The first Chinese version of Korea’s Infinite Challenge, premieres in October this year. The variety/comedy format will air on CCTV’s CCTV-1 from 8pm-9pm on Sundays for 12 weeks.

The format deal with Korea’s Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) was brokered by Star China International Media. The China series is being produced by Starry Production (The Voice of China, China’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance), a subsidiary of Star China. The format deal is the first collaboration between the three companies.

The format features six comedians competing to win the challenge of the week.

Challenges in Korea include Yes or No, where participants are given a series of choices during a trip and end up either walking or riding in luxury; and My Ugliest Friend, where friends are nominated to compete in, for instance, ugliest first-thing-in-the-morning pictures.

The weekly games/challenges for the Chinese version will be based on the Korean version’s nine-and-a-half-year line-up and customised for local tastes and lifestyles, says Yin.

Infinite Challenge airs Saturdays at 6.25pm on MBC. 430 episodes had been broadcast by 30 May 2015. The show debuted on MBC in May 2006, and the decision to distribute the format was made in December 2015.

“Infinite Challenge is very difficult to format because, like the title, every day is a new challenge. We thought the best way to deliver the same quality in China as in Korea was to share everything,” says MBC’s senior producer, Sooyoung Ahn. He adds that the high costs of flying producer/production teams is likely to be taken out of simpler formats, such as The King of Masked Singer, in MBC’s catalogue.

Starry Production’s Yin says the biggest challenge is the rise of copycat formats in China. “Good ideas are over-consumed in the market,” she says. “Given that there are currently two similar formats [slated to premiere first before Infinite Challenge], it made us think differently but I believe since we are working with the original production team, it will make a real difference in the quality of our content,” Yin adds.

The other production challenge is language, says Ahn. About 30 people are involved in translation on the China set.

Created by MBC producer Kim Tae-ho, the Korean format reached its highest TVR of 31.83 on 19 Jan 2008 (source: TNS, capital regional, provided by MBC). The record-breaking episode had the Infinite Challenge cast participate in historical drama Lee San, says Haewon Chin, MBC’s deputy director, global business.

After almost 10 years together, the Korean team has shared engagements, weddings and births with reality audiences. “After almost a decade, Infinite Challenge has developed a rather special connection with Korean viewers, Anh says.