An LED drive circuit configured to control operation of an LED light emitting unit of an LED lighting device, comprising: a rectification unit connectable to an AC power source (Vac) to supply a rectified voltage (Vrec) as a first drive voltage to the LED light emitting unit through full-wave rectification of AC voltage applied thereto; a first charge/discharge unit, and an LED drive controller adapted to control operation of the LED light emitting unit and of the first charge/discharge unit; wherein said first charge/discharge unit is adapted to be charged with energy using the rectified voltage (Vrec) in a charge interval and to supply a second drive voltage 1 to the LED light emitting unit in a compensation interval by discharging energy to the LED light emitting unit, wherein the charge interval is an interval in which the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec) is higher than a preset voltage level which is higher than a forward voltage level (Vf) of the LED light emitting unit, and wherein the compensation interval is an interval in which the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec) is less than the forward voltage level (Vf) of the LED light emitting unit; wherein the LED drive controller is adapted to further control the first charge/discharge unit to be additionally discharged in an additional discharge interval, the additional discharge interval being an interval during which the rectified voltage (Vrec) is increasing and being before the charge interval characterized in that the additional discharge interval is an interval in which the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec) is higher than the forward voltage level (Vf) of the LED light emitting unit and a voltage level of the first charge/discharge unit is higher than the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec). a rectification unit connectable to an AC power source (Vac) to supply a rectified voltage (Vrec) as a first drive voltage to the LED light emitting unit through full-wave rectification of AC voltage applied thereto; a first charge/discharge unit, and an LED drive controller adapted to control operation of the LED light emitting unit and of the first charge/discharge unit; wherein said first charge/discharge unit is adapted to be charged with energy using the rectified voltage (Vrec) in a charge interval and to supply a second drive voltage 1 to the LED light emitting unit in a compensation interval by discharging energy to the LED light emitting unit, wherein the charge interval is an interval in which the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec) is higher than a preset voltage level which is higher than a forward voltage level (Vf) of the LED light emitting unit, and wherein the compensation interval is an interval in which the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec) is less than the forward voltage level (Vf) of the LED light emitting unit; wherein the LED drive controller is adapted to further control the first charge/discharge unit to be additionally discharged in an additional discharge interval, the additional discharge interval being an interval during which the rectified voltage (Vrec) is increasing and being before the charge interval characterized in that the additional discharge interval is an interval in which the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec) is higher than the forward voltage level (Vf) of the LED light emitting unit and a voltage level of the first charge/discharge unit is higher than the voltage level of the rectified voltage (Vrec).