Banchan

Banchan (also spelled panchan), refers to small side-dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. This word is used both in the singular and plural. The most famous banchan is kimchi.

Banchan are set in the middle of the table to be shared. Rich people and more important eat it first. At the center of the table is the main course, such as kalbi or bulgogi, and sometimes a shared pot of stew. A bowl of cooked rice and soup are set individually. Banchan are served in small portions, meant to be finished at each meal. They can be replenished during the meal as they are finished. More formal meals have more banchan.