Shannen Doherty, Cheng Pei-pei, Park Bo-ram: Celebrities we lost in 2024

As 2024 comes to an end, we remember the celebrities we lost this year.

Miho Nakayama

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Japanese singer-actress Miho Nakayama was found dead in her bathtub on Dec 6. She was 54. 

Her agency Big Apple shared her autopsy results two days later, revealing her death to be accidental.

Miho is best known internationally for playing the lead role in the 1995 movie Love Letter, and was reportedly ill before her death.

Chiung Yao

Taiwanese novelist and producer Chiung Yao died of suicide on Dec 4. She was 86.

In her last Facebook post, she wrote: "Dear friends and loved ones, do not cry, do not be sad, do not feel sorry for me. I have already flitted away."

She lamented the difficulties of ageing and added: "This is my wish. Death is a journey everyone has to go through, and it is one's last 'great step.' 

"I don't want to leave it to fate. I don't want to slowly wither and die. I want to take control of this final step."

Lauded as the most popular romance writer in the Chinese-speaking world, Chiung Yao's works have been adapted into over 100 movies and dramas over her six-decade career, including Outside the Window (1973) and My Fair Princess (1998 to 1999).

Liu Chia-chang

Taiwanese singer-songwriter Liu Chia-chang died on Dec 2 following a battle with cancer. He was in his early 80s.

His family confirmed it in a statement on Weibo, adding: "Chia-chang's life is full of music and love. His talent and painstaking efforts into countless works accompanied and moved countless people. At this difficult time, our family sincerely thank everyone for their concern and support."

His estranged singer son Jeremy Liu took to Facebook on Dec 8 to share that he had to go through "private channels" to learn details about his father's funeral and could not get confirmation from the latter's agent.

"I just wanted to see my father off for the last time, but I couldn't get a response. I respect that the family in Taiwan wants to honour my father's wish for a low-profile and simple funeral, and that is why I haven't revealed the information I've found," he wrote.

On Dec 9, Jeremy alluded that he was unable to attend the funeral and that he could only say "rest in peace, dad" online.

Song Jae-rim

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South Korean model-turned-actor Song Jae-rim died at age 39 on Nov 12.

He acted in various K-dramas including Queen Woo (2024), Moon Embracing the Sun (2012), Two Weeks (2013) and was also paired opposite actress Kim So-eun in the fourth season of We Got Married.

A two-page letter was reportedly found at the scene and a police official stated that there were "no signs of foul play".

Liam Payne

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One of the most shocking deaths of the year was that of former One Direction singer Liam Payne.

The 31-year-old fell from his hotel balcony in Bueno Aires, Argentina on Oct 16. Three people were charged in relation to his death.

The singer's funeral was held on Nov 20 with his old bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson present at the ceremony. His former partner Cheryl Cole was also there with their son aged seven, alongside James Corden, Simon Cowell and Liam's girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

Tiger Wang
 

Taiwanese actor Tiger Wang, also known as Wang Chien-min, died of lung cancer on Oct 7. He was 56.

In September, Tiger shared on the TV show Zhen Zhen You Ci that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer back in October 2023 and that it had spread to his cervical spine and brain.

He last starred in the 2023 drama Best Interest 2.

Maggie Smith

Dame Maggie Smith died at the age of 89, her family shared on Sept 27.

In her career spanning over 70 years on the screen and stage, the British actress had won two Oscars, four Emmys and a Tony. In recent decades, she was best known for playing Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies and the Dowager Countess in Downtown Abbey.

Tributes for the veteran came in from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles.

"As the curtain comes down on a national treasure, we join all those around the world in remembering with the fondest admiration and affection her many great performances and her warmth and wit that shone through both on and off the stage," the monarch said.

Tito Jackson

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Tito Jackson died aged 70 on Sept 15.

The older brother of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson and singer Janet, Tito shot to fame alongside his siblings in the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons) in the late 1960s and 1970s.

He was said to have suffered a heart attack while driving.

James Earl Jones

American actor James Earl Jones died on Sept 9 at the age of 93. 

He was a longtime sufferer of diabetes and died at his home surrounded by family members, agent Barry McPherson said. No cause of death was provided.

James lent his iconic voice to Darth Vader in the Star Wars series and Mufasa in The Lion King.

British actor Aaron Pierce voices Simba's father in the new movie Mufasa: The Lion King and said about replacing the screen and stage legend: "Way before I knew I would be gifted the opportunity to tell this story, he was an enormous inspiration for me… I've always observed him and tried to be a sponge and learn from him.

"It's very nerve-racking because of that, and because of the place he holds in my heart."

Norman Chui

Hong Kong martial arts actor Norman Chui died aged 73 on Sept 1 after a battle with oesophageal cancer.

Tragically, his wife, who was 30 years younger, died a few days after.

