The Turkish Wave: Dizi and the Rise of Turkey’s Global Scripted Content Exports

Have looked at the Korean Wave in the Middle East, this time we look at the Turkish Wave, a movement shaped by the global rise of Turkish scripted series and now influencing areas far beyond entertainment, from tourism to wider economic activity. It is interesting to return to Asia as a comparison point here, because both Turkey and South Korea built export-driven cultural movements that now shape, and are shaped by, global audience habits.

Today, Turkey stands as the third largest exporter of scripted content in the world after the United States and the United Kingdom. Turkish dramas reach more than 150 countries, and when digital platforms are included, that number approaches 200.

The volume of exported titles continues to climb. In 2024 alone, Turkey surpassed 300 exported series, generating more than 500 million dollars in revenue.

Demand is rising just as quickly. Parrot Analytics reported that interest in Turkish content grew by 184 percent between 2020 and 2023. For comparison, demand for South Korean shows rose by 73 percent during the same period, even with the global attention around titles such as Squid Game.

The Viewing Habits and Market Forces Behind Turkish Content Demand

Most of the Turkish titles that gain traction internationally are scripted dramas. This mirrors broader global viewing patterns, as K dramas have driven Korean content demand in a similar way. The presence of multi-episode soaps helps Turkish titles land well in regions such as Latin America, where audiences have been enjoying telenovelas.

Turkish series are to some extent similar to Latin telenovelas, offering a creative blend that comes from several global traditions. They carry influences of Bollywood, Egyptian melodrama, American television and Latin American telenovelas. The latter crossed borders decades earlier, in the 1970s, while Turkish series gained international reach in the early 2000s.

According to Inter Medya, Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS region continue to be steady buyers of Turkish content, with long standing interest in Turkish production. What is new is the scale of attention from Western Europe. Italy and Spain have moved from acquiring titles occasionally to doing it consistently. Turkish series air in primetime on large broadcasters such as Mediaset’s Canale 5, where episodes draw around 2 million viewers. Distributors say that success in the region has required more than just strong content. Trust, flexible rights packages, fast delivery and active marketing support help secure long term relationships with European partners.

New markets are also emerging. Portugal is building interest largely because its neighbours have already demonstrated strong results. Lower localisation costs are drawing attention from African buyers, and Northern Europe may follow. Markets that had slowed down, such as Bulgaria, Indonesia and Malaysia, are active again. Ukraine is returning, and Malta is becoming a newcomer in acquisitions.

The movement behind Turkish dramas cannot be explained by cultural proximity. At one point, it was suggested that Turkish content thrived in the Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa because of shared history. The evidence now shows that this is not always the case, as several importing countries have no direct historical connection to Turkey, and some intentionally distance themselves from the Ottoman legacy. Instead, these shows find a place because they prioritise themes that large parts of the world still enjoy watching. Love, family dynamics, loyalty, class conflict and relationship tension are central elements of Turkish dramas, which makes the content compatible with audience habits in many regions. Izzet Pinto, CEO of Global Agency, also highlights the family friendly nature of Turkish titles. They avoid nudity and harsh language, which makes them suitable for family viewing across continents.

In Turkey, long-form scripted dramas are known as dizi, a format defined by weekly episodes that often run between 120 and 150 minutes. Dizis have emotionally charged plots that place relationships at the center of the story. Haley Uganadi, founder of the platform Dizilah, describes the format as a blend of family, friendship and romance set against glamorous Istanbul backdrops or historical settings.

The expressive acting style also supports international reach. Clear emotional reactions and visible gestures help viewers follow the story even when subtitles or dubbing are imperfect. Yet not every region is easy to reach. The United States and the Nordic region remain selective about Turkish imports. Nordic broadcasters show reluctance toward both Turkish dramas and formats. In the United States, Parrot Analytics noted in 2023 that many of the most in-demand Turkish titles simply lack distribution. Without accessible catalogue placement, audiences cannot discover the content in the way they have embraced Korean, Japanese or Spanish series. Streamers that choose to secure Turkish rights early may find an opportunity as American viewers continue to adopt more international content.

Why Both Turkish Dizi and Chinese Microdrama Travel Well Across Cultures

When discussing Turkish dizi, another Asian born movement comes to mind: Microdramas. One format lasts less than three minutes, while the other often lasts two hours. Still, both rely on heightened emotion and clear plot turns, which make stories easy to follow across cultures. There is also an unexpected connection. Korean company CJ CGV owns Turkey’s largest cinema and distribution chain. This means that the world’s most influential exporter of long form melodrama is partly anchored in Korean ownership, tied back to another Asian entertainment ecosystem.

The extended structure of dizi, with its long scenes and slower progression, unintentionally helps comprehension in several parts of the world. Viewers have more space to absorb character motivations and story developments.

This trait is both an advantage and a limitation. While it helps the shows thrive in regions accustomed to long form drama, it makes entry into shorter format regions more difficult. Global streamers are trying to balance this. Netflix and Amazon produce Turkish originals with tighter pacing and more compact structure, which leads to the question of how much of the traditional identity will be preserved in future productions.

However, the data shows that international appetite for shorter dizis is strong. Since 2021, 47 Turkish productions have appeared in Netflix’s global weekly top ten lists. Turkish shows have reached audiences in 92 countries through these rankings and have held positions in various top ten lists for a combined 184 weeks.

Private production companies also actively create stories for international reach. They focus on themes such as romance, family and personal challenge while avoiding direct political and religious angles. State funded titles follow another logic, showcasing historical and war-driven dramas, which often gain traction in Islamic regions and sometimes beyond because viewers recognise the epic structure and action driven format.

The best example is the series Resurrection Ertugrul, which ran between 2014 and 2019. The show reached 71 countries, was translated into 25 languages and exceeded 515 million views by 2020. In May 2020, it ranked as the fourth most in demand show worldwide, with demand more than 68 times above the global average.

Economic Pressures on Turkish Drama Production

Unfortunately, not everything is so smooth for T drama at the moment. Turkey is facing significant economic challenges, with the official inflation rate at around 47 percent. This affects every part of the production cycle. Budgets rise quickly, crew costs become harder to manage, and the number of new projects that broadcasters can support declines.

Producers say that inflation pushes costs to levels that domestic broadcasters cannot carry alone. Many shows operate on very narrow or negative margins, making international sales and co-production partnerships essential for survival. This is also why genre selection matters, as producers must prioritise stories that have strong travelability potential.

Some industry opinions suggest that in the current environment, production houses may shift toward fewer projects with smaller budgets. Co-production with international partners could help offset the strain. AI tools may also become part of the solution, particularly in localisation and dubbing workflows.

Soft Power, Travelability, and the Lasting Effect of the Turkish Wave

As Izzet Pinto, CEO of Global Agency, states, “the soft power created by Turkish dramas cannot be compared with what could be done in politics.” The impact of Turkish series shows how content can shape a country’s image far beyond its home market. Turkish content travelability is not a cultural wave in the full classical sense, since it has not led to large scale lifestyle adoption or consumer fandom comparable to Korean pop culture.

Instead, it created a softer form of influence by drawing international curiosity toward the country itself. Turkish dizi reached audiences in regions that have little in common with Turkey culturally or historically, and in doing so, helped boost interest in the country as a destination and a place worth learning about.

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