Who was Baek Se-Hee? Author of I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki dies at 35

Baek Se-Hee, the acclaimed s Korean author c. H. Best known for her poignant memoir I need to die out but I need to Eat Tteokbokki, has passed away at the age of 35, as reported by the BBC. Her groundbreaking 2018 book, which candidly chronicled her therapy sessions about depression, resonated deeply with readers around the world. It was originally written in Korean but found international acclaim after it was published with an English translation in 2022.

Also Read: Ace Frehley cause of death: How did KISS guitarist die? First details here

The details surrounding Baek's death remain unclear. However, she donated her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, which have already saved five lives, according to a statement by the Korean Organ Donation Agency on Friday. The statement also included a message from her sister, who said that Beak had wanted to "share her heart with others through her work, and to inspire hope."

Anton Hur, who translated Baek's memoir into English, paid tribute to the author in an Instagram post, noting that her organ donation saved five people, however, "her readers will know she touched yet millions of lives more with her writing." He added, “My thoughts are with her family.”

Tributes poured in from her fans as one user on social media as one user wrote, “Rest softly. Thank you for saving us with your honesty,” on Baek's Instagram page, while another user on X wrote, “Rest in Peace, your book is literally helping me.”

A third user wrote, "This book was an eye-opener...truly RIP to her and for anyone struggling with mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety - would highly recommend this.

Also Read: Ace Frehley net worth: KISS guitarist leaves behind massive fortune for family; details out

Baek Se-Hee was born in 1990, studied creative writing at university before spending several years working in the publishing industry. According to a brief biography from Bloomsbury Publishing, she worked at a publishing house for five years before becoming a full-time author.

The Bloomsbury bio added that Baek received treatment for dysthymia, a mild but long-lasting depression, for over a decade, which shaped the core of her bestselling memoir. She followed up with a sequel, I Want to Die Still, but I Still Want to Eat Tteokboki, released in Korean in 2019 with the English translation arriving in 2024.

Published in 2018, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki became a global phenomenon, selling over a million copies and translated into 25 countries, as per the BBC. The memoir was widely praised for opening up conversations around mental health, offering a deeply personal yet relatable look at the author's emotional struggles, particularly the tension between her depressive thoughts and her ability to find comfort in everyday pleasures.

---

---