiaofei. Photo: On”

“Zhang Lan’s and businessman Wang Xiaofei’s accounts have been permanently banned for ‘creating trouble and spreading rumors after someone else’s death, posting false videos.’ According to the Safety Center, these two accounts had repeatedly posted misleading content and had been penalized before but failed to correct their mistakes.

The account of Xia Xiao Jian – believed to be Zhang Lan’s adopted son – was also banned for similar reasons. Xia Xiao Jian stirred controversy when he made a video claiming ‘the Wang family paid for a private jet to bring Hy Yi’s ashes back to Taiwan.’ Later, Zhang Lan liked and shared this video.

After Douyin’s action, Zhang Lan told Ifeng that she disagreed with the punishment. She clarified that Xia Xiao Jian was ‘not her adopted son or an employee’ but just a supporter of her and her company. She denied the accusation of spreading false information about ‘hiring a private jet for Hy Yi’s funeral.’

According to Zhang Lan, after Barbie Hsu’s passing, she stopped livestreaming for six days to express her condolences to her ex-daughter-in-law’s family, while Wang Xiaofei had never livestreamed. ‘What we have done has been with sincerity and dedication,’ the businesswoman said. She mentioned that the account suspension affected the company and employees, causing them anxiety and ‘creating a significant obstacle to our efforts to gain custody of our grandchildren.’

Last year, Zhang Lan spread rumors about ‘her grandson being expelled from school,’ which led to criticism of Barbie Hsu for ‘neglecting her children.’ At the time, Barbie Hsu urged her ex-mother-in-law to stop spreading falsehoods and apologize. Feeling that Zhang Lan’s words were offensive, the actress filed a complaint with Chinese authorities, including the court and social media companies, taking action to stop Zhang Lan’s behavior, which she claimed was ‘violating the rights of women and children.’ After Zhang Lan’s account was deleted, tens of thousands of viewers supported the punishment, commenting: ‘Hy Yi’s wishes have been fulfilled.'”

“Actress Barbie Hsu passed away on February 2nd in Japan. Her sister, Barbie Hsu-Wei, hired an airline to bring her sister’s ashes back home to Taiwan for the funeral arrangements. The airline later issued a statement confirming the event. The family is currently deciding on the date for the funeral ceremony.

In recent days, various rumors have circulated on social media, such as ‘DJ Koo bought a million-dollar insurance policy for Barbie Hsu,’ ‘Barbie Hsu-Wei danced knowing her sister was ill and about to pass away,’ and ‘Barbie Hsu’s mother saw her happy with Wang Xiaofei.’ On February 6th, Liao Wei-Qi, the actress’s manager, clarified that these rumors were false.

She accused Wang Xiaofei of being insincere when he staged a sorrowful walk in the rain to show his ‘deep affection’ for his ex-wife. Liao Wei-Qi said, ‘In reality, the only thing he did was, when he saw the media, he intentionally asked the driver to drop him off first and walked 30 minutes in the rain.’

Barbie Hsu and Wang Xiaofei married in 2011 and have two children, aged 11 and 9. After their divorce in 2021, the children lived with their mother in Taiwan, while Wang Xiaofei mainly resided in Beijing. In 2022, Barbie Hsu remarried DJ Koo, and Wang Xiaofei married for the second time in May 2024.

In 2023, Barbie Hsu accused her ex-husband of not providing the agreed-upon alimony after their divorce. In March, a court in Taiwan ruled in Barbie Hsu’s favor, requiring Wang Xiaofei to continue paying alimony as agreed, though he appealed the decision.

Despite the divorce, the relationship between Wang Xiaofei and Barbie Hsu often made headlines. Wang Xiaofei and his mother, businesswoman Zhang Lan, had previously posted content accusing Barbie Hsu of drug use and infidelity. Wang Xiaofei deleted the related posts, but many people had taken screenshots and shared them on social media.

In 2024, Barbie Hsu posted on her personal page accusing Wang Xiaofei of infidelity during their marriage. Zhang Lan was aware of the situation but ignored it and even met with her son’s lover. Nevertheless, she advised Barbie Hsu not to divorce. These events led her to feel that her marriage had become too painful.”