Are “bacon” and “pork belly slices” the same item?

No, bacon and pork belly slices are not the same.

Bacon is a type of cured meat, prepared by using salt, brine, or dry packing. The curing process usually involves the use of chemicals, additives, or preservatives, and the meat is then dried for weeks or months. The bacon can be boiled or smoked.

On the other hand, pork belly slices are simply raw frozen meat, which you could, if you wanted, use to prepare your own bacon. These slices are quite popular in various cooking styles such as “mookata” or “shabu-shabu”, akin to the strips of meat you could swish around in a hotpot at a local food joint.