This paper discusses the relationship between spacial differentiation of residential areas by
social class and educational difference. To realize this aim, we employ a qualitative case study
focusing on lower class mothers who live in Sujeong-Gu, Seongnam city. These mothers do not
have much concern about their children's “studying”, rather about their social and emotional
development. They see residents in Bundang-gu, a middle class residential area, as others who
are different from them or who are narrow minded elites to exclude others. Some Sujeong
parents, especially who have higher achieved children, want their children to attend higher
quality of schools in Bundang. At the same time, they worry about that their children might
have poor grades and lose confidence after moving in Bundang. Unlike these parents, many
Sujeong parents criticize that Bundang parents so strongly push their children to study that their
children feel lots of stress and frustration. They perceive a good school as one that children are
happy rather than as one that they receive lots of study stress.