There are provided a transparent display apparatus and a method for controlling the same. The transparent display apparatus includes a transparent display unit that includes a plurality of first pixels having an emissive area on which an image is displayed and a transmissive area on which a background is projected; a light control unit that includes a plurality of second pixels disposed on one surface of the transparent display unit; and a transmittance control device that extracts at least one object from an image displayed by the transparent display unit and controls transmittance of an area, which corresponds to the light control unit and the extracted object.