GoQuest Media and Rains Pictures are touting the initial success of the YouTube-first Turkish drama series Arafta, with 1 million subs reached on the platform in 43 days.
Spurred by the digital success, the series has landed slots in Turkey, Israel, Romania, India, Indonesia, and Latvia, the companies said. It arrived on Kanal D in December after premiering on YouTube in November.
Total views have topped 200 million, with 18 million alone on episode one. YouTube operations are handled by Turning Red Media.
“With Arafta, GoQuest Media builds on the success of Kuma’s digital-plus-licensing model,” said Vivek Lath, managing director of GoQuest Media. “Episode 1’s strong start, crossing the 18 million views mark, and early international deals affirm the demand for premium Turkish content and signal our next phase of creative ambition beyond borders.”
Sevda Kaygısız of Rains Pictures added: “From the outset, Arafta has been positioned as a standout project through its compelling story, strong cast performances, and high-paced production model. The remarkable level of engagement achieved on YouTube in such a short period of time stands as a clear testament to the deep emotional connection audiences have formed with the series; as Rains Pictures, we see this success as going beyond digital metrics, reflecting strong confidence in Arafta’s long-term vision and sustainability, and we believe that the creative partnership established with GoQuest Media marks the beginning of a new chapter in the global journey of Turkish drama.”
