Burak Özçivit on Kenan Kozan and Love in Güneşin Doğduğu Yer

Burak Özçivit says the story of Güneşin Doğduğu Yer is still in its foundation stage. In a Sabah interview published on 1 November 2026, the actor explained how Burak Özçivit’s Kenan Kozan, a son of a powerful Adana family, is being pushed into a deeper dead end. He also spoke about the Adana shoot and about why love stories sell Turkish dramas abroad.

The series airs on Atv. Özçivit plays Kenan, who believes the love of his life has betrayed him.

Kenan Kozan: a prince inside a family “dynasty”

Özçivit describes Kenan’s family as a dynasty. His mother, Celadet, rules it, and Kenan is her heir. According to the actor, she is reluctant to hand over full authority, and people call her “Demir Lady” (Iron Lady).

He lists the obstacles in Kenan’s way: Ceyhun, Hanzade and her family, and above all Celadet. Özçivit says Kenan will sometimes find solutions and sometimes fail. Even so, he will keep returning to his mother for advice, and the actor believes the real deadlocks begin there.

In the latest episode, he says, Kenan asks his mother whether she was behind a plot. Özçivit calls this one of the series’ biggest turning points. He expects Kenan’s doubts about the person he trusts most to push him further into trouble.

The actor does not expect an easy escape. He compares Kenan’s situation to sinking into a swamp. He also says Kenan will act more rashly than Özçivit would himself, because the actor sees himself as a more measured person.

Love, trust and the long road ahead

The interviewer asked whether love changes people. Özçivit answered that it does, but that it takes time and a shared journey. He says Kenan and Leyla are only at the start of that road.

The story is set in Adana, and Özçivit says he has been working there for about two and a half months. He credits screenwriter Yıldız Tunç, whom he calls highly experienced, with shaping the plot. He adds that the cast itself is curious about where the story will go. In his words, the knots will multiply as the storylines open up.

Why Özçivit says love sells Turkish dramas abroad

Özçivit also described meeting international buyers at MIPCOM in Cannes, the yearly television market where programmes are sold worldwide. He says buyers want to work with people whose earlier projects they know. He reports strong demand for Güneşin Doğduğu Yer.

In his view, the key selling point is love, together with impossible choices and obstacles. Class conflict and economic hardship also matter, because viewers in many countries face similar problems. He adds that audiences watch to understand Turkish family life and culture. They also see the landscape, which he says helps tourism.

The actor claims that Turkish series can reach one and a half to two billion viewers. This is his own estimate, and the interview gives no source for it. He also says his last four series aired widely abroad and that this one will be the fifth. He mentions his role in Kuruluş Osman among those high-viewing projects.

What viewers can expect next

Özçivit’s message is that Kenan’s troubles will grow before they ease. Viewers who want to follow the story can find the series on our Güneşin Doğduğu Yer episode page.

Source: Sabah
Featured image: atv