Aslı Serim from Calinos Entertainment: “Cultural Identity Is One Of The Greatest Assets of Turkish Fiction”

Aslı Serim, Head of Content at Calinos Entertainment, analyzes the key factors behind the international success of Ugly, Gilded Lies, and the second season of Deeply, three productions that meet the demands of today’s audiovisual market.

She explains that the distributor’s goal is not to dilute the cultural origin of productions to make them international, but rather to identify projects whose local authenticity is precisely their strong suit. Serim maintains that cultural identity is one of the greatest assets of Turkish fiction and that the content team’s role is to select stories with strong characters and high production values that know how to appeal to universal emotions in any country.

UGLY’S EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

Despite having a short first season of only 8 episodes on Star TV, Ugly culminated its broadcast by securing the number one spot in ratings during its final episode. Regarding this rapid audience growth, Aslı Serim explains that the main reason lay in the speed with which viewers connected emotionally with the story, feeling from the very first minute that they were facing real people with authentic struggles, far from idealized television stereotypes. According to Serim, each episode raised the emotional stakes by focusing on the consequences of the characters’ decisions, generating strong word-of-mouth that drove audience interest right through to the finale and demonstrating what can be achieved when combining an honest narrative with high production values.

Likewise, the executive analyzes the series’ excellent reception among female audiences through the character of Meryem Tunalı. Serim highlights that Meryem is crafted as a woman who is vulnerable but never weak, someone who makes mistakes, questions herself, and grows throughout the story. “Many women see parts of themselves in her because she is not presented as a perfect heroine. She carries responsibilities, struggles with family expectations, experiences disappointment and still finds the strength to move forward. That emotional honesty is what creates empathy, regardless of culture or geography.”

Regarding its arrival in international markets such as the MENA region (Dubai) and Eastern Europe (Romania), Serim states that the project appeals to universal elements such as family, identity, betrayal, and second chances. “One of the greatest strengths of Turkish dramas is their ability to combine emotionally powerful storytelling with high production values, outstanding performances and memorable characters. Ugly embraces all of these qualities while telling its story in a fresh and contemporary way. It has a distinctly Turkish identity, yet the emotions are universal, which is why buyers from different regions connected with it so quickly” she points out.

GILDED LIES NARRATIVE AGILITY

When addressing the proposal of Gilded Lies, Aslı Serim notes that the main attraction for Calinos was its balance between emotional depth and a refined cinematic visual style. “It is much more than a mystery; at its core, it explores how secrets, ambition and personal choices shape people’s lives and relationships over time. Compared to many traditional dramas, it has a faster narrative pace while maintaining the emotional richness that audiences expect from Turkish storytelling. We believe this combination makes it appealing to both traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms looking for premium scripted content”.

Serim emphasizes that the production of this title reaffirms that international buyers and audiences are becoming increasingly selective. “When evaluating titles for international distribution, we always look for authenticity alongside entertainment value. Gilded Lies is a strong example of a series that combines emotional depth with commercial appeal, which is exactly what today’s buyers are increasingly looking for.”

Although a striking visual design captures initial interest, the executive insists that viewer loyalty depends on strong characters and an engaging storyline. In that sense, she maintains that Gilded Lies embodies the ideal balance between authenticity, emotional depth, and commercial viability. “We look for stories that stay true to their local identity while dealing with universal emotions and themes that audiences around the world can relate to. Our role is to identify titles that strike this balance and connect them with the right buyers around the world.”

Furthermore, she highlights that the series’ emotional conflicts—where every character carries their own wounds, secrets, and personal goals—make it easy for viewers to relate, even when their choices are not always right. In Serim’s view, the combination of romance, family drama, and mystery guarantees strong international travelability, as these are genres with broad global appeal.

DEEPLY (SEASON 2)

Regarding the return of Deeply with a new central couple played by Nilüfer and Cihan, Aslı Serim values the team’s ability to preserve the show’s identity and emotional maturity. “As a result, the second season feels familiar to viewers who connected with the first season, while also offering a fresh story that new audiences can enjoy on its own.”

Facing the evolution of formats in Turkey, the executive believes that long-running traditional productions and shorter, punchier miniseries are destined to coexist. “We are definitely seeing growing international demand for premium limited series with shorter seasons. Streaming platforms have changed viewing habits, and audiences increasingly appreciate concise storytelling with high emotional impact. I believe both formats will continue to coexist, each serving different audiences and distribution platforms.”

Finally, Serim describes the international reception of this second season as very encouraging, noting that streaming platforms particularly appreciate its technical quality, mature narrative, and an agile format adapted to current market dynamics.

“Buyers already recognized the strength of the Deeply brand after the first season, and the second season has demonstrated that the concept can evolve without losing its emotional impact.”