Baek Se-hee, author of the best-selling memoir “I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” died Oct. 16 at a hospital in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. She was 35. Her death was confirmed by the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency, which said she donated her heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital.
Born in 1990, Baek studied creative writing and worked in publishing before debuting in 2018 with her deeply personal memoir about living with dysthymia, a persistent form of depression. The book contains the author’s candid reflections and therapy sessions, offering a rare and accessible look at anxiety, exhaustion, and self-doubt. The title, capturing her paradoxical desire to die yet still crave street food, resonated widely, especially among young readers.
Originally self-published, the book became a phenomenon in South Korea and later found international acclaim after its 2022 English translation by Anton Hur. It has since sold more than 2 million copies and been translated into over 25 languages.
Baek’s honest storytelling sparked open conversations about mental health and continues to comfort readers worldwide.
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1. Who was Baek Se-hee, and what made her book famous?
2. What themes did her memoir “I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki” explore?
3. Where did she pass away, and what did she donate after her death?
4. Why did her writing resonate with so many readers around the world?
1. Who is an author whose writing has deeply moved or comforted you?
2. Are books helpful for you when you feel stressed or sad?
3. Where do you usually like to read when you need some quiet time?
4. Why do you think honest stories about emotions connect with so many people?
Baek Se-hee, author of the best-selling memoir “I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” died Oct. 16 at a hospital in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. She was 35. Her death was confirmed by the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency, which said she donated her heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital.
