Abstract: An optical reproducing apparatus and method, with an automatic gain control therefor. The optical reproducing apparatus may include an optical pickup reading out data from an optical disk, an automatic gain controller operating in one of a first amplification mode and a second amplification mode, and a main controller controlling an amplification mode of the automatic gain controller according to the location of the optical pickup. In the first amplification mode, the automatic gain controller amplifies a gain of a RF signal read out by the optical pickup at a fixed amplification rate for a recoding area of the optical disk, and in the second amplification mode, the automatic gain controller adjusts adaptively an amplification rate according to an input level of the RF signal for a non-recording area of the optical disk.