I recently bought a Samsung TV with smart features. I'm within the EU and the TV was definitely sourced from within the EU and it is an EU model.
Initially I could not use the smart features because they needed to be activated. First question is to specify my region. I could not select my region as it wasn't on the list. I tried a couple of them but hit the same issue every time that my internet connection "was unstable". 
I googled for a few hours and eventually found a clue as to what the problem was. When you select your region, Samsung does an IP geolocation check. I tried using my mobile as a hotspot with the VPN on but apparently that will bypass the VPN so that didn't work.
After a few weeks of retrying and researching I realised I'd have to try to make my Windows 10 computer become a virtual hotspot and link the VPN network connection to it and set it to one of the countries.
Finally worked.
Seriously, what the hell? How are Samsung getting away with this nonsense? How can they put barriers up like this?
