'Romantics Anonymous' star Yuri Nakamura passes away at 44
Japanese-born Korean actress Yuri Nakamura, who recently starred in the Netflix series Romantics Anonymous, has passed away after a battle with cancer. She was 44.
Alpha Agency announced on Monday that the actress, who was first diagnosed with rectal cancer 13 years ago, died on Sept. 1.
Nakamura entered remission and remained committed to her work, regularly undergoing medical checkups as scheduled. The actress and her agency chose not to disclose her medical history publicly at the time.
The agency said the cancer was detected again in January 2025. Although surgery was successful, doctors later found that it had metastasized. Nakamura opted for treatment to manage the disease instead of pursuing remission.
"At that point, it was difficult to aim for a complete cure or remission, so the decision was made to continue treatment to manage the cancer while focusing on helping her live a longer, fulfilling life," the agency said in a press statement.
Other than cancer, reports said Nakamura was diagnosed with an intestinal obstruction in August 2026, prompting her to step down from an NHK drama set to premiere in January 2027.
"She remained calm and never lost her beautiful, kind smile, and was able to cherish her final moments surrounded by her family and those close to her," Alpha Agency wrote.
Her agency said Nakamura was surrounded by family in her final moments. A private funeral was later held, attended by close relatives and colleagues.
Nakamura started in the entertainment industry in 1996, when she appeared on the Japanese talent competition variety show Asayan. She made her singing debut in 1998 as part of the pop duo YuriMari with Mari Izawa.
After the duo disbanded in 1999, Nakamura made her acting debut in 2003. She went on to appear in numerous films and television dramas, including Love Letter From Heaven (2007), Like Father, Like Son (2013), The 8-Year Engagement (2017), Good Doctor (2018) and 119 Emergency Call (2025).
She recently starred in the romantic comedy Romantics Anonymous, alongside Japanese actor Shun Oguri, South Korean actress Han Hyo-joo, and Japanese singer-actor Jin Akanishi.
