Samsung Electronics has been forced to halt a SmartThings software update for its refrigerators following a widespread issue where the appliances stopped working entirely after the update was applied. The problem first emerged in South Korea on September 22nd, just days before the Chuseok holiday.
SmartThings Update Causes Fridge Failures
Dozens of user complaints have surfaced on Samsung’s official community forum, Samsung Members, as reported by Star News Korea and SBS News. Many users shared that their refrigerators ceased functioning immediately after they accepted the SmartThings update notification. One user described returning home to find the internal lights off, the control panel unresponsive, and the refrigerator no longer cooling.
Other affected users reported that their refrigerator displays remained stuck on an “updating” status, never completing the process. Even power cycling the appliance did not resolve the issue. Tragically, several users mentioned that food prepared for the Chuseok holiday had to be discarded due to the malfunction.
Bespoke AI Series Most Affected
The majority of the affected refrigerators appear to be from the 2024 and later models of the Bespoke AI four-door series. According to ZDNet Korea, the root cause of the malfunction was a system error that led Samsung to mistakenly push internal testing software to consumers. Samsung confirmed to the outlet that upon discovering the deployment error, the company immediately ceased further distribution of the software.
Samsung’s Response and User Frustration
Samsung has issued a public apology for the incident and is advising affected users to schedule an on-site technician visit, as engineers need to physically inspect the refrigerators. In the interim, the company recommends temporarily storing food in insulated coolers filled with ice. However, some users are experiencing further delays, reporting that the repair scheduling system itself is overwhelmed due to the surge in demand.
Repair wait times have become another significant point of frustration. One user was informed by customer service that the earliest an on-site service could be arranged would be after the holiday. Samsung Electronics Service Centers have stated that engineers and customer service staff will be on duty during the Chuseok holiday, specifically on September 26th and 27th, to address urgent cooling failures, according to SBS.
As of now, Samsung has not disclosed the exact number of affected refrigerators or announced any compensation plans for food spoilage. In the meantime, some users are resorting to temporary measures, such as filling their refrigerators with dry ice, in an effort to prevent further food spoilage while awaiting repairs.
