A method and apparatus for generating user preference data regarding the color characteristic of an image is provided where a preference image comprises an image converted to have a color characteristic that a user prefers with respect to a predetermined reference image, a preference value comprises a color characteristic value of the preference image, and a reference value comprises a color characteristic value of the reference image. The method for generating user preference data comprises (a) obtaining an image color characteristic value of a preference image and a reference image, (b) generating {preference value, reference value} which corresponds to a pair of the preference value and the reference value, and (c) generating the pair {preference value, reference value} as preference meta-data having at least one feature block.