South Korean author Baek Se-hee, passed away on October 16, 2025, at the age of 35. She was the author of the globally bestselling memoir, essay collection I Want to Die, But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki. On the day, the passing was reported by South Korean media outlet Yonhap News.Baek, who was born in 1990, gained international recognition for her candid writing on mental health. Her 2018 memoir, which detailed conversations with her psychiatrist, became an international bestseller.A significant boost to the book's popularity came after BTS leader RM aka Kim Namjoon publicly revealed that he had read it. The book appeared in a reality show following this mention. The memoir became a cultural phenomenon and a source of comfort for millions worldwide.Baek Se-hee was born in 1990 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and was the second of 2 daughters. She had an early interest in reading and writing ans pursued a degree in creative writing in college and subsequently worked at a publishing company for 5 years.Baek Se-hee (Image via Instagram/@_baeksehee)During her time at the publishing house, she began seeking treatment at a counseling center and psychiatric clinic to overcome personal struggles and pain. This decade-long treatment for dysthymia, a condition characterized by persistent mild depression, formed the foundation of her writing career.Following her death on October 16, the Korea Organ Donation Agency announced that Baek had saved five lives through brain-dead organ donation. She donated her heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys. The circumstances leading to her brain death are unknown, and further details surrounding her death were not disclosed.Baek Se-hee's family described her as a warm and loving person who always offered help to those in need. Her younger sibling conveyed a message hoping she now rests in peace, noting that,"She hoped to write, share her heart with others, and nurture dreams of hope. Knowing her kind heart, which no one could hate, I hope she now rests in peace in heaven."How BTS’ RM helped Baek Se-hee’s memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki become a global bestsellerThe memoir became an international success after BTS’ RM shared on social media that he had read the book. It also appeared in the episode 1 of BTS' variety show Bon Voyage 3 (2018) in RM’s room, further amplifying its visibility.In Brazil, the book’s translated edition even features the phrase “Book recommended by Namjoon from BTS” on its cover according to CNN Brasil. The book’s popularity in the country grew rapidly following RM’s mention of the book, sparking book clubs dedicated to BTS members’ reading recommendations.The book's translator Anton Hur talked about BTS’ RM’s influence on the book’s success. In an article written by the translator on 28 June, 2023 for Asian American Writers' Workshop, he said,"I knew of the book, of course, and RM of BTS had already made it an international bestseller when it showed up in one of his social media posts. When the English edition was announced, the loveliest messages came pouring in from ARMY [...] saying they were eager to read the book."He highlighted how the group’s global fanbase, ARMY, embraced the work for its universal themes."ARMY from all over the world, of all ages [...] embracing what is a very cosmopolitan and yet beautifully Korean work of art—you bet it wasn’t a surprise for them that Korea produced an international mental health bestseller." He wrote.Anton Hur also paid tribute to the author on social media after her death, stating that while Baek Se-hee's organs saved five people,"Her readers will know she touched yet millions of lives more with her writing. My thoughts are with her family."Aston Hur shared a photo with the author (Image via Instagram/@antonhur)I Want to Die, But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki (2018), is a compilation of conversations with the author's psychiatrist spanning 12 weeks. This part memoir, part self-help book honestly describes Baek Se-hee's experience with dysthymia and her journey to become less judgmental and more self-loving.Baek Se-hee’s writing was praised for its candid portrayal of mental health struggles. The memoir sold around 600,000 copies in South Korea and was exported to 25 countries. In the UK, it sold 100,000 copies within six months of its 2022 release. Globally, sales surpassed one million copies. Bloomsbury Publishing published the English translation in 2022.A sequel of the book was also released in Korean in 2019 and translated into English in 2024. In addition to her memoirs, Baek collaborated on several other works. These included I Don’t Think There’s Anyone Who Will Love You as Much as I Do (2021) and I Want to Write, I Don’t Want to Write (2022).Baek Se-hee also contributed to The Heart is Like Summer Sunshine (2024), a collection of stories by 12 female authors, and published her novel The Testament of Barcelona in 2025. Beyond writing, she often engaged with readers through lectures and talk concerts.Tributes from readers also poured in on social media, with many expressing gratitude for the comfort and honesty found in Baek Se-hee's memoir.