To provide a gradation correction circuit capable of acquiring a large contrast ratio.

The gradation correction circuit comprises a calculating means that previously divides an image level range into a plurality of stages to calculate from image data an appearance frequency of pixels in each stage for every predetermined duration, and a correction means for correcting gradation of image data based on the appearance frequency of pixel in each calculated stage, wherein a gradation correction characteristic is determined such that the correction means enlarges the gradation change rate in a portion with high appearance frequency, and reduces the gradation change rate in a portion with low appearance frequency, thus the gradation of the image data being corrected based on the determined gradation correction characteristic.