Tamon's B-Side: Why K-Pop Stans Are Obsessing Over This Idol Anime

K-pop stans, we need to talk.

You've spent years defending your bias against antis, collecting photocards, streaming MVs at 3 AM, and building parasocial relationships that your therapist doesn't approve of. And now? There's an anime that gets you. Not in a mocking way. Not in a "haha look at the crazy fangirl" way. In a "this protagonist IS me and I feel personally attacked" way.

Tamon's B-Side (Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!?) dropped this January, and K-pop Twitter is losing its collective mind.

You've Seen Yourself in Utage (Admit It)

Utage Kinoshita is not your typical shoujo protagonist. She's not clumsy-cute. She's not oblivious to romance. She's a rabid, unhinged, dedicated superfan of Tamon Fukuhara from the idol group F/ACE.

Her room is covered in posters. She knows his blood type. She attends every event. She has opinions about which photo angle captures his essence best.

Sound familiar? Yeah. K-pop fans recognized her immediately.

One Reddit user put it bluntly:

"Utage is literally me at my first concert holding my bias's banner like a religious artifact."

The difference between Utage and typical anime fangirl tropes is that the show doesn't mock her. It validates her. Her dedication is presented as genuine love, not comedy fodder. When she finally meets the real Tamon—not the sexy "Hottiehara" persona, but the gloomy, anxious "Gloomyhara" underneath—she doesn't run.

She stays. Because that's what real stans do.

Hottiehara vs Gloomyhara: The Dual Life Every Idol Lives

Here's where K-pop fans started taking notes.

Tamon Fukuhara has two personalities:

• Hottiehara (A-Side): The public idol. Sexy, charismatic, oozing confidence. The version his agency sells.
• Gloomyhara (B-Side): The real Tamon. Insecure, anxious, negative, with the self-esteem of a damp sock.

The anime's title isn't just clever; it's a thesis statement. Every idol has an A-Side (the hit single, the perfect image) and a B-Side (the hidden track, the unpolished truth).

K-pop fans have been talking about this duality for years. The pressure to maintain a "perfect" image. The exhaustion of performing happiness. The anxiety behind every vlive smile.

Tamon's B-Side puts this struggle into narrative form, and it hits different when you've spent years watching fancams and wondering "are they okay?"

Why K-Pop Stans Get This Anime Better Than Anime Fans

Here's a hot take: regular anime fans are watching Tamon's B-Side and seeing a generic romance. K-pop fans are watching it and seeing documentary-level accuracy.

The show understands:

1. The fan-idol boundary dance. Utage becomes Tamon's housekeeper (long story), and the show actually addresses the ethical messiness of being too close to your idol. She doesn't cross lines; she maintains professionalism even when he's vulnerable. K-pop fans who've navigated sasaeng discourse? They appreciate this nuance.
2. The guilt of knowing too much. When Utage discovers Tamon's true personality, she doesn't gossip. She protects it. Because real fans know: some things you keep to yourself.
3. Supporting your bias through their worst. Tamon's anxiety isn't played for laughs 💀. It's shown as something he struggles with, and Utage's response isn't "I'll fix you." It's "I'm here."

If you've ever defended your bias during a scandal or supported them through a hiatus, this anime validates your entire existence.

F/ACE Feels Like a Real Group (And That's Terrifying)

The in-universe idol group F/ACE isn't just set dressing. They have:

• Original songs ("Supernova," "F/ace Off")
• A distinct concept (visual kei meets pop)
• Individual member personalities (including Ori, the "prince" who may or may not have a thing for Utage)

The opening theme "Sweet Magic" performed by F/ACE? It's an actual bop. K-pop fans are adding it to playlists unironically.

J.C.Staff understood the assignment: if you want to capture the K-pop audience, you need to make the fictional group feel real. And they did. Down to the lightstick designs that Utage clutches like her life depends on it.

The Anxiety Under the Smile

Let's get serious for a second.

Tamon's social anxiety and low self-esteem aren't throwaway character traits. The show depicts his internal struggle with uncomfortable honesty: the way he overthinks every interaction, the way he assumes he'll be rejected, the way his "confident idol" persona is exhausting to maintain.

Some viewers have criticized the show for using his anxiety as "comedy." But K-pop fans see it differently. The humor isn't AT Tamon—it's at the absurdity of the situation. The real emotional core is Utage's unwavering support.

She's not trying to "save" him. She's just... present. And sometimes that's enough.

If you've ever worried about your bias's mental health, if you've ever wanted to tell them "take a break, we'll wait for you," this show is going to punch you in the chest.

The Verdict

Tamon's B-Side isn't the highest-budget anime of Winter 2026. It's not going to win "Anime of the Year." But for a specific, niche audience—K-pop fans who understand what it means to love an idol while knowing the person behind the persona is human and struggling—this show is a mirror.

It's validation for every "cringe" moment you've had as a fan. It's a reminder that the A-Side is performance, and the B-Side is where the real connection lives.

Watch it if you've ever cried at a fansign. Skip it if you think stanning is weird.

We already know which one you are.

Related Reading

For a deeper dive into Tamon's anxiety and why this portrayal matters, check out our psychology analysis: The Psychology of 'Gloomyhara'.

Want a proper review? Read our Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!? Review: Gap Moe Comedy Gold.

Interested in other anime tackling dark themes? See our coverage of Oshi no Ko Season 3's Ruby Revenge Arc.