Barbie Hsu’s Husband Criticized as a Freeloader? Actually Wealthy and Loving Husband
Table of contents
February 8 marked both the seventh day since Barbie Hsu‘s passing and the third anniversary of her marriage to DJ Koo (Koo Jun-yup). On Instagram, DJ Koo shared a short video with a black screen displaying the message, “I will love you forever,” in Korean, accompanied by a piano rendition of the song *Love*.
Many netizens expressed gratitude to the music producer for giving Barbie Hsu happiness in her final years.
A Controversial Marriage and Unfounded Accusations
DJ Koo and Barbie Hsu’s marriage was not widely accepted by the Chinese public. Their sudden reunion in early 2022, just three months after her divorce from Wang Xiaofei, shocked not only China but all of Asia. Since then, Wang Xiaofei and many Chinese netizens have accused DJ Koo of freeloading off the “Meteor Garden” actress.
After Barbie Hsu’s sudden death, some speculated that DJ Koo was after her inheritance. Rumors even spread that he had taken out a life insurance policy on her, naming himself as the beneficiary. However, on February 6, DJ Koo publicly announced that he was renouncing his right to inherit her estate and transferring it entirely to his mother-in-law silencing many malicious rumors.
DJ Koo’s Career and Wealth
Despite accusations, DJ Koo is financially stable and holds a respected position in the Korean entertainment industry. 7 years older than Barbie Hsu, DJ Koo debuted in the entertainment scene before his wife. In 1996, he and Kang Won-rae formed the duo Clon, quickly becoming known as one of the most dynamic dance groups in Korean history and a leading act of the first Hallyu wave in the 1990s.
When DJ Koo first dated Barbie Hsu in 1998, his management opposed the relationship due to career concerns, leading to their breakup in 2000.
Over his 30-year music career, DJ Koo has maintained a clean reputation. He is highly respected by top Korean celebrities, with national MC Yoo Jae-suk referring to him as “big brother.” He is also close to actors Lee Byung-hun and Rain, with the latter once performing as a backup dancer for him. Even G-Dragon of BIGBANG has shown him deference, with Barbie Hsu’s sister once asking, “Does GD bow to you as a senior?” to which DJ Koo laughed and replied, “GD is a good kid.”
Following Clon’s disbandment in 2005, DJ Koo transitioned into music production. He produced the hit “Pick Me”, the theme song of “Produce 101” in 2015, which later became a campaign anthem for South Korean presidential candidates. He is also an in-demand DJ, performing at elite clubs in South Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S., and appearing on major Korean music shows.
Aside from music, DJ Koo is also an artist. His paintings have sold for as much as 26,000 HKD (about 3,300 USD). In April 2022, he revealed that his NFT artworks sold out within seven seconds. Additionally, he co-owns the fashion brand ALLEN A.
While his exact net worth is unknown, DJ Koo resides in one of Seoul’s most expensive buildings, UN Village in Hannam-dong. His apartment, valued at 2.9 billion KRW (nearly 2 million USD), has celebrity neighbors such as Lee Byung-hun, G-Dragon, Taeyang (BIGBANG), So Ji-sub, Jennie (BLACKPINK), and Psy.
A Loving Husband, Not a Freeloader
Sources close to DJ Koo state that he moved to Taiwan not to live off Barbie Hsu but to fulfill the late actress’ wish of staying near her family. He also agreed not to have children due to her health concerns, despite not having any offspring of his own.
Additionally, DJ Koo has consistently shown how he is not after Barbie Hsu’s assets. In particular, the singer signed a property separation agreement with the late Barbie Hsu and transferred a 16 billion KRW mansion to his mother-in-law.
Netizens have pointed out that, unlike Wang Xiaofei and his mother Zhang Lan, who has continuously sought media attention since rumors of Barbie Hsu’s death surfaced, DJ Koo has remained out of the spotlight. When bringing his wife’s ashes back home, he shielded himself from paparazzi, choosing to grieve privately rather than making a public spectacle of his sorrow.
