American Youtuber Johnny Somali came to South Korea and had been filming himself causing a nuisance has finally landed in big trouble with the authorities, after he made a fake AI video of himself kissing IRL streamer Bongbong and claiming that the Korean woman was his girlfriend. Watch below:
Bongbong made a complaint about Somali’s video to the police but later withdrew her case. She then made a video where she threw derogatory remarks on the American influencer. Both streamers had collaborated in the past It is not certain if that was why she withdrew the case and there was no evidence that both actually dated or had an affair (Video below).
However, despite Bongbong withdrawing her case, the matter is now beyond her and is now a criminal case being prosecuted by the Korean Government itself.
A September 26, 2024 law provided that anybody found that possess artificially generated contents of another is liable to 7 years imprisonment or a fine of $36,000. South Korea itself is battling deepfake AI-generated pornography popularly categorized as Hentai.
Johnny Somalis’s trouble with the Korean government also does not look good because he does not have the sympathy of the Korean people and many Americans because of his troublesome behavior in Asia.
He had disrespected the Sonyeosang or Shōjo-zōKorean in Changdong History and Culture Park in Seol – a bronze-made statue of a woman referred to as the Statue of Peace, placed in honor of the thousands of women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese army in WW2. These women were referred to as Comfort Women at that time.
Johnny Somali videoed himself kissing and fondling the breast of the statue and then twerking in front of it, an act many saw as rape and insult. Video below:
He was arrested and forced to make a public apology following the outrage caused. He claimed he did not know the significance of the statue and only wanted to entertain his American audience as he bowed to the people.
The US streamer seemingly came to South Korea to cause trouble. He had also filmed himself with a photo of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and said, “I defeated Koreans for you, Shinzo Abe.” Following public complaints, he changed the caption on Instagram to “RIP Shinzo Abe”, while the Youtube video was taken down.
He tried to create unrest in Kyung Hee University by displaying the Japanese flag of the rising sun – a stark reminder of the evils they endured from the Japanese army.
Another footage showed him being chased by angry South Korean youths suspected to be military men who caught him and beat him up. Somali said in a video that he was purposely been racist to South Koreans in their country for money and clout. Video below:
He filmed himself spilling food in a restaurant, and when spewing obscenities at a woman that challenged him.
At another time, he made a video where he was provoking other passengers in a subway by playing loud North Korean songs. He was eventually removed from the train by security.
The South Korean authorities were not left out as Johnny Somali live-streamed himself kissing and making an obscene gesture at President Yoon Suk Yeol. While the citizens fumed, the Americans thanked the president for keeping him safe and under police protection.
Somali has now been banned from leaving the country, despite him sharing a photo of himself holding his passport. While the case of his impersonating video of Bongbong is on, he is also been investigated for drug use.
Johnny Somali and his partner and Korean bodyguard Hank Yoo are now facing criminal charges in South Korea bordering on threatening, insulting, sexual harassment, illegal drug use after a urine test came out positive for THC, and insulting the president. Hank Yoo was arrested for the possession of a firearm.
