A method of compensating for white balance of an image display apparatus, the method comprising: receiving an input image signal; setting a picture status mode of the received input image signal, wherein the picture status mode is automatically set according to image information detected from the input image signal, wherein the picture status mode includes any one of a comfortable image mode, a sharp image mode, a soft image mode, and a user image mode, wherein the picture status mode is adapted to divide luminance levels in the input image signal into luminance regions and to set color temperatures according to each luminance region, and wherein said luminance regions comprise a fade region, in which the luminance level is proportional to the color temperature, and a gain region for setting a color temperature limit; detecting a luminance region-based color temperature based on a luminance level of the input image signal according to the set picture status mode; measuring light amounts of RGB color from an external light source by using an RGB color sensor; detecting a color temperature of the external light source based on the measured light amounts; calculating a difference between the detected color temperature of the external light source and the detected luminance region-based color temperature; obtaining color temperature compensation values according to the set picture status mode based on the difference between the color temperatures by using a lookup table; correcting the luminance region-based color temperature based on the color temperature compensation values; and displaying an image based on the input image signal and on the corrected luminance region-based color temperature. receiving an input image signal; setting a picture status mode of the received input image signal, wherein the picture status mode is automatically set according to image information detected from the input image signal, wherein the picture status mode includes any one of a comfortable image mode, a sharp image mode, a soft image mode, and a user image mode, wherein the picture status mode is adapted to divide luminance levels in the input image signal into luminance regions and to set color temperatures according to each luminance region, and wherein said luminance regions comprise a fade region, in which the luminance level is proportional to the color temperature, and a gain region for setting a color temperature limit; wherein the picture status mode is automatically set according to image information detected from the input image signal, wherein the picture status mode includes any one of a comfortable image mode, a sharp image mode, a soft image mode, and a user image mode, wherein the picture status mode is adapted to divide luminance levels in the input image signal into luminance regions and to set color temperatures according to each luminance region, and to divide luminance levels in the input image signal into luminance regions and to set color temperatures according to each luminance region, and wherein said luminance regions comprise a fade region, in which the luminance level is proportional to the color temperature, and a gain region for setting a color temperature limit; a fade region, in which the luminance level is proportional to the color temperature, and a gain region for setting a color temperature limit; detecting a luminance region-based color temperature based on a luminance level of the input image signal according to the set picture status mode; measuring light amounts of RGB color from an external light source by using an RGB color sensor; detecting a color temperature of the external light source based on the measured light amounts; calculating a difference between the detected color temperature of the external light source and the detected luminance region-based color temperature; obtaining color temperature compensation values according to the set picture status mode based on the difference between the color temperatures by using a lookup table; correcting the luminance region-based color temperature based on the color temperature compensation values; and displaying an image based on the input image signal and on the corrected luminance region-based color temperature.