Seoul and Momo declined to comment. His Tantan, owned by Momo, did not respond to a request for comment.
The app itself has changed. Tantan and Momo have long matched users based on physical appearance, leading to accusations that the platform fostered a connected culture. These days, these apps are starting to use people’s interests, hobbies, and personalities as the basis for new social encounters.
Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok owned by ByteDance, and Little Red Book, an Instagram-like app, have built “social discovery” features that use their knowledge of people’s preferences to match them. Over the last few years, Soul has become particularly popular for its avatar his profile and the way it links users based on personality tests. Last year, the app surpassed Tintin and Momo as the most downloaded dating app on his iOS store in China.
“What I like most about Soul is that it doesn’t force you to swipe left or right when looking at photos,” said Yang Zhongluo, a master’s student in Beijing who met some of his close friends on the platform ( 23 years old) said. “You can post to share ideas and everyone can like and comment.”
In July, Soul filed for an initial public offering in Hong Kong after tripling its monthly active users between 2019 and 2021 to 31 million. Born between 1990-2009.
Many users of these dating apps seem more interested in meeting friends than romance. In October Investigation A survey conducted by a Chinese research institute found that 89% of respondents said they had used dating apps before, with the majority of them looking to expand their social circle rather than finding a partner. said to be the main purpose.
According to Shanghai-based developer Vladimir Peters, who is working on his own dating app, many young Chinese are now looking for more than just romance, which blends entertainment and hobby exploration. They want apps that offer a holistic experience.