For our MIPCOM 2026 issue, we spoke with Ekin Koyuncu Karaman, Global Distribution & Partnership Director at OGM UNIVERSE.
Standing out with productions that make a difference in the international market, OGM UNIVERSE brings a dynamic portfolio and an ambitious partnership strategy to MIPCOM 2026. At the heart of its offering is Karakuyu (presented internationally as Ferda), a highly anticipated new drama exploring female empowerment, power struggles, and the confrontation with the past, alongside the eagerly awaited second season of Deep in Love.
As one of the leading international representatives of Turkish content, OGM UNIVERSE is expanding its global reach with a rich catalogue while exploring partnership models that go beyond traditional licensing. In this conversation, Ekin Koyuncu Karaman, Global Distribution & Partnership Director at OGM UNIVERSE, discusses the company’s new season strategy, flagship titles, and ambitions for growth across emerging markets.
MIPCOM, one of the industry’s most important global gatherings, is underway. What are OGM UNIVERSE’s main expectations for this year’s market? What will be your key focus, and which regions will you be prioritizing this season?
Our main priorities at MIPCOM this year are the international launch of Ferda and the presentation of the highly anticipated second season of Deep in Love.
Alongside these flagship titles, we will update buyers on the continued international success of our wider catalogue. Productions such as Six of Us, The Fall of the King, Lost in Love, Reborn and Broken Destiny have already reached audiences across numerous territories, demonstrating both the diversity of our portfolio and the enduring global demand for Turkish drama.
Latin America, the US, Iberia, MENA and Russia remain among our most important territories, while Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics and Africa are well-established markets for us. At the same time, we are placing a strong emphasis on expanding our presence and developing new business in Western Europe and Asia. Licensing remains at the core of our business, but we are also open to format sales and local adaptation opportunities. Beyond sales, MIPCOM gives us an invaluable opportunity to understand how programming priorities and audience expectations are evolving and to build partnerships that extend beyond a single title or deal.
OGM UNIVERSE’s new project, Karakuyu, already looks set to make a strong impact. At the heart of the story is a powerful woman returning to confront her past, alongside themes of female solidarity and revenge. Given the global success of Turkish dramas, what do you think this female-driven story and its complex romantic dynamics can offer international buyers? What has the initial international response been like, and what are your expectations for the title?
Internationally presented as Ferda, the series brings together many of the qualities that have made Turkish drama so successful worldwide: a powerful emotional journey, an intense and conflicted romance, family conflict, hidden identities, revenge and a strong woman determined to reclaim control of her own life.
At sixteen, Fikriye is promised to the powerful landowner Kadir Ağa in exchange for the settlement of her family’s debts. After narrowly escaping death, she leaves Karakuyu and builds a new life under a new identity, Ferda. Twelve years later, an unexpected inheritance draws her back to the town where everyone believes she died. The land she inherits threatens the existing balance of power and forces her to confront those who once controlled her fate.
When Ferda discovers that her sisters remain trapped within the same oppressive system she escaped, what begins as a brief return becomes a decision to stay and fight. Her relationship with Kahraman, a member of the very family she fled, adds an emotionally charged and unpredictable romantic dimension to the story.
At this early stage, we believe Ferda’s powerful journey, the female solidarity at the heart of the story and the tension between its central characters will resonate strongly with international buyers. Its combination of female resilience, revenge and a deeply conflicted romance gives the title significant international potential.
The story is deeply rooted in small-town pressure, power struggles and a feudal social structure. When presenting a story set in such a specific and intense environment to international audiences, which universal themes do you see as its strongest points of connection?
Set in Tokat, a rarely portrayed corner of Anatolia, Ferda is built around emotions and conflicts that are universal. It is ultimately the story of a woman confronting the forces that once controlled her life and fighting to protect her sisters from the same fate.
The struggle between personal freedom and inherited tradition, the pressure of family and society, revenge, injustice and the desire to determine one’s own future can resonate with audiences in any territory. Ferda’s journey also explores whether it is truly possible to escape the past or whether freedom can only be achieved by returning and confronting it.
