Japanese-born Korean actress Yuri Nakamura, known internationally for her role in Netflix’s “Romantics Anonymous,” has died at 44. Her talent agency said she died Sept. 1 following a long battle with rectal cancer, with her death announced publicly on Sept. 14.
Nakamura, whose birth name was Yuri Sei, began her career in entertainment as a singer after passing an audition for the Japanese talent program “Asayan” in 1996. She later formed the pop duo YuriMari before turning to acting, earning recognition for her performance in the 2007 film “Pacchigi! Love & Peace,” for which she received acting honors. Her film and television work also included “Parents and Children,” “Fukushima: A Nuclear Threat” and “Beyond Goodbye.”
International audiences became more familiar with Nakamura through “Romantics Anonymous,” the Netflix romantic comedy series released in 2025. She played Irene, a psychologist and author, alongside Han Hyo-joo, Shun Oguri and Jin Akanishi. Nakamura had been diagnosed with cancer years earlier but kept the illness private while continuing her career; according to reports, the disease returned in 2025 and later progressed despite treatment.
Nakamura was born in Neyagawa, Osaka, and was the daughter of a Japanese father and Korean mother. Her career spanned music, film, television and theater, with her work in Japanese productions continuing for more than two decades before her death.
Sources: Variety, The Yomiuri Shimbun, Yahoo Entertainment, Netflix.