Özge Gürel and Serkan Çayoğlu were among the most anticipated guests at the Italian Global Series, drawing a packed audience to Teatro Galli in Rimini on Sunday, July 5. The excitement surrounding their appearance had already been clear during Friday’s opening night, when the two actors walked the red carpet to the cheers of hundreds of fans.
Their appearance quickly became one of the standout moments of the Italian Global Series, with bookings initially planned for Cinema Fulgor selling out before the meeting was moved to the larger Teatro Galli. The theater was packed to the rafters, with fans traveling to Rimini to see their idols up close: partners in life and on screen, and stars of Turkish series, such as Cherry Season, Dolunay and Mr. Wrong, titles that have helped turn Turkish television into a global phenomenon. The conversation was accompanied throughout by applause and laughter from the audience.
The moderator of the meeting, journalist Ilaria Ravarino, underlined the scale of the phenomenon: Turkish series are watched by 750 million viewers worldwide. The turning point, she noted, came with the arrival of Turkey’s first private television stations in the late 1980s. But what memories do the two actors have of watching television from their own country when they were young?
“I remember that as a child I mostly watched cartoons,” said Özge Gürel. “Then, when I was older, I also started watching series about family life, a ritual I shared with my parents. But those early series expressed much simpler emotions than they do today.”
“I was born and raised in Germany,” said Serkan Çayoğlu, “so I mostly watched cartoons with my brother. But I also have a vague memory of the series my mother used to watch, which I would only glance at.”
Asked about the public perception of actors working in television series compared to those working in film, Özge Gürel acknowledged that cinema has always held an important place in Turkey. “But I don’t know if television has less prestige. I’ve never felt inferior, although I would certainly like to leave my mark on Turkish cinema, perhaps with the right project.”
For Serkan Çayoğlu, “cinema is timeless, it is more enduring, but the rise of the internet has narrowed the gap between cinema and television. Today, I see that cinema is going through a crisis all over the world. I really hope it will regain its popularity.”
The two actors agreed that their appearance on the Italian television program Verissimo marked a turning point in their understanding of their popularity in Italy.
“Until then, we couldn’t really understand the success we were having,” said Özge Gürel. “In Turkey, we spent so much time on set. When we went out and someone took our picture, we thought they were photographing tourists! But we realized something was happening when the scripts started to change.”
“With our trip to Italy, everything changed a little,” Serkan Çayoğlu explained. “I tried to stay calm, but then I was overwhelmed by the affection the fans showed us. We are both trying to maintain our relationship with our fans, spending time with them whenever possible. It is something that means a lot to us.”
But what, in their opinion, is the secret behind the universal success of TV series? Is it the stories, the conflict between tradition and modernity, the evocative settings, or the talent of the actors?
According to Özge Gürel, dizi portray “the emotions that everyone experiences. In today’s digital world, they bring us back to values such as love, friendship and family.”
Serkan Çayoğlu added: “We are aware that we are touching the lives of people on the other side of the world, even people who may experience emotions differently from us, and that makes us very proud.”
Can fame give actors more influence, perhaps even over creative control?
For Serkan Çayoğlu, “it certainly opens many doors. My goal would be to work in the country where I was born, Germany, or maybe even in Italy.”
Speaking about relationships with colleagues, Özge Gürel said: “Competition is good for everyone, but we support each other. Everyone follows their own path, and the cake is big enough. Of course, some colleagues will write to me in the evening, scolding me for not liking one of Serkan’s posts, right when we’re watching TV together on the couch or cooking!”
Turkish dizi have also sparked greater interest in Turkey, including its language. But how much of what audiences see in these series reflects real life?
“Maybe we’re not as dramatic as you see us,” joked Özge Gürel. “We definitely have more fun. We are still good at telling stories and touching on the different cultures that coexist in Turkey, simply by heightening the emotional side a little. What is certain is that in real life we don’t spend quite as much time looking into each other’s eyes!”
The enthusiasm seen at the Italian Global Series reflects a wider trend that has only grown stronger in recent years. Turkish TV series have moved far beyond their national market, building passionate audiences across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and beyond. Their combination of emotional storytelling, recognizable family dynamics, romance, drama and strong production values has helped dizi become one of Turkey’s most successful cultural exports. The packed Teatro Galli audience was another clear sign that this global wave is still gaining momentum.
