For our NEM Dubrovnik 2026 issue, we spoke with Ekin Koyuncu Karaman, Global Distribution and Partnership Director of OGM Universe.
As NEM Dubrovnik 2026 reinforces its position as the vital content hub for the Central and Eastern European and Balkan markets, Turkish storytelling continues to expand its global footprint with bolder, more sophisticated narratives. At the forefront of this evolution is OGM UNIVERSE, a company driving international growth through deeply emotional, character-driven dramas. In this exclusive interview, Ekin Koyuncu Karaman, Global Distribution & Partnership Director of OGM UNIVERSE, dives into their strategic vision for the CEE region, the global phenomenon of hits like Deep in Love and The Gentleman, and how shifting digital audience behaviors are reshaping the DNA of modern television distribution.
I think audiences still need emotional comfort and escapism, especially in uncertain times, so those stories will always have a place. But at the same time, we clearly see growing openness toward darker, more psychologically layered narratives. Viewers today are looking for characters that feel human, flawed, and emotionally complex. They want stories that feel emotionally real rather than simply idealized. That’s one of the reasons why psychologically driven dramas have become increasingly powerful internationally. At OGM Pictures, we try to create stories that remain emotionally accessible while also exploring deeper emotional and psychological conflicts.”
NEM Dubrovnik has cemented itself as a vital hub for content in the region. How does OGM UNIVERSE position the Central and Eastern European and Balkan markets within its broader global growth strategy? Furthermore, how does the audience’s loyalty to Turkish content in this region align with your portfolio of premium, emotionally driven dramas?
The Central and Eastern European and Balkan markets have always been incredibly important for us, not only commercially but also emotionally. There is a very genuine connection between audiences in this region and Turkish storytelling. Viewers here deeply engage with emotionally layered narratives, strong family dynamics, love stories, and character-driven journeys, which naturally aligns with the storytelling DNA of the titles we represent at OGM UNIVERSE.
For OGM UNIVERSE, these territories are not simply “secondary markets”; they are strategic long-term partners within our global growth vision. We see strong loyalty, but also an evolving appetite for more premium, visually sophisticated, and psychologically layered stories. That evolution matches perfectly with where we are heading as a company.
The Gentleman presents a more stylized and identity-driven world centered around power, class, revenge, and transformation in Istanbul. Do you feel international buyers today are increasingly looking for Turkish stories that feel more globally stylized while still preserving strong local emotion? And what are the universal themes within Yusuf’s journey that you believe will resonate most strongly with international audiences?
I believe some stories reveal their true value over time, and The Gentleman is one of those projects. It has a very unique tone, a distinctive visual identity, and a deeply layered emotional world. Yusuf’s journey is ultimately about belonging, identity, transformation, love, ambition, and revenge — themes that travel universally across cultures. At the center of that journey is Mert Ramazan Demir, who brings a very raw emotional intensity and charisma to the character. His performance gives Yusuf both vulnerability and strength, which makes the character feel deeply human despite the series’ highly stylized atmosphere.
What makes the series especially compelling for international audiences is that it combines the emotional intensity Turkish drama is known for with a more contemporary, globally styled narrative approach. Audiences today are looking not only for emotional authenticity but also for cinematic ambition and strong atmosphere. In many ways, The Gentleman feels like a project that can continue discovering new audiences internationally because of that balance between emotional depth and modern storytelling.
Let’s talk about Deep in Love, which has become a true phenomenon in Türkiye and is now generating strong international momentum. The series has already secured placements across diverse markets ranging from Spain and Portugal to Romania and Indonesia. What do you think is the “secret sauce” that allows this story to resonate so effectively across very different cultures and broadcasting landscapes?
I think the “secret sauce” of Deep in Love is its profound emotional honesty. From the very beginning, the series established a powerful connection with audiences in Türkiye, maintaining its position as the number one series on Friday nights for 26 consecutive weeks. This success is not just about ratings; it is about the remarkable social media engagement and the genuine loyalty it inspires in viewers.
A huge part of that connection also comes from the cast performances and the emotional chemistry between the characters. Audiences today connect very strongly with relationships that feel authentic and emotionally lived-in, and I think Deep in Love achieves that in a very natural way. What truly allows this story to transcend borders is its focus on character-driven narratives that emphasize universal human experiences.
