Disclosed herein is a lighting period setting method for a display panel which permits control of the peak luminance level by controlling the total lighting period length which is the sum of all lighting periods per field period, the lighting period setting method including the steps of, calculating the average luminance level across the screen based on input image data, determining light emission mode based on the calculated average luminance level, and setting the number, arrangement and lengths of lighting periods per field period according to the setting conditions defined for the determined light emission mode so as to provide the peak luminance level which is set according to the input image data.