（SINGAPORE 2026.1.15） As of today, the Chinese app Demumu —known in China as “Are You Dead?” （死了么？）— has reached the top of the paid utility app charts not only in China but also in several overseas markets, including the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Belgium, and Spain. Much of its international traction seems driven by Chinese users living abroad, though downloads by local users have also been reported.
Ironically, the app failed to make an impact after it was first launched as Demumu on the Apple App Store overseas in June 2025. It was not until its January 10 release in China that it rapidly climbed the domestic paid app charts, amassing thousands of downloads within days. International attention—including coverage by the BBC—then amplified its visibility, boosting its rankings abroad.
But the overseas launch had created a “safe runway” for the app, which was originally barred from using the name “Are You Dead?” in China. Once the app demonstrated user demand and credibility overseas, it could confidently return to China under that bold original name.
Three days after its sudden surge, the development team announced that the app would use a single name, “Demumu,” both at home and abroad. The Chinese name, Are You Dead? playfully references food delivery app Ele.me’s “Are You Hungry?” According to media reports, Demumu combines “Death” with the plush toy brand Labubu, tapping into Labubu’s international appeal. On Chinese-language devices, however, the app still appears as “Are You Dead?” regardless of where it is downloaded.
The app’s domestic success quickly drew curious questions. It is essentially just an app verifying its user is alive. Users provide their name and the email of an emergency contact when they launch it, then check in daily by tapping a green button. Its purpose is simple: to confirm the user is “not dead”. If a user misses two consecutive check-ins, the system automatically sends a distress email to his emergency contact.
Developed in just one month by three post-1995 young men with a budget of under 1,500 yuan (about S$277), the 8-yuan-per-download app resonated with young urbanites living alone with its straightforward, no-frill name.
However, since Are You Dead? only went viral about six months after its first release, by January 10 the market was already crowded with similar apps, some with far more polished designs. Once it surged in popularity, a further wave of gimmicky imitators quickly followed.
Among competitors, only Are You Dead? captured both user attention and investor interest. Chinese media platform Baijingchuhai (白鲸出海) noted that its success owed less to product features than to its striking Chinese name and a serendipitous mention of it on Xiaohongshu, a widely used Chinese social media. Many factors propelling its rise were largely accidental.
Demographics help. Household sizes in China have shrunk sharply over the past decades: the 2020 national census showed that 25.4% of households now consist of single persons, up from 14.5% in 2010. While older adults living alone clearly have a need for services confirming they are “still alive,” young adults living alone in first- and second-tier cities are growing in number.
A 2010 survey by Shanghai-based digital outlet The Paper estimated this number at 18 million, projecting it could reach 40–70 million by 2030. With this shift, concerns over personal safety—sometimes called “safety anxiety”—are rising. One Chinese user explained: “I worry that if something happens to me, I could die alone in my rented apartment without anyone knowing. That’s why I downloaded this app.”
According to Chinese newspaper Economic Observer, the app’s users are mainly young women aged 25–35 living in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.
Although overseas adoption has yet to reach mainstream users, the markets hold strong potential. A 2025 World Health Organization report found that about one in six people worldwide experiences loneliness, with the 15–24 age group particularly vulnerable. In the US and Japan, living alone combined with social challenges is intensifying “safety anxiety,” especially among young people.
In the US, young adults often live in apartments with high tenant turnover and minimal community networks. Rising rates of drug, medication, and alcohol misuse further increase the risk of serious illness or death for those living alone.
Japanese government surveys in 2024 reported 76,000 people living alone died at home, with 21,000 not discovered for more than eight days. Notably, over 1,000 of these were under 40, including more than 100 in their 20s. Lonely death in Japan is no longer limited to the elderly; some apartment buildings now feature “smart electricity monitoring” systems that send alerts if power usage remains unchanged for 24 hours.
In South Korea, where birth rates are even lower, single-person households account for over 36% of all households—more than 8 million in total by the end of 2025—far exceeding China’s proportion.
As socioeconomic changes accelerate, “social atomization” appears increasingly inevitable. Coupled with declining populations and birth rates in many developed countries, Are You Dead? clearly has a sizable potential user base abroad, according to Baijingchuhai.
Economic Observer reported that on January 10, the app’s founder initially planned to sell a 10% stake for 1 million yuan (about S$184,000), implying a valuation of 10 million yuan. Within three days, over 60 investors expressed interest. Competitive bidding pushed potential investment to nearly 10 million yuan, and the team expects to finalize the funding round within the week.
