- Samsung's 2024 Bespoke AI 4-door fridges failed after a firmware update in South Korea
- Affected refrigerators lost power and stopped working post-update via SmartThings app
- Customers reported issues on Samsung's Korean forum and required motherboard replacements
Technology, beyond a certain point, can be a nuisance, as customers in South Korea experienced firsthand when their refrigerators were bricked and stopped working after a firmware update. Reports from Korean media indicate that customers owning Samsung's Bespoke AI 4-door refrigerators, specifically the newer models manufactured from 2024 onward, bore the brunt of the software failure.
The affected fridges lost power and stopped functioning immediately after receiving a system update notification through Samsung's SmartThings app, according to Star News Korea.
Customers took to Samsung's Korean community forum and detailed the problems they were facing after the update caused the unexpected crash across appliances.
"Yesterday, Tuesday, September 22, around 3 PM, I received a refrigerator system update notification via the Samsung SmartThings app. So I ran the update, and it kept showing as "running," and the LCD screen inside the refrigerator only displayed Updating," one of the users wrote.
"Worried that there might be a problem with the refrigeration or freezing inside the refrigerator, I unplugged it and plugged it back in after 5 minutes, but since then, the power has not turned on at all."
The customer said a repair technician visited their home the next day and diagnosed that the motherboard needed to be replaced. The technician added that it was a nationwide issue impacting customers.
The issue has been made worse because it happened just before Chuseok, a major Korean holiday celebrating the autumn harvest that started on Thursday (Sep 24).
'Emergency Measures'
While Samsung is yet to issue a formal statement, one of its representatives responded to user complaints on the forum, stating the company was taking emergency measures.
"Abnormal symptoms have been observed in the refrigerator power and screen of some customers," read the translated statement by the Samsung representative.
"We are currently taking emergency measures as a top priority through Samsung Electronics Service Centers. If you have confirmed this symptom, please contact the Samsung Electronics Service Center. We will do our best to ensure that our customers do not suffer any losses during the Chuseok holiday period."
