American Perspectives: 왕욱 was always a scum bag! "Scarlet Heart: 려" response

I believe I have a slightly different perspective than quite a few people in the Scarlet Heart: 려 fandom regarding 왕욱. I don't feel that he became a scum bag because of his sister's insidious plot in Episode 10.  He was always a scum bag since Episode 1.

In Episode 1, after 해수's spat with 연화 over proper decorum, and 왕욱 took 해수 to the libary to talk to her.  What does he do? He begins to move in on her, and like Donald Trump, he looks like he's ready to grab her by the pu$$y.  Which was probably why the previous 해수 was known for being so well behaved and quiet.  It was most likely her way to avoid this predatory douche bag.  Which makes me wish the writers had done a better job at giving us 해수's back story, prior to her near drowning and 하진 taking over her body.  I found myself speculating a lot of the missing information, such as, what was her relationship with 연화 like prior to 하진 taking over her body? Why was there so much prior tension?

That's not the only reason why I thought 왕욱 was such a scum bag from the start. 명희 continually tells him to take an additional wife because she is deathly ill, and doesn't expect to live long.  He pretends to be sincere and empathetic to her.  He tells her he would never do such an insensitive thing, but wouldn't you know!  When she isn't present, he's intensely flirting with 해수, and pursuing her like a hunter.  During that time period, it was completely normal to have an additional wife and concubines, so him taking 해수 as a wife or concubine would not have been insensitive, and because both had special status in relation to being associated with a prince, it would not have been disempowering.  Him taking an additonal wife or concubine, due to his primary wife's circumstances would have been downright logical. (So in that regard, I think the writers were trying to appeal to the American audience, who are known for getting really bent out of shape over multiple wives and concubines).  When 명희 died, he did the obligatory melodramatic grieving, but it doesn't take long for him to be all over 해수 like a cheap suit.

And the final nail in the coffin that confirms to me 왕욱 was a scum bag from the start? When 연화 was whipping 해수,  and he's standing there, looking doe eyed and weak, acting helpless. Dude, he was the head of household.  Within the social/class hierarchy his word reigned supreme.  He could have totally intervened.

So, I suppose I am in the minority.  I don't think 왕욱 was a nice guy turned bad.  I felt he was a scumbag since the very beginning.