Namyangju Korean BBQ after a valley swim, potato pancake: 2002 Witch's

Summer heat that just won't quit ♨️ If you're planning a cool valley outing with your family, I recommend 2002 Witch's Arpeggio, an organic pork belly barbecue restaurant located near Myojeoksa Valley, where you can swim and enjoy a great meal all in one trip.

You can play hard with your kids and pets in Myojeoksa Valley right below the restaurant, then fill up on meat afterward — it's perfect for a family dinner or a weekend trip near Seoul.

Where 2002 Witch's Arpeggio is, and where to park at Myojeoksa Valley

2002 Witch's Arpeggio is about a 10-minute drive from Deokso Station in Namyangju. There are 3 parking lots right beside Arpeggio plus a large parking area across the street from the restaurant, so parking is easy.

2002 Witch's Arpeggio

Eating right beside the green scenery and the cool sound of the valley stream makes you feel like you're on a mini getaway 💦 In summer, you can swim in the valley before eating meat, and in spring and fall, you get warm sunshine or autumn leaves — a different charm every season.

Weekend booking and waiting through CatchTable

I'd recommend booking ahead on weekends — there's a waiting area on the 2nd floor, so even the wait isn't uncomfortable. ✔️ After registering on CatchTable, we got a Kakao alert and were seated smoothly in order.

What is tomato-jang? The jar-aged tomato-jang pork belly explained

✔️ The signature dish at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio is tomato-jang pork belly — instead of regular gochujang (red pepper paste), they make their own tomato-jang 🍅 built around tomato, with the subtle sweetness of pineapple and umami from several other ingredients, aged in a jar before use. Rather than a spicy, sharp seasoned pork belly, this is a standout dish with a fresh, savory tomato flavor.

Valley-view outdoor terrace or indoor seats?

We took a seat on the outdoor terrace, looking right down at the cool stream flowing below ✨ The outdoor terrace definitely wins on atmosphere, but indoor seating is also available for anyone who wants a quieter meal.

The indoor space is clean and cozy, so it's a comfortable place to eat even on a hot day or in bad weather.

What's on the menu at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio

✔️ The menu at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio ranges from the signature Witch's jar-aged tomato-jang pork belly and the version with added mozzarella cheese, to Witch's crispy-outside-chewy-inside potato pancake, pollock roe nurungji (crispy rice) cauldron fried rice, and a kids' menu, the Bapdodduk galbi kids' set. The menu isn't huge, which actually made ordering easy — no agonizing over choices.

The Witch's jar-aged tomato-jang pork belly is aged in tomato-jang for over 48 hours and served with bean sprouts; the base flavor is already a little spicy, so if you love cheese, I'd recommend adding the mozzarella cheese.

At a valley restaurant, I usually expect baeksuk (whole boiled chicken), acorn jelly, or scallion pancake, so seeing tomato-jang pork belly on the menu already got my expectations up 🤤 And honestly, after swimming, you crave something spicy anyway.

How to eat the tomato-jang pork belly, plus tomato kimchi

✔️ There's actually a suggested order for eating the tomato-jang pork belly. Start with one piece plain to taste the meat itself and the umami of the tomato-jang, then try it wrapped in cheese, or on a rice-paper wrap with pork belly and perilla-leaf oil sauce, or wrapped with gim (seaweed) and pickled radish, or with organic lettuce wraps — lots of combinations to enjoy.

The tomato kimchi, unique to Arpeggio, combines the seasoning of fresh kimchi with the tangy sweetness of tomato — it cuts through the richness completely and finishes clean. It's unusual and delicious 😛

During quieter hours, the staff grill the meat for you, which made eating with kids so much easier.

Witch's potato pancake: crispy outside, chewy inside

The ultimate in crispiness — Witch's crispy-outside-chewy-inside potato pancake 🥔 The outside is genuinely crispy, while the potato starch inside gives it a chewy texture that everyone, young or old, would love.

Top it with a bit of onion and the richness disappears completely, and eating it in between bites of the spicy pork belly adds a clean, light balance — a great pairing. It's so crispy that your hand keeps reaching for more.

A 2–3pm table after a valley swim: the family day plan

Swim in the valley in the morning, then head to the restaurant around 2–3pm for tomato-jang pork belly and potato pancake, finishing off with a rest at the café next door 🙌🏻 Pets are welcome and private bookings are possible too, so it's great for family gatherings or a trip with friends!

It was my first time trying tomato-jang, so I was half worried, half excited — but the moment I tasted it, I was applauding 👏🏻

The fresh, savory tang of tomato plus the richness of the pork belly, with a bit of spiciness on top — genuinely a standout dish!!! Finishing it off with a torch adds a smoky char that deepens the meat's flavor even more. Add the valley outdoor-seating view on top of that and I was completely swept up in the atmosphere 😵‍💫

The air while looking out at Myojeoksa Valley from an outdoor seat 🍃 — a place that turns time spent with family into something special.

Enjoy a cool swim in Myojeoksa Valley for the rest of summer, then finish it off with tomato-jang pork belly — give 2002 Witch's Arpeggio a try 🫶🏻🤍