LA HISTORIA DE AMOR DETRÁS DE ERKENCI KUŞ (EL PÁJARO SOÑADOR) ES / EN

THE LOVE STORY BEHIND ERKENCI KUŞ (THE DREAMING BIRD)

Hi, Hivers,

I have to admit that I’m passionate about soap operas, especially Latin American ones. I grew up watching Venezuelan, Mexican, and Colombian telenovelas, hahaha. Who didn’t enjoy the love story between Betty and Armando or the drama of María la del Barrio with its endless episodes? With the advent of technology, some tastes change—and yes, I moved away from romance a bit and discovered the action, suspense, and mystery hidden behind TV series. I delved into the world of drug cartels with shows like El Señor de los Cielos and La Reina del Sur, or the emergency room of Grey’s Anatomy, with more interesting storylines and more complex characters.

It wasn’t until a few months ago that my mom and sister introduced me to the captivating world of Turkish series and their gorgeous leads—hahaha!—and I stumbled upon some really fresh and interesting stories to follow. In this post, I’m going to tell you about my experience with the first Turkish series I watched, which I loved from the very first episode: The Dreaming Bird (Erkenci Kuş). A beautiful love story that combines comedy, romance, drama, and challenges faced by the characters.

The plot revolves around Sanem Aydin, a young woman from the neighborhood who dreams of becoming a famous writer and traveling to the Galápagos—that island in Ecuador that symbolizes freedom to her. She works at the neighborhood grocery store, but her family forces her to either enter into an arranged marriage or find a more stable job. Her life takes a turn when she starts working at the prestigious Divit family advertising agency, where her older sister Leyla Aydın is employed.

At the agency, she meets Can Divit, the “albatross” (as Sanem calls him). He is the eldest son of Aziz Divit, an adventurous photographer who returns to the country to take over the family business. Sanem and Can find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of emotions, secrets, and misunderstandings that test their love time and again. Each episode of the series shows how their relationship evolves amid deceit, rivalries, and family traditions.

With both comedic and emotional moments, the series tackles themes such as: the fulfillment of dreams through the character of Sanem, who works hard not to give up in the face of difficulties and to become a writer; true love; identity and personal growth—almost all the characters navigate their own paths of self-discovery and self-improvement.

Let's Talk About the Characters

Although my favorite character was Cengiz “CeyCey” Özdemir, played by actor Anıl Çelik, because he brought a touch of humor and lightheartedness with his witty remarks and comments, the chemistry and talent of the lead actors are one of the series' highlights.

We’re talking about the charismatic comic actress Demet Özdemir, who plays Sanem Aydin; and the incredibly handsome Can Yaman, who brings Can Divit to life—I fell in love with him from the very first scene, hahaha. Their performances were incredible—I have a list of recommendations for productions featuring these three talented actors, in which they also deliver on-screen performances worth watching and admiring. Want to know what they are?

Ceren Taşçı’s performance as Ayhan Işık, Sanem’s best friend, is also incredible. Together with “CeyCey,” they help the protagonist navigate her relationship with Can and his family. I recommend watching her in Room 309, where she plays Filiz Sarıhan—she’s brilliant.

Then there’s Muzaffer “Moza”, played by actor Cihan Ercan—another character who, with his wild antics and unrequited love for Sanem, adds a comedic element that contrasts with the romantic dramas. I loved it because, near the end of the series, he teams up with “CeyCey,” and they form a beautiful friendship.

Like any soap opera… we also have villains

These characters add excitement to the show with all the tension they bring to the drama, hahaha. They’re so good!
We’re talking about Emre Divit, played by Birand Tunca. He’s the younger brother of Can Divit—an intriguing character who also works at the family business, but his ambitions and thirst for power lead him to make bad decisions; he even manipulates Sanem into doing things she doesn’t want to do.

Next up is Aylin Yüksel, played by Sevcan Yaşar—a shrewd, intelligent, and ambitious woman. Through deception, she uses Emre to destroy Can and the Divit family business. Although she wasn’t a villain, Hüma Divit—played by İpek Tenolcay—is the mother of the Divit brothers, who stirs up family conflicts and reveals secrets from the past that affect the main characters throughout the series.

The Dreamer (Erkenci Kuş) is a very entertaining romantic comedy. It has 161 episodes and is dubbed into Spanish on YouTube.

Thank you so much for reading this far. I’d love to know what kinds of shows you enjoy watching. Are you fans of never-ending soap operas or miniseries? Action, drama, suspense, mystery, comedy, romance? What other Turkish shows do you recommend? Anyway, I’ll be reading your comments—I’d love to hear your opinions and, of course, your recommendations for what to watch.

See you in the next drama!