American Streamer Who Kissed WWII ‘Comfort Women’ Statue in South Korea Sentenced to Jail
American livestreamer Johnny Somali known for pushing boundaries to get attention online has been sentenced to six months in jail in South Korea after a series of controversial stunts, including one that sparked widespread outrage.
The 25-year-old, whose real name is Ismael Ramsey Khalid, was arrested after posting a video in November 2024 showing himself kissing and performing suggestive acts on a statue honoring victims of Japan’s World War II sexual slavery system. Authorities charged him with public nuisance, and he has been barred from leaving the country since.
On Wednesday, a South Korean court found Khalid guilty on multiple counts, including public nuisance and distributing sexually explicit deepfake content. In its ruling, the court said he repeatedly committed offenses against the public in order to generate online views and profit, while disregarding local laws.
Prosecutors had pushed for a three-year sentence, but the court opted for a shorter term, noting there was no evidence of severe direct harm to victims.
Once released, Khalid will also be banned from working with organizations that serve minors or people with disabilities.
The case drew particular anger because of the location involved. The statue Khalid targeted represents the so-called “comfort women” — an estimated 200,000 women across Asia who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. Many were Korean, and the statues serve as powerful memorials that remain politically and emotionally sensitive.
Khalid later apologized, claiming he didn’t understand the significance of the statue, but many people in South Korea and online questioned whether the apology was genuine.
His behavior during the investigation did little to ease tensions. Videos circulated showing him provoking locals, challenging people to fight him, and being chased or confronted in public.
This wasn’t his first controversy abroad. Khalid has previously been accused of harassing people in Japan and Israel. In Japan, he was fined after disrupting a restaurant and making offensive comments about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In Israel, he was briefly detained after making inappropriate remarks toward a police officer.
His online presence followed by thousands has largely been built on shock value, but this case marks the most serious consequences he has faced so far.
