For our Content Americas 2026 issue we spoke with Mustafa İlbeyli, Director of Advertising & Sales at TRT Sales. As Turkish content continues to expand its global reach, TRT Sales stands at the forefront of this international momentum.
With strong performances across multiple continents and a catalogue that blends large-scale historical dramas with emotionally driven contemporary stories, the company closed 2025 as one of the most influential global distributors of Turkish content. At the heart of this success are titles like Deep in Love and Children of Paradise, which have resonated both at home and abroad, reinforcing Türkiye’s position as a major storytelling hub.
Historical period dramas such as Resurrection Ertuğrul, The Great Seljuks: Alparslan, and Barbarossa: Sword of the Mediterranean, along with drama content like Melek: A Mother’s Struggle and The Innocents, have been sold in the region to date. These series stand out due to their large-scale storytelling, strong heroes, and high production standards. Alongside these, emotionally driven drama titles have also found an audience, showing that LATAM viewers are open to a wide range of Turkish storytelling styles.”
First of all, how was 2025 for TRT Sales? Which titles attracted the most interest, and which regions stood out in terms of sales?
Our newest series Children of Paradise and Deep in Love, which premiered in the last quarter of the year, will be broadcast worldwide via an Africa-based streaming platform before the year ends. Our series, documentaries, children’s content, and films, which attract interest every sales year, have been sold to all continents this year as well, meeting viewers to crown their international success.
Deep in Love has become the most-watched series in Türkiye this season and continues to generate strong buzz with every new episode. In your opinion, what are the key reasons behind the show’s popularity?
Deep in Love has connected with viewers because it tells a powerful emotional story that feels both modern and genuine. The characters are layered and easy to relate to, and their emotional journeys reflect real-life struggles and choices. The series also benefits from strong acting and a cinematic production style, which elevates the storytelling. Each episode leaves audiences wanting more, creating ongoing conversation and engagement around the show.
What can you tell us about Deep in Love’s international journey so far?
The international response to Deep in Love has been very promising from the outset. Buyers have shown strong interest in the project, particularly due to its universal themes and contemporary tone. While the series is still in the early stages of its global rollout, its success in Türkiye has clearly strengthened its position abroad. Discussions are ongoing in multiple territories, and we see strong potential for the series to travel well internationally.
Children of Paradise, which focuses on family bonds, is among your newest series. How do you evaluate the success it has achieved in Türkiye and its global journey?
In Türkiye, Children of Paradise has been well-received thanks to its heartfelt portrayal of family relationships and emotional depth. The series speaks to shared human experiences such as belonging, responsibility, and love. Internationally, it has also attracted interest because stories centered on family dynamics tend to resonate across cultures. Its emotional warmth and universal themes position it well for global audiences.
LATAM has always been a very important region for Turkish content. Why do you think audiences in the region are particularly drawn to Turkish series?
Latin American viewers show great interest in Turkish series due to their emotional intensity and focus on relationships and family ties. These stories are naturally aligned with the region’s cultural and viewing preferences. At the same time, Turkish series offer familiar emotional narratives while also presenting a fresh and intriguing different cultural backdrop. This combination has helped Turkish content gain long-term popularity in Latin America.
Furthermore, the high production quality of historical dramas and the intense family and human relationships familiar from dramas make these productions a preferred choice.
TRT Sales has a rich catalogue. Which of your titles have stood out and received the strongest interest in LATAM in recent years?
Historical period dramas such as Resurrection Ertuğrul, The Great Seljuks: Alparslan, and Barbarossa: Sword of the Mediterranean, along with drama content like Melek: A Mother’s Struggle and The Innocents, have been sold in the region to date. These series stand out due to their large-scale storytelling, strong heroes, and high production standards. Alongside these, emotionally driven drama titles have also found an audience, showing that LATAM viewers are open to a wide range of Turkish storytelling styles.
Content Americas is the first market of the year. Which titles will you be highlighting at the market this year, and what are your expectations from the event as TRT Sales?
At Content Americas, our focus will be on presenting both our latest productions and our established hit titles. Deep in Love and Children of Paradise will be among the key projects we showcase, reflecting the diversity of our current lineup. As the first major market of the year, the event is an important platform for us to strengthen relationships, initiate new deals, and build momentum for the months ahead.
