Namyangju Korean BBQ with japchae refills and creek play: 2002 Witch's

This time I went to 2002 Witch's Arpeggio (2002 마녀의 아르페지오), a Namyangju spot I found myself doubting on the way there — like, "is there really a restaurant out here?" It's tucked into a slightly out-of-the-way spot, so at first I wasn't sure I was even headed the right way. But once I arrived, the vibe was something else.

Every dish was tasty, there was a fire show right in front of us, and my kid could even splash around in the valley stream right next door — a great restaurant to bring a child to, made even better by how kind the staff were. Having been there myself, I get why people seek this place out. Let me walk you through it.

Where is 2002 Witch's Arpeggio, and what are the hours?

• 📍 Address: 142 Surero661beon-gil, Wabu-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• 🕒 Hours: Daily 11:00-21:00 / break 15:30-17:00 / last order 20:00 (※ Mondays close at 20:30)
• 🅿️ Parking: On-site parking available

The creekside terrace: why 2002 Witch's Arpeggio works with kids

2002 Witch's Arpeggio nails the valley vibe from the outside. Green trees fill the entrance and a stream runs right alongside it, so the mood is set before you even walk in.

The outdoor terrace beside the valley in particular lets you eat while listening to the water — it felt like a trip away from Seoul rather than a night out in the city. Kids can play in the valley below, too, which makes it a perfect spot for a family outing.

The tomato-jang aging jars, 25 years in the making

Open since 2002 and still going strong — this is tomato-jang pork belly! True to a place that's held its ground for so long, the walls are covered in food-blog certifications and best-review stickers. Spotting a 2024 Diningcode 1-star badge and a Kakao Map trend ranking sticker made it clear just how many people have passed through.

One side of the restaurant is lined with jars of tomato-jang aging away. Watching the sauce age for so long in these huge jars is a totally different experience from a regular pork belly joint — 25 years of research into their own aging method, and I couldn't wait to taste the result.

The interior is spacious and comfortable, with a separate outdoor terrace section facing the valley. We obviously chose the outdoor seats right by the stream — eating pork belly to the sound of cool running water was such a great atmosphere.

Bright red, perfectly ripe tomatoes are scattered all around the restaurant. From the entrance to every corner inside, tomatoes are everywhere, so the name "tomato-jang pork belly" really makes sense. Just seeing all that fresh produce gave the place its own distinct atmosphere.

How the weekend wait works: signing up on the tablet

Being a weekend, there was a wait, as expected. You register on a tablet at the entrance and can choose between indoor or outdoor seating. We couldn't give up the valley view, so we waited for an outdoor table — and since we could watch the stream right in front of us while waiting, it wasn't as boring as I expected.

What we ordered: cheese tomato-jang pork belly for two and the kids set

Once seated, you can order easily via the tablet at your table. We ordered the signature Witch's Jar Cheese Tomato-jang Pork Belly for two, the crispy-outside-chewy-inside potato pancake, and a rice-thief tteokgalbi kids set for the little ones.

The table also had detailed instructions on "how to enjoy tomato-jang pork belly" printed on it, so even first-timers could follow along step by step.

Finally, the star of the show — the tomato-jang pork belly! Thick slices of pork belly arrive slathered in bright red tomato-jang sauce, with a hearty pile of bean sprouts and green onion shreds in the middle. The look alone is completely different from regular pork belly, and I was so curious what it would taste like.

Side dishes and the tteokgalbi kids set

The banchan (side dishes) come out generously too. Lettuce wraps, seaweed, ssamjang, onions, and tomato kimchi all arrive alongside japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) and crispy jeon (pan-fried fritters), so my hand kept reaching for something even before the meat showed up. The tteokgalbi kids set we ordered for the kids came neatly plated with rice, seaweed, and grilled beef patties — easy to feed the little ones.

The crispy-outside, chewy-inside potato pancake

The potato pancake lives up to its name — genuinely crispy on the outside, chewy inside! One bite and you get that crunch, and it's so savory that I kept going back for more. Definitely order this as a side.

The staff torch fire show and the melted cheese

A staff member personally torches the meat for a smoky finish and cuts it into easy-to-eat pieces, so all we had to do was enjoy. Watching the torch fire show right in front of us was entertaining in itself!

At the end, they pile on plenty of cheese. As the melting cheese meets the well-seasoned tomato-jang pork belly, the savory cheese and the spicy-sweet sauce paired perfectly. Torching the cheese adds a smoky note that makes it even better.

After piling on plenty of cheese, they torch it once more. Watching the cheese melt and stretch right in front of us was quite a sight! Adding savory melted cheese to the spicy-sweet tomato-jang pork belly was such a great combination.

Japchae refills and the self-bar

The japchae that comes standard was so good we asked for a refill. Even though it was a refill, it didn't taste pre-made at all — warm and moist as if freshly made, which surprised me. The seasoning was spot-on and the glass noodles were nice and springy, so I kept reaching for more.

The potato pancake is so good too!!! And the tomato pork belly wrapped in lettuce is the best!!! What is this place? It's a total hidden gem. This is a flavor I've never had before... first time trying it and it's so good... ugh, wish it were closer.

Lettuce wraps, tomato kimchi, pickled radish, pickled onion, seaweed, and more are all available at the self-bar for you to grab as much as you want. The vegetables were kept fresh and there was a good variety, so it was easy to refill any side dish that ran low while eating meat.

Finishing with pollock roe nurungji cauldron fried rice

If you take part in the review event, you get a free serving of the ₩5,000 "salted pollock roe nurungji hot-pot fried rice." Loaded with pollock roe and properly stir-fried in a hot pot, even the crispy nurungji (scorched rice) crust at the bottom was a treat. Definitely order this to finish off your meal!

We were so full that we packed up the leftover potato pancake to go. We ordered the tomato pork belly for two, and the portion was genuinely huge.

Creek play after the meal: what to pack

After eating, we headed down to the valley right in front. The water was clear and cool, so my kid Zoey happily dipped her feet in and splashed around. Between the delicious pork belly and the valley playtime with the kids, it felt like a proper getaway right on the edge of Seoul.

If you're visiting with kids, I'd especially recommend bringing a change of clothes or water shoes. My family is already planning to come back next month!!!