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Friday, October 17, 2025

SINGAPORE – Baek Se-hee, the author of best-selling memoirs I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki (2018) and sequel I Want To Die But I Still Want To Eat Tteokbokki (2019), has died at 35.

It is not yet clear how she died. The Korea Organ Donation Agency on Oct 17 said she saved five lives through organ donations, gifting her heart, lungs, liver and both kidneys at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital in Gyeonggi province, north of Seoul in South Korea, where she was born.

Baek’s younger sister said in a press release: “She wanted to write, to share her heart with others through her work, and to inspire hope. Knowing her gentle nature, incapable of harbouring hatred, I hope she can now rest peacefully.”

Baek was in Singapore in November as one of the guest stars for the Singapore Writers Festival, speaking candidly about how she navigated her struggles with dysthymia, a mild but persistent depression, at Victoria Theatre.

Her two books, translated from Korean into English by South Korean writer and translator Anton Hur, feature lengthy dialogues between Baek and her therapist. According to her publisher, they have sold about 600,000 copies in South Korea.

Hur wrote on Instagram that her organs have saved five people but “her readers will know she touched yet millions of lives more with her writing”.

“My thoughts are with her family,” he said.

As well as being a book world sensation, Baek’s two books are immensely popular in Singapore, collectively spending over 100 weeks on The Straits Times’ bestsellers list.

Speaking to ST in 2024, she said of meeting fans here: “I realised that we’re quite similar.

“I had an impression that Singapore was a great country so I thought that the culture would be really different. Related to our appearances or anxieties and related to the competition, the fact that we are all going through similar issues – even though my book was a bestseller, I felt sad for them as well.”

Helplines

Mental well-being

National helpline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp)

Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928

Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1

Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)

The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm)

Tinkle Friend (for primary school-age children): 1800-2744-788

Counselling

Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252

Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555

Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366

We Care Community Services: 3165-8017

Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293

Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990

Online resources

mindline.sg/fsmh

eC2.sg

chat.mentalhealth.sg

carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)

limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)

Baek was the second of three daughters and loved reading from a young age. She was a young marketing professional at a publishing house in South Korea when she decided to see a psychiatrist, who allowed her to record their sessions.

Tteokbokki, a South Korean rice cake dish, was her favourite food, and she spoke to ST of the existential ennui of depression, which remains a taboo in South Korea and many Asian societies.

“I was thinking of planning my own death, but I got hungry and ate tteokbokki. I felt guilty thinking that I could still eat tteokbokki when I wanted to die, yet it felt like such a natural thing to do.”

South Korean author Baek Se-hee (seated) autographing her books at the Singapore Writers Festival 2024. PHOTO: MOONRISE STUDIO

In her first book, she elaborated: “I wonder about others like me, who seem totally fine on the outside but are rotting on the inside, where the rot is this vague state of being not fine and not devastated at the same time.”

Her books have been translated and published in more than 25 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Poland, leading a wave of South Korean and Japanese cosy bestsellers in the global book market.

More On This Topic

Watch Tteokbokki author Baek Se-hee and translator Anton Hur’s first joint video interview

South Korea to permit organ donations after patient’s heart stops, amid nationwide shortage

I want to die but still want to eat teoboki

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Baek Sehee, Korean Writer Who Bared Her Struggles With Depression, Dies at 35

She turned recorded sessions with her therapist into a best-selling memoir, helping to normalize conversations around mental health in South Korea.

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Baek Sehee was best known for her memoir, “I Want to Die, but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” a deeply personal account of her struggles with depression and anxiety.Credit...Bloomsbury Publishing

Jonathan WolfeJohn Yoon

By Jonathan Wolfe and John Yoon

John Yoon reported from Seoul.

Oct. 17, 2025

Updated 9:37 a.m. ET

Baek Sehee, the best-selling South Korean author whose frank conversations about therapy and mental health helped her become a cultural phenomenon in her home country and beyond, died on Thursday at 35.

Her death, at a hospital in Goyang, west of Seoul, was confirmed by Kim Yunsik, a spokesman for the Korea Organ Donation Agency. He said her family did not wish to state the cause.

