Turkish dramas eye China after conquering global screens

Global expansion since 2007

Ay Yapim Chief Executive Kerem Catay said Turkish television productions now reach audiences approaching 1 billion people across more than 100 countries, with the industry now targeting the massive Chinese market following two decades of expansion throughout Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.

The industry's international footprint began expanding dramatically in the late 2000s, with early successes such as "Yaprak Dokumu" paving the way for global phenomena including "Ezel," "Ask-i Memnu" and "Dirilis: Ertugrul." Speaking on the sidelines of the Turkish Series Symposium in Istanbul, Catay noted that the Middle East provided the first major overseas audience before the phenomenon spread to Latin America and eventually to Europe and Vietnam. "We have Asia, all around the world," he said.

Targeting China

Despite this global footprint, China remains largely untapped by Turkish producers. Catay stated that breaking into the Chinese market represents one of the industry's primary ambitions, noting that producers traveled to China last year alongside Culture and Tourism Ministry officials to explore distribution opportunities. Domestic Chinese dramas currently dominate viewership there, though Korean productions have also cultivated major followings.

Catay estimated that a successful Turkish production could potentially reach around 1 billion people through the industry's presence in roughly 140 countries. Measuring the precise global audience has grown more complex as streaming platforms increasingly dominate international distribution. "If it's a digital one, if it's a platform one, we don't know the ratings because they're not giving out the ratings," he said.

Cultural impact and brand identity

The industry's growth has transformed it into a cultural force worth more than $1 billion annually, according to ministry figures. Birol Guven, the Culture and Tourism Ministry's director general of cinema, told Anadolu that the productions function as a form of cultural diplomacy. "When people watch a Turkish drama, they want to travel to Türkiye," he said.

Guven argued that Turkish television has achieved a unique status in global media. "Türkiye is the only country whose content is referred to by a name such as 'Turkish drama,'" he said, adding: "You do not hear terms such as 'English drama' or 'American drama.' We are the only country that refers to its television series as 'Turkish drama.' This is very important."