He was born on August 20, 1990 in Istanbul as one of the twin children of Yeşim and Cengiz Karayel.

She graduated from Çemberlitaş Girls High School. After a short training at the Kenter Theater, she enrolled in the Istanbul University State Conservatory Theater Department in 2007.
While still a conservatory student, she participated in the auditions for Krek's play Güzel Şeyler Bizim Tarafta (Good Things are on Our Side) and was selected to play the role of "Ayşe" among 30 candidates. With this role, which was her first professional experience, she received the Efes Special Award and the Young Talent Award from the Theater Critics Association at the 16th Sadri Alışık Cinema and Theater Awards.

Her performance attracted the attention of screenwriter Ece Yörenç and then producer Kerem Çatay, and she played the character of "Cemre Çayak" in the television series Kuzey Güney. She then starred in the TV series Kara Para Aşk, Muhteşem Yüzyıl Kösem, Kalp Atışı and Muhteşem İkili.

In 2020, the actress, who played the character of "Meryem" in Bir Başkadır, one of Netflix's Turkish-made series, played the role of "Asiye Yılmaz" in the series The Game of My Destiny, which ended with its 26th episode.
In 2018, Öykü Karayel married singer Can Bonomo and had a son named Roman in 2021 from this marriage.