Some Samsung Bespoke AI refrigerators in South Korea stopped functioning following an error during an internal software update test on September 22, 2026. The issue reportedly affects four-door models released in 2024 or later.
Samsung Bespoke AI refrigerators experience power failure due to software update error
According to reports from South Korean media and Samsung's community forums, affected devices lost power or became unresponsive immediately after attempting an update through the SmartThings platform. Some users reported that their refrigerators' internal displays remained stuck on a message stating "Checking SmartThings app during update," while the SmartThings app showed the units as offline. In some cases, the loss of power also disabled the refrigeration and freezing functions.
Samsung confirmed the issue is limited to the South Korean market and stated that no impact has been identified in overseas markets. The company said it suspended the testing immediately upon receiving reports and has activated an emergency response protocol. Samsung aimed to have affected units addressed through service centers by September 24.
The incident has caused significant disruption for users as it occurred shortly before Chuseok, a major Korean harvest holiday. Some users reported having to dispose of spoiled food due to the sudden loss of cooling. Some forum members noted that repair technicians might not be available until early October.
Sources
- Owners mourn spoiled food after firmware update bricks Samsung smart fridges （Ars Technica AI, 2026-09-23）
- Samsung forum
1 more sourcesHide sources
- Samsungのスマート冷蔵庫がアップデートで故障して「ただの保冷箱」に、食品を全廃棄したユーザーも （GIGAZINE, 2026-09-25）