What is 'Are You Dead' app sparking buzz among China's lonely youth? Find out here

To tackle the increasing loneliness among Chinese youth, the viral app ‘Are You Dead' has taken China by storm.

Originally known as ‘Demumu,’ the app has become the most downloaded paid app, and it asks only one question: Are you dead?

This is not an internet joke. The ‘Are You Dead?' app has sparked an online buzz and also spotlights China’s fast-changing demographics.

Why is ‘Are You Dead' app trending worldwide?

The app, which is listed globally under the name "Demumu," ranks in the top two in the U.S., Singapore, and Hong Kong and in the top four in Australia and Spain for paid subscription apps, possibly driven by Chinese users living overseas, as reported by BBC.

The current viral name is a playful nod to the popular food delivery service “Are You Hungry?”

In Chinese, “Si-le-ma” sounds like the name of the food app “E-le-ma.”

It was first launched as a free app, which has since moved into a paid version, available for the low fee of 8 yuan ($1.15).

Although there is little information known about the ‘Are You Dead?’ app, which was rolled out last May, they say there are three people who were born after 1995 being credited with designing this app from Zhengzhou in Henan with a small team.

What is the 'Are You Dead' app?

The app functions quite simply: the user just needs to “check in” by pressing a button. If you don’t click on the button every two days, then on the third day, the app will automatically make contact with the user’s emergency contact.

The app’s English version—or, as it’s called locally, "Demumu"—is described by its developers as a “lightweight safety tool crafted for solo dwellers,” designed to make “solitary life more reassuring.”

More than just a viral sensation, the app spotlights China’s growing loneliness pandemic.

According to the latest media reports, the trend of one-person households is growing fast in China.

Estimates indicate that by 2030 China may see up to 200 million one-person households, with the solo-living rate exceeding 30 percent.

As per the recent census, the number of unmarried persons in China between the ages of 20 and 49 reached 134 million in 2020.