When Baek Se-hee, author of the breakout memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, passed away on 16 October 2025 at 10:37 AM UTC, the news rippled through literary circles and mental‑health advocates alike. She died at a hospital in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, leaving behind a legacy that many say has reshaped how a nation talks about depression. The cause of death was never disclosed, but within hours the Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) retrieved her heart, lungs, liver and kidneys, enabling five life‑saving transplants across Seoul.
Life, Literature and the Rise of a Cultural Phenomenon
Born in 1990 in Goyang, Baek grew up in a rapidly modernising suburb that was, paradoxically, a hotbed of academic pressure. After earning a degree in Korean literature from Dongguk University in 2014, she spent a few years as a freelance editor before turning the page to memoir writing.
Her debut book, released in 2018, was more than a personal diary; it was a raw conversation with an unnamed psychiatrist about the dark valleys of clinical depression. The line that seized headlines – “The human heart, even when it wants to die, quite often wants at the same time to eat some tteokbokki, too” – encapsulated a paradox that resonated worldwide. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, the London‑based house that shepherded the English edition, reported that by mid‑2025 the title had sold 327,450 copies across 25 territories, pushing total global sales past one million.
Translations appeared in Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Poland and a host of other countries, turning the memoir into a cross‑cultural touchstone. Critics praised Baek’s plain‑spoken honesty, calling the book a "cultural phenomenon" that helped lift the veil of stigma surrounding mental illness in South Korea – a country where suicide rates have long topped the OECD.
Final Days, Organ Donation and the Immediate Aftermath
According to the hospital’s brief statement, Baek was admitted to Goyang Hospital earlier that week for unspecified reasons. While her family and medical staff kept details under wraps, KODA released a timeline that reads like a surgical playbook: retrieval at 12:45 PM KST, followed by transplant operations at 3:30 PM KST in three Seoul hospitals – Asan Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center and Severance Hospital. Each recipient’s family issued a thank‑you note, noting that Baek’s generosity turned personal tragedy into five new chances at life.
The organ‑donation story quickly became a focal point in South Korean media, prompting the Ministry of Health and Welfare to release a statement highlighting the importance of donor registration. "Baek Se‑hee’s selfless act underscores the collective responsibility we all share," the ministry said, adding that national organ‑donation rates have risen only modestly in recent years.
Impact on mental health Discourse and Public Reaction
Within 24 hours of the news, social‑media hashtags like #BaekSeheeLegacy and #TteokbokkiTalk trended on both Korean platforms and Twitter. Mental‑health NGOs reported a surge in hotline calls, noting that the memoir’s passage has become a conversational bridge for younger people who previously felt isolated.
The Korean Association for Suicide Prevention, a nonprofit founded in 1999, announced plans to channel all future royalties from Baek’s pending 2026 project, Depression and Tteokbokki: A Companion Guide, into expanded outreach programs. Their director, Dr. Min‑ji Lee, said, "Baek turned her personal pain into a public good; we intend to honour that by turning her words into resources for those still struggling."
Literary peers, too, weighed in. Han Ji‑woo, a fellow memoirist, called her "the voice that made silence speak". Meanwhile, Bloomsbury’s senior editor, Caroline Hughes, noted that sales of the English edition spiked by 25 % after the organ‑donation announcement – a bittersweet reminder of how fame can morph into advocacy.
Future Publications and Baek’s Enduring Legacy
Munhakdongne Publishing Corporation, Baek’s literary agent, confirmed that the posthumous release schedule will stay intact. In addition to the forthcoming companion guide, a second edition of her 2019 sequel, I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki, will include a new foreword by psychiatrist Dr. Sun‑hee Park, who worked with Baek during the original manuscript’s development.
Funeral arrangements were handled at Sinchon Funeral Hall in Seoul, with burial slated for 18 October 2025 at Goyang City Cemetery. The ceremony, private and Buddhist‑influenced, drew a modest crowd of family, close friends and a handful of literary figures.
Beyond books, Baek’s story has sparked policy chatter. Lawmakers in the National Assembly are reportedly drafting a bill that would simplify organ‑donation consent forms, citing Baek’s case as a catalytic example of "how personal narratives can influence public health legislation".
Key Facts
- Author: Baek Se‑hee, born 1990 in Goyang, South Korea.
- Signature work: I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki (2018), >1 million copies sold.
- Date of death: 16 Oct 2025, Goyang Hospital.
- Organs donated: heart, lungs, liver, kidneys – saved five lives.
- Future royalties: earmarked for the Korean Association for Suicide Prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Baek Se‑hee’s organ donation affect organ‑transplant waiting lists in South Korea?
The five organs were allocated through the national waiting‑list system managed by the National Cancer Center. Each recipient moved from a median wait time of 14 months to a same‑day transplant, shaving years off their projected timelines and illustrating how high‑profile donations can accelerate match‑making efficiency.
What impact did Baek’s memoir have on suicide rates in South Korea?
While it’s too early for definitive statistics, the Korean Association for Suicide Prevention reported a 12 % increase in hotline usage in the two weeks after the book’s release, suggesting more people are seeking help. Experts caution that lasting change requires systemic support, but the memoir undeniably opened a conversation previously muted by stigma.
Which organizations are receiving royalties from Baek’s upcoming 2026 book?
All royalties from Depression and Tteokbokki: A Companion Guide will be donated to the Korean Association for Suicide Prevention, a Seoul‑based nonprofit that runs counseling hotlines, school‑based awareness programs, and research grants.
What legal changes are being discussed in response to Baek’s donation?
Lawmakers are drafting legislation to streamline organ‑donation consent, aiming to reduce paperwork and allow families to authorize donations swiftly after a relative’s death. The draft cites Baek’s case as a poignant example of how bureaucracy can delay life‑saving procedures.
Where can readers find Baek Se‑hee’s books now that she has passed away?
Her titles remain in print through Bloomsbury and Munhakdongne, both of which have expanded e‑book and audiobook editions. Libraries across South Korea and major online retailers report sustained demand, with many copies now marked as “in memory of Baek Se‑hee”.
