Take a tall, handsome, dark-haired man. Make him passionately in love with a beautiful woman. Place them in a historical or modern setting. Add a dash of intra-family strife, or a betrayal by friends that puts lives and livelihoods in danger.There you have the recipe for a modern Turkish soap opera – and Ukrainians love them.
There you have the recipe for a modern Turkish soap opera – and Ukrainians love them.
Since the 2000s, Turkey has become a leading producer and exporter of soap operas. According to Turkish news website Anadolu, the country supplies TV dramas to 90 countries, making it the second-largest soap opera exporter after the United States. Turkish TV drama exports were worth $250 million in 2015, according to Anadolu.
Since the 2000s, Turkey has become a leading producer and exporter of soap operas. According to Turkish news website Anadolu, the country supplies TV dramas to 90 countries, making it the second-largest soap opera exporter after the United States. Turkish TV drama exports were worth $250 million in 2015, according to Anadolu.
Ukraine started importing Turkish dramas in 2013. Since then, Turkish-made stories of love, treason and politics have become a staple for Ukrainian soap opera consumers.“The Turks know what their viewers need,” Liliya Molodetskaya, a screenwriter and journalist at Detector Media watchdog, told the Kyiv Post. “Unlike Ukrainian filmmakers, who are always trying to amaze the audience with something new, (the Turks) place their bets on a well-tried method – a simple and emotional story, and beautiful actors.”
“The Turks know what their viewers need,” Liliya Molodetskaya, a screenwriter and journalist at Detector Media watchdog, told the Kyiv Post. “Unlike Ukrainian filmmakers, who are always trying to amaze the audience with something new, (the Turks) place their bets on a well-tried method – a simple and emotional story, and beautiful actors.”Emotions and close ties
Emotions and close ties
In Ukraine, 10 Turkish soap operas have been shown on the 1+1, Bigudi, TET TV channels, all of which have 9-11 percent TV audience share, Andriy Koval, programming director at the 1+1 Media Group, said. “As with all good things, Turkish soaps appeared on Ukrainian TV by accident. The first experiment was ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ – shown during the day, it had rather average ratings (of 4-9 percent). But then there came ‘The Magnificent Century,’ which won the hearts of Ukrainians,” said Koval.
“As with all good things, Turkish soaps appeared on Ukrainian TV by accident. The first experiment was ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ – shown during the day, it had rather average ratings (of 4-9 percent). But then there came ‘The Magnificent Century,’ which won the hearts of Ukrainians,” said Koval.
Yevgenia Olenikova, a translator based in Kyiv, started watching Turkish soap operas to improve her language skills. But she soon got hooked on the plots. “They win over the audience with their high quality and beautiful cinematography, and strong emotions,” Olenikova said.
She likee “Ezel” – the story of a man betrayed by the woman he loved. She has also watched Turkish adaptations of U.S. shows, and the most popular Turkish historical drama “Muhtesem Yuzyil,” or “The Magnificent Century.”Connections to Ukraine are strong.
Connections to Ukraine are strong.“The Magnificent Century” is the tale of a Ukrainian woman, Nastya Lisovska, who was kidnapped and enslaved in the Ottoman Empire, but then became Roxelana or Hurrem Sultan, the chief consort of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.“The Magnificent Century” is the tale of a Ukrainian woman, Nastya Lisovska, who was kidnapped and enslaved in the Ottoman Empire, but then became Roxelana or Hurrem Sultan, the chief consort of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
“The Magnificent Century” is the tale of a Ukrainian woman, Nastya Lisovska, who was kidnapped and enslaved in the Ottoman Empire, but then became Roxelana or Hurrem Sultan, the chief consort of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.Olenikova also is a fan of some Turkish actors.
Olenikova also is a fan of some Turkish actors. “I would mention actresses Nebahat Cehre and Beren Saat, and actors Halit Ergenç and Kivanc Tatlitug. And of course Meryem Uzerli – her body language is awesome,” said Olenikova.
“I would mention actresses Nebahat Cehre and Beren Saat, and actors Halit Ergenç and Kivanc Tatlitug. And of course Meryem Uzerli – her body language is awesome,” said Olenikova.
Turkish-German actress Uzerli has become popular after starring in the role of Roxelana.
“Ukrainians are deeply involved in their family environments. Most of the Turkish shows tell the stories of family values, conflicts and intrigues,” said Molodetskaya. “That is interesting for Ukrainian viewers, despite the differences in culture and mentality between our nations.”People get easily addicted to soaps when their heroes have simple and familiar values, goals and problems.
People get easily addicted to soaps when their heroes have simple and familiar values, goals and problems.
“Turks always take care to put beautiful actors on screen. At home, women control the TV remote, so beauty works,” she said.
Pylyp Illenko, the head of Ukraine’s State Film Agency, told the Kyiv Post that Turkish soap operas frequently win a more mature and female audience because of the melodrama. Many – like “Kinglet, the Songbird” (made in 2013) – are remakes of series made in the 1970s.
“Those were the first soap operas shown in the Soviet Union, so they remind some Ukrainians of their younger days,” said Illenko.
Media expert Otar Dovzhenko said, Turkish soaps, like Latin American ones “have a full package to lure their target audience: romantic love, a pinch of exotica, the core theme of Cinderella and Prince Charming, and, of course, traditional and sometimes conservative values”International love story
International love story
On the big screen, cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine amounts to only one co-produced movie. The romantic comedy “Love Me,” made in 2013 by Ukrainian-Turkish couple Maryna Er Horbach and Mehmed Bahadir Er, could be the start of Ukrainian-Turkish joint filmmaking, Illenko hopes.
On the big screen, cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine amounts to only one co-produced movie. The romantic comedy “Love Me,” made in 2013 by Ukrainian-Turkish couple Maryna Er Horbach and Mehmed Bahadir Er, could be the start of Ukrainian-Turkish joint filmmaking, Illenko hopes.The story is that of Turkish man Cemal, played by
The story is that of Turkish man Cemal, played by Ushan Cakir, who comes to Kyiv seeking a last one-night stand with a gorgeous Ukrainian woman before his arranged wedding back home. In Kyiv, he falls in love with Sasha, played by Ukrainian actress Victoria Spesivtseva, the mistress of a married Mosow businessman. Cakir won the best leading actor award at the Odessa International Film Festival in 2015 for his role.
Cakir won the best leading actor award at the Odessa International Film Festival in 2015 for his role.
Er Horbach said that, despite different religions, the Ukrainian and Turkish mentalities are close and deeply interested in each other. Yet despite that interest, no further major joint productions are in the pipeline.
“We’re interested in further cooperation,” said Koval. “But Turkish filmmakers are so busy and so oriented to their domestic viewers. We haven’t found a contact point yet.”
