In general, kuntilanak is described as a beautiful woman with long hair and a long white shirt. In Malay folklore, the kuntilanak is depicted as a beautiful woman with a hollow back. Kuntilanak is portrayed as delighting to terrorize villagers for revenge. When Kuntilanak appears, it is always followed by the scent of frangipani flowers. It is said that men who are not careful can be killed after the kuntilanak turns into a bloodsucker. Kuntilanak is said to often manifest as a beautiful woman who walks alone on a lonely street. Therefore, this story may aim to avoid the female class rather than being bothered by young people who are afraid of the Kuntilanak when walking alone on a quiet street.

pocong has a green face with empty eyes. Another depiction states that the pocong has a "flat face" and has hollow or cotton-covered eye sockets with a pale white face. Those who believe in the existence of this ghost assume, pocong is a form of "protest" from the dead who forgot to untie the knot before the grave was closed. Although in myths pocong is often described as hopping, the myth about Pocong even states that Pocong moves.