Cover From bloodthirsty nocturnal spirits that untether their own bodies to reanimated corpses driven by rigor mortis, these ghosts in Asian culture have crossed from village oral histories straight into box-office phenomena (Photo: IMDb)
From bloodthirsty nocturnal spirits that untether their own bodies to reanimated corpses driven by rigor mortis, these ghosts in Asian culture have crossed from village oral histories straight into box-office phenomena (Photo: IMDb)
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From vengeful spirits to hopping corpses, explore six iconic ghosts in Asian culture and their screen appearances
The rich tapestry of ghosts in Asian culture spans centuries of folklore, religious tradition and ancestral reverence across diverse regions. Far from being simple plot devices meant to deliver quick scares, ghosts in Asian culture represent deep seated beliefs about justice, morality, grief and the supernatural realm. Cinema and television across Asia frequently draw upon these folk tales, translating historical mythologies into modern visual media. By understanding these spectral entities and their origins, viewers gain direct insight into how different societies interpret human existence and the afterlife.
From hopping reanimated corpses in Hong Kong cinema to floating viscerally detached heads in Thai horror, representations of ghosts in Asian culture offer a distinct perspective on supernatural storytelling.
Pontianak from Indonesia and Kuntilanak in Malaysia
Above A vengeful spirit of Malay and Indonesian folklore, born from tragedy and heralded by the sudden scent of frangipani
The pontianak, also recognized as the kuntilanak in Indonesia, remains one of the most prominent ghosts in Asian culture across Malay and Indonesian traditions. Folklore defines this spirit as a vengeful female entity originating from a woman who died during childbirth. She typically manifests with long dark hair, wearing a white dress, and lures victims using faint crying sounds or a sudden floral scent before revealing a terrifying form.
Onscreen, this figure has been depicted extensively in regional cinema. Malaysian and Singaporean titles such as Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam (2004) and Revenge of the Pontianak (Dendam Pontianak, 2019) explore the traditional myth directly. In Indonesian cinema, the long-running Kuntilanak film franchise alongside modern supernatural works like Satan’s Slaves draw heavily upon this specific spectral trope.
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The onryō of Japanese horror
Above Japan's legendary avenging spirit whose overwhelming wrath crosses the boundary between death and the living world
Japanese cinematic tradition features the onryō, a vengeful spirit driven by intense wrath resulting from betrayal or harm experienced during life. Rooted in traditional yūrei folklore, the entity returns from a purgatory-like realm to inflict curses upon the living without discrimination.
The most recognizable onscreen depiction of this entity appears in the 1998 film Ringu and its 2002 American adaptation The Ring through the character Sadako Yamamura, who emerges from television screens via a cursed videotape.
Similarly, Ju-On: The Grudge and its 2004 remake showcase Kayako Saeki, an onryō haunting the residence where her life ended. Earlier cinema, including the 1964 anthology film Kwaidan, demonstrates the historic roots of these vengeful figures in classic Japanese storytelling.
The jiangshi in Hong Kong martial arts horror
Above The iconic reanimated corpse of Chinese lore, bound by rigor mortis and driven to drain the life force of the living
Hong Kong cinema popularized the Jiangshi, a reanimated corpse or hopping vampire stiffened by rigor mortis that moves with outstretched arms. According to folklore, the creature feeds on the life force, or qi, of living human beings.
The 1985 classic Mr Vampire established the foundation for this unique subgenre, combining martial arts action, comedy and traditional folklore elements. Directed by Sammo Hung, the 1980 film Encounters of the Spooky Kind similarly integrated Jiangshi legend into action cinema. Decades later, the 2013 film Rigor Mortis offered a dark, modern homage to these traditional hopping spirits, illustrating how ghosts in Asian culture continue to adapt within contemporary filmmaking.
Gwi-shin and cheonyeo gwishin of Korea
Above Korea's tragic maiden ghost, bound to the mortal realm by unfulfilled desires and clad in white burial robes
In Korean folk belief, gwi-shin are human spirits trapped on earth due to unresolved grief, resentment or unfulfilled life duties. A notable variation is the cheonyeo gwishin, or maiden ghost, usually depicted wearing white burial garments known as sobok with loose, long black hair.
Cinema and television routinely feature these entities to explore themes of loss and family drama. The 2003 psychological horror feature A Tale of Two Sisters draws directly from the classic Korean folktale Janghwa Hongryeon jeon. In television, the 2019 series Hotel Del Luna portrays a specialized establishment catering exclusively to Gwi-shin before their transition to the afterlife, while the 2016 film The Wailing highlights shamanic rituals tied to these restless spirits.
The krasue of Thai and Cambodian tradition
Above A nocturnal Southeast Asian spirit consisting of a floating head anchored by exposed, glowing internal organs
The krasue, known as krasue-Ahp in Cambodia, represents a distinct nocturnal entity in Southeast Asian folk myth. The spirit consists of a floating female head attached to hanging internal organs and viscera, glowing in the dark as it hunts for blood and raw meat.
Onscreen portrayals emphasize both the terror and the tragedy associated with the curse. The 2019 Thai horror romance film Inhuman Kiss explores the tragic personal origins of the entity within a village setting. Additionally, the 2006 release Krasue Valentine places this traditional creature into a modern setting, demonstrating how historical folkloric monsters transition into contemporary screen narrative structures.
The manananggal in Philippine folklore
Above A terrifying winged creature from Philippine folklore capable of severing its upper torso to hunt under cover of night
Philippine folklore features the manananggal, a mythical vampire-like creature capable of severing its upper torso from its lower body. At night, the upper body sprouts bat-like wings to fly and hunt pregnant women while leaving the lower body hidden.
Onscreen, the long-running Filipino horror anthology film franchise Shake, Rattle & Roll has featured numerous depictions of the manananggal across its various installments, establishing the creature as a staple of local cinema. Beyond live-action horror such as the 2019 film Clarita, Dreamworks’ animated feature Forgotten Island (2026) brought the manananggal—voiced by Lea Salonga as the creature Manang—to global audiences, demonstrating the creature’s enduring presence across regional and mainstream film culture.
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
