Yuri Nakamura, well-known for Romantics Anonymous, dies at 44

Yuri Nakamura, the Japanese-born Korean actress known internationally for Netflix’s Romantics Anonymous, has died at the age of 44 following a long battle with rectal cancer.

Yuri Nakamura dies at 44

Her agency, Alpha Agency, confirmed her death on September 14, saying Nakamura had died on September 1. Her funeral was held privately, with close family members, actors affiliated with the agency and staff in attendance.

What was the cause of her death?

Nakamura had kept much of her illness away from the public eye. According to her agency, she was first diagnosed with cancer around 13 years ago. She underwent treatment, eventually went into remission and continued working, while maintaining regular medical check-ups.

The cancer returned in January 2025. Although surgery was successful, doctors later found that the disease had metastasised. Nakamura continued treatment while working, with her agency saying she had carefully studied her condition and wanted to continue living and working for as long as possible.

How her health took a toll on her career

The actress' health eventually affected her ability to take on new work. In 2026, she withdrew from an upcoming NHK drama after developing an intestinal obstruction. Reports said she had been preparing to return to acting before another obstruction in August led to the news that she had limited time remaining.

Her agency said Nakamura spent her final moments with her family.

Nakamura was born in Osaka and began her career in entertainment as a singer. She made her debut in 1998 after an audition for the J

apanese television programme ASAYAN and subsequently formed the pop duo YuriMari with Mari Izawa. The duo disbanded in 1999, after which Nakamura moved towards acting.

She made her acting debut in 2003 and went on to build a career across Japanese film and television. One of her best-known early roles came in the 2007 film Pacchigi! Love & Peace, a performance that earned her recognition and newcomer honours.

For international viewers, however, Nakamura became particularly recognisable through her more recent work.

She appeared in Netflix productions including Beyond Goodbye and Romantics Anonymous, the latter released in 2025. In Romantics Anonymous, she played Irene, adding another high-profile credit to a career that had already spanned more than two decades.