Korea’s Penthouse Moves to Istanbul: Türkiye’s K-Drama Remake Bet

A K-drama that drew close to a third of Korean TV viewers is getting a Turkish address. Türkiye’s version of Penthouse, the SBS revenge saga set in a Seoul luxury tower, now has a director: Can Ulkay, the filmmaker behind the box-office hits Ayla and Müslüm. Producer Polat Yağcı, whose company Poll Films is behind Star TV’s autumn drama Tuzlu Kahve, is aiming for a January premiere. Turkish entertainment journalist Birsen Altuntaş broke the director news on 29 October 2026. Here is what is known, what is still missing, and why the project matters to anyone who buys, sells or sponsors Turkish drama.

In brief

• Proven hit, new market: the Korean original ran for three seasons on SBS (2020–2021); its first-season finale drew 28.8% of viewers nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea figures reported by The Korea Times.
• Director: Can Ulkay, whose Ayla was Türkiye’s Oscar entry and whose Müslüm topped the 2018 Turkish box office.
• Producer: Polat Yağcı (Poll Films), currently on air with Tuzlu Kahve on Star TV.
• Timing: a January broadcast is planned; the channel or platform and the cast have not been announced.
• The bigger picture: since 2013 Korean dramas have become the main source of remakes for Turkish television, overtaking Hollywood series, according to a Kadir Has University study.

What exactly is Türkiye’s Penthouse?

It is a local adaptation of a Korean prime-time hit, rewritten around six women living in an exclusive residence. According to Birsen Altuntaş, the Turkish story follows six women who live in a luxury building called “Penthouse” and move in an elite social circle. The engine of the plot is intrigue, family drama and a love triangle. The producer has approached well-known actors, but no names have been confirmed.

The source material is The Penthouse: War in Life, written by Kim Soon-ok and directed by Joo Dong-min. It aired on SBS, one of South Korea’s terrestrial networks, from October 2020 to September 2021. The original is set in Hera Palace, a high-rise for the super-rich in Seoul, where rivalries between wealthy families spill over onto their children at an elite arts school. Lee Ji-ah, Kim So-yeon and Eugene played the three women at the centre of the conflict, and Lee Ji-ah won best TV actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

How big was the original, really?

Very big for a terrestrial channel in the streaming era. The Korea Times reported that the final episode of season one drew 28.8% of viewers nationwide and 30.5% in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to Nielsen Korea. The show’s producers said episode 21 reached 31.1%. The third season still opened above 19%, according to Türkiye Today. The original was known for extreme twists and harsh scenes, which will need to be adapted to Turkish broadcasting rules and to the expectations of family audiences in prime time.

For a Turkish producer, those numbers are a ready-made pitch deck: a story that already proved it can hold a mass audience week after week, with a clear villain, a social-climbing theme and room for many seasons.

Who is Can Ulkay, and why does his name matter?

He brings cinema credentials and a record of crowd-pleasing drama. Ulkay directed Ayla (2017), the Korean War story of a Turkish soldier and an orphaned girl, produced by Mustafa Uslu. CNN Türk reported that it passed one million admissions in its first ten days and was selected as Türkiye’s Oscar entry. He then co-directed Müslüm (2018), the biopic of singer Müslüm Gürses, which Turkish media described as the most-watched film of 2018.

Notably, Ayla was itself a Turkish–Korean story, which gives Ulkay an unusual link to Korean audiences and partners. For a series that will be compared shot by shot with a Korean hit, a director with a big-screen visual style is a deliberate choice: the Turkish version has to look premium if it wants to travel.

Who is behind the project?

Polat Yağcı and his company Poll Films, which already has a prime-time series on air. Poll Films produces Tuzlu Kahve, which premiered on Star TV on 1 September 2026 and airs on Tuesday evenings. That show, directed by Mustafa Kotan, has an ensemble cast that includes Nebahat Çehre, Eda Ece, Buğra Gülsoy, Binnur Kaya and Nevra Serezli. Running a large-cast family saga on a national channel is useful training for Penthouse, which also depends on a large ensemble of rival families.

