Baek Sehee, author of the bestselling memoir ‘I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,’ has passed away at the age of 35.
The details regarding her death are undisclosed. However, the Korea Organ Donation Agency announced that Baek Sehee donated her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, saving five lives through organ donation.
In a press release, Baek’s younger sister said, “(Baek) wanted to write, to share her heart with others through her work, and to inspire hope. Knowing her gentle nature, incapable of harboring hatred, I hope she can now rest peacefully.”
First published in 2018, ‘I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki’ was a deeply personal memoir exploring her journey with depression and her therapy sessions with her psychiatrist. The book resonated powerfully with readers for its raw honesty and efforts to dismantle mental health stigma in South Korea. The book was translated and published in more than 25 countries.
Its sequel, ‘I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki’ was released in 2019, with its English edition published in 2024. Following its immense success, the two-part series sold over 600,000 copies in Korea and surpassed 1 million copies worldwide.
Baek Sehee continued her literary journey through works like ‘No One Will Ever Love You as Much as I Do’ (2021), ‘I Want to Write, I Don’t Want to Write’ (2022), and her recent short story collection ‘A Will from Barcelona’ (June 2025).
We extend our deepest condolences to her family and friends. May her soul rest in peace.
Written by: Shrutha Keerthi E
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