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A Samsung software update broke smart fridges in South Korea days before a holiday

Test software sent out by mistake left some Bespoke AI refrigerators without power or cooling ahead of Chuseok. Samsung halted the update and is offering free repairs.

By Techlantis Desk2 min read
Photo inside a Samsung refrigerator showing food and drinks on the shelves
Photo: Korea JoongAng Daily

The 30-second version

The details

  • A refrigerator update Samsung pushed through its SmartThings platform on September 22 mistakenly included software meant only for internal testing.
  • Some owners reported fridges losing cooling, lights, screens or power entirely. Some units needed a new main board.
  • Most reports involved Bespoke AI four-door models (RM70F and RM80F), just before the Chuseok holiday, when families stock up on food.
  • Samsung stopped the update, set up an emergency team and will cover repair costs. It is still reviewing compensation for spoiled food.

Why it matters

Connected appliances get software updates like phones do, but a failed update on a fridge can spoil food and need a repair visit. The incident is a warning about how smart-home devices are tested and rolled out.

The full story

A botched software update left some Samsung smart refrigerators in South Korea without power or cooling this week, just before one of the country's biggest holidays. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, an update sent out on Tuesday afternoon mistakenly included a file meant only for internal testing.

What happened

The update went out on September 22 through SmartThings, Samsung's smart-home platform. Owners soon reported fridges that stopped cooling, lost interior lights or screens, or shut off completely, with melting ice cream among the complaints, the Seoul Economic Daily reported. Many of the fridges reported were Bespoke AI four-door models, the RM70F and RM80F.

The timing was painful: the Chuseok holiday runs from September 24 to 27, when many families stock up on food.

Samsung's response

  • Stopped the update and formed an emergency response team on September 23.
  • Free repairs: Samsung says it will cover all repair costs and prioritize emergency service. Technicians replaced the main board in some units, Android Authority reported.
  • Food losses: Samsung says it is reviewing compensation, including for spoiled food, but hasn't decided.

Samsung said the fridges themselves weren't defective and that SmartThings didn't suffer a wider outage.

What's next

Samsung hasn't said how many fridges were affected, and no reports so far involve fridges outside Korea. The case is a reminder that connected appliances can fail like any software. More: technology news.

Key facts

Update pushed
September 22, 2026, via SmartThings
Cause
Internal test software released by mistake
Most reported models
Bespoke AI 4-door (RM70F, RM80F)
Samsung's response
Update halted, emergency team, free repairs
Holiday
Chuseok, September 24 to 27, 2026

Quick questions

What caused the Samsung fridge failures?

A software update sent through Samsung's SmartThings platform accidentally included a file meant only for internal testing.

Which Samsung fridges were affected?

Most reports involved Bespoke AI four-door models, the RM70F and RM80F, in South Korea. Samsung hasn't published a final list.

Will Samsung pay for repairs?

Yes. Samsung says it will cover all repair costs caused by the error and is contacting affected customers.

Will Samsung pay for spoiled food?

Samsung says it is reviewing compensation, including for spoiled food, but hasn't decided.

Can a smart fridge be broken by a software update?

Yes. In this case some fridges lost cooling or power after the update, and technicians had to replace the main board in some units.

Source: Korea JoongAng Daily

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