Day-two tomato kalguksu after camping, Namyangju BBQ: 2002 Witch's

After a weekend of playing and eating at the Jarasum camping ground in Gapyeong with my kid, we stopped by 2002 Witch's Arpeggio, a Namyangju favorite near Seoul, on the way home Sunday. I'd been here once before, years ago, tagging along with a friend, and coming back after all this time, the tomato-jang pork belly grilled at the outdoor valley seating was just as amazing as I remembered. Highly recommend this Namyangju BBQ spot!

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

• 📍 218-2 Wolmun-ri, Wabu-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• ⏰ Mon–Sun 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• 🅿️ Parking available

Break time starts at 3pm, so we timed it with our camping checkout and arrived around 1pm, getting seated with no wait. Being close to Seoul while surrounded by nature makes this Namyangju BBQ spot ideal for dates, family meals, and gatherings.

On top of that, there's a big parking lot, and two more parking areas besides — zero parking stress. After eating, you can grab tea right next door at Deosup Café too.

Weekend creekside seats at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio go to early arrivals

On weekends the best spots by the creek fill up right from the 11am opening, so an early arrival is a must. You can check the waitlist remotely through the Catch Table app while you're on the way, which is convenient.

This right here is the prime spot, eating tomato-jang pork belly while listening to the creek flow! Nothing's changed since I was last here.

The one thing that has changed is the sauce — the gochujang (red chili paste) pork belly I remembered has become tomato-jang pork belly, aged 48 hours, at this Namyangju favorite.

Besides the prime creekside seats, there are plenty of tables inside and on the second floor too, so it can handle group bookings.

As a dog-friendly Namyangju restaurant, plenty of guests bring their dogs to eat, and the bright interior makes for a pleasant meal indoors too.

The menu at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio: three spice levels and the side dishes

Choosing a spice level and what comes with the pork belly

Ordering is easy via tablet at each table. They used to have a huge menu, but they've trimmed it down to just the star dishes — which only confirms this place as the go-to Namyangju spot for tomato-jang pork belly.

Spice comes in 3 levels — choose from Jin Ramyeon, Shin Ramyun, or Buldak!

Right after ordering, they start setting the table.

Everyone gets their own bottle of water, and a plate, cup, and utensils come in a holder.

The basic side dishes are clean and no-frills: blanched cabbage, perilla leaf oil-jang, house-made tomato kimchi, rice crackers, gim (dried seaweed), japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), pickled radish, ssamjang (dipping sauce), and fresh green vegetables.

You can just ask the staff for japchae or cracker refills, and grab anything else you need from the self-serve bar. The japchae tasted freshly made, like it was still warm — I think they stir-fry a fresh batch each time it comes out.

Kimchi made from tomatoes! Tangy and refreshing, the kind of side dish you keep reaching for because it cleanses your palate. Strangely, even the onions in it tasted sweet!

Look how spotless the self-serve bar area is — I saw them wiping down tables with what looked like disinfectant spray too, so hygiene gets full marks at this Namyangju favorite!

What half plain, half cheese tomato-jang pork belly costs

• 🥢 Tomato-jang pork belly, per serving: ₩20,000
• Cheese tomato-jang pork belly, per serving: ₩25,000
• *New menu: tomato-jang kalguksu: ₩15,000
• Drinks: ₩3,000

With the 2002 Witch's Arpeggio brand stamped right into the meat, the presentation looks classier than any big chain restaurant. You can order plain and cheese in single servings, so we did one of each — a half-and-half.

There's literally nothing for guests to do — the friendly staff handle everything, so all we needed were our chopsticks. How great is that! Staff kept checking on us regularly the whole time, so it was a genuinely hands-off, comfortable meal at this Namyangju favorite!

For the cheese half, they sprinkle cheese on generously and torch it — starting with a fire show and ending with one too.

We ordered half-and-half cheese, and they really don't skimp — the amount of cheese is substantial, so I'd recommend the half-and-half order.

Bean sprouts and scallions come alongside, which pair perfectly with the meat.

The cheese pull looks so appetizing — the tomato-jang really soaks deep into the meat, and the umami is out of this world!

Spice level is adjustable — I went a little bit toward the 'bad guy' spice, but my kid could still handle it at the Jin Ramyeon level, so even spice wimps could give it a try.

Your tongue goes out to greet it first — that's the tomato-jang pork belly at Witch's Arpeggio!

Trying all five suggested ways to eat the pork belly

Tried every single suggested way of eating it, haha.

The perilla leaf oil-jang is the secret weapon here — tangy with rich umami, it's a phenomenal match with the tomato pork belly.

The rice crackers are there for good reason! Load a crispy cracker with all the fixings for a wrap and even your sinuses clear up from how good it is.

After trying all 5 ways, my little one declared the cracker wrap the tastiest, haha.

Gim and pickled radish are also a great pair! And the pickled radish is homemade, not the factory kind — which is probably why it isn't overly tangy and keeps the radish's crunch intact. Homemade is always the best. Layer crispy gim with pickled radish and all the fixings and it's pure happiness.

My son, totally focused on eating.

The organic wrap vegetables are so fresh — are they growing them in their own garden? Watching my kid dive into the wraps and go all-in on the mukbang, I felt proud we'd brought him along.

It's been a while since food made me this happy, haha.

What does the new tomato-jang kalguksu taste like?

This Namyangju favorite, great for family meals with kids, does have a tteokgalbi kids set, but I'd strongly recommend the new tomato-jang kalguksu (noodle soup) instead!! We visited on a Sunday, and it had launched as a new item just the day before — so it's clearly the witch-owner's pride and joy.

It comes brimming in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot), made with house-made noodles that feel different from regular kalguksu, and topped with cheese for a combo of nutty richness and tangy freshness.

The new tomato-jang kalguksu at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio is a jang-kalguksu made entirely with aged tomato-jang — no gochujang at all!

Since the noodles are made using tomato, the chewy bounce doesn't need explaining — even eaten slowly, the noodles didn't get soggy. There's also a generous amount of meat in it, so the texture stays enjoyable too. It's perfect eaten by the cool creek in summer, but in cold winter, a hot soup dish like this deserves a double thumbs-up too.

A must-order if you can't handle spice or want a break from typical kalguksu. The owner mentioned they're planning to open a location in Seoul too, apparently one that would only serve this tomato-jang kalguksu and potato pancake — oh, that would be great! If they open somewhere close in Seoul, we'll definitely be regulars, haha!

Finishing the tomato-jang broth with a bowl of rice

After we finished the noodles and were left with just broth, the owner saw and said mixing in rice is out of this world, then brought us a bowl of rice.

In it went right away — the more I ate, the more it felt like it hit the spot for hangover relief even without any spiciness. If you happen to want it spicy, they seem to offer a separate spicy sauce on request.

Simmer the rice in it and it could easily double as a risotto. My kid gave it an unconditional thumbs-up — a flavor with zero chance of anyone disliking it. Even full, it was hard to stop eating — that magic kind of taste.

It looks like a spicy hot soup visually, but it's actually a refreshing, non-spicy tomato-jang kalguksu — and finishing it off by mixing in rice is highly recommended! The owner's recommendation is always right, haha.

The two of us cleared it completely, stuffed to the brim!

Is 2002 Witch's Arpeggio worth the trip? Final verdict

• ✔️ There are people who've never been, but nobody who's been just once — once you go, you keep coming back.
• ✔️ Recommended as a Namyangju drive-to spot! Also great for an outing near Seoul, whether for family dinner or a date!
• ✔️ A good year-round Namyangju favorite — make sure to try the tomato-jang pork belly and kalguksu at Arpeggio.