"Mercan Köşk" cancelled after 7 episodes: Kubilay Aka says goodbye to the team

The ATV series "Mercan Köşk" came to an end with its 7th episode, aired on Saturday, October 17, 2026. There will be no eighth episode. The lead character Aras Akıncı was played by Kubilay Aka, who said goodbye to the team on social media after the finale.

In his post, Aka thanked his co-stars and the crew, whom he called the "Mercan Köşk family." He admitted he does not like emotional speeches and expressed hope that their paths will cross again. Of the project, the actor said they were left wanting more ("Tadı damağımızda kaldı"), a Turkish expression used when something good has ended too soon.

Ratings are cited as the reason for the cancellation. According to journalist Birsen Altuntaş, as relayed on October 7 by Medyascope and Halk TV, the series, which aired on ATV on Saturdays at 8 p.m. and premiered on September 5, failed to deliver the expected results. Its first episode scored 2.78 in the Total category. Reportedly, the channel and the production company made the decision to end it jointly. Actor Mehmet Özgür had earlier denied the finale rumors, but they turned out to be true.

The series, made by Faro and Sinehane, is about an old feud between two families, secrets and an impossible love. Cemre's life changes when her husband mysteriously disappears right after the wedding. Searching for the truth, she ends up at the Mercan Köşk mansion in Tarsus (Mersin), where she meets Aras and finds herself at the center of old scores between the families. Cemre was played by Hafsanur Sancaktutan. The cast also includes Bertan Asllani, Mehmet Özgür, Zeyno Eracar, Tülin Özen, Halil Babür and Haki Biçici.

According to Halk TV, this is already the fourth series of the new season to be taken off the air early; similar decisions were previously made for "A.B.İ.," "Aşk ve Taht" and "Çirkin."

Kubilay Aka was born on April 12, 1995, in Istanbul and graduated in airport management from Anadolu University in Eskişehir. He was reportedly spotted while working at an airport, and made his screen debut in 2016 in "Vatanım Sensin" as Ali Kemal. He gained wide popularity through the role of Celasun in "Çukur."