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A Samsung refrigerator software-testing error on September 22, 2026, caused power and screen abnormalities in some customers’ refrigerators in South Korea, Samsung said. SBS reported that some appliances displayed an update-in-progress message and stopped functioning, prompting concerns about food spoiling just before the Chuseok holiday. Samsung said it had activated an emergency response; the reports available through September 24 said compensation for spoiled food was still under review.
What happened to the refrigerators?
Samsung’s Korea community notice, posted September 23, said an error occurred the previous day during testing related to a refrigerator software update. The notice confirmed abnormalities in the power and screens of some customers’ refrigerators and said Samsung was taking urgent action through its service centers. Samsung Members Korea’s notice described the incident as an internal testing error, not a confirmed failure of a publicly identified update released to every refrigerator.
SBS reported that some customers received SmartThings notifications and proceeded with an update. Some then saw an update-in-progress message while their refrigerators stopped working. The resulting loss of cooling raised concerns about food spoilage in households preparing for Chuseok.
What Samsung said about the incident’s reach
In a response quoted by Ars Technica on September 23, Samsung said the issue was limited to South Korea and that it had identified no impact to overseas markets. That is Samsung’s characterization of the incident; it is not an independent accounting of every affected appliance.
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- WiFi CONNECTIVITY: Wi-Fi connectivity on your fridge isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential for safety and energy conservation. You’ll get immediate notifications if the temperature drops due to a power outage or if you accidentally leave the door open.
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The reviewed incident response did not identify specific affected refrigerator models or give a verified number of affected units. Ars Technica cited SBS for hundreds of customer cases, which should be understood as reported cases—not hundreds of confirmed failed refrigerators.
What Samsung did, and what remained unresolved
Samsung said it suspended testing after receiving reports and activated an emergency response, with service centers taking action. Its Korea community notice directed affected customers to Samsung Service and listed 1588-3366; customers should check Samsung Korea’s current support page for up-to-date contact and booking details.
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- COLOR CUSTOMIZATION: Customize the design of your french door french door refrigerator with changeable door panels. Choose from a variety of colors and two finishes to create a space that fits your style.
- BEVERAGE CENTER: Quick access to refreshingly cool, filtered water two ways. Choose from an internal dispenser or a built-in pitcher that automatically refills, with the option to infuse with a flavor.
- EXTRA LARGE CAPACITY: With 29 cu. ft. of capacity, this spacious french door french door refrigerator is designed for convenience, offering flexibility and organization to store and access all your favorite foods with ease.
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- FLEXZONE DRAWER: The FlexZone Drawer is customizable with 5 different temperature settings. From french door refrigerator to soft freeze, this middle drawer can store everything from fruit and vegetables to your favorite meat & seafood.
Tom’s Hardware reported on September 24 that Samsung had announced a target of restoring affected refrigerators by that date and was arranging emergency on-site visits for urgent refrigerator or freezer problems. That was a stated target, not confirmation that all repairs were completed by September 24.
SBS and Tom’s Hardware reported that Samsung would cover repair costs and was reviewing compensation for spoiled food. Those contemporaneous reports do not establish a final food-loss compensation policy or confirm that payments were made.
Rank #3
- EXTRA LARGE CAPACITY: With 30 cu. ft. of capacity, this spacious french door french door refrigerator is designed for convenience, offering flexibility and organization to store and access all your favorite foods with ease.
- COLOR CUSTOMIZATION: Customize the design of your french door french door refrigerator with changeable door panels. Choose from a variety of colors and two finishes to create a space that fits your style.
- DUAL ICE MAKER WITH ICE BITES: Enjoy your favorite beverage with your choice of ice. Select from cubed ice or Ice Bites that chill your drink faster.
- AUTOFILL WATER PTICHER: A built-in pitcher that automatically refills with filtered water and the option to infuse with a flavor of your choice.
- DEDICATED PANTRY DOORS: Two separate drawers that let you store more deli items, meat, poultry, and fish, including larger-sized items.
Do Samsung’s September 7 model announcements identify affected fridges?
No. On September 7, Samsung announced software updates for selected refrigerators, including 21.5-inch and 32-inch Family Hub models released from 2021 through 2025 and selected 9-inch Family Hub models from 2025. That separate announcement describes planned software support; it does not identify which models, if any, were affected by the September 22 testing error. Samsung’s announcement should not be treated as an incident model list.
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