I think it's not just you, but certainly not everyone. Kotlin with Java 21+ is my go-to choice for an I/O-bound service, or really any service. It's just so ergonomic, and with virtual threads the code can be as simple and efficient as Go - while also taking advantage of possibly the best and largest library ecosystem in the world.
I'm not knocking Go or Python - if those are your preferred tools, they're more than adequate. Java, however, isn't nearly as irrelevant as you may perceive.
I mean, I share your opinion personally but plenty of people find it pleasant to read and write. If it was really a bad language, it wouldn't have the adoption it does.
I'm not knocking Go or Python - if those are your preferred tools, they're more than adequate. Java, however, isn't nearly as irrelevant as you may perceive.