Baek Se-hee, the acclaimed South Korean author of the groundbreaking memoir *I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki*, has passed away at the age of 35. Her 2018 book, which chronicled her candid conversations with her psychiatrist about her struggles with depression, became a global sensation, resonating deeply with readers worldwide. Originally written in Korean, the memoir gained international recognition following its English translation in 2022. While the circumstances of her death remain unclear, Baek’s legacy continues through her selfless act of organ donation, which saved five lives, according to the Korean Organ Donation Agency. Her sister shared that Baek’s life mission was to inspire hope and share her heart with others through her work. The memoir, which has sold over a million copies and been translated into 25 languages, was praised for its honest portrayal of mental health struggles and its ability to normalize conversations about inner turmoil. Baek’s work highlighted the duality of human emotions, as encapsulated in the book’s iconic line: ‘The human heart, even when it wants to die, quite often wants at the same time to eat some tteokbokki, too.’ Born in 1990, Baek studied creative writing and worked in publishing before dedicating herself to writing. Her decade-long battle with dysthymia, a chronic form of depression, formed the foundation of her bestselling memoir. A sequel, *I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki*, was published in Korean in 2019 and in English in 2024, further cementing her impact on mental health discourse.