Actress Cristine Reyes’ tribute post to the late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu stirred mixed reactions online after she also used the moment to greet herself on her birthday.
Reyes shared an old photo with Hsu on Facebook, recalling the actress’ 2003 visit to the Philippines during the height of Meteor Garden’s popularity. Hsu, known for her iconic role as Shan Cai in the hit series, passed away on February 2 due to pneumonia caused by influenza complications while in Japan with her family.
“Rest in Peace, Shan Cai, our childhood favorite [white heart emoji]. Also, happy 36th birthday sa akin ngayong araw na ‘to. 2•5•25,” Reyes wrote in her now-deleted post. However, screenshots of her message continued to circulate online.
Her mix of mourning and self-celebration drew divided reactions, with some finding humor in the candid approach. One netizen quipped, “Cristine, the Patron Saint of Deepest Sympathy and Birthday Greetings.” Another joked, “Our deepest happy birthday wishes to the bereaved family.”
Following the backlash, Reyes responded with another statement, seemingly addressing the criticism of her post.
“Maligayang kaarawan sakin. Yun na lang oks na? Kailangan palaging perfect. Bawal magkamali nowadays,” she wrote, lamenting the public’s tendency to scrutinize every action.
Hsu, beloved for her role in the 2001 drama, is survived by her husband, Korean rapper Koo Jun-yup, and her two children from a previous marriage.
