Early bitcoin investor Guillaume Patry says he has enough to 'retire comfortably'

Guillaume Patry, a broadcaster and former professional gamer, has spoken out about rumors that he is worth hundreds of billions of won.

Patry and his 36-month-old daughter Lea joined KBS2's "Superman Is Back" as a new family on Wednesday's episode, offering a glimpse into their daily life.

The episode drew attention when it revealed a villa in Yangpyeong featuring a spacious lawn and a swimming pool.

"My main home is in Seoul — this is a villa in Yangpyeong," Patry said. He added that he had acquired the retreat because he wanted to give his daughter Lea the same memories of growing up in a rural home that he had enjoyed as a child.

The disclosure naturally turned viewers' attention to the scale of his personal wealth.

When the production team asked whether he was truly worth hundreds of billions of won, Patry said, "I've heard all sorts of different numbers floating around."

He was careful to temper expectations, saying, "I've never earned a huge amount of money and I've never become truly rich," but added, "I do have enough that I could retire right now and live comfortably."

He also said, "If you invest consistently and well over a long period, you can end up with something like a villa," and noted that he continues to study real estate, shares and virtual assets.

Patry is well known as an early bitcoin investor. In previous broadcast appearances, he explained that he first became interested in the cryptocurrency at a relatively early stage after seeing acquaintances he played poker with using bitcoin overseas instead of cash, and then began using it himself.

He bought bitcoin around 2017 when it was trading at $700 to $900 per coin, and has said his investment philosophy is that "the right answer in investing is long-term holding" — keeping assets for more than 10 years.

He has also said he has no plans to sell his bitcoin holdings before 2030, viewing price dips as opportunities to buy more, and has expressed confidence in bitcoin's long-term appreciation.

Patry, who is Canadian, began his career as a professional gamer in the late 1990s and made a name for himself as a StarCraft player. He later expanded into broadcasting, appearing on JTBC's "Abnormal Summit" and a number of other entertainment programs.