Soban is a small table of dishes that is used for various purposes from Korean diet to ritual ceremonies. The art of making soban or its craftsman is called sobanjang.

Various types of tomb murals such as the Gakjeochong Tomb and the Dance Tomb of Goguryeo were found in various types of tomb murals. Records such as "Samguk Sagi," "Byeolsa" and "Gyeongguk Daejeon" indicate that the state-affiliated organizations were divided into two groups to produce the paintings. During the Joseon Dynasty, Buddhist statues were mainly used rather than statues due to the influence of Confucian ideology, and small and large statues were needed for various purposes such as rituals and weddings, which naturally led to the development of small and medium-sized soban production.

The type of soban is classified into about 60 types depending on the area, type, and use of the soban. Haeju-ban, Naju-ban, Tongyeong-ban, Chungju-ban, and Gangwon-do. Haeju-ban is a sculpture-oriented soban, Naju-ban is a medium-sized soban, and Tongyeong-based soban is a rhyme-oriented one. In addition, in terms of bridge shape, Jukjeol-type (bamboo-shaped), Hojok-type (tiger-shaped), and Gujok-type (dog-shaped) in Gangwon-do and Gyeonggi-do are the main features.