A method of collecting content by a content-collecting apparatus, the method comprising: extracting characteristic information from content that is being displayed; displaying a list of the extracted characteristic information; receiving a user input to select at least one piece of the extracted characteristic information in the displayed list; recognizing and connecting external devices that are in a predetermined range from the content-collecting apparatus; transmitting the selected characteristic information which is extracted from the content to the external devices; and receiving at least one related content relating to the selected characteristic information from the external devices, wherein receiving the at least one related content comprises: receiving thumbnail images corresponding to the at least one related content from the external devices, allocating a specific color to each of the external devices and displaying the thumbnail images and the allocated colors at external portions of the thumbnail images, wherein the allocated colors correspond to the external devices from which the thumbnail images are received; requesting related content corresponding to a selected thumbnail image which is selected, by a user, from the displayed thumbnail images; and receiving the requested related content from the external device corresponding to the color of the external portion of the selected thumbnail image. extracting characteristic information from content that is being displayed; displaying a list of the extracted characteristic information; receiving a user input to select at least one piece of the extracted characteristic information in the displayed list; recognizing and connecting external devices that are in a predetermined range from the content-collecting apparatus; transmitting the selected characteristic information which is extracted from the content to the external devices; and receiving at least one related content relating to the selected characteristic information from the external devices, wherein receiving the at least one related content comprises: receiving thumbnail images corresponding to the at least one related content from the external devices, allocating a specific color to each of the external devices and displaying the thumbnail images and the allocated colors at external portions of the thumbnail images, wherein the allocated colors correspond to the external devices from which the thumbnail images are received; requesting related content corresponding to a selected thumbnail image which is selected, by a user, from the displayed thumbnail images; and receiving the requested related content from the external device corresponding to the color of the external portion of the selected thumbnail image. receiving thumbnail images corresponding to the at least one related content from the external devices, allocating a specific color to each of the external devices and displaying the thumbnail images and the allocated colors at external portions of the thumbnail images, wherein the allocated colors correspond to the external devices from which the thumbnail images are received; requesting related content corresponding to a selected thumbnail image which is selected, by a user, from the displayed thumbnail images; and receiving the requested related content from the external device corresponding to the color of the external portion of the selected thumbnail image.