A controversial American livestreamer has been sentenced to six months in prison by a South Korean court for causing a public disturbance, following a series of provocative acts that included disrespecting a memorial statue honoring wartime sex slaves.
Johnny Somali, whose legal name is Ismael Ramsey Khalid, was convicted on Wednesday on multiple charges including public nuisance and distributing sexual deepfakes. The 25-year-old content creator sparked widespread outrage in November 2024 when he posted footage of himself kissing and performing lap dances on a statue commemorating "comfort women"—the estimated 200,000 women from across Asia who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
"The defendant repeatedly committed crimes against unspecified members of the public to generate profit via YouTube and distributed the content in disregard of Korean law," the court stated, according to South Korean media reports.
Prosecutors had sought a three-year prison term, but judges imposed a reduced sentence while noting the "absence of severe harm to victims." In addition to the jail term, Khalid has been barred from working with organizations serving minors and people with disabilities upon his eventual release.
The memorial statue Khalid targeted is one of several across South Korea depicting a young woman seated in a chair, installed by activists to remember the victims. These memorials have previously caused diplomatic tensions between South Korea and Japan, as South Korea continues to seek reparations for the surviving victims.
Khalid, who has approximately 5,000 YouTube followers, apologized in November 2024, claiming he "didn't understand the significance of the statue." However, many observers expressed skepticism about his sincerity, particularly given his history of disruptive behavior during his travels.
While under investigation in South Korea, Khalid reportedly challenged locals to physical confrontations, with social media videos showing him being punched and chased through streets. His previous misconduct included causing disturbances on public transportation, vandalizing a convenience store, and streaming obscene content in public spaces.
This incident follows a pattern of controversial behavior during Khalid's international travels. In 2023, while in Japan, he made inflammatory comments about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and was fined 200,000 yen ($1,400) for disrupting business in a restaurant. Earlier in 2024, he was detained in Tel Aviv, Israel, for making inappropriate remarks to a female police officer during a protest.
Khalid has been barred from leaving South Korea since his initial charges in November 2024 and is known for content that has resulted in bans from multiple streaming platforms.