On January 15, 2026, Netflix will debut To Love, To Lose, a new Turkish series that blends romance and drama around questions of debt, sacrifice, and moral compromise. Created by Yavuz Turgul and produced for Netflix by TMC Film, the show continues the streamer’s investment in Turkish storytelling with a focus on intimate, socially grounded narratives.
A love story built on a debt and a difficult choice
At the heart of To Love, To Lose (original title Ayrılık da Sevdaya Dahil) are two characters whose lives collide under pressure rather than by chance. Kemal is a former military commander who has become an enforcer for a pawnshop lending family, moving in a world shaped by coercion, forced loyalty, and economic violence.
His path crosses that of Afife, a young woman who has had to set aside her writing ambitions in order to take over the family restaurant. Their meeting is not romantic at first sight; it is triggered by a debt that immediately places them on opposite sides of a tense situation. Yet that confrontation turns into a turning point, pushing Kemal to question what he believes about virtue, responsibility, and the possibility of love in a life already mapped out by obligation.
Yavuz Turgul’dan bir erdem ve aşk hikayesi. Yeni dizi Ayrılık da Sevdaya Dahil 15 Ocak’ta sadece Netflix’te. pic.twitter.com/N89H9eGLoZ
— Netflix Türkiye (@netflixturkiye) December 9, 2025
The cast and creative team behind To Love, To Lose
To Love, To Lose is led by İbrahim Çelikkol as Kemal. He is joined by Emine Meyrem and Yasemin Kay Allen, with a broader ensemble that includes Menderes Samancılar, Deniz Türkali, Tarık Papuççuoğlu, Asuman Çakır, Dilşah Demir, Görkem Sevindik, and Can Yılmaz. Together, they portray characters rooted in contrasting social realities, highlighting how class, family expectations, and financial pressure shape their interactions.
The series is directed by Selim Demirdelen and Kurtcebe Turgul. The script is written by Kurtcebe Turgul and Nilgün Öneş, and the show will be released worldwide as a Netflix title, making this Turkish drama accessible to viewers in the United States and beyond on the same day it launches.
Why this Turkish Netflix series could resonate with U.S. viewers
With To Love, To Lose, Netflix continues to build its lineup of Turkish dramas that focus less on spectacle and more on inner conflict and social tension. The series is described as a romantic drama that prioritizes the psychological evolution of its characters and the concrete fallout of their decisions.
Instead of a lighthearted love story, viewers can expect a narrative where emotional bonds are tested by economic hardship and family duty. Kemal’s work for a pawn-lending family and Afife’s forced abandonment of her writing dreams anchor the show in issues that feel universal: the cost of survival, the weight of obligation, and how love can complicate already fragile lives.
Netflix has not yet revealed how many episodes will make up the first season. What is clear from the premise is that the series centers on how a single encounter can become a trial, turning attraction into something that must be negotiated in a context of renunciation, tension, and moral gray areas.
Key facts about To Love, To Lose on Netflix
When does To Love, To Lose come out on Netflix?
The series is scheduled to arrive on Netflix on January 15, 2026.
Is To Love, To Lose a Netflix original?
Yes. It is a Turkish series produced for Netflix and released internationally on the platform.
What is To Love, To Lose about?
The story follows the relationship between a man tied to a pawn-lending environment and a woman who has had to give up her personal aspirations, and explores how their connection changes both of their lives.
FAQ
Does To Love, To Lose focus more on romance or drama?
The show is presented as a romantic drama, with a strong emphasis on character psychology, inner conflict, and the real-world consequences of the choices the characters make.
What themes does To Love, To Lose explore?
The series dives into moral choices, debt, economic pressure, family expectations, and how love can disrupt paths that seem already decided.
Is To Love, To Lose connected to other Netflix Turkish shows?
While it continues Netflix’s broader strategy of developing Turkish series centered on intimate and social stories, it is presented as its own standalone title.
Will To Love, To Lose be available to watch outside of Turkey?
Yes. The series is produced for Netflix and will have a global release on the platform, making it available to international audiences, including viewers in the United States.
