April 15, (THEWILL) — American live-streamer, Johnny Somali, was sentenced to six months in prison in South Korea on Wednesday after a series of controversial incidents that sparked public outrage.
The 25-year-old, whose real name is Ismael Ramsey Khalid, was convicted by a court in Seoul on multiple charges, including public nuisance, obstruction of business, and distributing sexually explicit fake videos.
“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 said.
Khalid faced widespread criticism in 2024 after posting a video of himself kissing and doing provocative dances on the Statue of Peace in Seoul, which honours “comfort women” women forced into sexual slavery during World War II.
Prosecutors had sought a three-year sentence, but the court gave a shorter term, citing the “absence of severe harm to victims.”
He later apologised, saying he “didn’t understand the significance of the statue”, though the incident sparked national backlash.
Authorities said his offences also included disruptive behaviour in public, such as playing loud music, harassing people, and causing disturbances in businesses.
Following the ruling, he was taken into custody immediately over concerns he could flee the country. He had already been barred from leaving South Korea during the investigation.
In addition to his prison term, Khalid has been banned from working with minors and vulnerable groups after his release.
He has also faced legal issues abroad, including fines in Japan and detention in Israel over similar behaviour.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
