Johnny Somali, 25, caused outrage after filming himself kissing a statue commemorating wartime sex slaves
An American YouTuber who caused outrage for filming himself kissing a statue commemorating Korean wartime sex slaves has been sentenced to six months in prison, a court in Seoul said on Wednesday.
Johnny Somali, 25, gained notoriety several years ago for recording himself doing a series of provocative stunts in South Korea and Japan, and streaming them on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.
South Korean authorities indicted Somali – whose real name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael – in 2024 on public order violations and obstruction of business, and banned him from leaving the country.
“The court has sentenced him to six months in prison,” a representative of the Seoul Western District Court told AFP when asked about Somali’s case on Wednesday.
