Skip to main content

Turkish Dizi: a success story for Türkiye

 



by Martin Aslan


Türkiye : a major exporter of TV series

According to a survey by Eurodata, Türkiye is the world’s second-best exporter of tv series after the United States and before South Korea. Its series or « Dizi » are aired in at least 150 countries, first in Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, then extensively in Latin America. In Western Europe, Turkish series can lean on many people of Turkish descent to get good ratings. Some Turkish series are also aired on TV in Spain and Italy where Turkish TV series’ actors became big celebrities.

The export of Turkish series and movies in 2023 is predicted to exceed $1 billion.


The promotion of a certain Turkish way of life

Many series present a world of Turkish luxury, where actors are dressed with trendy, colorful and expansive outfits and play in prestigious houses and palaces by the Bosphorus. Each episode is sponsored by apparel manufacturers, mainly Turkish ones and ends with adverts for the brands staged during the show. Several Turkish industries have benefited from the development and the export of the Turkish film industries, including tourism, restaurants, Turkish cuisine, clothing and apparel, Turkish carpets and home furnishings. The series contribute to the purchase of a huge amount of goods.

The archetypal Turkish serie is a romance opposing a young partygoer and flirtatious boy from a respected, immensely rich and influent family and a modest young woman from a poor conservative family. It promotes a certain image of Türkiye: dynamic, open to good business oppurtunities but rooted in its Islamic values. 


A problematic model

In recent years, several successful series, such as Istanbullu gelin (the bride from Istanbul), Kirmizi Oda (The red room), Ömer, Camdaki kiz (The girl in the window), Terzi (The tailor), yalin Capkini (The palace’s rascal) bear great resemblance. All of them tell the story of a prestigious, old family organised in a strict, authoritarian hierarchy and are presented as inspired by a true story. Domestic violence is systematic and depicted in details. Fathers beat their wife and daughters, lock them up in a cellar or even chain them, Grandfathers scream and humiliate their grandsons, brothers fights. This violence is normalised and even romanticized with a glamorous setting. It gives the impression that this family model is the norm and that it is acceptable to treat one another this way. All the more so as these stories are presented as inspired by true stories. 

The truth is that these series are based on novels by the same author, Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu who is also a psychiatrist. Each of her novels draw inspiration from psychiatric cases. In other words what is depicted as desirable, normal, ancient order comes actually from anecdotes of neurotic cases medically treated by a psychiatrist. Viewers take unhealthy pleasure in it. With the success met, the series depict more and more violence and in great details. 

Series are a great tool for Türkiye to promote its industries and its model on an international level. But the research for economic rentability lead to standardized caricatural productions at the expense of women rights and role in society. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Türkish influence in Asia: promoter of peace or supplier of weapons?

by Martin Aslan Türkiye’s relationship with Asia is a dynamic blend of cultural, religious, and economic ties shaping Türkiye’s foreign policy and regional influence. These multifaceted connections reveal how cultural and religious bonds intersect with Türkiye’s paradoxical roles as both a peacemaker and arms supplier and raises questions about its real commitment in fighting fitna (division) within the Muslim world. This ambiguous position also raises questions about the effectiveness of Ankara’s influence. Cultural and religious connections Asia has long held historical and cultural importance for Türkiye. The Turkish people originally migrated from regions around present-day Mongolia, a heritage President Erdogan often recalls. This historical memory partly explains Türkiye’s continuing interest in the Uyghur people of China. While Ankara occasionally criticizes Beijing’s repression of Uyghurs, it offers little tangible support. Türkiye’s cultural resonance extends to South Asia, pa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Turkish concerns mount as Iranian Kurdish Coalition rises

by Martin Aslan Both Erdoğan’s government and the Iranian regime perceive the Kurds as a threat. Estimates place their population between 7 and 15 million in Iran, Iranian Kurds—known as Rojhelati or Eastern Kurds—have faced ongoing discrimination, including restrictions on Kurdish language education, cultural expression, and political organizing. On February 22, 2026, five major Iranian Kurdish opposition parties formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan (CPFIK) to coordinate efforts against the Islamic Republic. A sixth group, the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, joined on March 4. The coalition includes: Such political coordination among Iranian Kurdish movements is likely to be closely watched in Ankara, where Kurdish political and territorial developments beyond Türkiye’s borders are viewed through a national security lens. If Iranian Kurdish parties were to gain territorial control in Iranian Kurdistan, it would likely heighten concerns in Ankara. Türkiye ha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Turkey's Cynical Game: Fueling Middle East Chaos While Preaching Peace

by Martin Aslan In the volatile geopolitics of March 2026, Turkey under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan remains the region's most destabilizing force—master of loud moral outrage and quiet strategic opportunism. The Azerbaijan-Israel axis perfectly exposes Ankara's hypocrisy. Azerbaijan supplies Israel with roughly 46% of its crude oil imports, flowing through Turkey's Ceyhan port via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. In return, Israeli drones and advanced weaponry helped Baku decisively defeat Armenia in recent conflicts. This partnership directly counters Iran, providing Israel intelligence access near Tehran's borders and stoking fears of unrest among Iran's large ethnic Azeri population. Turkey vociferously backs Azerbaijan as “one nation, two states,” supplying political cover and military aid. Simultaneously, Erdoğan unleashes blistering anti-Israel rhetoric—especially over Gaza—imposing partial trade bans to rally domestic and Islamic support. Yet reality betrays the bl...
Post a Comment
Read more