During a flight to China, a plane carrying 47 people crashes into an island. Only 12 make it out alive, seven of whom are South Korea's most famous celebrities. Stylist Ra Bong Hee, Former Dreamers leader Seo Joon-oh, fellow members Tae-oh and Lee Yeol, Famous singer and actress Ha Ji-ah. Other famous actress Yoon so-hee, Ji-ah's manager Jung Ki-joon, president of Legend Entertainment Hwang Jae-guk, Secretary Tae-ho hang, famous reporter Kim Ki-hwan, and pilots Park seo Tae and Nam Soo Cheol. However, after four months, only Bong-hee survives. However, she discovers that six other survivors survived. Tae-oh, Joon-oh, Ji-ah, Ki-joon, Jae-guk, and Ho-hang have successfully survived the ordeal, and are deemed international celebrities due to the ordeal. However they discover that five of them, Lee Yeol, So-hee, Soo-cheol, Seo-tae, and Ki-hwan, were mysteriously murdered by an unknown assailant, and they struggle to find out who in their group murdered the five.[9][10][11][12]
Joon-oh's new stylist, who left her hometown to pursue her dreams in Seoul. Her first day working ends up in a plane crash and being stranded on an uninhabited island. While living on the island, she proves herself to have good survival skills and often feels responsible for others. After four months, she ends up becoming known as the only survivor and sole witness to the events surrounding the accident.
A celebrity who is going through hard times after being accused of DUI and instigating a colleague to commit suicide. He was once a leader of a popular idol band, Dreamers, but is now reduced to being a D-list fringe celebrity. Although he acts very bratty and spoiled, he turns out to have more love and forgiveness in his heart than anyone. He's presumed dead after passing out from blood loss, but is revealed to be alive and the last survivor to be identified
He was the bassist of the band Dreamers. After the disbandment, he became an actor and successfully climbed back to the peak of his career with a good and clean image. He was perceived as a rival by Joon-oh and was Ji-ah's secret lover. Unknown to the public, he actually needed someone to sing for him during his days in Dreamer. He reveals a hidden side of himself while surviving on the island. He was involved in the murders that occurred on the island. He's the second survivor to be revealed, and tries to kill all 6 of the survivors to ensure his clean image
The most successful celebrity in Joon-oh's and Tae-ho's management agency, Legend Entertainment. She is charismatic and refreshingly honest to the extent of not being able to understand secret signals and hints and often saying them out loud. She has a disease which only Joon-oh and Ki-joon know, which puts her in mortal danger while being stranded on the island.
Joon-oh's manager who has been loyal to him throughout the years. He takes very good care of Ji-ah, where it was subsequently revealed that he did it out of guilt of not being able to save Ji-ah's brother while being a medic in the military.
President of Legend Entertainment. After the ruckus caused by Joon-oh's scandal, he decided to disband Dreamers. He was perceived as a selfish person mainly because of his title, but proved others wrong when he decided to stay with the others on the island when given an opportunity to escape. However, after he's rescued, he is involved in a car wreck which puts him in a coma and paralyzes him permanently.
Secretary of the president of Legend Entertainment. Very loyal to President Hwang, often seen nagging at him, but is also an easily distressed person. He becomes a witness of a murder in the deserted island, and becomes torn between his conscience and his fear.
He was the drummer and the visual of the band Dreamer. After the disbandment of the band, he developed his composition skills and succeeded as a solo artist. He is known as being kind and friendly and is able to display his strength during the tense and desperate times while surviving on the island. He was murdered by one of his fellow survivors when his head is split open on a rock. Korea presumes him missing, since Tae-oh was the only one who witnessed him get murdered.[19][20]
Known as the Hallyu goddess Actress, she is from Legend Entertainment. After surviving the plane crash she was overwhelmed with anxiety and was suicidal at first. Thus, she did not trust anyone and acted out of selfishness multiple times. After Bong-hee rescued her from a suicide attempt, she eventually decided to face reality and tries to fight for survival along with the rest of the survivors. She was also murdered by one of her fellow survivors.
Heo Jae-ho as Kim Ki-hwan, One of Korea's most famous reporters who seems to have a good memory and knows events that are crucial to Korea's history. he stalked down one of the celebrities to the plane, but ends up on the island. He manages to get a boat to come to the island, but is murdered afterwards by Tae-ho. He's the only celebrity to not be part of Legend
Park Seok-tae, Captain of the plane. Survived the plane crash but was severely injured and murdered for the supplies he had in his possession.
Nam Soo-cheol, first officer of the plane. Survived the plane crash and found a lifeboat which would give the survivors a chance to sail out for help. Died after attempting to row the boat out in the sea during a storm.
Head of the Special Investigation Commission who is secretly involved in bribery. Instead of revealing every single details from the survivors' testimonials to the public, she is more concerned about the outcome of public sentiment and only chooses to lie due to taking sides with the one with more influence and power.[24]
Vice President of Legend Entertainment. It is revealed that he had been eyeing for the President's position after he sabotages President Hwang's return to South Korea and that he is involved in the death of Jae-hyun as well. After the seven survivors are found, he helps Tae-oh to kill every single one of them to become head of Legend and ensure that his and Tae-oh's images are clean. Tae-oh later betrays him, frames him for the crimes, and nearly kills him during a jail transport
Had been a trainee in Legend Entertainment for seven years. While getting insincere assurances that he would be given a chance to debut, he got frustrated of waiting and singing for Choi Tae-oh and supposedly committed suicide. (Ep. 1, 8, 13-14)
Jun Won-joo as old woman at senior-citizen center (Ep.1)
Production
The early working name of the drama was Gaia, then changed to Picnic, and then Missing 9.[27] The writer's position had multiple changes from Song Ji-na to Kim Ban-di (who wrote the first script), then Han Jung-hoon (who made revisions to the script and later credited as the series creator) and eventually, Son Hwang-won. Kang Ha-neul was first offered the male lead role but declined due to scheduling conflicts.[28]Kwon Yuri, Lee Hye-ri and Jung Yu-mi were all offered the female lead roles, but also declined.[29][30][31]
Filming took place in September, 2016, when the lead roles were not confirmed. First table script reading took place on October 14, 2016 at MBC Broadcasting Station in Sangam, Seoul, South Korea.[32][33]
The drama started airing in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong on Oh!K every Thursday and Friday at 19:50 from January 19, 2017 to March 10, 2017.
In Thailand, the drama started airing from May 13, 2017 to June 18, 2017 on Channel 7 every Saturday and Sunday at 09:45.[37]
"Missing 9" started airing in Japan on WOWOW every Sunday at 21:00 from June 4, 2017.[38][39]
