Ömer Aslan, who stands out with his resemblance to Hollywood star Keanu Reeves' character "John Wick," narrates the culture, flavors and values of his hometown Konya in his local dialect.
As a physical education teacher who has been working in Karaman for 10 years and living in Konya, the 39-year-old Aslan coincidentally noticed his resemblance to the John Wick character due to the attention he received in Istanbul in 2021. When people in Eminönü wanted to take photos with him, Aslan's curiosity was piqued when he caught the attention of an Iranian director on a nearby film set, prompting him to conduct research online.
The "Turkish John Wick," Ömer Aslan, jumps over a tramway barrier, Konya, Türkiye, Dec. 20, 2023.
Aslan, who noticed his resemblance to Keanu Reeves, gradually transformed his style and image into that of John Wick. Those around him started calling him "Konya's John Wick." Aslan, who often creates videos in the local dialect to promote the values of Konya, nearby Karaman and other cities he travels to, has gained attention on social media with his content.
Konya, by the way, is the final resting place of the renowned poet and Sufi philosopher Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, commonly known as Rumi. His mausoleum, known as the Mevlana Museum or Mevlana Türbesi, is a significant pilgrimage site and a popular tourist attraction in Konya.
Pleased with the attention he received, Aslan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that people know him as the local John Wick due to his Konya accent.
Aslan has encountered interesting reactions due to being the spitting image of Keanu Reeves but having a heavy local Konya accent. "People generally say, 'This guy looks like John Wick, but his accent is from Konya. I wonder if they are dubbing him.' Some people contact me from abroad, from Canada, Belgium and Germany," Aslan said.
Not the real John Wick, really
There are people who genuinely believe he is John Wick. "Once, someone said to me, 'Hey, bro, I watched your movie yesterday. You're amazing. Let's take a photo.' Even though I told them, 'I'm not John Wick, I'm from Konya,' I couldn't convince him no matter how much I explained."
"I encounter these interesting incidents usually, in Antalya, Alanya, Mevlana Museum, Istanbul and around Galata Tower, tourists call out to me in English. I only understand John Wick and Keanu Reeves. I say, 'I'm Turkish, Anatolian, Konya's John Wick.' Some people really want to take photos with me."
According to the "Turkish John Wick," the use of the "g" sound in their dialect is highly appreciated and when combined with the character of John Wick, it creates a unique energy. Aslan supports the preservation of this dialect as it is a part of their identity and enjoys using it. They also try to promote Anatolian culture through this dialect.
He mentions that the word "nörün" is particularly loved by people from Konya and Central Anatolia, and in their dialect, the letter "g" holds a special place. He gives examples such as "Gonya, Garaman, Angara." In his videos, he explains these examples.
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