With one of the nation’s biggest holidays just around the corner, local broadcasters are gearing up for a battle of pilots.

Holiday pilot programs that succeed in drawing a positive response from viewers have often become megahits including KBS’ “The Return of Superman” and MBC’s “King of Mask Singer.”

These shows have garnered huge popularity not only in Korea but also overseas, resulting in their show formats being exported to other countries such as China.

The following are some pilot shows that will air during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

(KBS)

A long list of popular K-pop groups -- including Apink, EXID, GFriend, Red Velvet, Laboum, Oh My Girl, DIA, WJSN and Gugudan -- will gather for KBS’ pilot “Girl-group Battle” to be aired Monday. They will take part in a singing competition featuring some of Korea’s favorite karaoke songs.

(MBC)

MBC will once again air its holiday pilot “Idol Star Athletics Championships.” The program first hit TV screens in 2010 as a Chuseok holiday pilot. Since then, it has been aired during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays. This show’s lineup this holiday includes AOA, EXID, Twice, GFriend, Red Velvet, Gugudan, Lovelyz, WJSN, EXO, BTS, B1A4, NCT, Teen Top, Monsta X, Seventeen and UP10TION.

(SBS)

Some K-pop group members of foreign nationalities will be taught Korean by elementary school students on SBS’ “Even If You Don’t Know, Try Again,” which will feature Momo of Twice, Amber of f(x), Henry of Super Junior-M as well as Kangnam and Ten of NCT. Their average level of Korean proficiency is equivalent to that of a 6-year-old.

By Kim So-yeon (syk19372@heraldcorp.com)