Baek Se-hee, author of I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, dies at 35

Baek Se-hee, the South Korean author whose 2018 memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki passed away at the age of 35.

Baek’s memoir, a candid collection of conversations with her psychiatrist, showed her struggles with depression, balancing dark, difficult thoughts with life’s small, often joyful moments. Its title alone — a nod to the beloved spicy rice cake snack, was wry, and hard-hitting.

Originally written in Korean, the memoir reached a global audience following its English translation in 2022, selling over a million copies and being translated into 25 countries.

Anton Hur, who translated the book, shared his tribute on Instagram:

“Baek Sehee, the author of I WANT TO DIE BUT I WANT TO EAT TTEOKBOKKI, has passed away. She was 35. The Korean organ donation authority reports that Sehee saved five lives through her donation of her heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys. But her readers will know she touched yet millions of lives more with her writing. My thoughts are with her family.”