Bibimbap was recorded as goldongban. Its existence came into being early on as its name as goldongban was confirmed through records relating to figures during the reign of King Sejo (1455-1468), the early period of the Joseon Dynasty. Literature which refers to bibimbap in Hangul is the Siuijeonseo written at the end of the 1800s. In this work, bibimbap is recorded as bubimbap and goldongban. The "gol" in goldongban means to mix, "dong" means to keep. "Goldong" means to mix together various objects. Thus, goldongban means a dish that mixes together various relishes with already cooked rice.
Farming Season Food
During the farming season, meals were served many times during the day. It is viewed that bibimbap originated from mixing various dishes in one bowl as it was difficult to setup a well-prepared table for each meal and bring sufficient number of plates.
origin of bibimbap as a farming season food is well described in Choi Seung Beom's Lanrokgi.
“It is natural for food from Jeolla-do where the mountains and the sea are evenly placed, are gathered from three places where food are to be found. During the farming season, when the farmer's wife carries the cooked rice out to the fields, how is it possible for her to go out with all the dishes even if she uses a hamper or basket. So, a way was conceived by putting rice in a bowl like a large pottery bowl and placing various dishes on top one by one with a bowl of red pepper paste. When she would go out to the field carrying the bowl with a spoon, it was easy for her to cross the ditch and furrows of the rice field. With the out door table set up on the embankment around the field under the skies, it was bibimbap and it is praised as a rationalized menu."
This is the part where it is found that the Jeonju bibimbap originates from the farming society.