According to Taiwanese media outlet EToday on February 14th, in a video accidentally leaked among Chinese netizens, Barbie Hsu’s former mother-in-law, Zhang Lan, was caught having dinner with her close friend Zhao and other friends and taking selfies.
Chinese netizens who saw this commented, “This is disgusting” and “It’s surprising that she can still smile and happily eat, drink, and enjoy herself even though it’s only been a few days since her grandchildren’s mother passed away.”
Meanwhile, previously on February 8, Sohu reported that the Chinese platform Douyin (Chinese TikTok) announced an indefinite ban on the livestream accounts of Wang Xiaofei and his mother, Zhang Lan. The platform cited their exploitation of the deceased for self-promotion. It also pointed to their inappropriate marketing tactics and the spreading of false rumors for commercial gain. All of these actions negatively impacted society. Zhang Lan, in particular, had reportedly been warned multiple times for violations. However, she continued to disregard public order and ethical standards.
The decision to penalize Wang Xiaofei and Zhang Lan was met with widespread approval from the Chinese public. Many netizens expressed satisfaction, seeing the ban as a fitting consequence for the controversial mother-son duo. With Douyin permanently barring their accounts, they can no longer use the platform to livestream and sell products. This had been a primary source of income for them in recent years due to their declining business ventures.
The controversy erupted following Barbie Hsu’s passing, confirmed by her family on February 3. Taiwanese media, including CNA, reported that the actress died from complications caused by influenza.
Later, on February 6, Liberty Times reported that Barbie Hsu’s former mother-in-law, Zhang Lan, hosted a live home shopping broadcast. Notably, this occurred on the very day the late actress’ remains were returned to Taiwan, which has sparked even greater public outrage.
In particular, during the broadcast, Zhang Lan spread rumors, including claims that her son had rented an entire jet for Barbie Hsu’s bereaved family. Additionally, she reportedly generated sales of over 1 million yuan (approximately 30,000 USD). This situation has inevitably drawn accusations of immorality. In response, Zhang Lan retorted, “Whether the image looks good or bad doesn’t matter,” further intensifying the shock.
The public’s fierce criticism has only grown because the deceased, even during her lifetime, was harassed by her former in-laws. In fact, ever since the announcement of Barbie Hsu’s marriage to Koo Jun-yup, her former mother-in-law, Zhang Lan, had been using her live broadcasts to spread various criticisms and rumors. At that time, she even claimed that Barbie Hsu had used drugs. She also used her live broadcasts, which discredited both Barbie Hsu and Koo Jun-yup, as a means to sell products from her business. Currently, Douyin has terminated Zhang Lan’s broadcast following reports from netizens.
Amid claims that “a persistent grudge continues” with her former in-laws, news of Barbie Hsu’s death prompted her ex-husband, Wang Xiaofei, to appear before reporters. He displayed various behaviors of “heartbreak,” such as walking in the rain, changing his profile picture to black, and leaving sad comments. However, he faced criticism for being hypocritical and insincere. A former lover even published a lengthy exposé, alleging that Wang Xiaofei physically and mentally abused Barbie Hsu throughout their marriage.
In response to the backlash, Zhang Lan spoke to the media on February 9, expressing her frustration. She denied any wrongdoing and insisted that she had no involvement in the spread of the private jet rumor. “We have done nothing wrong. My employees are extremely anxious about this situation,” she stated.
She also refuted claims regarding the TikTok ban, saying that her team had not conducted any live broadcasts for six days, she herself had not streamed for three days, and Wang Xiaofei had never gone live.
Shortly after the ban, ET Today reported that Zhang Lan created a new account on TikTok’s international version. Without mentioning Barbie Hsu, she began posting videos portraying herself as a successful female entrepreneur. She also announced her commitment to retaining all 8,000 of her employees and increasing their salaries without layoffs.
According to reports, Zhang Lan’s primary reason for creating a new TikTok account was to regain her ability to host live commerce broadcasts and sell products. On TikTok’s international version, the live streaming feature becomes available once an account surpasses 1,000 followers.