In brief
Baek Se-hee, whose memoir brought international attention to mental health issues, has passed away at 35. Notable for its raw depiction of her struggles with depression, her work has resonated globally since its translation in 2022. In a final act of generosity, Baek donated her organs, saving five lives and inspiring hope. Her impact endures through her writing, which has sold over a million copies worldwide.
Baek Se-hee, the South Korean author of the bestselling memoir I Want to Die but I Want To Eat Tteokbokki, has died at the age of 35.
Her 2018 book, a compilation of conversations with her psychiatrist about her depression, was a cultural phenomenon with its themes of mental health resonating with readers across the world.
Originally written in Korean, it found international acclaim after its English translation was published in 2022.
The details surrounding her death are unclear.
Baek donated her organs - her heart, lungs, liver and kidneys - which have helped to save five lives, the Korean Organ Donation Agency said in a statement on Friday.
The statement also included comments from her sister, which said that Baek had wanted to share her heart with others through her work, and to inspire hope.
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, published in 2018, has sold more than a million copies worldwide and been translated into 25 languages.
The runaway bestseller was celebrated for normalizing mental health conversations and its nuanced take on inner struggles - most notably, the author's personal conflict between depressive thoughts and her appreciation for simple joys.
Born in 1990, Baek Se-hee took creative writing in university and worked for five years at a publishing house, according to her biography on Bloomsbury Publishing, which produced the English version of her memoir.
For a decade she received treatment for dysthymia, a mild but long-lasting type of depression, which formed the basis of her bestseller.
A sequel, I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki, was published in Korean in 2019, with its English translation set for release in 2024.
