Baek Se-hee, the celebrated South Korean author known for her candid explorations of mental health, passed away on Thursday at the age of 35.

Se-hee gained international acclaim for her memoirs I Want to Die but I Want to Eat a Tteokbokki and its sequel, I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat a Tteokbokki, which resonated deeply with readers worldwide for their unflinching depiction of depression and personal struggles.

Originally published in Korean, the first memoir appeared in 2018 and later gained global recognition after its English translation in 2022.

The book, based on conversations with Se-hee’s psychiatrist, explores themes of mental health and depression, offering insight into the author’s healing journey.

It sold 600,000 copies in Korea and around a million copies internationally, being published in over 25 countries.

The sequel was first released in Korean in 2019 and translated into English in 2024.

According to the Korea Organ Donation Agency, Baek was declared brain-dead on the October 16.

In a statement on Friday, the agency confirmed that she had donated her heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs, saving five lives.

The organs were recovered at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan. Se-hee was born in the same hospital in Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul, where the donations took place.

Paying tribute, her sibling wrote, "Older sister, who shared hearts with people through writing. Knowing your kind heart that loved much and could not hate anyone, now rest comfortably in the sky. I love you so much." Anton Hur, who translated Se-hee’s books into English, also praised her on Instagram, noting that her organ donation saved lives.

Born in 1990, Baek Se-hee was the eldest of three siblings.

She graduated in creative writing and spent five years working at a publishing house.

According to her Bloomsbury Publishing biography, she had been treated for dysthymia, a mild but long-lasting form of depression.