Baek Se-hee, Author of I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, Dies at 35; Organ Donation Saves Five Lives
Seoul | October 17, 2025 — TheTrendingPeople.com - Baek Se-hee, the South Korean writer whose quietly powerful words helped millions confront their own struggles with depression, has died at the age of 35. Her death was confirmed by the Korea Organ Donation Agency, which revealed that her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys were donated, saving five lives.
“She wanted to share her heart with others through her work, and to inspire hope,” said her younger sister Baek Da-hee in a statement on Friday. “Knowing her kind heart that loved so much and could not hate anyone, I hope she can now rest peacefully.”
Although the cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, local reports from Gyeonggi Province, where she was both born and later hospitalized, stated that she was declared brain-dead earlier this week.
A Voice That Spoke Gently About Pain
Baek Se-hee rose to international prominence with her 2018 memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki — a title that encapsulated the delicate balance between despair and the will to live. The book chronicled her years of therapy for dysthymia, a mild but persistent form of depression, through candid conversations with her psychiatrist.
Originally written in Korean, the memoir became a cultural and literary phenomenon. After its English translation by Bloomsbury in 2022, it struck a global chord for its honesty, simplicity, and quiet strength. Readers across continents praised Baek’s openness in writing about mental health — a topic long stigmatized in South Korean society.
“Baek Se-hee’s work gave language to emotions that many people struggled to articulate,” said literary critic Kim Ji-won, speaking to Seoul Daily. “Her writing didn’t glorify sadness — it simply made it human.”
From Local Bestseller to Global Voice
By 2023, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki had sold over a million copies worldwide and had been translated into more than 25 languages, including Japanese, French, and Spanish. The book’s conversational tone and diary-like structure made readers feel as though they were listening to a friend rather than reading a self-help guide.
Baek’s 2019 sequel, I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki (translated into English in 2024), continued her exploration of therapy, loneliness, and resilience. It offered no dramatic resolution — only the continued attempt to live meaningfully while sadness persisted.
“She never promised recovery,” said fellow author Han Kang, the Booker Prize-winning novelist behind The Vegetarian. “But she promised understanding — and that was her greatest gift.”
A Literary Journey Rooted in Honesty
Born in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in 1990, Baek studied creative writing and began her career at a Seoul-based publishing house before becoming a full-time writer. Her decade-long treatment for dysthymia became the emotional blueprint of her creative life.
Her later works — including No One Will Ever Love You as Much as I Do (2021) and I Want to Write, I Don’t Want to Write (2022) — blurred the boundaries between personal essay, therapy transcript, and literary reflection.
In early 2025, Baek published her first short fiction collection, A Will from Barcelona, a contemplative narrative about solitude, friendship, and purpose — themes that mirrored her own journey.
Remembered as a Voice for the Vulnerable
For many readers, Baek Se-hee’s writing was more than literature — it was an act of companionship. Her words appeared in mental health forums, classroom discussions, and even therapy sessions worldwide.
South Korea’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Yoo In-chon, expressed condolences in an official message:
“Baek Se-hee’s words transcended borders. She reminded us that the smallest joys — a meal, a walk, a conversation — could be acts of survival. Her voice will continue to heal and inspire.”
Fans across social media have been sharing passages from her books, especially one line that has gone viral since the news broke:
“I’m not fine yet, but I’m trying — and that should count for something.”
Organ Donation: Her Final Act of Kindness
According to the Korea Organ Donation Agency, Baek Se-hee’s heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys were successfully transplanted into five patients. The agency praised her family for continuing her legacy of compassion through this act.
“Baek Se-hee gave life through her words, and now she has given life through her body,” said agency spokesperson Park Joon-ho. “Her donation represents both her humanity and her courage.”
The agency confirmed that her family will receive a posthumous Honor of Life recognition — one of South Korea’s highest honors for organ donors.
A Quiet Revolution in Mental Health Discourse
Baek’s death has reignited discussions in South Korea about the need for mental health awareness and accessible therapy. While depression rates among young Koreans have risen sharply in recent years, many still face stigma or financial barriers to seeking help.
Her 2018 memoir was credited by several advocacy groups for “normalizing therapy” among millennials and Gen Z. The Korea Depression and Anxiety Society noted a 40% increase in youth therapy registrations in the year following the book’s release.
“Baek Se-hee changed how Korea talked about sadness,” said psychologist Dr. Lee Hye-won. “She showed that wanting to live and wanting to die could coexist — and that both feelings deserve compassion.”
Global Readers Pay Tribute
From Seoul to San Francisco, readers have been leaving messages online using the hashtag #BaekSehee. Bloomsbury Publishing, which brought her work to the English-speaking world, released a statement:
“Baek Se-hee’s voice helped millions find solace in their pain. Her books will continue to remind us that healing is not linear — it’s deeply human.”
International authors including Ocean Vuong, Min Jin Lee, and Rupi Kaur also shared tributes celebrating her empathy and honesty.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com
Baek Se-hee’s passing is a profound loss not only to Korean literature but to everyone who found comfort in her words. Through her courage to write about depression with tenderness and truth, she offered the world a mirror — one that reflected pain, but also the quiet, persistent desire to live.
Her final gift — the donation of her organs — continues the message she championed throughout her life: that even in sorrow, we can give, we can connect, and we can heal.
May she rest in peace, her heart beating on — in words and in life.
