The new Turkish series Kötü Kan premiered today on NowTV, starring Ertan Saban and Damla Sönmez in the lead roles. Veteran actors Hüseyin Avni Danyal and Levent Ülgen join the cast in supporting roles.
Plot of Kötü Kan:
“Kötü Kan” follows the story of Kartal, a former police officer who now works as the head of security at a nightclub. One night, the death of an underage girl at the club forces Kartal to confront the dark truths behind the nightclub’s operations, realizing he’s entangled in a web of crime he never intended to be a part of. That same night, he receives the devastating news of his mother-in-law’s death, who had been taking care of his two children.
While Kartal is eager to reunite with his children after years of separation, he’s also anxious about facing them, as they blame him for their mother’s death. As he investigates the mysterious death at the club, Kartal finds himself caught in a dangerous web of betrayal. He soon becomes the target of Fevzi Kaya, one of the most dangerous figures in the underworld, and his family. Fevzi’s daughter, Nazan, is a powerful woman who thrives in this dark world and is determined to get what her family wants from Kartal.
To make matters worse, Kartal’s estranged father, retired chief inspector Burhan, reappears in his life. Acting like a judge over Kartal’s every move—especially his role as a father—Burhan adds further tension to an already difficult situation.
As Kartal fights to protect his children from the chaos he’s been drawn into, he faces life-altering dilemmas that only fate seems to reserve for true heroes.
“Kötü Kan” offers viewers a gripping tale of a man who, while trying to escape the mafia’s deadly grip, struggles to prove himself as a father to the children he’s been away from for so long.
Cast of Kötü Kan:
Kartal (Ertan Saban)
Ertan Saban, a 46-year-old actor of Turkish descent, was born on December 4, 1977, in Macedonia. Since 2001, he has appeared in numerous TV series and films. Some of his most popular roles include those in Elveda Rumeli, Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu, and Gelsin Hayat Bildiği Gibi.
Kartal is a former cop and the head of security at Club 7. He’s a father of two, with strong situational awareness and keen observational skills. He’s not one for idle chatter and prefers to speak only when necessary. His life motto is “less is more.” Calm and collected, Kartal avoids conflict, but when pushed too far, his wild side emerges. He has a small circle of close friends who would do anything for him, and he gives back without expecting anything in return. His sole purpose now is to protect his motherless children at all costs.
Nazan (Damla Sönmez)
Damla Sönmez, a 37-year-old Turkish actress, was born on May 3, 1987, in Istanbul, Turkey. She is of Abkhaz descent on her mother’s side and Circassian descent on her father’s side. Sönmez began her acting career in 2004 as a supporting actress in the TV series Camdan Pabuçlar. Until 2012, she continued in supporting roles in various series. Starting in 2013, she took on lead roles in popular series such as Bir Aşk Hikayesi, Güllerin Savaşı, Aşk ve Gurur, Çukur, and Aziz. In 2024, she stars as the lead character “Nazan” in the series Kötü Kan.
Nazan is a smart, well-educated woman who knows exactly what she wants. She’s no stranger to trouble, having been surrounded by it since childhood. Determined and resilient, she never gives up, no matter the odds. Nazan quickly realized that family is fate—you don’t get to choose it. In a male-dominated world, she learned to play by the rules while rewriting her own narrative. Now, she’s ready to lead the family business and dreams of making it legitimate. But the underground world has dug its claws into her, and her biggest challenge will come when she confronts the reality that she too is walking down this dark path.
Fevzi (Hüseyin Avni Danyal)
Hüseyin Avni Danyal, a 62-year-old Turkish actor, was born on April 12, 1962, in Trabzon, Turkey. Since 1982, he has appeared in numerous successful productions, becoming a well-recognized figure in Turkish television. He has taken on significant roles in popular past series such as Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu and Zengin Kız Fakir Oğlan. More recently, he has appeared in the TV series Yargı and Taş Kağıt Makas.
Fevzi is a hardened veteran with a quick temper. He’s the kind of man who never goes anywhere unarmed; it’s a rule he’s lived by since entering this world. He had a rough childhood, raised by a hardworking but downtrodden father. From him, Fevzi learned the importance of fairness and justice but also the harsh truth that being right means nothing if you’re not powerful. To Fevzi, life is a constant battle, and moments of joy are fleeting. Strength is everything, and he’s willing to pay any price to maintain it.
