I went into this drama blind, having no familiarity with either the original novel or any of the prior TV series. Based on the title and the blurb, I had the impression that this would be about two brothers who are separated at birth and raised under different circumstances. And that's pretty much what happened!

Handsome Siblings features two brothers separated at birth after the untimely murder of their parents. One brother is raised by a group of chaotic neutral villains while the other raised in one of the premiere sects, the Shifting Flower Palace, unknowingly by the same people who killed their parents. Through various plots, contrivances, and coincidences, the two siblings are driven into conflict with one another.

Regarding plot, the drama is overall quite predictable other then a few twists that popped out of nowhere. The general trajectory of the plot unfolds about as one would imagine. Unlike some dramas which feature interlinking small stories to give payoff at a steady rate, this drama went with the single large overarching plot route. This led to some annoyance during the drama when all the villains continually escape consequences but it eventually wraps up neatly and with satisfying emotional payoff. However, I would recommend not thinking about this plot too much as the whole thing is built on a rickety foundation of unlikely coincidences where major characters meet each other at precisely the correct times, out of blind luck. The plot is also chock full of wuxia tropes, with murdered fathers, falling into ravines, nefarious plots, secret underground palaces, ancient powerful kungfu manuals, and quirky characters aplenty. If you suspend your disbelief however, it works fairly well.

The characters are generally likeable although many characters are fairly flat and archetypal. The acting is overall reasonable but there is some overacting as again, many of the characters are archetypes who only have one or two defining traits so they play up those traits. The two male leads are both decent, with Yu'er especially becoming much more likeable as the story goes along. Hua Wu Que is fairly wooden but that's also how his characters is written and he does a good job of letting his emotions just barely peek through. The female lead (Tie Xin Lan), unfortunately, is also very wooden and is oddly vaguely characterized but the secondary female lead (Su Ying) is likeable and well-portrayed. The side characters, both antagonistic and side kicks, are all well-portrayed.

Production values are reasonable as well. The cast is fairly small with limited extras but this is a wuxia piece and not a historical piece so it's not terribly distracting. Sets and costumes look good. Music is forgettable but not bad.

Overall, I had a fun time with this drama. If you're looking for a "great" drama maybe this won't be it--a lot of the plot and characterization is a bit simple, tropey, and contrived. But if you just want to be entertained by likeable characters doing fun things, give it a try.