Samsung Refrigerators Stop Working After Software Update Ahead of Chuseok

Some Samsung refrigerators in South Korea have stopped working after receiving a software update through the company’s SmartThings platform, just days before the Chuseok holiday. The Chosun Daily first reported the issue.

According to Chosun.com, users began reporting problems after installing the update, including refrigerators failing to power on, losing cooling functions and becoming disconnected from SmartThings. Some owners also reported that the display remained stuck showing an update-related message.

The issue appears to be linked to software that was mistakenly distributed during an internal testing process. Samsung said it identified the problem and immediately stopped further distribution of the update. The company said there is no indication of a broader SmartThings platform outage.

Several affected users said the timing was particularly difficult because they had already stocked their refrigerators with food ahead of Chuseok. Some reportedly had to move frozen and refrigerated items to other storage or use temporary cooling solutions.

Samsung has formed an emergency response team and is providing free repairs for affected customers. The company is targeting restoration by September 24 and plans to deploy service personnel during the holiday period. It is also reviewing whether customers should receive compensation for food that spoiled because of the malfunction.

The incident highlights a growing challenge for connected home appliances: software updates can now affect core functions of devices that consumers traditionally expect to work independently of internet-connected services.