His long-time friend, Hong Kong actor Tin Kai Man, told As1 that she felt unwell while preparing his funeral and likely had a heart attack.

Cheng Pei-pei

Hong Kong-American actress Cheng Pei-pei died on July 17 at the age of 78.

Two months prior, Pei-pei's friend, Chinese actress Liu Tao, revealed in the Chinese reality show Divas Hit the Road — Good Friends that Pei-pei wasn't in the best of health and needed support.

Pei-pei made her showbiz debut in 1964 and was best known for starring in martial arts films over the years, including Come Drink with Me (1966) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

She had also acted in Singapore productions including local director Chai Yee Wei's debut feature film Blood Ties (2009) and dramas including Springs of Life (2002), Women of Times (2006) and The Yang Sisters (2006). She made a cameo in the 2019 local drama Old is Gold.

Koba

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Clark Chan Man Nam, better known as Koba, died aged 29, his team announced on July 13.

The TVB host was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma – a rare type of cancerous tumour that grows in the bones or the soft tissue around them – in October last year.

He wrote a note three days before his death sharing that his condition had worsened with the cancer cells spreading to many areas of his body including his lungs and spine.

He added his doctors told him any curative treatments would be futile and they could only treat his symptoms and relieve his pain.

"To put it simply, I'm just waiting for death. I only hope I can die more comfortably," Koba wrote.

Shannen Doherty

American actress Shannen Doherty, best known for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, Heathers and Charmed, died on July 13 after a long battle with cancer. She was 53.

"The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie," her publicist said in a statement. "The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace."

She revealed that she was undergoing treatment with breast cancer in 2015 and that it was stage four in 2020.

Shelley Duvall

American actress Shelley Duvall died in her sleep on July 11 after experiencing diabetic complications.

She was discovered while attending junior college in Houston and asked to attend a screen test, making her debut as a teenage seductress in Brewster McCloud (1970).

She was best known for her role in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980) opposite Jack Nicholson. She also acted as Olyve Oyl in Popeye (1980) opposite Robin Williams.

Park Bo-ram

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South Korean singer Park Bo-ram died aged 30 on April 11.

She was drinking with two friends at one of their homes at around 9.55pm when she went into the bathroom. Upon noticing her failure to return after a while, they checked on her and found her lying on the bathroom floor, performed CPR on her and called emergency services.

She was transferred to the Hanyang University Guri Hospital and pronounced dead at 11.17pm.

Bo-ram rose to prominence on the music reality show SuperStar K2 in 2010, before releasing her debut single Beautiful featuring Zico of Block B in 2014. She also performed the soundtracks to K-dramas including Reply 1988 (2015) and Prison Playbook (2017).

Her cause of death was revealed to be acute alcohol poisoning. At the time of her death, she was known to be in poor health due to liver lesions and fatty liver disease.

OJ Simpson

Former American football star OJ Simpson died at the age of 76 on April 10 after a battle with cancer.

Despite his illustrious sports career, he is best known for being acquitted in the "trial of the century" that followed the murder of his former wife and a friend in 1995. He was later found responsible for her death in a civil lawsuit and imprisoned in a separate case of armed robbery and kidnapping.

His ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson was a close friend of Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, and the latter's ex-spouse Caitlyn Jenner posted about OJ's death: "Good riddance."

Ng Jingjing

Singapore actress Ng Jingjing, whose real name was Ng Suan Loi, died on April 6 at 88.

She had a minor spinal surgery some time before her death and was initially recuperating well. She subsequently had breathing difficulties, heart palpitations and a high fever, and was warded at the hospital emergency department.

Her condition worsened and she was sent to the intensive care unit, where she later died.

Jingjing gave up her acting dreams when she was young to make a living for her family and only started acting at 60 after joining an acting class.

She was best known for acting in several of local director Jack Neo's movies, including Long Long Time Ago, I Not Stupid Too and Money No Enough 2.

Chan Dick Hark

Veteran TVB actor Chan Dick Hark, known for his villainous and gangster roles in Hong Kong dramas, died on March 15 at the age of 76.

His friend, actor Cheung Lui, told reporters that Dick Hark had taken ill and been hospitalised.

Dick Hark started practising martial arts in 1967 and joined TVB in 1980. Over 43 years, he appeared in hundreds of dramas and movies, including The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1983) and The Return of the Condor Heroes (1983).

His posthumous work in the TVB drama Sinister Beings 2, was broadcast on April 1.

Eric Cheng

Hong Kong actor-DJ Eric Cheng died suddenly on Feb 3, just two days after announcing his engagement to his girlfriend. He would have turned 57 on Feb 13.

According to reports, he had diarrhoea and leg cramps the previous night and was sent to the hospital the next morning. He lapsed into a coma while in the intensive care unit.

His parents, family, colleagues and friends were by his side when he died peacefully in the evening.

drimac@asiaone.com

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