HONG KONG, June 22 — Hong Kong TV presenter Lillian Sze, who became a familiar face to K-pop and Asian entertainment fans by hosting star-studded events in four languages, has died after a brief battle with ovarian cancer, just weeks after revealing her diagnosis.
The news was announced on Sze’s social media accounts on Sunday.
“Lillian faced everything in life with a positive attitude, whether at work or in her daily life. Even in the face of illness, she continued to encourage herself with positivity while receiving immense support and blessings from others,” the statement read.
“We hope everyone offers us space to handle her afterlife arrangements, and please remember our energetic Lillian.”
Her family did not disclose her age.
The announcement came just four days after Sze revealed she had stopped chemotherapy because her body had become too weak to continue treatment. She also shared that she had applied to donate her body for medical research.
“I hope I can help more students in the future, and I believe you will support my move,” she wrote.
Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Korean, Sze earned a reputation as one of Hong Kong’s go-to emcees for fan meetings and entertainment events.
She also previously hosted ViuTV’s entrepreneurship programme Innovative Teen.
Sze disclosed in late May that a tumour first discovered in October last year had grown from 10cm to 17cm — about the size of a five-month foetus. After undergoing surgery in February, following promotional events for the Hong Kong film Back To The Past, doctors confirmed the tumour was cancerous and had already spread.
She later underwent another operation to remove her uterus and had expected to recover after six rounds of chemotherapy, but her condition worsened.
“But after surgery, I found out that the condition was more serious than I thought, and even to save my life, I now have a stoma,” she wrote.
“I did not intend to talk about this publicly as I wanted to be chill, working while undergoing treatment. But recently, the situation was not as good as imagined, and I had to reject many work invitations, so I am sorry and decided to disclose everything at once, so that everyone could know I am facing this positively.”
Throughout her illness, Sze documented her treatment on Threads under the hashtag “Lillian’s diary on fighting cancer”, while also sharing memories from trips to Japan and South Korea. Her candid updates drew an outpouring of support from followers.
Tributes quickly flooded social media after news of her death. Commercial Radio presenter Bonnie Wong Ching-yi, known as Ah Jeng, wrote: “Hope you have a good time in heaven. RIP.”
Actress Judy Kwong Kit-ying added: “I, like everyone, will remember your smile and the joy you brought. Rest in peace my dear Lillian.”
