A multimedia sharing apparatus uses a copy of a metadata database of a portable terminal for copying the metadata database stored in a server. The multimedia sharing apparatus stores the copied metadata database in the portable terminal, and reduces an overhead using the stored metadata database when a user searches data. A multimedia sharing method includes requesting a server to transmit a metadata database at a portable terminal, receiving access information capable of accessing the metadata database of the server at the portable terminal from the server, and reading the metadata database of the server at the portable terminal using the access information.