Yasemin Şefik looked at GoTürkiye series for our August issue.
GoTürkiye mini-series describes Türkiye from Istanbul to Antalya, from Cappadocia to Bodrum and Göcek, through stories. To top it off, the actors aren’t the only stars of the show; so are the cities themselves.
There are many ways to describe a city. You can tell the history. You can list the best restaurants there. You can prepare lists starting like “You must see this if you visit here.” Then we all look at the same sunset through our phones.
I suppose it is no longer enough to know somewhere is beautiful in order to be curious about that place.
We want to see that a story took place there.
Someone falling in love, another one running away, another’s life changing unexpectedly… then, without noticing, we start looking at the city while witnessing the story.
This is kind of what GoTürkiye does with its series.
It puts Türkiye’s cities inside the stories instead of putting them in the background of introductory films. Love is chased in Istanbul, a mystery is solved in Antalya, a trip takes a completely different turn in Cappadocia, life confronts people who are trying to escape fate in Bodrum and Göcek.
Ultimately, it results in something different from a standard campaign that simply says, “Türkiye is beautiful, come and see it.” The formula is working well, as our actors are attracting global interest thanks to our TV series.
ISTANBUL MY LOVE
Engin Akyürek & Afra Saraçoğlu
İstanbul | 10 Episodes
Tan, a businessman who doesn’t really believe in love, and İstanbul, a young entrepreneur working on AI… two people’s paths cross at the Bosphorus and the tale that we all know starts again: A person can explain their lives with data, but love’s algorithm is still a little messed up.
The 10-episode long Istanbul My Love starring Engin Akyürek and Afra Saraçoğlu, tells the story of the duo discovering one each other while navigating the different facets of Istanbul. Stretching from the Bosphorus to the city’s historic and modern faces, Istanbul is not merely the backdrop of the story, but almost the third lead character.
Istanbul already has a small advantage in this. Two people accidentally encountering each other may be a rom-com.
Their never crossing paths, however, is the reality of Istanbul.
ANTALYA GAMBIT
Meryem Uzerli & Kaan Urgancıoğlu
Antalya | 10 Episodes
You save someone from drowning.
In normal circumstances, the story might have a great start here.
But things change a little if your encounter with the person you saved isn’t actually a coincidence.
Antalya Gambit starts off with Lara saving Deniz who is about to drown. As time goes on, it becomes apparent that this encounter is not as coincidental as it seems.
The production starring Meryem Uzerli and Kaan Urgancıoğlu brings romance and mystery together while not only depicting Antalya solely within the “sea, sand, and sun” triad.
Ancient cities, historical places, coves, and Antalya’s different faces enter the story.
So bad news for those who want to go to Antalya and only lie on a sunbed: history worth a thousand years is right behind you.
TURQUOISE SUMMER
Murat Yıldırım & Fahriye Evcen Özçivit
Bodrum & Göcek | 10 Episodes
There are also summer stories.
In them someone usually runs away from their past, they go to a new place and, expectedly, life brings someone along their path right there.
Because fate too has no intention of leaving one alone while on vacation.
Turquoise Summer takes place between Bodrum and Göcek’s natural beauties. Su, who is running from fate, meeting toprak here and her life starting to change with this encounter is in the center of this story.
Bodrum and Göcek’s coves sea, and summer atmosphere don’t only stay as pretty scenes in the production starring Murat Yıldırım and Fahriye Evcen Özçivit; they also bleed into the story’s emotion.
After all, when people go to Bodrum, they often say, “I’m going to clear my head a bit.” Then, for some reason, life starts speaking louder there.
HIDDEN LOVER
Eda Ece & Caner Cindoruk
Antalya | 10 Episodes
Some things that romantic comedies love never seem to change.
Like thinking the wrong person is right, or the exact opposite.
In Hidden Lover, architect Güneş comes to Antalya for an important job meeting and tries to find the businessman Ömer. Then she meets a man.
She thinks that is Ömers chauffeur.
There is a small issue: The man is Ömer.
The story starring Eda Ece and Caner Cindoruk, takes the duo on a journey through the coves, ancient cities, and natural beauties of Antalya following this misunderstanding.
Sometimes misjudging a person is truly a major problem in life. And sometimes it lasts 10 episodes, and the view is really pretty.
AN ISTANBUL STORY
Ozan Akbaba & Sinem Ünsal
İstanbul | 10 Episodes
Think about a movie set.
Everyone knows their roles.
Then the camera turns off and the real story begins.
An Istanbul Story starring Ozan Akbaba and Sinem Ünsal tells a story that starts in a movie set and gets deeper with time
And around all this, there is Istanbul again.
With its historic streets, views, crowds and corners that constantly open up to new stories…
Perhaps this is the reason why İstanbul looks as good as it looks on camera.
You shoot the good parts of some cities.
In Istanbul all you have to do is to turn the camera somewhere.
CAPPADOCIA FAIRYTALE
Ozan Akbaba & Sinem Ünsal
İstanbul & Cappadocia | 10 Episodes
This time, Ozan Akbaba and Sinem Ünsal carry the story from Istanbul to Cappadocia.
Cappadocia Fairytale begins in Istanbul and extends to perhaps Türkiye’s most surreal geographies.
Fairy chimneys, valleys, stone structures, and the unique atmosphere stop merely being the story’s backdrop and transform into one of the elements that define the story’s emotional tone.
Calling Cappadocia “like a fairytale” might be a little cliché. However, cliches are the geography’s fault.
THE STORY TAKES NEW ROUTES
GoTürkiye’s world of mini-series don’t stop with these projects. With new productions the route expands to Türkiye’s other regions.
TASTE OF İZMİR / AŞK TADINDA
Burak Özçivit & Ceyda Ateş
İzmir
One of the new projects turns the route to the Aegean Region.
Taste of İzmir/Aşk Tadında starring Burak Özçivit and Ceyda Ateş, carries İzmir’s urban life, Aegean atmosphere, and gastronomy into the story. İzmir’s different stops and Aegean culture is not just a sight anymore but an important part of the story.
Besides, it wouldn’t have been very realistic to film a love story in İzmir and leave out the food.
Some relationships begin by talking.
Some do when mezze arrives at the table.
WHISPER OF ORIGINS
Engin Altan Düzyatan & Özge Gürel
Southeastern Anatolia
Another story extends to a much earlier times in Türkiye.
Whisper of Origins starring Engin Altan Düzyatan and Özge Gürel takes Southeastern Anatolia’s history and cultural richness to its center.
This time there is no sea.
But there is a history going back several thousand years.
In my opinion, that is a strong enough production design.
SO, WHY ARE THEY WATHED THIS MUCH?
The main point is kind of here.
The project grows with new series, new actors, and new stories as GoTürkiye mini-series continue their journey with a track record of over three billion global views and reach.
But there is a more interesting side beyond numbers.
Türkiye has been exporting series to the world for awhile now. People know Turkish actors, they follow their stories, see Istanbul from series.
Now another version of this is emerging:
Discovering the country while watching the series.
