Johnny Somali banned from leaving South Korea as streamer faces over 10 years in jail

Streamer Johnny Somali has been barred from leaving South Korea and could be jailed for over 10 years if convicted of assault and drug use.

Johnny Somali’s reign of terror in the streaming world began back in 2023 when he terrorized Japan and Israel while broadcasting on Kick, resulting in multiple confrontations with the authorities.

The creator faced the wrath of PewDiePie, who accused him of “ruining” Japan in a YouTube video. This prompted Somali to threaten the Swede with a lawsuit over some of the language used, arguing PewDiePie was being “defamatory” by referring to him as a terrorist.

In September of 2024, Somali traveled to South Korea and continued his antics. In addition to getting kicked off a subway and causing a scene in a convenience store, he sparked outrage by kissing the Statue of Peace – a monument to victims of sexual slavery.

These incidents eventually resulted in South Koreans taking matters into their own hands by assaulting him. One Korean YouTuber even put a $770 bounty for information on his whereabouts to keep the attacks up.

Now, the banned Kick streamer can’t leave the country, even if he wants to, after his streams got the attention of the South Korean parliament. According to Yahoo, he’s facing charges of assault and narcotics use and he’s banned from leaving while under investigation.

South Korea is very strict when it comes to drug use. Possession or use of illegal drugs can result in a sentence of up to 10 years in jail or a fine of up to 100 million won ($72,500 USD). Meanwhile, assault can carry a maximum penalty of two years or a 5 million won ($3,600 USD) fine.

Should the case go to trial, this would be Somali’s second time in court in an Asian country. After his trial in Japan, Somali admitted to lying to the judge, claiming he wasn’t making any money streaming and was filming “documentaries.”