If you want to know what peak 21st-century undead aesthetic looks like, please refer back to the Deja Vu Performance Video that ATEEZ dropped on October 31, 2021.
The pallor. The red eyes. The aristocratic tailoring and absolute, unapologetic commitment to the dark concept and sheer yearning. Vampireteez perfectly captures the seductive, dangerously magnetic energy of a centuries-old coven taking over a room.
This concept would work with so many other songs of theirs. I'm thinking Man on Fire - I mean, that's basically the whole stage performance, isn't it?
I'm kind of in a Golden Hour Pt 2 mood, so Selfish Waltz or Deep Dive would work too. Or the impending TOXIN. (Thanks for the spoilers, Wooyoung.)
Mythology Musing – The Bible & The First Night Demon
Let’s talk origins. The concept of the "vampire" didn't just pop out of nowhere in Victorian England. The fear of nocturnal, life-draining entities goes back to the dawn of written text, rooted deeply in ancient Babylonian and Assyrian mythology before being incorporated into early Jewish folklore (Goldblum, 2021).
The Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28) suggests that necromancy and speaking to the dead has been a taboo obsession for millennia. Death was never meant to be the end of the conversation.
In Isaiah 34:14, we get a reference to Lilith, depicted as a night demon who dwells in the desolate desert (Goldblum, 2021). Over centuries of Jewish legend, Lilith transitioned into a fiercely independent spirit, often characterized as a beautiful but deadly nocturnal entity or succubus who preyed upon the unprotected (Jacoby, 1987). Death and the night were never meant to be empty. They were populated by entities that explained the unexplainable tragedies of the ancient world.
It is no coincidence that the name Lilith has been reclaimed by modern gothic and witchy culture as a symbol of dark, unapologetic feminine power. When society tells you to fear the dark, sometimes the most empowering thing you can do is become the creature waiting in it. It’s a name that carries immense weight.
Personally, it was a hell of a name for Lillith to grow up with. We're twins. She was born first so she got branded with that name and endured being called the devil's child by an in-law's mother, and was called the Antichrist in high school. But she owns it very well now.
Let’s address the elephant in the crypt. Yes, we know you’re out there. Yes, we know modern society wasn't built for those of us who perceive time in centuries rather than fiscal quarters.
The Undead Association is your premier support network for post-mortal integration. Think of us as HR, but for vampires, ghouls, and the occasionally resurrected. Whether you need help setting up a nocturnal bank account, or simply finding a roommate who won't ask why you keep bags of O-negative in the crisper drawer, we are here.
Life after death doesn't have to be a waking nightmare. We can help. (Unless you're a zombie who refuses to moisturize. Then you're on your own.)
Mythology Musing - Southeast Asia: The Visceral Undead
The Philippines (Manananggal and Aswang): The manananggal is one of the most uniquely terrifying creatures in global folklore. Disguised as an ordinary woman by day, at night she severs her upper torso from her lower half, sprouting bat-like wings to fly through the night (Ramos, 1990). She preys on sleeping pregnant women, using an elongated, tubular tongue to extract the blood or hearts of fetuses. She falls under the broader category of aswang, which includes various shapeshifting evil spirits, ghouls, and vampires (Ramos, 1990).
Malaysia and Indonesia (Penanggalan and Pontianak): Similar to the manananggal, the penanggalan is a female vampiric ghost whose head detaches from her body, flying through the night with her stomach and intestines dangling below her (Skeat, 1900). The entrails are said to twinkle like fireflies as she hunts. The pontianak is the vengeful spirit of a woman who died during childbirth, a ghost known for her pale skin, long dark hair, and horrific laugh, tearing the internal organs from her victims (Bane, 2010).
Bane, T. (2010). Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. McFarland & Company.
Ramos, M. D. (1990). The Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Phoenix Publishing.
Skeat, W. W. (1900). Malay Magic: Being an Introduction to the Folklore and Popular Religion of the Malay Peninsula. Macmillan and Co.
How to stop your coworkers from asking why you haven't aged since 2003. 🧴✨
Immortality is glamorous until Susan from Accounting corners you in the breakroom and demands to know your skincare routine because "you literally haven't developed a single wrinkle in twelve years."
Do NOT panic.
Also, do NOT tell her you bathe in the life force of your enemies.
The modern wellness industry is your greatest shield. Human society is currently obsessed with anti-aging, meaning you have the perfect cover story built right in.
Whenever your eternal youth is questioned, simply deploy these buzzwords:
"Sunscreen religiously and broad-brimmed hats." (Also technically true.)
"I do an ayahuasca retreat every two years."
"Probiotics and kombucha."
Say these words with enough confidence, and mortals will immediately stop questioning your lack of a heartbeat and start asking you for product links. You're not an immortal bloodsucker; you're just a wellness influencer.
Hollywood has been obsessed with the undead for over a century. Sometimes they nail the gothic aesthetic, sometimes they completely butcher the lore, and sometimes they make us sparkle.
Since we get asked about these films constantly, here is the official Undead Association ruling on how mainstream cinema has portrayed the post-mortal community.
The Lost Boys (1987): “Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old.” Visually? Iconic. The leather jackets, the boardwalk saxophonist, the pure chaotic energy of '80s California. It’s the ultimate recruitment video for the undead lifestyle. But practically? Hanging upside down from a train bridge is a terrible way to maintain a low profile, and eating Chinese takeout when your body can only process plasma is going to cause massive gastrointestinal distress. 10/10 for the vibe, 2/10 for operational security and garlic overdose.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992): Gary Oldman's wardrobe alone deserves its own wing in the Louvre. This is peak theatrical goth. The sweeping red armor, the dramatic shadow play, the absolute, unhinged refusal to move on from your ex. It’s deeply romantic and aesthetically flawless. However, we do have to dock points because shapeshifting into a giant bat-wolf-creature is absolutely terrible for your joints and ruins expensive tailoring. 9/10 for pure dramatic flair.
Interview with the Vampire (1994): Deep, collective sigh. The book is the blueprint, the movie is adequate. As we’ve mentioned before, Anne Rice's story is literally the foundational text that birthed The Undead Association back in the mid-90s AOL chatroom days. Tom Cruise was an interesting choice for Lestat, and Brad Pitt’s Louis perfectly captures the exhausting reality of realizing you have to live with your own bad choices for eternity. We blame this film for a 30-year spike in brooding fledglings keeping unhygienic swamps in their living rooms. 6/10 for demonstrating forgettable historical significance, 0/10 for emotional regulation.
Let us know what we should review for the next UdA Movie Night. (And no, we are not reviewing Morbius).
