As news broke of Barbie Hsu's untimely passing, Ken Chu, who played the playboy Ximen in Meteor Garden (2001), paid tribute to his former co-star on Instagram.
Ken posted a solid black image on his Instagram Stories, followed by a nostalgic throwback photo of the Meteor Garden cast, featuring himself, Jerry Yan, Vic Chou, and Barbie Hsu.
It’s been over 20 years since the second season of the iconic series ended, but neither the fans nor the cast have ever forgotten it.
Meteor Garden follows the story of Shan Cai (Barbie Hsu), a poor but determined teenage girl who was forced by her parents to attend an elite school for the wealthy. There, she encounters the F4, a group of four handsome but arrogant boys, Daoming Si (Jerry Yan), Huaze Lei (Vic Chou), Meizuo (Vanness Wu), and Ximen (Ken Chu), heirs to Taiwan’s most powerful families. As Shan Cai refuses to back down, she finds herself entangled in a complicated love triangle: one with the fiery, untouchable Daoming Si and another with the cool, calm, and mysterious Huaze Lei.
The series was a massive success, not only spawning a sequel in 2002 but also leading to several adaptations, including Hana Yori Dango (2005), Boys Over Flowers (2009), F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers (2022) and the 2018 version of Meteor Garden.
But have you ever wondered what happened to the original F4 after the kilig-filled finale of Meteor Garden II?
F4 as a boy band
The success of Meteor Garden paved the way for the quartet to form the highly successful boy band F4. The group went on to release several hit albums, including Meteor Rain (2001), Fantasy 4ever (2002), and Waiting for You (2007). They also visited the Philippines in 2003, further solidifying their popularity.
In 2007, due to copyright issues, the group changed its name to JVKV, a name derived from the descending initials of its members' names.
At some point after their third album, the group went on a hiatus and seemingly disbanded. In a 2022 interview, F4 members Jerry and Vanness revealed that the split was partly due to personal differences between the members.
In January 2013, F4 briefly reunited for a performance at Jiangsu TV's Spring Festival in China. They also reunited briefly in 2016 for Ken Chu’s wedding, though it remains unconfirmed whether Vic was present.
Jerry Yan
The group leader, who portrayed the charismatic yet unpredictable Dao Ming Si, has remained highly active in the acting scene even after the Meteor Garden fever. He starred in several popular shows, including the 2008 series Hot Shot, alongside Taiwanese superstars Show Lo and Wu Chun.
He also starred in the romantic comedy Count Your Lucky Stars (2020), where he was paired with Shen Yue, who played the 2018 version of Shan Cai. Jerry was last seen in the 2023 series Forbidden Flower.
Vic Chou
While Dao Ming Si ended up with Shan Cai in the series, in real life, Vic Chou was in a relationship with Barbie Hsu from 2005 to 2008. Despite not ending up together, in an interview, Barbie expressed that she was very happy for Vic upon learning about his marriage in 2015 to actress Reen Yu.
The former F4 member has always been fiercely protective of his private life, particularly when it comes to his family and his young daughter.
Aside from Meteor Garden, Vic Chou also starred in iconic Taiwanese series such as The Poor Prince. His acting career has been highly successful, earning several accolades, including the Popular Actor Award at the Seoul International Drama Awards in 2010 and Best Actor at the 48th Golden Bell Awards in 2013.
In a recent interview in 2024, Vic paid homage to his F4 days, saying, “Those memories from when I was a rookie will always remain vivid to me.” He is also slated to star in the upcoming series The World Between Us 2, where he plays a grieving father.
Vaness Wu
Vanness Wu played Meizuo, the laid-back joker of the group,and has remained active in both his solo acting and music career.
Wu has starred in several Taiwanese dramas and films, including Autumn's Concerto (2009), one of the highest-rated Taiwanese idol dramas. He also released his debut Japanese single “Only”, which made the Top 10 on the Oricon Chart.
In January 2015, Wu was announced as a judge on Asia's Got Talent, alongside Anggun, David Foster, and Melanie C.
In 2019, he starred in Ip Man 4: The Finale with Donnie Yen, playing Hartman Wu, a U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and Bruce Lee's student.
Ken Chu
Like his F4 co-members, Ken Chu has also led several shows, including Sky of Love (2003) and Tokyo Trial (2006). He also starred alongside Kapamilya actress Iza Calzado in the Philippine film 2007 Batanes: Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan, directed by Adolf Alix.
He also explored other ventures, releasing a cookbook titled “Mei Wei Guan Xi (Delicious Relations)” in January 2006.
However, in a 2021 interview, Ken opened up about feeling disconnected from society's expectations. Reflecting on the past, he shared, “From society’s standpoint, Zhu Xiaotian (Ken Chu) is doing the worst.” He revealed that during their glory days, it wasn’t the members who earned money, but rather the company.
The Meteor Garden star also revealed that, despite wanting children, he decided against having them due to a medical condition. Ken shared that fibromyalgia, which can run in families, influenced his decision.
According to mayoclinic.org, fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, along with fatigue, sleep disturbances, memory issues, and mood swings.
Also in 2021, Ken also ventured into the digital space by launching his own YouTube channel.
By Jemuel Tandoc