The app, which is listed internationally under the name Demumu, ranks in the top two in the US, Singapore and Hong Kong, and top four in Australia and Spain for paid utility apps – possibly driven by Chinese users living overseas.
The current name is a word play on a successful food delivery app called “Are you Hungry?”. In Chinese, “Si-le-ma” sounds like the name of the food app “E-le-ma”.
First launched as a free app, the app has now made its way into the paid category – albeit at the low price of 8 yuan ($1.15; £0.85).
Little is known about the founders of Are You Dead?, but they say they are three people who were born after 1995 who built the app from Zhengzhou in Henan with a small team.
It has certainly grown in value now. One of these men, who goes by the name Mr Guo, told Chinese media that they intended to raise money by selling 10% of the company for a million yuan. That is a lot more than the 1,000 yuan ($140) they say it cost to build the app.
And they’re also looking to grow their target audience – saying they are exploring the idea of a new product specifically designed for the elderly in a country where over one-fifth of its population is over the age of 60.
In an indication that it was seriously looking at this option, it posted over the weekend, “we would like to call on more people to pay attention to the elderly who are living at home, to give them more care and understanding. They have dreams, strive to live, and deserve to be seen, respected and protected.”
The company has not responded to questions from the BBC.