A display apparatus having a displaying part on which an image is displayed, includes: a backlight unit comprising a plurality of light emitting elements that emit different color light which illuminates the displaying part, the plurality of light emitting elements being arranged in a predetermined pattern; a driving part that applies driving current to the backlight unit to control the operation of the light emitting elements and the intensity of light emitted from each of the light emitting elements; a sensing part that senses the amount of light emitted from the backlight unit; and a controller that detects a level of driving current applied to the backlight unit by the driving part, and if the detected level of driving current exceeds a predetermined reference current level, controls the driving part to adjust the backlight unit based on the amount of light sensed by the sensing part.