YouTuber Johnny Somali could face a 10-year prison sentence for kissing a statue in South Korea. Here’s why

A moment of recklessness has landed an American social media influencer in trouble. Johnny Somali, a 24-year-old American YouTuber, has sparked outrage after he was seen kissing a statue depicting Korean women who were victims of sexual assault during the Japanese occupation of Korea. During a visit to Changdong History and Culture Park in Seoul, the YouTuber mindlessly kissed and posed with the statue.

On October 9, he uploaded a video showing him kissing the Peace Statue in Itaewon in central Seoul while also performing an inappropriate dance in front of the monument. The statue honors the tens of thousands of young women who were subjected to sexual slavery by the Japanese military during the 1910-1945 occupation of Korea.

As reported by The Korea TimesSomali expressed remorse for his actions in a video shared by YouTube channel Jcompany on Thursday. Standing next to the statue, Johnny bowed to the Korean audience and said, “I would like to apologize to the Koreans. I didn’t understand the meaning of the statue.” He went on to explain that his intention was to entertain his American audience, but acknowledged that his behavior was disrespectful. Somali also added in Korean: “I’m really sorry.”

Koreans are in no mood to forgive

Despite his apology, many viewers remain skeptical about Somali’s sincerity. Critics emphasize that he has not yet removed numerous controversial posts from his social media. A particularly controversial moment came when Somali shared an image on Instagram with a photo of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, accompanied by the caption: “I defeated the Koreans for you, Shinzo Abe.” While the YouTube video has been removed, it exists the Instagram post still exists, now with the changed caption “RIP Shinzo Abe!”

Somali’s list of crimes is long

Somali deliberately tried to provoke South Koreans, including students and passers-by at Kyung Hee University, by displaying a drawing of the Japanese rising sun flag, a symbol widely viewed as offensive in the country due to its connection to Japan’s wartime aggression . Additionally, Somali played explicit content loudly while riding the subway, which attracted significant attention. He was eventually warned by subway security for drinking alcohol and playing loud music, which resulted in him being removed from the train. On a bus, he further provoked the passengers by playing North Korean songs. When confronted by citizens, Somali responded with racist comments and demanded that they speak to him in English. During a live broadcast, Somali also mocked President Yoon Suk Yeol by kissing a photo of him and then making an obscene gesture and sarcastically declaring, “I love the Korean president. He is a great leader. Thank you for protecting me and for being under police protection.”

The consequences

Somali, whose full name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael, is being investigated for obstructing business operations and suspected drug use. Authorities have imposed a travel ban on him to prevent him from fleeing the country while the investigation continues. According to a report from Game Rant, his actions in South Korea could result in a 10-year prison sentence.