Johnny Somali in South Korea: A complete timeline of the U.S. streamer’s antics

Ismael’s antics first attracted attention on Oct. 9, when he uploaded a video of himself kissing the Statue of Peace in Itaewon, Yongsan District, and performing a lewd dance in front of the monument. The statue symbolizes the tens of thousands of women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule over Korea, referred to as “comfort women.”

Known for disrespecting cultures and harassing people worldwide, Ismael has faced arrests and exile from multiple countries. In Japan last year, he was detained by police for yelling “Fukushima” at construction workers and playing music with lyrics referencing “atomic bombs.” Ismael was subsequently deported from Japan but may face more severe consequences in Korea, where he has been assaulted by vigilantes and could potentially face prison time.

Here’s a complete timeline of Ismael’s actions in Korea:

Timeline

Oct. 9: Ismael uploads a video of himself kissing the Statue of Peace in Yongsan, Seoul.

Oct. 15: He mentions the statue again in a livestream, suggesting performing a sex act on it.

Oct. 17: Ismael insults a convenience store employee, playing loud music and creating a mess.

Oct. 24: Ismael is punched by an unknown assailant during a livestream.

Oct. 27: Ismael is assaulted again by vigilante YouTubers at the residence of his acquaintance Yoo “Hank” Heon-jong.

Oct. 28: Ismael’s YouTube channel is deleted after streaming pornography, which he claims was due to hacking. The deletion prompted him to praise former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his backup channel.

Oct. 30: Police say Ismael was reported for alleged assault and drug use. He was also barred from leaving the country. Ismael streamed footage of himself kissing Korean streamer BongBong_irl, which she reported to the police as a deepfake. She later decided not to press charges.

Oct. 31: Korean YouTuber Yu Dal-geun assaults Ismael and is arrested. Yu is known for his past military service in the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT).

Nov. 6: Ismael apologizes in a YouTube video posted by a user with the handle “jcompany 2020.” Viewers and users of the streaming platform doubt Ismael’s sincerity and criticize the vigilante actions of the YouTubers. Police hand Ismael over to the prosecution for obstruction of business for his actions in the convenience store.

Nov. 8: Ismael reports to the police in Guri, Gyeonggi, that he was being followed by someone, but the police have yet to verify his claims.

Nov. 11: The prosecution indicts Ismael without detention for his obstruction of business charge on Nov. 12, handing the streamer over for trial. He faces up to five years in prison or a fine of 15 million won ($10,700).

Nov. 12: Ismael posts a video in front of the U.S. Embassy holding an emergency passport.

Nov. 28: Ismael posts a video on social media claiming to be in the demilitarized zone (DMZ). The caption reads that he is moving to the “true Korea,” with North Korean music playing in the background. An online community user claims to have reported the streamer for violating the National Security Act.

Nov. 29: Yu is handed over to the prosecution by police.

Screen capture of Johnny Somali’s video uploaded on Oct. 9. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Facts

Ismael displayed a deepfake video of him kissing streamer BongBong_irl, but BongBong dropped the charges. The Korean government might still pursue charges based on the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.

For his actions in the convenience store on Oct. 17, he has been charged with obstruction of business, which could result in up to five years in prison according to the Criminal Act.

Unsubstantiated

Ismael claims to currently be in possession of an emergency passport, but it is uncertain whether he can leave the country, as he has been banned from doing so by the police and is facing trial. He appeared to show the emergency passport in a video posted on Nov. 12, but this is yet to be confirmed.

Media reports claimed that Ismael was reported to police for drug usage, assault and making deepfake videos without consent. It has not been verified whether he has been officially charged with these crimes. Drug usage can result in fines or prison, depending on circumstances according to the Narcotics Control Act, while assault can lead to up to two years in prison according to the Criminal Act. Violations of deepfake laws can carry up to three years in prison according to the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.

Ismael was reported for violating the National Security Act, according to a user on an online community Bobae Dream. If charged, it is likely to be for praising or propagating the activities of an anti-government organization, which could result in charges carrying up to seven years in prison based on the National Security Act.

Ismael claims his parents were a former child soldier and a former pirate, but this claim is unverified.

Due to his name, some speculate that Ismael is Somali. Ismael is an American citizen.

Rumors that all of Ismael’s charges were dropped have circulated in online communities. None of his charges were dropped as of Friday morning.

False information about Ismael facing charges for performing sex acts on the Statue of Peace is prevalent in online communities. Ismael has not been charged for his acts on the statue and is currently charged with obstruction of business for his acts in the convenience store.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]