Ms. Baek was best known for her memoir “I Want to Die, but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” a deeply personal account of her struggles with depression and anxiety.

The book, published in 2018, includes conversations that Ms. Baek had with her therapist, which she recorded, and essays that explored topics like sexism and self-doubt.

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The book was embraced by a broad audience that was drawn to its frank discussion of mental health, especially in South Korea, where stigma and family shame around mental illness persist. In the prologue, she writes: “I realized that opening the dark part in my heart was a very natural thing, just like showing the bright part of it.”

How The Times decides who gets an obituary. There is no formula, scoring system or checklist in determining the news value of a life. We investigate, research and ask around before settling on our subjects. If you know of someone who might be a candidate for a Times obituary, please suggest it here.

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“I Want to Die” was published in 25 countries and has sold over a million copies worldwide.

Ms. Baek told PEN Transmissions in 2023 that the inspiration for the book came from someone who had commented on her blog, where she was posting notes on her experiences in therapy. The commenter said they were experiencing similar emotions, and felt relieved to know someone else was going through the same thing.

“When they said it was like a light was shining into the darkness of their life, I was so surprised,” Ms. Baek said. “All I’d done was be honest in public, but here was someone comforted by that.”

Anton Hur, who translated Ms. Baek’s book into English, wrote on social media on Friday that she had touched “millions of lives” with her writing. As news of her death spread, fans shared personal testimonies on social media about Ms. Baek’s significance.

“Her book was the catalyst to one of the most profound discussions on mental health we’ve ever had,” one wrote.

In a statement, her sister Baek Dahee said that Ms. Baek “loved writing, connecting with others through writing and nurturing hope in other people.”

Ms. Baek was born in Goyang in 1990, the middle of three sisters. She studied creative writing at Dongguk University in Seoul and worked at a publishing company for five years.

During that time, she was diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder, according to the Korea Organ Donation Agency. She began attending therapy sessions at counseling centers and psychiatric clinics, experiences she recounted in her memoir. In 2019, she published a sequel, “I Want to Die, but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” which explored her struggles with self-harm and suicidal thoughts. (Tteokbokki is a popular Korean dish of rice cakes in a spicy sauce.)

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Ms. Baek was modest about any influence she had on conversations surrounding mental health, particularly those in South Korea. In the PEN Transmissions interview, she noted that personal writing on mental health topics had become more common, adding that “it makes me glad that we are at least talking about it more.”

Ms. Baek is survived by her parents and two sisters.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

Jonathan Wolfe is a Times reporter based in London, covering breaking news.

John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news.

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Wednesday, October 15, 2025

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Wednesday, October 8, 2025

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Monday, October 6, 2025

divorce messy

SINGAPORE - Some divorcing couples think the best way to deprive their ex-spouses of more money is to splurge on themselves first, such as a man who went for a $32,000 hair transplant shortly before the split.

In addition to that costly patch-up work, the 47-year-old man spent about $8,700 to fix his teeth, over $30,000 for knee surgery and another $4,000 for physiotherapy as well as treatment for sports-related injuries.

He could afford to splurge on himself because he is a managing director at a multinational investment bank and earns a monthly income of about $37,500. His ex-wife, 43, also works in a bank and draws a monthly income of about $18,000.

But antics to deplete the matrimonial funds by going on an expensive and extensive spending spree will usually backfire and prove costly because all the aggrieved parties need to do is complain that they do not agree with the expenses that are not run-of-the-mill living costs.

If the court agrees that the expenses are not reasonable, the parties who splurge on non-essential items will be ordered to account for the amount spent, which will be added back to the matrimonial pool for sharing.

The total amount of $74,700 that the man spent on himself in this case was deemed as his personal expenses that would come out of his pocket to be shared. This meant that his ex-wife would be given a percentage of this sum.

How he spent a big bonus

The man’s expenses came to light because his ex-wife accused him of hiding his annual bonus, which amounted to more than $200,000. This was because on average, his monthly expenses would be around $24,000 and this meant that he would be able to save about $12,000 every month.

His bank statements recorded the monthly surpluses but not his annual bonus, which amounted to about six months of his salary.

