What do you mean groomed???
It was only that time at Amusement Park he requested to be called "Mom".
The reason he got hard when got called "Mom" is not because of the kid.
It was because of the delusion of marrying Jeong and having his own kid calling him "Mom".
And when he realised that just by normal word "Mom" he got hard, he removed himself from this family for 14 years!
I am not defending the author... since some of his works are questionable...
But accusing a character of something that is not what it is sounds so wrong...
"grooming" isnt always sexual it's conditioning. The simple fact that he asked the kid to be called mum with the full understanding that he liked it in that way is grooming. BEING IN THE BATHTUB WITH A CHILD THAT ISNT YOUR CHILD AND YOU ARENT RELATED. even if its my child at that age I wouldnt be in the bathtub with them.
he didnt ask to be called mom once either. Remember how they literally played house as the mom and dad. Grooming is as simple as that because of the context.
Nail in the coffin is asking the kid not to say anything to the parents. Typical grooming behaviour. You can argue that he wasn't attracted to the child and it isnt grooming but the fact is that kid was messed up after that encounter.
He did something bad ofc he should remove himself from the family.
The character did something bad just because he's aware of it doesn't absolve him. If you liked reading this and trying to justify that's okay I read it too but you dont see me justifying his actions.
This reads like a fantasy of a registered pedo. I was desperately hoping and waiting for an arrest.
Poor kid got groomed so bad that was so icky