12 Corazones

Did You Know?

• The show consists of 12 contestants divided into two groups, usually four males and eight females, but sometimes vice versa.
• When couples are chosen (usually 1-3 couples), the audience votes for their favorite, and the winners receive a free paid date courtesy of the show.

Nature of the show

Most episodes of 12 Corazones follow a themed format, with contestants and often host Penélope Menchaca appearing in costume. Themes have included beach-themed episodes with beachwear and beauty pageant-style episodes. After introductions, the male contestants take part in a mock play or perform a stunt, such as singing a song or reciting a goofy poem, typically for their own ridicule. A roundtable discussion on a set subject then follows.

Once that segment ends, the first group leaves the room, and the second group eliminates one of their own contestants. In the second segment, a chosen male or female from the main group is eliminated. Suitors from the opposite group are then introduced, identified by their astrological sign, hometown, and occupation, though this portion is sometimes omitted. The host selects one contestant from each group to interact more closely—for example, dancing or kissing—using a game such as a roulette of kisses or special dice to decide the interaction.

A second roundtable discussion occurs, after which each male contestant eliminates a female from the other group, leaving three contestants in the main group and five in the suitor group. For the final segment, the host picks a contestant from the second group, who then chooses their heart among the remaining contestants. The chosen contestant may accept or reject. Per the rules, the contestant from the second group may pick someone from the first group who has already chosen another person from the second group; an example from an episode broadcast on January 20, 2011, showed a male contestant chosen by all five remaining female suitors, and he selected each of them in turn, effectively rejecting previously chosen females.

Instances where a person from the first group chooses the suitor over their earlier choice occur occasionally, but less often when the first group begins with four females.