Uğur Rıfat Karlova


Uğur Rıfat Karlova is a Turkish-Taiwanese stand-up comedian, actor, TV host, showman and writer.

Biography

Born in Izmit, Karlova's family origins go back to the city of Karlová. He finished his primary school in his father's city of Hayrabolu / Tekirdag. Following that, his father sent him to Private Tekirdag College which was the first English private school in Tekirdag. After graduation, he continued his studies at the Tekirdag Tourism Profession High School. In 1998, he graduated from this school's Department of Accounting and Reception and in the same year he enrolled at the University of Mersin Anamur Vocational School in the Department of Hotel Management in German Language. Karlova got his degree in 2001 and in 2002 he entered Ankara University's Department of Chinese/Sinology, graduating in 2006. The same year he received a scholarship for studying in Taiwan. Karlova received his master's degree in the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan Normal University Karlova speaks fluent German, English, Mandarin, Taiwanese and Turkish. He also completed script writing and acting courses from prestigious universities in Taiwan including Chinese Culture University and Taipei National University of Arts. Karlova is currently studying and developing his entertainment career in Taiwan.

Television and stage career

Karlova's television career started in Taiwan with a documentary movie named The History of Taiwan People in 2006. The producers saw him on the street and invited him for their film castings. Karlova was selected for the role of George Leslie Mackay, who was a dentist and missionary in 19th century Taiwan. He began to have parts in Taiwan TV commercials. His first big commercial appearance was 3M's Table Light commercial in Taiwan and mainland China. He also played small roles in other Taiwan TV commercials such as Biore Cream. The famous magazine FHM took Karlova's pictures for Taiwan's FHM August 2008 issue in Eclipse commercial. The 22-episode TV series Faysal Agabey began in 2008 and Karlova did his first TV series appearance as good-hearted engineer Alaeddin who worked for survivors of the 1999 Golcuk earthquake in Turkey. This was the most expensive production of Taiwan's Buddhist channel 'Great Love TV'and nominated best drama in Seoul Drama Awards 2009. Karlova continued his commercial appearances in Te Quiero Diamond Watches, Taipei City Tourism Introduction, Nissan, Fubon Bank, Gigabyteand Ocean Spray TV advertisements. Karlova has appeared one of the most famous TV shows in Taiwan with many television celebrities such as Li Jing's Zhuang Shı Ye Zong Hui talent show, Daxüe Sheng Le Mei the university talk show and with Taiwan television celebrities Aken, Nado and Taozı. He did 30 programs with Taiwan music star Halin in his show "Halin Teacher Hi". This show helped him introduce the Turkish culture to a Taiwan audience. Karlova is known for his Aaron Kwok and Stanley Huang imitations. These imitations were the first shows by a foreign entertainer in Taiwan. Karlova is using the stage name Wu Feng in Taiwan. He has taken acting and script writing classes from Taipei University of Arts. Karlova's another TV drama is for Hakka TV, The Pioneers. This is one of the biggest TV dramas of Hakka TV in Taiwan. In Hakka TV drama Karlova acts as a foreign researcher with another famous foreign actor and director Brook Hall. Karlova's third TV drama role was a father in Taiwan's popular TV drama The Perfect Man which got high audience ratings and become Taiwan's one of the most popular drama in 2011. In this TV drama he was worked with famous artist such as Tian Xin and Yang Yi Zhan. The Perfect Man has helped Karlova to raise his popularity among Taiwan audience. Karlova's first movie appearance is the movie Black and White as a foreign anchorman. The movie will be in cinemas in 2012.
Besides all these works, Karlova also hosted a TV program for Taiwan's public television PTS. The name of the program is Jian Kang Suo Cha Dui, in this program Karlova has visited many hospitals and introduced many new developments on health technology. Since 2011 Rifat Karlova is hosting I-Walker travel show on Set TV. The show is the first foreign hosted prime time travel show in Taiwan's television history. In this show Rifat Karlova is traveling around Taiwan and introduce different food, local people and Chinese culture. Nowadays I Walker show also started to send Rifat to other destinations such as Europe, Turkey and Hong Kong. Besides these TV shows, Rifat Karlova has hosted MTV Movie Chart TV show for over 80 episodes and became the first foreign TV host of MTV. He successfully interviewed Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Gore Verbinski, Jerry Bruckheimer etc. Hollywood stars. Rifat Karlova is still working hard to bring more creativity to entertainment industry in Asia and looking forward to grab new opportunities as a television and stage entertainer.

47.th Golden Bell Award

Rifat Karlova is the first foreign artist who nominated and won the best travel host award in Golden Bell Awards history in Taiwan. The award went to Rifat Karlova in his first year of hosting I WALKER travel show on Set TV. 9 of all judges voted for his performance in the show and praised his witty, unique style of hosting. During the ceremony he showed his red underwear to the press and the moment became the 3.popular news of that night in Yahoo Taiwan's page. He dedicated this award to co-workers, Mazu Goddess and his father.

Stand up comedy

Karlova started his single stage performances at the Comedy Club Taipei which is the sole comedy club in Taiwan. He has performed more than 100 shows in the Mandarin Chinese language. He is one of the first foreigners to perform in the Chinese language in Taiwan and the world. He performs his live shows barefoot. He explains, "performing barefoot is amazing – it helps me to feel the wooden stage and I really can be part of it." He is currently performing at the Comedy Club and for special events. Karlova also performed in Hong Kong at Take Out Comedy Club and got the 2. title in 2010 Hong Kong International Stand Up Comedy Contest.

TV and stage appearances