According to Hong Kong media outlet HK01, Taiwanese singer Hsu Chieh died on July 19, 2026, after battling a liver disease.
His family held a farewell memorial service in Taichung, Taiwan, on July 26. He was reportedly laid to rest surrounded by relatives and close friends. The specific type of liver disease and his immediate cause of death have not been disclosed.
Hsu Chieh was born in 1998 and reportedly began showing remarkable musical talent from a young age. He went on to appear on several Taiwanese televised singing competitions, establishing himself as a promising child performer.
Hsu Chieh gained recognition through programs including Finding Little Connie (尋找小康妮) and Diamond Nightclub (鑽石夜總會), where he reportedly won singing competitions as a child. His clear, delicate vocal tone and ability to express emotion beyond his years made him stand out among young performers.
One of his most memorable appearances came in 2009, when 11-year-old Hsu Chieh appeared on Super Idol (超級偶像) as a so-called “PK King.”
During the competition, he performed Angela Chang’s song “Lost Beauty” (遺失的美好) and defeated adult contestant Chu Li-ching (朱俐靜), surprising viewers with his vocal ability. The performance became one of the defining moments of his childhood career.
Hsu Chieh’s old competition performances recently resurfaced online after a netizen shared a post praising his singing ability. One commenter reportedly expressed amazement that he had been such a talented singer “even in the days before Auto-Tune” and asked what had happened to him. The post subsequently led to renewed interest in Hsu Chieh and his childhood performances.
However, fans were shocked when they discovered that the former child star had already passed away. The unexpected news has since prompted an outpouring of sadness from people revisiting his old performances and remembering the young singer’s remarkable talent.
After leaving his childhood competition days behind, Hsu Chieh reportedly attended university in Thailand, where he continued pursuing music and performing as a singer. His career, however, was later affected by health problems. According to reports, Hsu Chieh was receiving treatment for a liver disease. Concerned about his health, his family brought him back to Taiwan from Thailand approximately one year ago so that he could receive treatment closer to home.
Despite treatment, he ultimately passed away at just 27. The exact nature of his illness and the circumstances surrounding his death have not been publicly revealed.
Hsu Chieh’s death has been particularly heartbreaking because of the gap between the young singer fans remember from television and the news of his passing at such a young age. His performances from more than a decade ago are once again circulating online, allowing a new generation of viewers to discover the extraordinary vocal talent he displayed as an 11-year-old.
For those who remembered him from Taiwanese singing competitions, the resurfacing of his performances has now become a bittersweet reminder of a promising young singer whose life and career ended far too soon.
Sources: Daum | MHN스포츠