The Black Skirts

The Korean rock act The Black Skirts is actually a band of one, Jo Hyu-il, who was born December 5, 1982 in Seoul. After moving to New York City and failing to make it with the band Castel Prayon, he returned home in 2006. He began creating music in his basement without any interest from a recording label. His 2010 debut under The Black Skirts moniker, 201, became a top 10 album and captured the Best Modern Rock Album award at the 2010 Korean Music Awards. One year later he issued his sophomore LP, Don’t You Worry Baby (I’m Only Swimming), which hit number three on the album chart and got him his first charting single with “Love Shine”. He featured on the number 5 smash single “You Look Good” by Verbal Jint that same year. The Black Skirts spent the next four years crafting Team Baby, a three-part album that was issued as the individual albums Hollywood, Everything, and My City of Seoul over 2015 and 2016 with the entire trilogy packaged together in 2017. The single “Everything” became his highest charting song to that point as a solo artist. 2019’s Thirsty climbed as high as 14 on the album chart and earned him his second Best Modern Rock Album award at the 2020 Korean Music Awards. His 2021 EP, Good Luck To You, Girl, Scout! consisted entirely of songs sung in English.