‘Are you dead?’ app and ‘crying horse’ plushie are a hit
While Americans worry about inflation and affordability, Chinese worry about deflation and a downturn in the economy.
To understand the Chinese consumer’s confidence today, visit Beijing toy retailer Gao Lan, where a frowning horse plush is sold for the Year of the Horse.
A factory worker accidentally sewed the toy’s smile upside down, creating a huge hit in China where it was dubbed the “crying horse,” according to state media.
“There is a lot of stress in our society these days,” Gao said. “The crying horse reflects how people feel inside.”
The popularity of the horse is an indication of the increasing pessimism in Chinese society as the economy slows and people become less confident about the future.
Two “Crying Horse” plush toys appear at a New Year’s celebration supplies shop in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, where a factory worker first turned the mouthpiece upside down and now became an overnight sensation, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.
Long Wei | Feature China | Future Publishing | Getty Images
Another measure of melancholy is the feeling of viral application. Are you dead? or “Erasure” in Chinese.
In early January, Beijing-based startup Moonscape Technologies’ app hit the top of the charts. AppleOn the App Store in China. The app aims to give people living alone peace of mind that if they die, someone will notice.
Co-founder Ian Lü told CNBC that all the founders lived on their own in major cities in China and understood the need to meet with someone.
“We realized that if something were to happen to us, no one would know. That’s why we created this app for users to warn their family or friends,” Lü said in an interview.
The way it works is that you check the app every day. If 48 hours pass without pressing the big green button on your screen, the app will send an email to your emergency contact.
The service costs 8 yuan ($1.15) per month.
Despite the demand Are You Dead? The practice is facing a death of its own as the government appears sensitive about the morbid outlook.
The app’s name drew criticism from state media shortly after its launch, and its founders changed the name to Demumu. However, the app was later removed from the App Store.
In this photo illustration, the logo of the Demumu app is displayed on a smartphone screen in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China, on January 14, 2026.
VCG | Visual China Group | Getty Images
Apple told CNBC that China’s cybersecurity watchdog ordered the app to be removed because it failed to comply with rules to “observe public order and good morals.”
Apple added in a statement: “We comply with the laws of the countries in which we operate. … The app remains available for download on all other storefronts where it appears.”
Due to China’s aging society, more elderly people are living on their own. And many young people who move to cities to work do not have siblings and do not become partners.
China’s marriage rate has reached its lowest level in the last 45 years, at 4.3 percent in 2024.
In China, 1 in 6 homes are single-occupancy, which is one of the reasons why dining rooms are used in homes. McDonald’s has become popular.
Seats separated by partitions so people can have privacy when dining alone are not new. However, their photos went viral on social media. The design is seen as a nod to the fact that more Chinese people are living alone.
The exact place where the crying horse fits is against the background of loneliness and anxiety.
“There is a lot of resentment and a feeling of injustice,” said Xiao Juan, a customer at Gao’s toy store. “If you can’t cry out loud, this horse can cry for you.”
