<p>The effect of surface morphology on drug release in temperature sensitive poly (<i>N</i>-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogel film was studied. To increase the surface area of hydrogel film for the susceptible responsibility to the external stimulus, a convex structured biomimetic moth eye patterned (MEP) hydrogel film was fabricated using porous honeycomb-patterned polymer film as a template prepared by the breath figure (BF) method. For the comparison, a non-patterned flat hydrogel film was also fabricated by a similar method on the flat template not porous polymer film. In addition, a small amount of graphene oxide (GO) was added in the PNIPAAm hydrogel film to inhibit the drug (rhodamine B, RhB) release by the simple diffusion not by stimuli-responsive release by forming hydrogen bonds with loaded RhB. The hydrogel film with MEP pattern was more sensitive to the temperature change around the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 37&#xa0;°C for the release of RhB. The result seems to be due to the high ratio of shrinking-swelling in the MEP patterned film.</p> Graphical abstract <p>Temperature responsive surface morphology change, and induced rhodamine B release by the change in patterned and nonpatterned hydrogel film.</p> <p></p>