The setting gives the series authenticity and a strong visual identity, while its universal themes make the story accessible to audiences around the world. This balance between cultural specificity and emotional universality has always been one of the greatest strengths of Turkish drama.
Ferda and Kahraman’s relationship is more than a passionate romance; it is also a strategic alliance that shifts the balance of power between them. How do you assess the international appeal of complex, morally grey characters like these, particularly across markets ranging from Latin America to Eastern Europe?
Audiences increasingly respond to characters who are emotionally layered and whose choices cannot simply be defined as right or wrong. Ferda and Kahraman are both shaped by difficult histories, family loyalties and the power structures surrounding them. Their relationship develops through necessity, mistrust and conflicting interests before growing into something deeper.
Their alliance has the potential to challenge Kadir’s authority and shift the balance of power in Karakuyu. At the same time, the attraction between them places both characters in an emotionally and morally complicated position. Kahraman belongs to the family Ferda has every reason to distrust, while Ferda represents a direct threat to the world he knows.
Markets such as Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and the CIS, and MENA have traditionally connected strongly with intense romances, family conflicts and characters caught between love and duty. Ferda and Kahraman offer all these elements, together with the psychological depth and unpredictability that contemporary audiences increasingly expect.
Another highly anticipated title in OGM UNIVERSE’s catalogue is Deep in Love. Where does the series stand within your international strategy for this season? How is its international distribution journey progressing, and which markets are you particularly targeting for the title?
Deep in Love is one of the leading titles in our international strategy this season. Its first season became one of the standout productions of the year in Türkiye, breaking rating records and ranking number one for 31 consecutive weeks. Its success extended well beyond television, with related content generating billions of views on YouTube.
The series also attracted significant attention from international buyers and secured sales across numerous territories, confirming the global appeal of its story. Following this remarkable first-season performance, it now returns for a highly anticipated second season.
Set against the dramatic landscape of Türkiye’s Black Sea region, the series brings together two rival families, a love repeatedly tested by tradition and secrets buried across generations. By the end of the first season, the central family had finally come together. The new season asks whether they can protect the happiness they fought so hard to find, as new enemies and old rivalries place both the family and the central love story under even greater pressure.
Latin America, the US and Iberia, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and the CIS, the Baltics and MENA remain key territories for the title, while we also see strong potential in Western Europe, Asia and Africa. Our aim is to build on its domestic success and continue developing a broad, long-term international journey for the series.
The international sales dynamics of digital platform projects and traditional television series can be quite different. How are the digital titles in OGM UNIVERSE’s catalogue performing internationally, and how would you describe your current relationships and collaborations with global platforms?
Traditional television series and digital productions respond to different viewing habits and programming needs, but both remain important parts of our international strategy. Long-running Turkish dramas continue to perform strongly because of their emotional depth, rich character development and ability to build loyal audiences over time. Digital titles, meanwhile, allow us to explore more compact forms of storytelling, different genres and contemporary themes.
We maintain close relationships with global and regional platforms and approach each collaboration flexibly, primarily through finished-content licensing, format sales and local adaptations. We do not see traditional television and digital distribution as competing models. They complement each other and allow our stories to reach different audiences through the platforms and formats that suit them best.
Looking at the year overall, how has 2026 been for OGM UNIVERSE? Have you seen any new territories or markets gaining momentum in terms of demand for Turkish content, or any notable shifts in international sales patterns this year?
2026 has been a year of continued growth and expansion for OGM UNIVERSE. Our content has now been licensed in more than 110 countries, and we have continued to strengthen our presence in established markets while opening up new conversations across emerging territories.
Latin America, the US and Iberia remain among our most important territories, while Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics and MENA are also well-established markets for us. At the same time, we are placing a strong emphasis on expanding our presence and developing new business opportunities in Western Europe, Asia and Africa.
The international content market has become increasingly competitive. Broadcasters have fewer available slots, while the volume of content competing for those slots continues to grow. In this environment, titles need a distinctive identity, memorable characters and a strong emotional connection with audiences. It has therefore become more important than ever to develop an individual strategy for each title and to understand the specific needs and dynamics of every market.
