Canadian MTV star Alex Illest has received a barrage of online death threats from fans of the Korean girl group Blackpink.

The abuse originated with a tweet from the rapper Cardi B, who had been targeted by Blackpink fans for not promoting the group's album, which features a collaboration between the two acts.

"I really love the girls but I won't let you lil kids play with me," she wrote. "I already got payed to do what I had to and I won't do no more."

Illest, who appears on the 1 Girl, 5 Gays show, replied to the tweet describing Blackpink fans as "psychotic" and "toxic", prompting hundreds of abusive messages directed at him.

One wrote: "They hate [faggots] just like u, go slit ur wrists or some gay ass shit"

Another said: "Faggots like you should worry about you getting AIDS and fighting for your rights in countries worldwide instead of worrying about queens like Blackpink."

Another message read: "Dirty white fag."

Blackpink's debut album - titled simply The Album - is out now.