Baek Sehee: Remembering the Inspirational Writer of "I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki"

Liputan6.com, Jakarta South Korean author Baek Sehee, best known for her phenomenal work "I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki," has passed away at the age of 35.

Baek Sehee reportedly passed away on Thursday, October 16, 2025, although the official announcement was made on Friday, October 17, 2025.

This was confirmed by the Korean Organ Donation Agency announced on Thursday. 

The exact cause of her death has not been officially disclosed to the public, but some reports indicate she was declared brain dead on October 16, as reported by CNN.

Baek Se-hee, the author behind the best-selling memoir “I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” has passed away. May she rest in peace. READ MORE: https://t.co/z3gpWWEGxF pic.twitter.com/RngTfEXOFz

— WhenInManila.com (@WhenInManila) October 17, 2025

Writer Baek Sehee passed away at the young age of 35.

Although the exact cause of death was not explicitly stated by her family or agency, initial reports indicated that she was declared brain dead on October 16.

This information was first released on Friday, October 17, 2025, by the Korean Organ Donation Agency.

Before her death, Baek Sehee made the extraordinary decision to donate her organs.

Vital organs such as her heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys were donated to those in need.

Baek’s younger sister, Baek Da-hee, paid tribute to her sibling in a statement released via the organ donation agency, remembering her as someone who “wrote, shared her heart with others through her writing, and hoped to nurture dreams of hope.”

 “I know her kind heart, one that loved so much and hated no one, so I hope she now rests in peace in heaven. I love you so much,” her sister added.

Baek Sehee was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1990.

She majored in creative writing and, after graduating, worked for five years at a publishing company.

She is the second of three children, her favorite food is tteokbokki, and she lives with her pet dog, Jaram.

For over a decade, Baek Sehee struggled with dysthymia, a form of prolonged mild depression, and anxiety disorders.

“Even when I changed all the parts of my life that I had wanted to change — my weight, education, partner and friends — I was still depressed,” she wrote.

“I didn’t always feel that way, but I would go in and out of a funk that was as inevitable as bad weather.”

Through her writing, Baek Sehee openly shares her conversations with psychiatrists, providing a vivid glimpse into her mental health struggles.

Baek Sehee's most famous work is the memoir "I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki," first published in 2018.

Her book blends memoir and self-development, detailing her conversations with a psychiatrist as she grapples with conflicting feelings about wanting to die but also enjoying small pleasures like tteokbokki, a popular South Korean street food that is her favorite dish.

Its unique title, which links the desire to die to the simple desire of eating tteokbokki, successfully captures the essence of many individuals' internal struggles.

Not only was the book a national bestseller, but it has also been translated into over 25 languages ​​and sold over one million copies worldwide.

This success continued with its sequel, "I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki," published in 2019.

One of the most iconic quotes from her book, "The human heart, even when it wants to die, often also wants to eat tteokbokki at the same time," has become a symbol of life's struggles for millions of readers.