1001 Nights (2006–2009)
1001 Nights is a Turkish drama, romance series broadcast on Kanal D, first aired in 2006–2009. Architect Şehrazat faces a devastating dilemma when her son needs urgent leukemia treatment and her manager, Onur, offers financial help on a deeply troubling condition.
1001 Nights cast: Halit Ergenç (Onur Aksal), Bergüzar Korel (Sherazade Evliyaoğlu), Tardu Flordun (Kerem Inceoğlu), Ceyda Düvenci (Bennu Ataman), Ergün Demir (Ali Kemal Evliyaoğlu), Tomris İncer (Nadide Evliyaoğlu).
Detailed content was compiled from sources with AI; pending editorial review. Editor: Uğur Arı.
Plot
After losing her husband in a car accident, successful architect Şehrazat Evliyaoğlu raises her young son Kaan alone. When Kaan is diagnosed with leukemia and a matching bone-marrow donor is found in Azerbaijan, Şehrazat must quickly find the money needed for his treatment. Unable to obtain help from her father-in-law or a bank, she asks her manager Onur Aksal for a loan. Onur agrees only on the condition that Şehrazat spends a night with him. She accepts, but the event becomes a secret that continues to shape their lives as Onur feels remorse and their relationship develops. Their decision to marry is challenged by Onur’s mother and by Kerem, who knows how their relationship began and is prepared to use the secret against them.
Origins of the story
Adaptation status
The series reimagines the Scheherazade framework of One Thousand and One Nights in contemporary Istanbul. Rather than directly adapting the classical tales, it transfers the central motif to a modern melodrama about work, power, money and motherhood.
Connection to reality
No reliable source found confirming that the series is based on a specific real event or real person.
Iconic filming locations
The story setting and the real filming site are identified separately.
Ferik Ahmet Afif Paşa Yalısı
İstinye, Sarıyer · İstanbul · Türkiye
- Use in filming
- Used as the house where Onur and Şehrazat lived.
- Place represented in the story
- Onur and Şehrazat’s house
- Scenes and context
- Sources indicate that the building was used as a private residence in the series.
Hekimbaşı Salih Efendi Yalısı
Anadoluhisarı, Beykoz · İstanbul · Türkiye
- Use in filming
- Used for filming the series.
- Place represented in the story
- Not explicitly stated in the sources
- Scenes and context
- The building was severely damaged after being struck by a ship in 2018; the sources do not identify a specific scene or character associated with it.
Çukurçeşme Hanı
Laleli, Fatih · İstanbul · Türkiye
- Use in filming
- Used as Taşhan in the series.
- Place represented in the story
- The Taşhan where Burhan Evliyaoğlu drank tea
- Scenes and context
- The source identifies the place referred to as Taşhan in the series as Çukurçeşme Hanı.
Location details were compiled from sources with AI assistance and are pending editorial review.
Trailer
Details
- Year
- 2006–2009
- Channel
- Kanal D
- Genre
- drama, romance
- Seasons
- 1
- Episodes
- 150
- Rating
- 5.5
Cast
Character Map
Hero
- ↳ Onur Aksal — partner
Anti-hero
Antagonist
Character
What's in this series?
From the frame tale to contemporary Istanbul
1001 NIGHTS retains the name and central motif of Scheherazade while replacing the classical palace setting with contemporary work, family and class relations in Istanbul. The series transforms the survival strategy of the traditional frame tale into the story of a working mother forced to negotiate for her child’s medical treatment. It is therefore best described as a modern reworking of the Scheherazade motif rather than a direct screen translation of the tales.
Gender and workplace power
The central conflict is built around the unequal relationship between a male manager who controls financial resources and a female employee seeking access to them in order to save her child. Academic analyses discuss Şehrazat’s professional position, motherhood and relationship with Onur alongside gender norms, showing that the series also addresses women’s labour, motherhood and patriarchal bargaining structures.
An example of the international circulation of Turkish drama
The international sales catalogue presents the series under the title 1001 NIGHTS and identifies it as a TMC Film production for Kanal D. Academic studies discuss Binbir Gece in relation to the international visibility of Turkish television drama and the circulation of images of Turkey.
Production and broadcast context
Binbir Gece was produced by TMC Film and broadcast on Kanal D. Kanal D’s archive lists the 90th episode as the finale, supporting the recorded three-season broadcast history. The international sales material lists Halit Ergenç, Bergüzar Korel, Ceyda Düvenci and Tardu Flordun among the principal cast.
Frequently asked questions
How many episodes is 1001 Nights?
1001 Nights has 150 episodes across 1 seasons.
When did 1001 Nights air?
1001 Nights first aired in 2006–2009 on Kanal D.
Who is in the cast of 1001 Nights?
The main cast includes Halit Ergenç (Onur Aksal), Bergüzar Korel (Sherazade Evliyaoğlu), Tardu Flordun (Kerem Inceoğlu), Ceyda Düvenci (Bennu Ataman), Ergün Demir (Ali Kemal Evliyaoğlu), Tomris İncer (Nadide Evliyaoğlu).
Sources
- 1001 NIGHTS – International Sales Catalogue — The Global Agency
- Binbir Gece Dizisi İzle — Kanal D
- The Turkish Soap Opera Binbir Gece and the Transnational Reception of Turkey — Euxeinos / University of St. Gallen
- Scheherazade in Istanbul: A Study of the Popular Turkish TV Series Binbir Gece — Lancaster University
- 2000’ler dizilerinde kadınlar – Binbir Gece’deki Mimar Şehrazat — Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi Açık Erişim
