Samsung is offering free repairs after an internal testing file mistakenly distributed through SmartThings disabled some Bespoke AI refrigerators days before Chuseok.
A photo uploaded to the Samsung Members platform shows lights turned off in a refrigerator after a faulty software update.SCREEN CAPTURE
Some Samsung Electronics refrigerators stopped working after a faulty software update just days before Chuseok, leaving customers scrambling to save the food they had stocked for the holiday.
“I came home from work to find my refrigerator had stopped working. I stocked it with food ahead of Chuseok, and now I don’t know what to do with it,” read one post uploaded to Samsung Members, the electronics maker's customer service community platform. This year's Chuseok holiday runs from Thursday to Sunday.
Another user reported the same problem while already on their way home for the holidays, saying they did not know what to do.
Posts from users who said their refrigerators stopped working properly after installing the update through Samsung's SmartThings smart home platform first began appearing on Samsung Members on Tuesday.
The problem occurred after an internal testing file was mistakenly distributed during a refrigerator software update Tuesday afternoon, Samsung Electronics said.
The company said the problem was not caused by a defect in the refrigerators themselves or a systemwide outage of the SmartThings platform.
Many of the cases reported on Samsung Members involved the RM70F and RM80F Bespoke AI four-door refrigerators. Samsung Electronics is working to determine exactly which models were affected.
Samsung Electronics' Bespoke AI refrigeratorSAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
Samsung halted distribution of the update after becoming aware of the error and formed an emergency response team on Wednesday to begin providing repairs. Customers experiencing power or screen problems after updating their refrigerators can contact a Samsung Electronics service center.
The company aims to resolve the issue by Thursday and said any necessary repairs will be provided free of charge.
Samsung did not post an official notice on Samsung Members until around 11 a.m. Wednesday, after users had reported problems throughout the night. Some users complained that the company's response had been too slow with Chuseok just days away.
Compensation for spoiled food also remains unresolved. Samsung Electronics is reviewing whether to compensate customers for food that spoiled due to the malfunction.
While losses involving items such as meat and fruit may be easier to verify when receipts are available, determining the value of frozen food kept for long periods or homemade holiday dishes could prove difficult, potentially complicating the compensation process.
“We are doing everything we can to minimize inconvenience to customers during the Chuseok holiday,” a Samsung Electronics spokesperson said. “We will work to take action as quickly as possible today and tomorrow and restore affected refrigerators as soon as possible.”
Samsung Electronics also said it plans to individually contact customers who have not yet requested service to ensure they receive the necessary assistance.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