The broadcaster for Penthouse has not been named. Reports have not said who holds the remake rights or what kind of licence was signed with the Korean side.

Why does Türkiye keep buying Korean formats?

Because Korean stories fit Turkish audiences and Turkish production models better than Hollywood series do. A Kadir Has University study on Turkish remakes of Korean dramas found that, since 2013, Korean dramas have replaced Hollywood series as the main source for Turkish adaptations, even though Korean shows themselves get limited distribution in Türkiye. The researchers point to shared sensibilities, such as family ties, class tension and melodrama, and to production practices that are easier for Turkish producers to adapt.

There is also a volume problem. The same study notes that Turkish dramas are sold to more than 140 countries, which creates a constant need for new stories. A proven foreign format reduces the risk of a costly flop in a market where weak shows can be cancelled after a handful of episodes.

What is still unknown?

• Channel or platform. January is a mid-season launch slot, so the series may replace a show that is cancelled this autumn. A streaming premiere has not been ruled out either.
• Cast. “Star” actors have been approached, but no contracts have been announced.
• Writers. Who will adapt Kim Soon-ok’s story for Türkiye has not been reported.
• Rights and distribution. Whether the Turkish version can be sold internationally, and in which territories, depends on the licence, which has not been disclosed.

Our take: what does this mean for buyers, brands and producers?

Our take: Penthouse is a test of whether Türkiye can turn a Korean prime-time hit into a Turkish export product, not just a local ratings play.

• International buyers (Latin America, MENA, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, where Turkish drama already sells) should watch the January launch. If the Turkish version performs, it could arrive with a double hook: a known Korean title and a Turkish star cast. Check early whether the licence allows international sales of the remake.
• Brands in luxury real estate, fashion, jewellery, cars and beauty: a story set among the very rich in a luxury residence is a natural fit for product placement. Product placement in Turkish TV is regulated, so negotiate early through the producer and the channel.
• Production and service companies: premium interiors, high-end locations in Istanbul and large ensemble shoots mean demand for location services, set design, costume and post-production.
• Format owners: each successful Korean-to-Turkish remake strengthens the case for selling more Korean formats to Turkish producers. The risk is fatigue if too many adaptations feel alike.

FAQ

When will the Turkish Penthouse air?

A January premiere is planned, according to Birsen Altuntaş and Türkiye Today. The channel or platform has not been announced.

Who directs the Turkish version?

Can Ulkay, the director of Ayla (2017) and co-director of Müslüm (2018).

Who produces it?

Polat Yağcı’s Poll Films, the company behind Star TV’s Tuzlu Kahve.

Is it a direct copy of the Korean series?

No. It is a local adaptation. Reports describe a Turkish story about six women in a luxury residence, with intrigue, drama and a love triangle.

Who are the actors?

Not announced yet. The producer says well-known actors have been approached.

Have other Korean dramas been remade in Türkiye?

Yes. The best-known example is Mucize Doktor (MF Yapım, FOX, 2019–2021), based on Korea’s Good Doctor. MF Yapım has also acquired rights to Doctor Cha and King the Land.

Sources

• Birsen Altuntaş, “Yerli ‘Penthouse’un yönetmeni belli oldu”, 29 October 2026 — birsenaltuntas.com
• Türkiye Today, “Korean revenge drama The Penthouse gets a Turkish makeover”, 24 October 2026 — turkiyetoday.com
• The Korea Times, ratings of The Penthouse season one finale, January 2021 — koreatimes.co.kr
• Habertürk, Tuzlu Kahve cast and broadcast details — haberturk.com
• CNN Türk, Ayla box office, 6 November 2017 — cnnturk.com
• Kadir Has University, “Turkish remakes of Korean TV dramas” — academicrepository.khas.edu.tr
• Wikipedia, Mucize Doktor — en.wikipedia.org
• Bollywood Hungama, MF Yapım acquires King the Land and Doctor Cha remake rights — bollywoodhungama.com

This article is for information only. Production details such as broadcaster, cast and premiere date may change before release. TRBW Creative is not affiliated with the producers or rights holders mentioned.