The husband denied hiding anything because he said he had spent his bonus on personal grooming, medical treatment and other non-essential items. This caused his ex-wife to cry foul as all these expenses were done without her consent.

For instance, the husband made inquiries and booked the appointment for his hair implant treatment some two months before he commenced divorce proceedings. He then spent about $32,000 for the treatment when divorce proceedings had already commenced.

After he moved out of the matrimonial home, he also bought a piano for about $6,200. He claimed he needed a piano so that his daughter could use it when she spends time with him.

He had wanted to retrieve the existing piano from the matrimonial home, but he claimed his ex-wife refused to let him have it.

But the ex-wife said their daughter had discontinued piano lessons by that time, so he had no reason to buy the expensive piano, which was probably acquired for his own use. She added that she had not prohibited him from retrieving the current piano, which was worth only about $300.

As a result, Justice Choo Han Teck said the expenses for the hair transplant and the piano would be returned to the matrimonial pool. The man also had to return about $138,000 in other expenses that were paid for with his bonus.

He had spent about $44,000 on treatment for his teeth and physical injuries, and $94,000 on his legal fees.

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Wife’s unusual fund transfers

After the divorce action started, the wife transferred close to $200,000 out of her bank accounts within two days.

One of the transfers was for $120,000, which she said was the balance of the sales proceeds of her father’s HDB flat. She said she had been holding this sum for him because he is “a compulsive gambler and spendthrift”.

As for the other sum, she said she had meant to give this amount as “allowances” to her father.

While Justice Choo found nothing untoward in the $120,000 transfer as there was the sale of her father’s flat, he did not believe the other sum was meant for the elderly man’s expenses.

In particular, the judge took note of the WhatsApp conversation between the couple that stated the wife had reduced her parents’ allowance from $650 to $200 a month. As such sums would not add up to $78,000, the judge ordered her to return all of it to the matrimonial pool.

The husband also accused his ex-wife of trying to stash $100,000 away by using a fake business deal with her friend.

The wife claimed she had a 50 per cent stake in her friend’s café and that poor business had left both of them with a loss of about $200,000. This meant that she had to cough out $100,000 as her share of the loss.

But there were no formal records nor transfer of shares that supported the wife’s claim.

Justice Choo found it odd that the wife and her friend did not put their equal partnership in writing to record the initial payment of the investment. That would mean that the friend essentially “gifted” 50 per cent of the cafe to the wife because if the business had made money, the wife would have received 50 per cent of the profits for free.

The judge agreed with the husband’s view that the deal was “absurd”. Even if the transfer of $100,000 was a genuine investment, the husband did not want any share of the cafe.

So Justice Choo ruled that the wife had to return the $100,000 to the pool for sharing. She also had to return another $18,000 that was spent on renovating her mother’s new flat as this sum was spent without the consent of her ex-husband.

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Gifts between spouses

Gifts from spouses are usually not included in the split unless the items are worth a lot.

In this case, the husband wanted to add the $12,000 that he had spent on jewellery for his ex-wife to the matrimonial pool because gifts purchased during the marriage would usually be considered as matrimonial assets.

But the wife argued that the value of such items was insignificant when compared to their total assets of over $8 million. Moreover, the value of the jewellery would have dropped over time due to regular use.

She added that she had reciprocated such gifts by purchasing numerous valuable presents for her ex-husband during the marriage and these included expensive ties and a wallet.

In the end, all these gifts were not included in the split because the husband did not dispute that he had received presents from his ex-wife who did not ask for these items to be counted.

After considering the couple’s contributions to their marriage, Judge Choo found that the split would be done in the final ratio of 53 to 47 in the husband’s favour. He would receive about $4.2 million from the pool while his ex-wife would get about $3.8 million.

If there is a lesson from this case, it is that efforts by warring couples to squirrel away funds are usually futile because most financial transactions leave behind a paper trail that is hard to erase.

Ultimately, honesty is still the best policy simply because those caught dissipating funds can end up losing more as the courts have the discretion to award higher shares to their ex-spouses.

Check out Invest editor Tan Ooi Boon’s new book – Retire With More Money – at stbooks.sg

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Tan Ooi Boon writes for and oversees the Invest section of The Straits Times.