“After an episode where the heroine leaves an abusive husband, my mother had a long talk with my sister about red flags in relationships,” says Tekla, a 24-year-old student from Tbilisi. “The series gave them a language to discuss things that were previously taboo.”
This commercial success has had an unintended consequence: a decline in locally produced Georgian fiction series. Producers complain that it is cheaper to buy Turkish series rights and dub them than to fund original scripts. Some see this as a cultural loss; others argue that the popularity of Turkish dramas has raised audience expectations for production value and storytelling quality. The influence of turquli serialebi extends into real-life Georgian discourse. Discussions about domestic violence, forced marriage, class inequality, and mental health — themes frequently tackled in Turkish dramas — have become dinner-table topics in Georgia, sometimes for the first time. turquli serialebi qartulad natargmni
Voice actors, too, have become celebrities. Viewers recognize their voices across different series and discuss their performances on social media. Some actors voice multiple characters in the same show, a feat requiring impressive vocal range. Fans create compilation videos of the most dramatic dubbing moments on YouTube, celebrating a “perfect scream” or “heartbreaking whisper.” Georgian broadcasters are not dubbing Turkish series out of cultural altruism. The numbers speak for themselves. A hit Turkish drama regularly captures a 40-50% audience share in its time slot, dwarfing local productions and Western imports. Advertising slots during these shows command premium prices, with Georgian branches of international brands and local businesses eager to reach captive viewers. “After an episode where the heroine leaves an
This digital accessibility has created a second life for older series. Gumush (known in Georgian as Verdzhnobebi ), which first aired in the mid-2000s, gained a new generation of fans during the pandemic lockdowns. Comments under episodes are filled with nostalgic Georgians remembering where they were when a certain character died or a secret was revealed. The Georgian appetite for Turkish series shows no sign of waning. Broadcasters have signed multi-year deals with Turkish distributors like Kanal D International and ATV Distribution. New genres are emerging: historical epics, psychological thrillers, and even Turkish adaptations of Korean dramas, all dubbed into Georgian. Some see this as a cultural loss; others
Below is an in-depth feature article on the topic, written in English, as requested. In the past decade, Georgian prime-time television has undergone a quiet revolution. It did not come from Hollywood, nor from Moscow, nor from a domestic production renaissance. Instead, it arrived from across the Black Sea — from Turkey, wrapped in the warm, emotional cadence of the Georgian language. The phenomenon of turquli serialebi qartulad natargmni (Turkish series dubbed into Georgian) is no longer just a programming trend; it is a cultural touchstone. A Dubbing Boom That Redefined Evenings Walk into any Tbilisi apartment around 9 PM, and you are likely to hear familiar voices: the tense whisper of a wronged heiress, the commanding tone of a vengeful businessman, or the tearful plea of a mother protecting her secret. These are not original Turkish actors speaking, but Georgian dubbing artists whose voices have become as recognizable as pop stars.
Fashion trends, too, have been affected. Long coats, silk headscarves worn loosely, and men’s beards styled like Turkish leading men have appeared in Georgian streets. Coffee culture — specifically Turkish coffee — has seen a modest revival, thanks to scenes of characters drinking it during pivotal moments. Not everyone celebrates the trend. Some Georgian intellectuals express concern about cultural dependency. “We are outsourcing our imagination,” one film director told a local newspaper. “Young Georgians know the streets of Istanbul better than the alleys of Tbilisi’s old town.”