YouTuber Johnny Somali sentenced to prison for public nuisance, other crimes in South Korea
American YouTuber Johnny Somali has been sentenced to six months in prison in South Korea for multiple crimes after he had posted a series of offensive videos during his stay in the country.
In a report by the BBC, a South Korean court found Somali guilty of being a public nuisance, distributing sexual deepfakes, and other charges.
This was after he had posted videos of himself in November 2024 kissing and performing lap dances on a respected statue in the Changdong History and Culture Park in Seoul. The sculpture represents Korean women who were forced to become sex slaves by Japanese occupying forces before and during World War II.
Following this, the livestreamer had been barred from leaving the country while the case moved through the courts.
"The defendant repeatedly committed crimes against unspecified members of the public to generate profit via YouTube and distributed the content in disregard of Korean law," the court said.
While prosecutors initially wanted imprisonment that lasted up to three years, the judges decided on a lower sentence as there was "absence of severe harm to victims."
Upon his eventual release, Somali will also be banned from employment in institutions serving minors and individuals with disabilities.
Somali has since expressed regret for stirring controversy in the country and issued an apology to the public.
"I want to apologize to Koreans. I didn't understand the significance of the statue," he said, per The Korea Times.
"I'm truly sorry for being disrespectful," he added, explaining that his actions were meant to entertain his American viewers.
Apart from South Korea, Somali previously sparked outrage in Israel and Japan for similar stunts that many viewed as offensive and disruptive.
