The crossover sparked hopes for a possible cosplay or collaboration between Stell and “Love and Deepspace.”
SB19 member Stell unexpectedly became a real-life version of a fictional heartthrob after fans of the sci-fi romance game “Love and Deepspace” pointed out his resemblance to Valko, one of the game’s characters.
A side-by-side comparison shared by SB19 BASE on July 9 quickly went viral, gaining over 1.1 million engagements on X.
Fans highlighted the similarities between the P-pop idol and the fictional character, pointing to their sharp features, dark tousled hair, and intense gaze. Many began calling Stell the “real-life Valko,” while others expressed disbelief over the resemblance: “I thought this was AI until I realized this is an actual real person.”
Ok aye?! Valkostell hahahaha https://t.co/StdTYBEQLN pic.twitter.com/OcICp6wEVu
— GROSAS|| OPEN COMMISSION 💯🐸 (@missterrose98) July 11, 2026
For “Love and Deepspace” fans, the comparison carried extra weight as many were still hoping for Valko’s return after his storyline was cancelled.
The developer, Papergames, permanently removed the unreleased character on June 30 following backlash over his design, the game’s direction, promotional content, and alleged references to Imperial Japan’s Unit 731, which was involved in human experimentation and biological weapons research during World War II.
With Valko no longer expected to appear in the game, Stell’s resemblance gave fans an unexpected connection to the character they had been waiting for. What started as a visual comparison soon became a gateway for “Love and Deepspace” players to discover SB19, with many praising Stell’s vocals, stage presence, humor, and personality beyond his similarities to the fictional heartthrob.
Members of A’TIN, SB19’s official fandom, welcomed the new audience by sharing recommendations and encouraging fans to explore the group’s music.
“Thank you for appreciating our boys and welcome to A’TIN
,” one fan commented.
The crossover also sparked hopes for a possible cosplay or collaboration between Stell and “Love and Deepspace.”
Some fans imagined seeing him portray Valko at future events, especially after he posted a Captain America-inspired photoshoot on Instagram.
Although Stell and SB19 have yet to address the viral trend, the online buzz has transformed a simple lookalike comparison into an unexpected crossover between P-pop and gaming fandoms.
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