A controversial American live-streamer known as “Johnny Somali” faces up to five years in prison in South Korea for causing public disturbances, as authorities crack down on social media personalities who provoke outrage for online attention.
Ramsey Khalid Ismael, 24, has been indicted for causing a “commotion” at a convenience store, Seoul prosecutors confirmed. Authorities have imposed a departure ban on Ismael while the investigation continues, according to local broadcaster MBC News.
The case has intensified after Ismael recently apologized for allegedly desecrating a monument to World War II sexual slavery victims, sparking widespread outrage. The incident led to confrontations, with footage from JTBC showing Ismael being kicked by pursuers. Seoul police reported one man’s arrest for allegedly punching the streamer.
Ismael, who maintains a modest following across Instagram, TikTok and Rumble, has faced platform bans following accusations of harassing locals across Asia for viewership. His provocative behavior extends beyond Korea – Japanese media reported his arrest in Osaka last year for alleged trespassing, along with controversy over videos mocking atomic bombing victims.
The streamer’s conduct reflects growing regional tensions over disruptive social media personalities. Japan has reported multiple incidents involving foreign content creators, from fare evasion to shrine desecration, amid record tourism and increasing complaints about visitor behavior.
“There’s nothing significant there save his provocateur persona: a garden-variety character in today’s social mediascape,” said John Lie, sociology professor at the University of California, Berkeley, suggesting Ismael’s actions stem from a “quest to be a social media celebrity.”
Recent incidents in Japan underscore the trend, with authorities arresting an American tourist for allegedly carving letters into a shrine gate and an Austrian man for sexual conduct at a religious site.
