{
  "id": 7946640,
  "title": "#SHOWBIZ: 'Romantics Anonymous' star Yuri Nakamura dies at 44 after 13-year cancer journey",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/showbiz-romantics-anonymous-star-yuri-nakamura-dies-at-44-after-13",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T04:30:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2026/09/1534654/showbiz-romantics-anonymous-star-yuri-nakamura-dies-44-after-13"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Japanese-born Korean actress Yuri Nakamura, known internationally for her role as Irene in Netflix's romantic-comedy series Romantics Anonymous, has passed away at the age of 44 after a long battle with rectal cancer. Her management, Alpha Agency, announced her death on September 1, with a private funeral service held for her immediate family, agency colleagues, and close friends. Born in Osaka to a third-generation Korean-Japanese father and a South Korean mother, Nakamura had a successful career spanning nearly three decades, with notable roles in the horror film Ju-On: Black Ghost (2009) and the drama series Beyond Goodbye (2024).\n\nDiagnosed with cancer 13 years ago, Nakamura and the head of her agency decided to keep her diagnosis private. She went into remission and resumed her acting career, maintaining regular medical check-ups. However, a recurrence was detected in January of the previous year, which had metastasized by the time of her passing. After surgery, her medical team focused on palliative care to manage the disease and ensure she lived as comfortably as possible. Her condition worsened in August, when she experienced an intestinal obstruction, and doctors informed her that her time was limited. Throughout her final days, Nakamura remained calm and continued to smile beautifully, passing away peacefully in the company of her loved ones. Her death has left the Japanese entertainment industry in shock, with tributes pouring in from colleagues who remembered her as vibrant, strong, gentle, dignified, and beautiful.",
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [
    "Yuri Nakamura, 44, dies after 13-year cancer battle",
    "Japanese-Korean actress known for Romantics Anonymous role",
    "Private funeral held for family, colleagues, friends"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The passing of Yuri Nakamura leaves a void in the Japanese entertainment industry, where she was remembered by colleagues as vibrant, strong, gentle, dignified, and beautiful, with a nearly three-decade career now cut short.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}