The name is composed of three hanja words: gu (구, "nine" ), jeol (절, "section"), and pan (판, "plate") in Korean.

Foods are separated by color and ingredients, and comprise various namul (seasoned leaf vegetables), meats, mushrooms, and seafood items.

In the center of the tray is a stack of small jeon (Korean style pancakes) made with wheat flour, which are called miljeonbyeong (밀전병).

The nine sections are carefully divided and arranged with an appropriate amount of assorted meats and vegetables to make it colorful and aesthetically appealing.

while the center section is usually reserved for miljeonbyeong, which are small circular, paper-thin wheat flatcakes similar, though smaller and softer than tortillas.