An American YouTuber who sparked national outrage in South Korea for provocative stunts, including dancing on a statue honoring victims of World War II sexual slavery, was sentenced to six months in prison by a Seoul court on Wednesday.
The Seoul Western District Court found Ramsey Khalid Ismael, a self-proclaimed internet "troll" known online as Johnny Somali, guilty of multiple charges, including obstruction of business and distributing fabricated sexually explicit content.
Prosecutors had sought a three-year term for Ismael, who also faced accusations of harassing staff and visitors at an amusement park, disrupting a convenience store by blasting music and upending noodles onto a table, causing similar scenes on a bus and subway, and distributing non-consensual deepfake videos.
The court said the 25-year-old displayed "severe" disrespect for South Korean law, noting that he offended countless people with livestreamed stunts aimed at generating YouTube revenue. The court ordered his immediate detention following the verdict, citing him as a flight risk.
American YouTuber Johnny Somali speaks to reporters as he arrives at the Seoul Western District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Choi Jae-koo/Yonhap via AP)
Choi Jae-koo / AP
In October 2024, Somali sparked public outrage in South Korea after posting a video of himself kissing and performing a lap dance on a statue commemorating victims of the Japanese military's sexual slavery during World War II. He later apologized, claiming he was unaware of the monument's significance.
Ismael, who was barred from leaving the country pending his trial, earlier told local reporters that he regretted his actions and wished to apologize to the South Korean public.
Bad behavior by online personalities and tourists alike has been penalized around the world. An Australian man was charged with "being a public nuisance" and jailed for nine days rushing Ariana Grande before the Singapore premiere of "Wicked: For Good" there. The man, Johnny Wen, was then sent back to Australia and has been banned from Singapore, according to immigration authorities.
An American influencer visiting Australia was threatened with deportation from the country after videos of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother went viral. The influencer, Sam Jones, apologized for the incident.
In Europe, incidents have been frequent: a tourist climbing Rome's Trevi Fountain to fill her water bottle; a British man carving his and his girlfriend's initials into the Colosseum; another British tourist belly-flopping into Venice's canals; and two drunk Americans sleeping in Paris' Eiffel Tower.
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