"Heart Contract" Defends "Preppy" Love in New Telenovela Format

After more than 30 years in telenovelas, Roberto Tello feels Mexican television can recapture a formula that once dominated the airwaves: simple, romantic stories where falling in love is enough to drive the plot.

Tello, known for his role in "Volver a empezar," sees "Contrato de corazones, tú y yo," a Televisa production, as a return to the kind of television he knew early in his career. However, it now incorporates elements from Korean dramas that have recently captivated younger audiences.

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We are recovering that 'fresa' element. It's important now to highlight this aspect of love, not just love for others, but self-love.

"We are recovering that 'fresa' [preppy/upper-class] element. It's important now to highlight this aspect of love, not just love for others, but self-love," Tello explained during the second season's launch. The series follows Feri, a scholarship student and influencer who dreams of studying fashion design in South Korea. She hides her background at an elite school and becomes involved in a fake relationship with Sebastián.

The 57-year-old actor describes the project as an "M-drama," a Mexican adaptation of K-drama tropes that also reminds him of Televisa's classic productions. "We are returning to that 80s formula, where there weren't such violent or sexualized novelas, but rather 'pink' stories," he noted.

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We are returning to that 80s formula, where there weren't such violent or sexualized novelas, but rather 'pink' stories.

Tello believes the Korean influence is also evident in how romance is portrayed, with anticipation built over several episodes leading up to a kiss. "I think the Korean industry's contribution to the romantic aspect of stories is precisely that magic: a different lighting, a different shot. They never kiss until the end, and that's the beautiful part; a nice, romantic kiss, even 'fresa' for the age, not a 'sloppy' one," he emphasized.

Reflecting on generational shifts, Tello also participated in "Aventuras en el tiempo" with Belinda in the early 2000s. "I think we are still in an era where we can recover that audience, one where many people are looking for identity, where I fit in, and with whom," he said.

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I think the Korean industry's contribution to the romantic aspect of stories is precisely that magic: a different lighting, a different shot. They never kiss until the end, and that's the beautiful part; a nice, romantic kiss, even 'fresa' for the age, not a 'sloppy' one.