On September 23, 2026, Samsung announced that it had stopped rolling out a SmartThings update to its smart refrigerators in Korea after owners reported that the appliances had stopped working. According to the Android Authority article, the issue was first highlighted by users on Samsung’s Korea Community forum, where many said their fridges had completely ceased operation, resulting in spoiled food. Other reported problems included the automatic door‑opening function failing to work and the interior lights not turning on. Samsung confirmed the problem and said it was taking “emergency measures.” A Samsung representative posted on the company’s forum: “Yesterday (9/22), an error occurred during the testing process for a Samsung refrigerator software update. Abnormal symptoms have been observed in the refrigerator power and screen of some customers. We are currently taking emergency measures as a top priority through Samsung Electronics Service Centers.” The representative’s statement indicates that the fault emerged while the update was still being tested. ZDNet Korea, cited in the article, suggests that the update was pushed to users because of a “system error.” Samsung told the outlet that it had halted distribution of the problematic software. In response, Samsung advised affected customers to contact its service centers. The article notes that user reports indicate company technicians have been replacing the motherboards in the faulty fridges. Many customers have also asked Samsung to compensate them for the food that spoiled as a result of the malfunction. The timing is particularly inconvenient for Korean consumers, as the country was preparing to celebrate the Chuseok holiday on Friday. The episode adds to a growing list of incidents involving connected home appliances, underscoring the risks that can arise when internet‑enabled devices receive faulty software updates. While Samsung has not disclosed how many units were affected, the company’s emergency response and the forum complaints suggest the issue impacted a noticeable number of households in Korea. As of the article’s publication, Samsung had not provided a timeline for when a corrected update might be released or when normal refrigerator function would be fully restored for all affected users. (All facts are drawn directly from the source article provided.)
Key facts
- Samsung halted a SmartThings update to smart fridges in Korea after owners reported the appliances stopped working.
- Samsung confirmed the issue and said it was taking “emergency measures.”
- Users on Samsung’s Korea Community forum reported fridges completely stopped working, spoiled food, automatic door‑opening not working, and interior lights not turning on.
- A Samsung representative said an error occurred during testing of a refrigerator software update, causing abnormal symptoms in power and screen, and that emergency measures were being taken via service centers.
- ZDNet Korea suggests the update was pushed to users due to a “system error,” and Samsung told the outlet it had stopped distributing the update.
- Samsung advised affected customers to contact service centers; technicians have been replacing motherboards in faulty fridges.
- Many customers have asked Samsung to compensate them for spoiled food.
- The issue arose as Korea prepared for the Chuseok holiday on Friday.