BEIJING, Jan 13 — Tapping into a deep-seated fear among China’s millions of solo dwellers — dying alone and unnoticed — a morbidly named new app called “Are You Dead?” has become a viral sensation, climbing to the top of the country’s paid app charts.

The concept is simple: users must check in every two days by clicking a large button to confirm they are alive, BBC reported.

If they fail to do so, the app automatically notifies a pre-appointed emergency contact that they may be in trouble.

Launched with little fanfare last year, the app has recently exploded in popularity as it resonates with a growing demographic of young people who live alone, a group projected to reach 200 million by 2030.

“There is a fear that people living alone might die unnoticed, with no one to call for help. I sometimes wonder, if I died alone, who would collect my body?” one user wrote on social media, echoing a common sentiment.

Wilson Hou, 38, who works in Beijing away from his family, said this is exactly why he downloaded the app.

“I worry that if something happened to me, I could die alone... and no-one would know,” he said, adding that he set his mother as his emergency contact.

Despite its success, the app’s morbid name — a wordplay on a popular Chinese food delivery app — has drawn criticism, with some users saying it might bring bad luck. The company behind the app, Moonscape Technologies, has acknowledged the feedback and is considering a name change.

Listed internationally as Demumu, the app has also climbed the charts in the US, Singapore, and Australia, likely driven by Chinese users living overseas.

Little is known about the founders, who are described as three post-1995 entrepreneurs from Zhengzhou.

What started as a project that cost just 1,000 yuan (RM581) to build has now grown into a valuable company, with the founders reportedly seeking to raise funds at a 10 million yuan valuation.

They are also exploring a new product specifically designed for the elderly, another large and vulnerable demographic in China.