A method of and apparatus for setting optimum recording power using characteristic values calculated inversely from recording power that allows a recordable optical disc to have a minimum value of jitter. The method includes setting a first optimum recording power value using characteristic values of an RF signal detected from an optical disc, and recording a predetermined pattern on the optical disc while changing the first recording power value; measuring a value of jitter according to the recorded pattern, and setting a recording power value when a minimum value of jitter is obtained as a second optimum recording power value; inversely calculating the characteristic values from the second optimum recording power value; and setting a third optimum recording power value using the inversely calculated characteristic values. Accordingly, it is possible to improve recording and reproducing qualities of optical discs that have the same time information and ID but their writing/reading speeds and media are different.