HONG KONG – NBC is to produce variety travel show “Better Late Than Never,” as a North American version of the hit South Korean series “Grandpas Over Flowers.”

It will feature four veteran actors who go backpacking across Asian countries in the company of a young porter.

The original series is produced by CJ Entertainment & Media, one of the largest media and entertainment groups in Asia.

CJ E&M has aired two seasons of Grandpas on its own entertainment channel tvN, and created spin-offs “Sisters over Flowers” and more recently “Friends Over Flowers.”

Noted producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who have worked together on “The Bucket List,” “Sound of Music,” and NBC’s upcoming “Peter Pan,” will serve as producers on the U.S. show.

It marks the first Korean variety show to be adapted by a national broadcast network in North America.

“Not simply exporting ideas, but selling full package of show formats, we are leading the development and expansion of Korean TV contents while enhancing our brand power in global media industry,” said Lee Deok-Jae, Senior Media Executive at CJ E&M.

The company has sold the show’s international distribution rights outside Asia to Small World IFT. China’s Dragon TV, part of the Shanghai Media Group, is among the companies preparing local versions of the format.