Samsung Smart Refrigerator Firmware Glitch Disables Cooling in South Korea

An erroneous test update sent via the SmartThings app froze Bespoke AI fridges ahead of the Chuseok holiday.

By The Company WireSeptember 27, 2026 at 4:46 PM UTC3 min read

Samsung — Samsung Smart Refrigerator Firmware Glitch Disables Cooling in South Korea. Photo: Mashable Tech.

A software update distributed by Samsung Electronics to connected smart refrigerators in South Korea caused appliances to stop cooling, leaving owners with inoperable hardware ahead of a major holiday, according to a report from Mashable Tech (https://mashable.com/tech/samsung-smart-fridge-update-stops-cooling).

The disruption began on Sept. 22 after customers installed a refrigerator software update distributed through Samsung's SmartThings app. Users reported dark interior lights, digital screens stuck on an "updating" prompt, and cooling systems that shut down entirely. The issue primarily affected Bespoke AI four-door refrigerators released since 2024.

The outage hit immediately before Chuseok, a major South Korean holiday centered on family gatherings and large meals. One owner told local newspaper Seoul Shinmun that they had to throw away 20 kilograms of food, while others reported concerns over spoiled groceries and holiday meats.

Samsung acknowledged the issue on its community forum, stating that an error during software testing caused power and screen failures for some users. South Korean media reported that firmware intended solely for internal testing was mistakenly distributed to consumer appliances.

In response, Samsung halted distribution of the update, offered free repairs, and set a target to restore affected refrigerators by Sept. 24. The company also stated it was reviewing compensation options for spoiled food. Samsung has not publicly confirmed how many refrigerators were affected or whether all repairs were completed by the target date.

The incident highlights the operational vulnerabilities introduced as manufacturers tie basic home utilities to connected software and cloud ecosystems. While consumer hardware makers continue adding connected features—such as automated fabric detection in washing machines or camera-assisted toothbrushes—software failures can disrupt the core physical functions that appliances exist to perform.