What did Johnny Somali do in Korea? YouTuber facing 10-year prison sentence after igniting public fury
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Johnny Somali, a 24-year-old American YouTuber, has sparked outrage after he was seen kissing a statue that represented Korean women who were victims of sexual assault during the era of the Japanese occupation of Korea. During a visit to the Changdong History and Culture Park in Seoul, the YouTuber thoughtlessly kissed and posed with the statue.
On October 9, he uploaded a video showing himself kissing the Statue of Peace in Itaewon, central Seoul, while also performing an inappropriate dance in front of the monument. As reported by The Korea Times, Somali conveyed his remorse for his actions in a video shared by the YouTube channel Jcompany.
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Hide AdStanding next to the statue, Johnny bowed to the Korean audience and said, “I want to apologise to Koreans. I didn’t understand the significance of the statue.” He further explained that his intent had been to entertain his American audience, but acknowledged that his behaviour was disrespectful.
Despite his apology, many viewers remain sceptical about Somali's sincerity. One controversial moment was when Somali shared an image on Instagram holding a photo of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, accompanied by the caption, "I defeated Koreans for you, Shinzo Abe." While the YouTube video has been removed, the Instagram post still exists, now with a modified caption reading "RIP Shinzo Abe!".


His list of offences carries on as Somali deliberately sought to provoke South Koreans, including Kyung Hee University students and bystanders, by displaying a drawing of the Japanese rising sun flag, a symbol widely considered offensive in the country due to its ties to Japan’s wartime aggression. He also played explicit content loudly while riding the subway.
On a bus, he further provoked passengers by playing North Korean songs. When confronted by citizens, Somali responded with racist comments and demanded they speak to him in English.
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Hide AdSomali, whose full name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael, is now being investigated for hindering business operations and suspected drug use. He also allegedly confronted a convenience store worker who told him not to drink alcohol inside and made sexist comments. The worker reported him to the police on 17 October.
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