Turkish TV series attract audience from 146 countries

Second only to the U.S. in TV series exports, Turkey has appealed to audience from 146 countries across the world with more than 150 TV series.

Entertaining more than 700 million audience from Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, and the U.S. so far, Turkey is expected to earn $1 billion in TV series exports by 2023.

As of 2018, Turkey’s revenue from TV series exports amounted to $500 million.

Muhtesem Yuzyil (The Magnificent Century), which was exported to most countries among Turkish TV series, attracted over 500 million viewers from 70 different countries.

Among the most profited Turkish TV series were Dirilis: Ertugrul (Resurrection: Ertugrul), Kara Para Ask (Dirty Money Love), Adini Feriha Koydum (I Named Her Feriha), Gumus (Silver), and Fatmagul'un Sucu Ne? (What is the Fault of Feriha?).

Chile, Mexico, and Argentina stand out in the list of countries where Turkish TV series are very popular.

Ask-i Memnu, produced in 1975, was the first Turkish TV series exported. It was sold to France in 1981.

The final episode of the Gumus -- dubbed in Arabic -- gained 85 million audience in 2008.

The TV series Binbir Gece (1001 Nights) also gained great acclaim in 80 countries it aired in. It stands among the most popular TV series in Arabic countries such as Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Morocco, and Algeria.

The popularity of Turkish TV series is beyond Turkic speaking countries, namely Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Albania, Poland, Serbia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Hungary are just some of the European countries where they sit high in the ratings.

Earlier, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro posted on Twitter that he was following Dirilis Ertugrul. Famous footballer Lionel Messi was also seen watching Kara Para Ask in an Instagram post of him.

Turkey is among the first five countries exporting TV series through TV and online platforms alongside the U.S., Germany, France and the U.K.

Turkish TV series, available in online streaming platforms such as Netflix, puhutv, and YouTube, gain attention of younger generation easier, paving the way exportation.

Since entering the Turkish market in 2016, Netflix has acquired the streaming rights of many Turkish series, including Leyla ile Mecnun, Suskunlar, Karadayi and Ezel. The streaming giant also produced two Turkish Netflix Original series: Hakan: Muhafiz (The Protector) and Atiye (The Gift).

*Writing by Can Atalay