Johnny Somali sentenced to 6 months in prison over multiple offenses, taken into custody in court

15 Apr 2026, 20:23 by K-Soul · allkpop

American YouTuber Johnny Somali (real name Ramsey Khalid Ismael), who drew widespread criticism for inappropriate actions, including kissing the Statue of Peace, has been sentenced to prison and taken into custody in court.

On April 15, the Seoul Western District Court’s Criminal Division 1 sentenced Somali to six months in prison and 20 days of detention on charges including obstruction of business, violations of the Minor Offenses Act, and distributing fabricated explicit content under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. The court also imposed a five-year employment restriction at institutions related to children, youth, and individuals with disabilities.

Somali was accused of disrupting business operations at a convenience store in Mapo District, Seoul, in October 2024 by playing loud music and spilling instant noodle soup on tables. He also faced charges for causing disturbances on buses, subways, and at Lotte World between September and October of the same year, as well as for streaming obscene videos online created by digitally manipulating the faces of men and women.

In addition, Somali sparked outrage after posting a video of himself kissing the Statue of Peace, which commemorates victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery.

During a pre-detention hearing held after the sentencing, Somali reportedly said, “I miss my family back home very much,” and added, “I want to be given a chance to start over.” However, the court determined there was a risk of flight and ordered his immediate detention in the courtroom.

Previously, Somali had also been barred from leaving the country after being indicted for a series of disruptive incidents during his visit to South Korea, including actions widely condemned as disrespectful toward the “comfort women” memorial.

Presiding Judge Park Ji Won of the Seoul Western District Court reiterated the sentence on April 15, confirming six months in prison, 20 days of detention, and a five-year employment ban at child- and disability-related institutions.

Despite being on trial, Somali continued to stir controversy by making inflammatory remarks such as “Korea is a vassal state of the United States” and “Japan should reoccupy Korea,” further intensifying public backlash.

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