[Anchor]
A software update error has caused some Samsung Electronics refrigerator models to crash. While consumers who had prepared food in advance for the holiday are facing severe inconvenience, the company has launched emergency recovery measures.
Reporter Jeong Seong-jin has the story.
[Reporter]
The lights are out in refrigerators packed with ingredients, and only a message indicating that an update is in progress remains on the display panel.
[Lim / Affected Consumer: That instruction message just keeps appearing, and it's been completely dead ever since.]
This happened after users received a notification yesterday afternoon (September 22) through "SmartThings," the app that controls Samsung Electronics home appliances, and proceeded with a refrigerator software update.
[Lim / Affected Consumer: I have to throw away all the ingredients inside. Since I bought the food right before the holiday... I couldn't even sleep well because I was so worried.]
When they requested after-sales service from Samsung Electronics, even more absurd responses were given.
[Kim / Affected Consumer: They told me AS would be available next Tuesday, after Chuseok. When the customer service agent told me, 'Cases like this happen from time to time during the update process,' I was dumbfounded and absurd....]
As consumer complaints poured in, starting with online communities, Samsung Electronics stepped in to quell the controversy by forming an emergency response team and vowing to complete the recovery of the affected products by tomorrow.
Repair costs will be covered entirely free of charge, and compensation for spoiled food is currently under review.
Samsung Electronics explained that the issue occurred due to the mistaken distribution of an update file that was still under the testing phase.
Most of the products affected are certain Bespoke AI refrigerator models produced last year, and the number of reported cases has reportedly reached several hundred so far.
[Kim / Affected Consumer: If pressing an update incorrectly leaves an electronic appliance completely unusable, isn't this a major defect....]
As home appliances increasingly rely on software due to the introduction of AI, a comprehensive review seems necessary regarding everything from the update process to post-failure recovery and handling.
(Video reporting: Kim Nam-sung, Lee Chan-soo | Video editing: Park Ji-in, Design: Kang Yoon-jung)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.