Samsung refrigerators break down in South Korea after software update

The disruption began on September 22. Appliance owners complained that after installing the update, the devices froze, stopped responding to commands, their interior lights went out, or they stopped dispensing cold air. Rebooting by unplugging from the power grid did not restore functionality. The issue primarily affected Bespoke AI 4-Door models manufactured from 2024 onward, including RM70F and RM80F.

Samsung Electronics reported that the incident was caused by sending users a file intended for internal testing. The manufacturer stressed that the malfunction was not related to a hardware defect or issues with the SmartThings platform.

The company apologized and advised contacting service centres to call out technicians, as it is impossible to repair the refrigerators remotely. Samsung organized an emergency repair team and kept some engineers on duty, as the breakdown occurred on the eve of the national Chuseok holiday, for which residents were stocking up on groceries. The exact number of failed devices has not yet been disclosed.