Exclusive Interview | Asena Bülbüloğlu

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Asena Bülbüloğlu, the producer behind the captivating series Blooming Lady, produced by MF Yapım. Asena Bülbüloğlu shared insights into the meticulous process of selecting and adapting Korean dramas for Turkish audiences, shedding light on the inner workings of MF Yapım and their approach to storytelling.

Join us as we delve into Asena Bülbüloğlu’s interview, exploring the world of adaptation, creativity, and the unstoppable force that is Blooming Lady.

MF Yapım is the first company in Türkiye to adapt Korean dramas, and you’ve achieved great success with your adaptations. Before delving into Blooming Lady, could you shed some light on how you select these dramas, and how the process unfolds internally? We’d like to discuss a bit about the selection and adaptation of Korean dramas.

Before I joined MF, the company had already successfully adapted various formats. When I came on board, it took me some time to become familiar with the concept of format, as it was my first encounter with it. I had to first strengthen my own knowledge to understand what a proper adaptation entails. Then, I embraced this idea and began the process of adaptation.

At MF, my father Faruk Bayhan, with his years of experience, truly excels in selecting the right formats. Before informing us, he meticulously watches all of them. He conducts a very detailed process. Then, together with our creative team, we decide on the format we want to work on, based on the needs of the channel and the current TV prototypes.

When selecting a format, I deeply reflect on where its heart lies, where it resonates with the audience emotionally; I contemplate what I can add to it and what kind of world I envision while producing it. If a particular actor comes to mind while watching a format, it becomes even more exciting for me. My creative team and I then start discussing the format. We talk about it for a long time, discussing similar stories. This process becomes our deliberation period. It’s a phase I consider to be very crucial. I should also mention that we haven’t exclusively adapted Korean formats; we’ve also adapted Japanese and British series.

Another important aspect is the ratings in the countries where they were aired, which also serve as an important indicator for us.

Asena Bülbüloğlu:”The narrative of a woman’s awakening was incredibly appealing.”

Could you talk about the adaptation process of Blooming Lady? Why did you choose this project? What observations did you have about the audience before making this decision?

I stumbled upon Dr. Cha on Netflix one weekend and I enjoyed it while watching. When I came to the office, I found my father equally excited. He had watched it too and even suggested immediately asking Aslı (our format manager) about acquiring the rights for the company. Blooming Lady quickly became a shared excitement for us both. I really loved its energy when I watched it. One sentence particularly struck me. The narrative of a woman’s awakening was incredibly appealing. Each episode left me wanting to watch the next, which is a crucial feeling when it comes to selecting a format. I have no doubt that projects that excite me will also excite the audience. My only concern and stress are whether we can bring this format to life as I envision.

I believe that every promising content is valuable for the audience. I had a similar feeling with A Miracle as well.

Asena Bülbüloğlu: “Blooming Lady has resonated incredibly well with the audience in terms of its narrative tone.”

What is the personal impact of Blooming Lady on you? Will it change anything for you professionally going forward? What do you think the audience is trying to convey to industry professionals with this level of interest?

For me, the significance of Blooming Lady lies in being able to represent the voice of all women in the country as a female producer. Being able to offer them hope brings me great joy. Every message, comment I read, and congratulations I receive excites me tremendously. I take pride in everyone involved in this project because we’ve loved it from the start.

Blooming Lady has resonated incredibly well with the audience in terms of its narrative tone. I hear this from everyone. However, I’m not a producer who enjoys sticking to the same type of projects. I believe I am a good observer and capable of identifying the needs of society and selecting projects accordingly. I also emphasize the importance of crafting its world as envisioned with my team. I’m sure that in the upcoming period, we’ll see more series like . Blooming Lady on Turkish television. But during that time, I’ll probably be pursuing a different quest. Because I am confident that with the right approach, even a very depressing story can be appealing to the audience.

What are your expectations for international sales of Blooming Lady?

I am very confident that Blooming Lady will be loved internationally as well. It’s a universally appealing content. We have already started receiving positive feedback regarding our sales.

One genre you’re very successful in is romantic comedies. You’ve produced romantic comedies that are widely watched both in Türkiye and internationally, often known for excellent casting of couples. What are the distinguishing features of this genre, in your opinion? We’d love to hear a bit from you.

Romantic comedy has certain formulas. I don’t want to share too much about them here. It’s a secret formula. But to make this formula work really well, you need to achieve great chemistry between the lead roles. If you’re lucky, it’s actually one of my favorite genres to work in. During editing, they often catch me with a big smile on my face while watching the scenes. I love telling stories of love.

How does the inner workings of MF operate? Are there specific themes/stories you seek out, and does the drama team develop projects based on these themes? Or do you already have a collection of projects within your archive and decide on the appropriate timing?

MF is like the warm home of a close-knit family. It’s actually a very small structure. But I think its greatness comes from there. We work on every project with great care and sincerity, as if it were our new baby. My office door is never closed, and anyone can come in at any time. I also love going to other rooms and chat about our upcoming projects.

At the forefront, we have my father, Faruk Bayhan, an experienced figure in the industry, who has strong gut feeling about projects. He suggests formats he likes to us, and sometimes, I come up with original works. For instance, this year, I will be working on an original story with Pınar Bulut. Love is in the Air was also an original story. For me, something I heard at the hairdresser could be the theme of our new project. I enjoy listening to people’s stories. Once our theme is determined, I love our late afternoon tea chats. We start developing the project slowly, through conversations. When we feel like we’re telling the story beautifully, we reach the point where we’re ready to go.

This exclusive interview with Asena Bülbüloğlu was published in Episode’s MIPTV 2024 issue.