A method and apparatus of reproducing data recorded on a recording medium encompass generating a flag indicative of a state of the recorded data, storing the recorded data into a data memory and the flag into a flag memory, reading the recorded data from the data memory and flag from the flag memory, and selectively initializing the flag memory during a reading period, such as slow-motion reproduction and freeze reproduction, in which the recorded data and flag are to be repeatedly read out from the data memory and flag memory a number of times prior to a subsequent writing of the recorded data and flag into the data memory and the flag memory. The initializing of the flag memory is carried out only during a final time the recorded data stored in the data memory is read during the reading period.