The Korean term for the small side dishes served with a meal is banchan. These shared dishes are typically placed around rice, soup, and a main dish, allowing diners to combine different flavors and textures at the table.
Banchan can include fermented foods such as kimchi, seasoned vegetables called namul, pan-fried dishes called jeon, simmered foods, steamed eggs, pickles, and small portions of fish or meat. The selection changes by region, season, restaurant, and the formality of the meal.
A common mix-up is treating kimchi as a synonym for banchan. Kimchi is one especially famous type of banchan, but banchan is the broader category. Formal Korean table settings have traditionally been described by the number of accompanying dishes; royal cuisine was associated with a 12-cheop setting. Banchan are generally shared and may be replenished during the meal.