Baek Se-hee, Author of Hit Memoir Dies at 35

Renowned South Korean author Baek Se-hee, known worldwide for her bestselling memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, has tragically passed away at the age of 35. Her death marks a profound loss for the literary and mental health communities, where her work has had a lasting impact. Baek Se-hee’s memoir, which candidly explored her struggles with depression through conversations with her psychiatrist, became a cultural phenomenon, resonating deeply with readers across South Korea and around the globe.

Baek Se-hee’s groundbreaking memoir, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, first published in 2018, quickly became a bestseller, selling over a million copies worldwide. The memoir’s English translation in 2022 further solidified her international acclaim. Known for her unflinching honesty, Baek Se-hee used I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki to normalize conversations about mental health, depression, and the everyday struggles of living with dysthymia. Her heartfelt narrative, particularly the iconic line about wanting to die yet still wanting to enjoy tteokbokki, captured the complex human experience and earned her millions of readers globally.

The circumstances surrounding Baek Se-hee’s death remain unclear, but her legacy continues to inspire. Beyond her writing, Baek Se-hee demonstrated profound generosity through organ donation. According to the Korean Organ Donation Agency, her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys were donated, saving five lives. Her sister noted that Baek Se-hee had always wanted to "share her heart with others through her work, and to inspire hope." This altruistic gesture reflects the compassion that readers found within the pages of I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, reinforcing the profound humanism that defined her life and work.

Baek Se-hee’s literary contributions extended beyond her first memoir. She published a sequel, I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki, in Korean in 2019, with its English translation released in 2024. Both works continue to address mental health with sensitivity and honesty, establishing Baek Se-hee as a critical voice in literature and mental health advocacy. Her exploration of the tension between inner despair and the simple pleasures of life, as seen in I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, has inspired readers to confront their own struggles while finding moments of joy.

Born in 1990, Baek Se-hee studied creative writing at university and worked for five years at a publishing house. Her personal battle with dysthymia informed the authenticity and depth of I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, making her work both relatable and transformative. Through her writing, Baek Se-hee illuminated the complexities of mental health, connecting with audiences across age groups and cultural boundaries. The death of Baek Se-hee is a profound loss for literature and mental health advocacy, but her enduring work in I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki ensures that her voice will continue to resonate for generations to come.