>>29190085Its a carryover from Japanese Idol culture, which is what a lot of vtuber companies model themselves off of, as well as how vtubing really hit it big in the west (Hololive).
The idol is your girlfriend/wife, even if they're not really. A boyfriend destroys the whole illusion.
Like some idols in japan will get caught with a boyfriend, and their career is over. Hence why many try and keep relationships secret. This is generally a bit easier for vtubers, with the degree of anonymity they naturally have thanks to the characters they portray.
The constant peering behind the curtain is kind of a layer of vigilance from people who take that bullshit seriously, as well as people wanting the allure of knowing a 'secret', like knowing who the person behind the character is means you're in some kind of cool kids club.
Honestly, looking at vtubers as something beyond mere entertainment is retarded and just setting oneself up for disappointment.