#SHOWBIZ: 'Romantics Anonymous' star Yuri Nakamura dies at 44 after 13-year cancer journey

SEOUL: Japanese-born Korean actress Yuri Nakamura, best known internationally for her role as Irene in the Netflix romantic-comedy series Romantics Anonymous, has died at the age of 44 following a long fight with rectal cancer.

Her management, Alpha Agency, confirmed in a statement that the actress passed away on Sept 1, CNA reported.

A private funeral service has already taken place, attended by her immediate family, agency colleagues, and close friends.

Nakamura, who was born in Osaka to a third-generation Korean-Japanese father and a South Korean mother, enjoyed a prolific career spanning nearly three decades.

Her notable screen credits include the horror film Ju-On: Black Ghost (2009) and the drama series Beyond Goodbye (2024).

According to her agency, Nakamura was first diagnosed with cancer 13 years ago.

At the time, she and the head of her agency mutually decided to keep her diagnosis private.

After going into remission, Nakamura resumed her acting career with enthusiasm while maintaining routine medical check-ups.

However, doctors discovered a recurrence in January last year.

Although the subsequent surgery went smoothly, tests revealed the cancer had metastasised.

With a full cure no longer achievable, her medical team shifted their focus to palliative care, aiming to manage the disease and ensure she maintained a good quality of life for as long as possible.

Her condition deteriorated in August when she suffered an intestinal obstruction and was informed that her remaining time was short.

Alpha Agency noted that throughout her final days, she "remained calm and never lost her beautiful, kind smile," passing away peacefully surrounded by loved ones.

Following the public announcement, tributes flooded in from across the Japanese entertainment industry.

Actor Jun Kaname recalled her vibrant energy on set during a project last year, calling her loss "heartbreaking," while frequent co-star Ryohei Suzuki, who first met her at drama school 20 years ago, remembered her as "strong yet gentle, dignified and beautiful."