American livestreamer Johnny Somali has been sentenced to six months in prison by a South Korean court after a series of controversial incidents during his stay in the country.
The 25-year-old, known for provocative online content, was convicted on multiple charges including public nuisance and the distribution of sexual deepfakes.
Authorities in Seoul first charged Khalid in November 2024 after he shared a video of himself kissing and performing inappropriate acts on a statue memorializing victims of World War II sexual slavery. He had been barred from leaving the country since the incident, with prosecutors initially pushing for a three-year sentence before the court handed down a reduced term.
In its ruling, the court stated that Khalid repeatedly created disruptive content involving unsuspecting members of the public in pursuit of online profit, showing disregard for local laws. Although the judges acknowledged there was no severe harm to specific victims, they imposed additional restrictions, including a ban on working with minors and vulnerable groups after his release.
The case has drawn renewed attention to the historical significance of the “comfort women” memorials across South Korea, which honor an estimated 200,000 women forced into sexual slavery during World War II. Khalid’s actions, alongside previous incidents in Japan and Israel, have intensified criticism of his conduct globally, despite a public apology he issued claiming ignorance of the statue’s meaning.
