I WANT TO DIE BUT I WANT TO EAT TTEOKBOKKI

𝐈 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐃𝐢𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐤𝐛𝐨𝐤𝐤𝐢
𝐁𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐞𝐤 𝐒𝐞𝐇𝐞𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫
𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: 𝟐𝟎𝟗
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝟐𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐍𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐜/ 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩
𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑


"I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokpokki," originally written in Korean, delves into the life of a woman diagnosed with dysthymia. Baek Se-hee meticulously captures their dialogues during therapy sessions and chronicles her inner musings on the journey towards self-love and personal growth. It's not a literary masterpiece that left me amazed, but oh, it provided a sense of solace like no other. Overall, this book tended to repeat itself. There was minimal advancement, and Baek required constant validation that she was on the right track. It lacked a gripping or exhilarating quality, but that's akin to the nature of therapy.

Although intended as a quick read, I found myself savouring every word and taking my time to fully immerse myself in its pages. Hence, this book concludes not with solutions, but with a heartfelt desire; "I yearn to experience love and be cherished in return. I aspire to uncover a path that shields me from self-inflicted pain. I strive for a life where positivity outweighs the negativity. I embrace failure as a means of exploring novel and improved avenues. I savour the ebb and flow of emotions within me, akin to the rhythmic cadence of existence. I endeavour to become the kind of individual who fearlessly traverses the vast abyss and unearths a solitary beam of sunlight, where I may bask for an eternity. Someday, my aspirations shall manifest."

My primary concern regarding this book revolved around the subpar treatment provided to Se-hee by her psychiatrist. However, it is possible that due to the book being a translated novel, I found myself unable to establish a complete emotional connection with it, despite its significant relevance. Nevertheless, I appreciated the book for its distinctive, invigorating, honest, and bold narrative. There is no doubt in my mind that it is a book worth reading, and I strongly encourage to read this. As a result of its relatability, I genuinely believe that it can provide solace and reassurance to others as well. The message is powerful: even in despair, there is hope, a clinging to life, as in a craving for a plate of spicy rice cakes, no matter how insignificant it may seem. 

My Rating:

4/5

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