At OGM UNIVERSE, we see that international buyers are increasingly drawn to stories that offer both emotional intensity and high production values. Deep in Love perfectly balances these elements, delivering a narrative that feels both deeply local in its cultural nuances and globally accessible in its emotional reach.
Today, international potential is no longer measured only through traditional ratings. Social media engagement, online fan culture, viral moments, and audience interaction all contribute significantly to how a title travels internationally. Younger viewers especially engage with stories in a much more active and emotional way online; they create edits, discussions, trends, and communities around characters and relationships. That organic emotional connection can significantly increase a series’ international visibility and longevity. For us, storytelling now exists simultaneously on screen and within digital culture.”
We’ve seen a significant wave of multi-territory deals for titles like Six of Us, The Fall of the King, and Lost in Love, stretching from the Balkans to the Baltics. From your perspective, what is the current appetite of broadcasters in this region? Is there a growing shift toward more modern, character-driven narratives, or does the traditional large-scale drama still dominate?
We definitely feel that the market is evolving. Large-scale emotional dramas still remain extremely powerful, especially in this region, but buyers are increasingly searching for stories with stronger character psychology, moral complexity, and a more contemporary tone. There is growing interest in narratives that feel emotionally accessible while also visually premium and internationally positioned.
Broadcasters still want strong ratings performers, but they are also paying much closer attention to digital conversation, younger audiences, and social engagement around a title. So, I would say the future belongs to projects that can successfully balance emotional scale with modern storytelling sensibilities.
Many series produced by OGM Pictures resonate strongly with younger audiences online, generating significant social media engagement beyond linear ratings. How important has digital audience behavior become when evaluating a title’s international potential today?
Digital audience behavior has become extremely important. Today, international potential is no longer measured only through traditional ratings. Social media engagement, online fan culture, viral moments, and audience interaction all contribute significantly to how a title travels internationally. Younger viewers especially engage with stories in a much more active and emotional way online; they create edits, discussions, trends, and communities around characters and relationships. That organic emotional connection can significantly increase a series’ international visibility and longevity. For us, storytelling now exists simultaneously on screen and within digital culture.
OGM UNIVERSE’s slate includes both large-scale emotional dramas and more modern, psychologically driven stories. Are buyers in the region currently looking for more “comfort” narratives, or are they becoming increasingly open to darker, more layered, character-complex storytelling?
I think audiences still need emotional comfort and escapism, especially in uncertain times, so those stories will always have a place. But at the same time, we clearly see growing openness toward darker, more psychologically layered narratives. Viewers today are looking for characters that feel human, flawed, and emotionally complex. They want stories that feel emotionally real rather than simply idealized. That’s one of the reasons why psychologically driven dramas have become increasingly powerful internationally. At OGM Pictures, we try to create stories that remain emotionally accessible while also exploring deeper emotional and psychological conflicts.
As Turkish drama continues to evolve visually and narratively, how would you describe the evolution of OGM Pictures’ storytelling DNA in recent years? In what ways are international expectations influencing the kinds of stories you choose to develop and distribute globally?
Over the last few years, Turkish drama has evolved tremendously in terms of visual quality, pacing, and storytelling ambition. OGM Pictures has always been very focused on emotionally layered storytelling, but today we are also increasingly thinking globally from the very beginning of development.
International audiences are now more open than ever to local stories, but they expect premium execution and emotionally sophisticated narratives. That pushes us creatively in a very positive way. I would say OGM Pictures’ storytelling DNA today is built around emotional authenticity, strong character psychology, cinematic quality, and uni-
versally relatable human experiences.
As we move into the second half of 2026, what are the primary objectives for OGM UNIVERSE? Are there any particular milestones, partnerships, or types of collaborations you are hoping to secure before leaving Dubrovnik this year?
Our primary objective for the second half of 2026 is to continue strengthening OGM UNIVERSE’s global positioning while expanding our relationships across both established and emerging markets. We are very focused on building long-term creative and strategic partnerships rather than only short-term sales. Of course, we are always happy to secure new deals, but for us, sustainable relationships and international brand positioning are equally important. At NEM Dubrovnik specifically, we hope to deepen our presence in the CEE and Balkan region, explore new collaborations, and continue introducing our premium slate to new partners internationally.