Burhan (Levent Ülgen)
Levent Ülgen, a 62-year-old Turkish actor, was born on August 8, 1962, in Konya, Turkey. Throughout his career, he has appeared in numerous television series, films, and theater productions. His roles in long-running TV series such as En Son Babalar Duyar and Akasya Durağı were particularly significant in establishing his recognition and popularity.
Burhan has a natural charm and can talk his way into or out of anything. He’s meticulous about his appearance and believes that no matter what happens, losing your sense of humor is the greatest defeat. A retired chief inspector, Burhan understands that life is far too complex to be confined to rulebooks and manuals. He doesn’t see people as purely good or evil—he believes anyone is capable of anything. His unconventional methods often clashed with regulations, but he always got results. During his time in homicide, he solved the toughest cases, and in narcotics, he dismantled street drug networks. Burhan is flexible, adapting to each situation as it comes. His motto is: life is short, and dwelling on things you can’t change will only rot you from the inside.
Şahin (Murat Göçmez)
Murat Göçmez, a 30-year-old Turkish actor, was born on April 26, 1994, in Hatay, Turkey. He previously appeared alongside Ertan Saban in the TV series Gelsin Hayat Bildiği Gibi, where he portrayed the character “Vural.”
Yekta (Gökçe Özyol)
Gökçe Özyol, a 51-year-old Turkish actor, was born on September 15, 1972, in Turkey. He plays the character “Yekta” in the TV series Kötü Kan. Yekta is one of the three partners of a nightclub.
Özyol graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts with a degree in Animation and began his acting career in 2006 with the show İki Aile. He later appeared in other popular shows of the time, such as Geniş Aile and Yahşi Cazibe.
Savaş Özdemir
Savaş Özdemir, a 54-year-old Turkish actor, was born on May 8, 1970, in Turkey. He began his acting career in 1993 with the production Süper Baba. While he has appeared in numerous projects throughout his career, some of his most notable roles were in the popular TV series Avrupa Yakası, Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu, and Eşkıya Dünyaya Hükümdar Olmaz.
Sermet Yeşil
Sermet Yeşil, a 47-year-old Turkish actor, was born on May 25, 1977, in Eskişehir, Turkey. He made his acting debut in 1999 with a feature film and has since appeared in numerous productions. Among his most popular works are the TV series Behzat Ç. Bir Ankara Polisiyesi, Eski Hikâye, Çukur, and Yargı.
Zeynel (Mert Doğan)
Mert Doğan, a 29-year-old Turkish actor, was born on September 8, 1995, in Izmir, Turkey. He is known for his roles in the productions Şahmaran (2023), Adım Farah (2023), and Söz (2017).
Gonca Sarıyıldız
Gonca Sarıyıldız, a 38-year-old Turkish actress, was born on February 10, 1986, in Ankara, Turkey. She has appeared in several notable productions, including Benim Tatlı Yalanım (2019), Seviyor Sevmiyor (2016), and Muhteşem Yüzyıl (2011).
Mina Koyuncular
Mina Koyuncular, a 23-year-old Turkish actress, was born on January 17, 2001, in Diyarbakır, Turkey. She made her acting debut portraying the character Leyla in the TV series Beni Bırakma. Following that, she played the role of Gonca in İkimizin Sırrı. Mina continued her career by taking on the role of Azra in the Show TV series Maviye Sürgün. In 2024, she joined the cast of the series Kötü Kan.
Doğa Karakaş
Doğa Karakaş, a 22-year-old Turkish actress, was born in 2002 in Istanbul, Turkey. She began her acting career at a young age and has appeared in several TV series since 2012. Her notable roles include appearances in Böyle Bitmesin, Çukur, 4N1K, Yalancı, and Dönence.
Bilgesu Kural
Bilgesu Kural, a 26-year-old Turkish actress, made her television debut in 2021 with the series Aşk 101. She later joined the cast of Hayaller ve Hayatlar. In 2024, she became part of the cast of the series Kötü Kan.
The cast also includes: Alayça Öztürk, Ziya Kürküt, Halil İbrahim Kurum, Deniz Bolışık, Meltem Gülenç, Nazlı Senem Ünal, Hakan Vanlı, Cihat Parıltı, Merve Sevin, Bekir Erdem Öz, and Mutluhan Kasap.